Food For Thought

So this is actually Jon writing my first post throughout this process.  Donna is much more articulate using this format than I, but I thought that I would share something with you all that God has taught me this week.  So the theme for my bible study this week has been allowing God to prune us and shape us so that we can bear fruit for Him.  The main verse derives from John 15:5, and its says "I am the vine; you are the branches.  If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing."  Obviously God is shaping me even as I write these words through this whole process. I guess God is just trying to re-teach me something that I didn't learn 6 and half years ago.  I guess I better hurry up and learn whatever it is He is trying to teach me:).  Anyway, the one phrase that the author wrote really touched me, and I hope that you too can gain strength from it.  The author is talking about a joy that only God can give us.  " God longs to bless us with abundant life and joy, and not just any joy.  Christ's joy!  Perfect, full, magnetic, and contagious!  The joy of Jesus comes to the believer only one way: transfusion, an intravenous drip from Vine to branch!"  For me, every time I see the chemo drugs drop into the tube, and flow through my veins, I think that instead of the drugs dripping through my body, it is actually Christ's joy that is dripping through my veins.  It is my prayer that His joy will shine through me, not just through this process, but for the rest of my life.