Having Hep C for over 20 years taught me some valuable life lessons. Seasons of life are always changing. Challenges come and go. The uncertainty from challenges, well, can get on your last nerve so to speak. Perhaps you can relate.

Coming through a difficult journey like Hep C can bring benefits to serve you in the future. I believe God uses every opportunity to show us that first and foremost, we are not in this alone, second, with His help we can rise above challenges with His strength, and courage to accomplish what we could never do on our own.

Earlier this year we were experiencing waves of difficult challenges. Here’s a snippet from January 2016.

I sit here this morning I find myself waiting. I’m literally waiting in a hospital radiology waiting room while my husband, Mr. Fix-It gets a bone scan. We have battled challenges from his injury September 28th with infection that has gone from bad to worse and 2 surgeries. Now on a pic line with high powered IV meds daily.  Has the infection gone to the bone? We will find out soon.

While waiting in the waiting room, I received a call from my doctor’s nurse, “Your mammogram showed a mass, you need to come back right away for follow up tests.” I sat there after the call, alone but not really alone. For I knew the one who holds our future was right there beside me. Challenges rise.  But instead of facing fear, I intentionally chose to take this to God. I sat there in the waiting room, silently praying.

I learned great lessons when I went through my challenge with Hep C and 3 treatments. First and foremost, challenges are always part of life. But not to despair, His words whisper to my heart today, “Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.” Isaiah 41:10 NLT

Through my challenge with Hep C I learned I could lean on Him to get me where I needed to be. One step, one day at a time. Not by my own strength, but His. Reliance on Him daily. So here I am facing giants of uncertainty, but I will not falter. I choose to focus on Him not on my giants.

This year I have chosen a word to use as a precision tool to focus on the target goals and challenges before us. My word is Intentional. I choose to be intentional in faith, action, attentiveness/kindness, joy, thankfulness, diligence (perseverance), goodness, grace and forgiveness, and more, as long as I am intentional with Jesus leading the way. Whatever my day holds, whatever actions I need to take, I pray my actions will be intentional, and follow these simple steps,

“Lord help me today to be attentive to you and honor you in the steps I take, may I step into the shoes of obedience, tie them up with courage and walk in faith.”

Today, I choose to be intentional with faith and courage, how about you?

No matter where you are with Hep C. Preparing for treatment, in treatment, recovery, or perhaps in the waiting mode to see which direction to take. No matter what, we all need the Home Team Advantage.

I was nesting in Max Lucado’s book, Safe in the Shepherd’s Arms, and this encouraging nugget jumped off the page.

Home Team Advantage

God is the strength of my heart.  Psalm 73:26 NKJV

God is for you.  Turn to the sidelines; that’s God cheering you on.  Look past the finish line; that’s God applauding your steps.  Listen for him in the bleachers, shouting your name. 

Too tired to continue? He’ll carry you.  Too discouraged to fight?  He’s picking you up.  God is for you.  

Our devotion may falter, but God’s never does. 

Remember, God is for YOU! Whatever challenge is before you, You are not fighting alone. You have the Home Team Advantage, with Him all things are possible.

Sorrow looks back, worry looks around, faith looks up!  “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank him for all he has done. If you do this you will experience God’s peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand.” Phil. 4:6-7

What challenges are you facing right now? Have you learned some beneficial lessons from Hep C?


This entry was originally published on Life Beyond Hepatitis C, and is reprinted with permission.