A few weeks ago we quietly pressed the "go live" button on a new product to the Hopefuel store - Scripture Stickers. These stickers are more than just bible verse cards, they are uniquely designed to have adhesive that covers the entire back, making them a giant sticker that you can place anywhere.
What's so great about this? The back story might help...
These stickers are the result of the spirit-inspired way I helped my Dad through his cancer treatment. On July 5, 2018 my Dad was diagnosed with a rare cancer called Peritoneal Mesothelioma (stage 4) that was making its way throughout his entire abdomen. Everyone was devastated, especially my very upbeat, happy-go-lucky Dad. He was just 62 years old and his smile was gone. He was devoid of his regular cheerful self and instead of coming out of the doctor’s office with a fight in him, he came out sad.
I have never seen my Dad sad before. Though he is the product of an unstable upbringing, he's never been a victim. He's been an overcomer, an optimist, a problem solver and hard worker, but watching him out of the corner of my eye in the days following, I sensed this was different.
He took this diagnosis as a death sentence. After all, the doctors simply said "people with this disease typically succumb within 6-8 months." They didn't give him hope because of the many unknowns of his particular type of cancer and the rarity it presented for them. They just didn't know and it's just not the their job to take it beyond the science.
But what about God?
Watching the way this diagnosis changed his posture over the weekend, I felt the Holy Spirit moving me to remind my family that we needed to consult with the ultimate physician. The doctors were telling him "you're probably going to die in 8 months," but what was God saying?
On the morning we were scheduled to leave town, the only way I felt I could help him while living four hours away was to leave a little piece of me (and the Lord) there with him.
Packing for the trip, I brought my Bible – funny when I think back on it, because for so long in my life I would have never thought to bring my Bible anywhere with me, but now because I've grown accustomed to reading it each day, I always bring it with me when I go on a trip. While I may not get to my daily Bible study while away, you never know when the Lord might call me to reflect in his word and I like to be able to do so in print. I'm not a "read the Bible on your phone" type of girl.
That morning I was glad I had it with me. After breakfast, I grabbed a stack of sticky notes from my mom's desk. They were unique because they were about 5" x 3" and had adhesive across the entire back, not just the top.
I opened my Bible and went to work finding verses that I've highlighted over the years that would be encouraging for my father. I used those hot pink sticky notes and wrote them down. I then stuck them all around my parent's house. I put them in his dresser drawer, on the mirror, by his alarm clock, and inside of his nightstand drawer. I placed them under the thermostat, at the backdoor, and on the kitchen sink window. Everywhere he'd be looking while getting ready for work or just around the house, I put a sticker with a Bible verse.
Why? I firmly believe how our bodies react to suffering psychologically greatly affects how our bodies handle it physically. I didn’t want him to lose the battle in his mind first so I used these scripture stickers to remind him of God's promises at every glance.
God's Word gave him hope when no one else was by reminding him that "What is impossible with men, is possible with God" (Luke 18:27) and that "You are the God who performs miracles"(Psalm 77:14).
These are things he needed to see, be reminded of and believe each and every moment, now that he was faced with such a grim worldly battle. He had every right to believe that God has the capability to work a miracle, whether through healing or some other way in him, and that is the kind of hope that helps people not give up.
It's 2021 now and those pink stickers are still on the walls of my parents house. They are peeling and a bit tattered, but their daily reminder of hope remains strong. My Dad is still with us, and as strong and healthy feeling as ever. Through it all he was at peace with the treatments he endured, and although his physical strength declined dramatically during treatment, his mental and spiritual state remained strong. His numbers are great and the doctor's cannot explain it.
Hallelujah! The miracle of God's grace is unfolding everyday in his life and the only thing that I am certain of is that these Scripture Stickers served their purpose to remind him that the Lord prevails above all things – His grace is sufficient to get us through the greatest struggles and his mercies really are new each and everyday. These scripture's gave him the words to pray and give thanks for in the moments when his hope was failing.
Combine hope from above with modern day medicine and it's a win-win.
Additionally, my mother said as a caregiver, seeing the Scriptures around her house provided hope, reminders to pray and trust God just when she needed it the most.
My parents encouraged me to make these stickers available to purchase for other people going through a similar battle, because they have had first hand experience how impactful it can be to have a little glimpse of hope in the silverware drawer.
So here they are.
Our first set is centered around scriptures for fear and anxiety since those are the emotions a cancer diagnosis causes. They are the verses I originally picked out for my Dad.
More than a gift for cancer patients, they can also be used as a:
- Sympathy gift for a grieving friend
- Chic Bible verse print for a pinboard
- Memory verse cards around the house
- Bereavement gift for the loss of a loved one
- Encouragement for caregivers
- Given out individually as a unique add on to cards and letters
Personally, we've placed several around our house to help our seven year old son memorize Bible verses and benefit from the reminders of God's grace ourselves. This is my vanity mirror....
We hope these Scripture Stickers are a simple and beautiful way to present God's word anywhere you see fit in your life and that they slowly take hold in your memory allowing you to take God's Word with you wherever you go.
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Keep on keeping on. You can do this! God is on your side!