The young woman dreamed of a happy future.
The old woman remembered a blessed past.
Both faced eternity desiring to live fully in the present.
Two women, one real and the other fictitious, experienced suffering and yet their stories are not sad.
Hayden Crebbin Palm, a beautiful and vibrant twenty-one year old, wrote her first blog entry to share the devastating diagnosis of a rare form of skin cancer that normally affects older folks. This is not a Sad Story: How God took my bad news and made it better is a compilation of over two years of posts in which she candidly tell of her struggles while encouraging readers to trust God. Even on her “down” days, her youthful lightheartedness shines through. Truly inspiring. Here’s some wisdom that spilled from her writings.
I can’t stop this suffering, but I can control my perspective.(216)
Suffering challenged Hayden’s fortitude and faith, but her trust in God grew stronger in adversity.
I encourage you all to think about what you expect for your life, and work on changing your perspective to what do you hope for your life? Hold those plans loosely, better yet don’t hold them at all, give them to God and let Him carry them for you! (42)
Live like you’re dying. How radically does that change the way you spend your day to day life? Would you waste your time being angry, or waste time getting involved in petty drama? …We may not be able to control when we leave the Earth, but we can control what we leave behind. (111)
Enjoy the moments, Life happens in moments,.(119)
Grace is radical because God says, There is nothing you could do to make me love you more or love you less. (128)
When you die, you can’t take anything with you. Success, knowledge, education, money, family, looks, material possessions you can’t take any of that with you but what you CAN do is leave things behind. .. The encouragement, the transparency, the hope, the words that God has given me. (192)
Every blessing I choose to remember is a bucket of water poured on the fire of my anxiety. (197)
This surgery may work, and it may not. I may be healed from cancer on this Earth, and I may not. And if not, He is till good, because I will be delivered either way. (272)
Longing for heaven takes you back to the cross because without Jesus you wouldn’t have the option of heaven. So, your heart is looking to the cross, and you meet grieving for leaving earth with gratitude for what God has given you, not what death is taking away. (287)
Like Hayden’s story, The Extraordinary Deaths of Mrs. Kip by Sara Brunsvold is not sad. Unlike Hayden, Mrs. Kip is a fictitious elderly woman in a care facility. Here are a few quotes from a character whose joy and wisdom I will never forget.
Always assume God is up to something, because He usually is.
This breath I have is fading, but it still comes from you, still for your purposes. Despite what my body does or refuses to do, embolden this spirit of mine to stand on in this battle. Empower these weak arms to hold fast to the shield of faith like a mighty warrior for your glory, God. (102)
The Lord will give you all the words you need It’s not about whether they sound pretty. It’s about what he will do with them. (200)
Hold to your dreams loosely and to your faith unswervingly.
Perspective determined the attitudes of these women. No matter the difference in age or circumstances, they chose to live with eternity in view.
If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth (Colossians 3:1-2).
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I also recommend The Value of Wrinkles: A Young Perspective on How Loving the Old Will Change Your Life by Isabel Tom. Heres one quote from the book.
In our midst is a generation full of rich stories wisdom, knowledge, perseverance, personality, and love waiting to be discovered.
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For more about Hayden Crebbin Palm and Hayden’s Courage Award visit: thepeoplemender.com.. Hayden’s book, This is not a Sad Story: How God took my bad news and made it better, can be purchased at: https://www.thepeoplemender.com/hayden-s-book
Dani's Niche 