Hope For Tomorrow

She chose hope introductions

I am so excited to share with you this week’s She Chose Hope story by MaryBeth Eiler. MaryBeth is a writer and rare disease warrior and today, she is sharing with us her journey of an unexpected diagnosis, walking through Chemotherapy, and seeking God’s faithfulness even in the middle of the struggle.

I am so excited to bring MaryBeth’s story to our She Chose Hope series! If you want to read the other stories, you can do so here.

Hope For Tomorrow – By: Marybeth eiler

The third of March used to be just another day. Five years ago, that changed.

My world began a new trajectory when the doctor on the other end of the call confirmed a rare tumor diagnosis. Although I didn’t know it at the time, the third of March became a defining date in the story of my life. I’ve long forgotten the details of the phone call—where I was, what I was doing, what the doctor said, or how I felt when I ended the call—what I’ll never forget is when it happened.

Family and friends have long forgotten the date, and year after year, the anniversary passes without any fanfare. But for me, it’s not just another day. It’s a day I find healing and hope as I look back and remember.

In Ecclesiastes, we learn there is a time for everything:

Once an inconsequential date on the calendar, the anniversary of my diagnosis has become a time to remember, “a time to heal” (Ecclesiastes 3:3 ESV). A day shaped by sitting with what was and what is; a day to grieve what has been lost and recognize all that has been gained. A day to look back and discern the journey through the lens of time and distance.

There is A day to note how I navigated the fear and doubt I felt through the trial and error of multiple chemotherapy drugs. A day to commemorate the elation that arose when my oncologist shared, “you don’t have to go to the infusion center today—you are done with treatment!” There’s a day to name the frustration of not being able to walk unaided by a device while reliving the joy of taking my first “normal” steps after a successful operation years later. A day to feel the weight of the words, “the latest MRI shows some growth.”

These are the moments that have marked my life—ones I never anticipated being written into my story, and some that can be hard to remember.

But with time, I’ve found these are the moments worth remembering because they are the ones that tell the story of God’s faithfulness.

While God’s provision has not come in the form of a cure or complete healing of my body, the act of remembering stirs me to see evidence of God’s faithfulness and how He has carried me through—infusing within me hope for tomorrow.

In the middle of monthly chemotherapy treatments, the battle against side effects, and the unwelcome fear and doubt that inevitably crept in, prayers I never thought to ask were answered. Time and distance revealed a different story as pleas I was sure I had uttered in vain were answered but slipped by unnoticed.

While the outcome may not go our way, we can find healing in remembering the hard pieces of our stories—for they tell of God’s faithfulness when we dare to look back and see. In remembering, we give God the glory for all He has done and finds the courage to trust Him in all He is yet to do.

Just as Moses promised Joshua, so too may we find comfort in knowing that “it is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed” (Deuteronomy 31:8 ESV).

Pausing to acknowledge all that has come to pass since hanging up the phone that one unexpected day, now serves as a way to gather strength to endure all that is yet to come. Time paints an ever-evolving story with each anniversary that passes, but the same truth always shines through: God has been faithful. There is healing and hope in uncovering that to be true as I continue to walk an unknown path.

On the days that forever mark our lives, let us pause to remember the hard, the good, and the ordinary moments in between. May we hold to the light all that has come to pass—for in remembering we begin to heal and find hope in hard places.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

MaryBeth is a writer who encourages people to hold onto hope as they encounter unexpected challenges in life. As a rare disease warrior, MaryBeth has found God’s provision in her weakest moments and with it the grace she needs to endure. MaryBeth shares encouragement on Instagram @marybetheiler and at www.marybetheiler.com. Download your free copy of Ungrounded: A Companion for Pausing in God’s Presence if you feel ungrounded as the world as you once knew it unravels.