The sweet refrain of this blessed hymn of my youth trickled into my consciousness as I absorbed the words from one of my most special people. She is friend…she is family. She is example…she is mentor. She is confidante…she is touchstone. And now…after months of chemotherapy…she is cancer free!

I burst into tears with the news. I hadn’t realized how hard I was praying for a miracle. I hadn’t realized how much I had been holding my breath. 

“I’m cancer free.” 

Those are three little words everyone who has gone through this hell lives to hear. God…there are far too many who don’t get to hear them.

I couldn’t be with her to help her as she went through these last months. She had plenty of family support. Her medical care was exceptional. When she was first diagnosed, I asked what I could do for her.

“Just text me and tell me your stories. Give me something to think about other than what I’m going through.”

So, almost without fail (I can count on one hand how many nights we missed), we met for our evening chats. I told her about my camping trips. I told her about the new babies in the family. We talked about her treatments and how she was feeling but once that was out of the way, out came the stories and pictures….the fall colors, the Christmas tree, the progress on the bathroom.

I went online and searched “Amazing Grace” and this song popped up, sung by Joan Baez. She was driving down the road one day and heard this song on the radio. She pulled over to listen because she knew she needed to record it. “The President Sang Amazing Grace” was written by singer/songwriter Zoe Mulford. She was so moved by President Obama’s eulogy at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church, that she wrote the poignant lyrics that captured a nation’s shock and grief of such a senseless act. Even though the circumstances are vastly, vastly different…God’s Grace is the same.

There are so many prayers that need to be prayed in this world. And…there are so many praises that need to be sung. 

“I’m cancer free.” 

Thank you, Jesus!

Amazing Grace.

You can hear Joan Baez sing “The President Sang Amazing Grace” here.

❤️

“For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.”

John 1:16 ESV