During my third day of infusion there was no building heat and the outside temperature was in the low teens. For someone who loves the cold, this was paradise :-)

To put it mildly, 2014 has been the most difficult year for me. To have to undergo cancer treatment for over a year is tough, but it can be a challenge to maintain a thankful spirit when life still hits you with struggles and disappointments. In spite of life's challenges, however, we can nevertheless find a treasure of purpose and meaning within the turbulent sea.

One of my favorite over-comers is Elizabeth "Liz" Murray, a notable American inspirational speaker, who was accepted by Harvard University despite being homeless in her high school years. At the age of 15, Liz took to the streets of New York, living a life as a homeless teenager, sleeping in subways, on stairs, and when the recipient of generosity, on a friend’s warm couch or bedroom floor. Her life, depicted in "Homeless to Harvard", can be described in so many ways by those who would do her more justice than what I could write.  Producer and Senior Vice President of LIFETIME Original Movies Trevor Walton commented:

“Liz is an inspiration to all people who feel trapped in a world they fear they can never escape.” (LIFETIME Television, 2002).

Not only is she a living testimony of how you can change your life, but she is also a great example on how to respond to life's trials. Liz chose and pursued her dreams, rather allowing the grim circumstances to overcome her.

We all have the strength and freedom to choose how to respond to life's trials. As for me, even though I did not ask to have cancer and endure more than year of treatment, I have been the recipient of many blessings throughout this ordeal. Moreover, I hope I've met God's purpose (Roman 8:28), "and that purpose is as big as the universe, and as definite as the light of truth" (James Smith, Handfuls On Purpose).

ajh