ChristianPulse.com is sponsoring a summer reading contect where you can enter to win free books. You can enter to win Praying for Your Prodigal Daughter which will be awarded to the winner on June 25, 2009.
For more information about the contest go to to The Great Escape Press Release:
Win a free book!
The Answer To All of LIfe’s Problems
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and we are praying through the first 100 days of Barack Obama’s presidency. I will tell you up front that I am a Republican and I did not vote for him. And as I watched some of his decisions and those made in my own state of California, I was getting discouraged until the Lord put on my heart to pray for the president and his staff.
Today’s prayer assignment was one that really touched my heart, and I hope that it will yours too. There is so much bad news in the media ,but the answer to everything is found in the Bible and one of our former presidents understood that. Here is an excerpt from today’s presidential prayer assignment. Read an be encouraged to read you Bible every day!
I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.—Psalm 119:11
As we pause to praise You today, we remember the words of President Abraham Lincoln, who said of Your Word, “It is the best gift God has given to men. All the good Savior gave to the world was communicated through this book. But for it we could not know right from wrong. All things desirable for man’s welfare, here and hereafter, are to be found portrayed in it.”
Praying for Your Prodigal Daughter Support Group
April 1 the Praying for Your Prodigal Daughter Facebook Support Group will start reading and discussing together my book Praying for Your Prodigal Daughter.
If you are a Facebook member please join us and join in the discussion. I will be posting discussion questions for Chapter One on April 1!
Join us at http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=70693805644&ref=mf
Skin Care During Radiation Treatments
I was fortunate to have minimal skin damage during radiation, and I have some tips that might help. If you know someone going through radiation treatment or you are experiencing it, see if these help. One person who bought six Dear God, They Say It’s Cancer books because she knew so many women with breast cancer, prepared a gift bag of some of the lotions I suggested to give with the book. So here’s my tips.
TIPS FOR SKIN CARE DURING RADIATION
1. Slather the radiated breast with Aloe Vera and Niniva lotion (or heavy unperfumed lotions). I took these with me to treatment and put it on right after. Also after shower, before bed…several times a day.
2. Drink lots of water.
3. Eat healthy and get lots of rest
4. Take naps if you’re tired–your body is rebuilding every day
5. In the shower don’t let hot water hit you breast. Keep it just warm and flow on your back and over your shoulder
6. Don’t wear anything lacy or scratchy.
7. If your breast becomes irritated the doctor may give you a couple of days break or give you samples of prescription cream. I had to do that.
8. Radiation can cause a frozen shoulder. I had it happen to me. Ask your dr. about exercises to do. Be very careful not to get any cuts on the arm near the breast being radiated. Let someone else cut and dice in the kitchen.
9. Don’t get manicures until radiation is over and don’t shave under your arm.
10. Use a non-perfume bath soap like Dove.
On pg 177 of Dear God, They Say It’s Cancer. I talk about chemo/radiation brain. Don’t worry if you can’t think straight or are forgetful.
Online Support Group
I have started a Facebook Praying for Your Parents of Prodigal Daughter support group. If you are on Facebook come join us, or join Facebook and then join us.
It is comforting to know that you are not alone and we have seen so many breakthroughs in the daughters represented in the support group we lead in our home.
The link for our online group is:
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=779413118&ref=profile#/group.php?gid=70693805644&ref=mf
I hope to see some of you in the group.
Keep Praying,
Janet
I’m Back!
In my last post I told you that my breast cancer had recurred and I was deciding on treatment. I know many of you have followed my progress on our CaringBridge site, but for those of you who haven’t I’ll just give a quick summary of what God has taught me in this new journey.
1. Don’t be afraid to get a second opinion. Many women, myself included, are afraid of offending their doctor, but a secure doctor should not be threatened. This is your body and you want to be sure you have checked out all the options before you make a decision.
2. Question “standard procedure.” Is it possible that the standard doesn’t apply to your situation.
3. If you have any doubt or unrest, wait until you have peace with a decision.
4. Even if all the pathology test were not done in a previous occurrence, they can be run now. That was amazing to me. My doctor was able to get slides from 2002 and retest them. I didn’t know that was possible.
5. Allow others to help. Find things for them to do. It is as much a blessing to receive help as it is to give it.
I wrote Dear God, They Say It’s Cancer after my first breast cancer journey. It was the book I longed to have and then God allowed me the opportunity to actually use it through this new journey. And I have to say it was everything I hoped it would be for my breast cancer sisters.
Yesterday, was a month since my surgery and I am definitely on the road to recovery! I have many writing projects and speaking engagements but I will post more regularly.
The picture with this post is the blanket my daughter-in-law and 4 of my grandchildren made for me. It has hearts and breast cancer ribbons on it and the grandchildren tied all the fringe. I snuggled under it every day of recovery and felt so very loved.
I am praising God for the opportunity to still be…
About His Work,
Janet
Dear God, They Say It’s Cancer–Again–the Dreaded Recurrence
Sorry about that last post…it got away from me before I could write anything.
I just learned that I have a recurrence of my breast cancer after six years. These are of course words no survivor wants to hear. I am still awaiting the results of a MRI to make my final treatment decision.
I never expected to be using my own book, Dear God, They Say It’s Cancer, but sadly I am. But I can’t tell you what a blessing it has been to me. It is everything I had hoped it would be and this time my husband is reading it too!
If you would like to stay updated on my progress, my husband has started a website at http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/janetthompson.
I value your prayers!
Merry Christmas to you all,
Janet
Let’s Chat
I mentioned in the November edition of my online newsletter that I receive numerous requests from churches who want to talk to other churches who have Woman to Woman Mentoring. But I have no way of knowing who those churches are since they don’t contact me when they start the ministry.
So I thought we could use my blog for you to talk to each other and ask your questions. So fire away!
Also some of you are wanting to know how to start Breast Cancer Support groups, and you too could talk to each other here.
For guidelines in starting Praying for Your Prodigal Daughter Support groups go to http://www.prayingforyourprodigaldaughter.com/
So grab a cup of coffee or tea and let’s chat!
OCTOBER IS NATIONAL BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH
October is the month that the nation focuses on finding a cure for breast cancer and many of you, like me, have walked or run for the cure.
When I had breast cancer, I was very sensitive to how uncomfortable some people are around someone with cancer. Even those closest to us can feel awkward at times and often end up saying or doing something that can be hurtful instead of helpful. They don’t mean to…they just don’t know what to say.
So in my book Dear God, They Say It’s Cancer, I have a chapter on Dos and Don’ts that includes “The Top Thirteen Things to Do or Say and NOT to Do or Say to Someone with Breast Cancer,” which you can find on my website
http://www.womantowomanmentoring.com/cancersite/links.html.
If you are a woman over 40, please have your annual mammogram and if you are under 40 with breast cancer in your immediate family, talk to your doctor about having a mammogram now. Digital mammography located my cancer, and I encourage you to find a facility that offers this type of exam.
If you know a woman who is a survivor or newly diagnosed, I wrote my book Dear God, They Say It’s Cancer for her, and it would make a great gift that she would appreciate. Often I find that women will not buy gifts for themselves. That’s what friends are for.
October is the month to think pink and remember to take preventative measures: self breast exams, mammograms, exercise, eat healthy, enjoy life.
Woman to Woman Mentoring Web Training
Recently, I have received inquires as to how you can receive training in Woman to Woman Mentoring if you do not live near a training I am conducting.
On LifeWay’s website you can purchase, for a very small fee, a training course that I recorded live in their studios. Go to www.lifeway.com Training Online How to start a Woman to Woman Mentoring Ministry in your church Woman to Woman Mentoring By Janet Thompson.
Here is a LifeWay description that explains what you will find there:
Have you heard about spiritual mentoring and know it would benefit the women in your church but didn’t know how to implement a mentoring ministry? Join us for the online training where author and speaker Janet Thompson will walk you through the steps that she outlines in her LifeWay resource Woman to Woman Mentoring How To Start, Grow, and Maintain a Mentoring Ministry.
Participants can access it by clicking the “add to cart” button and purchasing through the online catalog at http://www.lifeway.com/.
