If Love Could Heal by Roosevelt and Shay Greenwood
“This world is not our home.
Don’t settle in.
Live your life in that light.
You have this life, with these circumstances…
Now how are you going to live?
What are you going to do about it?
How are you going to honor God?
How are you going to represent Jesus?
How are you going to stay encouraged?
How are you going to take care of yourself and others around you?
How are you going to live at peace, knowing that you serve a great Big God who can do exceedingly, abundantly above all that can ask or think?
Be encouraged.
He has you in the palm of His hand and nothing can come to you but through His fingers of love.
Better days are coming!
That’s our hope.”
pg. 118
I was at Madison Crossing (for mentoring) when a friend mentioned this book. She had just received a text of good news concerning her father-in-law who is battling cancer. The Greenwood’s son was also a senior mentor to two “littles” at Madison Crossing (let’s pause for a second…can you imagine those two little boys when they learned that their mentor just signed to play football at the Naval Academy…I am going to bet that their chests were poked out just a little after learning that…). I bought this book immediately and began reading it as soon as it came in. Fast forward to now…why am I just now finishing this book? Well, first, I had no clue my senior mentor’s dad was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer three years earlier. Second, reading the emotional details of their journey made me want to hug him each day he walked into Crossing to mentor. So…I had to set it down for the time being. Yesterday, I found it in my backpack (I would read during lunch) and decided to finish it.
Many in the community know and love this family. I feel like, after reading this book, I know and love them as well even though I only met them once (at the football signing). Although many families may not be dealing with a family member battling cancer, as Shay Greenwood said earlier in the book, we all battle a “cancer.” We all experience trials in life. She states, “This story is for anyone who has had cancer or loved someone with cancer. Even if it wasn’t the disease itself, everyone has some sort of “cancer” in their life at some point. This is our story about the one “cancer” in our life that we had to cling to our relationship with the Lord with every fiber of our being. We want you to know that whatever cancer you are fighting that your brothers and sisters have gone through the same.”
In the midst of the Covid-19 quarantine, many individuals are struggling emotionally, financially, and physically. This book is for you. Many are struggling with drug addiction. This book is for you. Many are struggling with divorce or a broken relationship. This book is for you. Many are struggling with how to forgive someone who hurt them. This book is for you. Many are struggling with separation from family members in nursing homes. This book is for you.
43
Isaiah 43:2
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by name, you are mine.
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;
when you walk through the fire you shall not be burned,
and the flame shall not consume you.
(my church friends are probably singing this song in your head)
