Category depression and cancer

Listen to the Mockingbird!

Storms can leave a muddy mess, but we can rise - even glide above it all. The poet Carl Sandburg once said, “There is an eagle in me that wants to soar, and there is a hippopotamus in me that wants to wallow in the mud.” In the fiercest storm of my life, my Stage IV cancer battle, wallowing in the mud was easy, yet wallowing made everything harder. On the other hand, praising God was hard at first, but made coping much easier.

battling cancer, cancer support, dependence, depression and cancer, surviving melanoma

Joe Fornear
May 22, 2015

Keep Calm and Cry Out to Jesus

Sometimes life's pain can be so physically and/or emotionally draining that something needs to give... quickly. When even the best of human efforts makes little difference, there is always something we can do - "cry out" to the Lord.

battling cancer, cancer support, comfort, depression and cancer, emotions, handling trials, helping cancer patients, power of God, Stronghold Ministry, surviving melanoma, weakness & strength

Joe Fornear
May 14, 2015
2 Comments

Three Keys to Thankfulness (Key #1)

Certainly the Lord greatly encourages thankfulness, as there are dozens of invitations in the Scripture. Since His love for us is incomparable, thankfulness must be very good for us! At the start of His love letter to the Colossians, the Lord even leads Paul to pray for them to be thankful (1:11-12).

battling cancer, cancer support, depression and cancer, emotions, handling trials, sacrifice of praise, surviving melanoma

Joe Fornear
November 20, 2014

The F Word and Cancer – Focus

– By Joe Fornear Not a day goes by that I don’t read or hear the f bomb dropped on cancer, or the phrase “cancer sucks.” Trust me, I totally understand the sentiment, and I’m not in judgment mode here.…

"beating" cancer, battling cancer, cancer support, depression and cancer, handling trials, melanoma survivors, suffering, surviving melanoma

Joe Fornear
February 18, 2014

Dashing Through Expectations

– By Joe Fornear There’s an old country song entitled, “I Shaved My Legs For This?” Expectations always abound – and of course they’re not always attained. During the end of her pregnancy, Mary probably imagined a glorious birth for…

cancer support, caretakers, depression and cancer, emotions, goodness of God, handling trials, living for eternity, melanoma survivors, suffering

Joe Fornear
December 20, 2013
1 Comment

Supernatural Provision

– By Joe Fornear Not many people realize the financial challenges which cancer or severe sickness can bring. But patients and their caretakers know them all too well. During my battle with Stage IV metastatic melanoma, finances were a constant…

cancer support, depression and cancer, goodness of God, power of God, surviving melanoma, weakness & strength

Joe Fornear
November 22, 2013

Easier Way

– By Terri Fornear In a way, fighting with Joe against Stage IV cancer was easier for me. It was obvious we were powerless. I had the hearts and support of many. I allowed myself and others to be powerless.…

12 Steps, cancer support, caretakers, depression and cancer, emotions, surviving melanoma, Terri Fornear

Terri Fornear
November 12, 2013

The Single Most Destructive Attitude You Can Have

– By Joe Fornear While fighting cancer, caretaking, or just navigating everyday hurts, one attitude will bring more pain and sadness into our lives than any other – resentment. I know this from years of pastoring; counseling patients, caretakers and…

cancer support, caretakers, depression and cancer, emotions, forgiveness, resentment, suffering, surviving melanoma

Joe Fornear
April 29, 2013
2 Comments

Guess Who Else Rose on Easter? (No Kidding)

So what does this mean for us? The significance of Jesus’ seating at the right hand of the Father was about His authority over enemies. The same is true for us, if indeed we’re seated with Him and we are! We have been given the authority and the ability to say no to fear and worry, temptation and sin! We have access to the exact same resurrection power so that we can have the strength to rise above our circumstances! Perhaps we should reserve Easter Monday to celebrate our seating with Him in the heavenly places! Will you join me?

cancer support, depression and cancer, facing death, handling trials, power of God, surviving melanoma

Joe Fornear
April 1, 2013

Lighten Your Load in 2013

What is true for physical limits “carries” over to spiritual and emotional limits. We can only haul so many burdens before control squirts out of our hands. Nerves shatter. Tempers are lost. We stumble under the weight.

battling cancer, cancer support, depression and cancer, goodness of God, handling trials, melanoma survivors, rest, surrender, surviving melanoma

Joe Fornear
January 10, 2013