“The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” Psalm 27:1 
“My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.” Psalm 121:2
A golden, winter sunset. The vibrant plumage of goldfinches in the spring. Sunny, summer marigolds. The glowing, golden leaves of a maple tree in the fall. If you take the time to notice, you can find the gold in every season. And when you find those golden, yellow tones, they are sure to lift your spirits and warm your heart. Catching a glimpse of the meadowlark’s bright chest on a drab, winter day is like catching a ray of sunshine. And how can you not smile at a field full of golden daffodils in the spring? Golden hues are uplifting, awe-inspiring, encouraging, and optimistic (there’s even a shade of paint by Sherwin-Williams named Optimistic Yellow). And let’s not forget cheerful. I mean, smiley faces are yellow for a reason, right???
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
Matthew 11:28
“Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” I Peter 5:7 
As I admire all of nature’s shades from God’s golden palette, I’m reminded of his power and constant presence. “By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host. He gathers the waters of the sea as a heap; he puts the deeps in storehouses. Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him! For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm.” (Psalm 33:6-9) I encourage each of you to go for the gold in every day. Find the sunshine; look for the goldfinch; be the smiley face; see the dandelion as more than a weed; let your words be “apples of gold.” (“A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver.” Proverbs 25:11)
ROMANS 8:28, 31, 35, 37-39 “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose…..What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?…..Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?…..No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
I’m sure you all know that the phrase “going for the gold” references trying to win a gold medal at the Olympics or other sporting events. A gold medal means first place, the most coveted prize! Naturally, the most rare and expensive metal (at least out of the three used for medals) should represent the highest place. And that’s very similar to the reason the color gold was chosen by a group of parents in 1997 to be the official color for the childhood cancer awareness ribbon. The color of this precious metal was the ideal color to signify the most precious thing in our lives – our children. In 2012, President Obama designated September as National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Sadly, pediatric cancer is the leading cause of death by disease for children under the age of fourteen.
“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.” (Moses to Joshua) Deuteronomy 31:8 
“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
I Thessalonians 5:16-18
A diagnosis of cancer, at any age, is frightening. It’s frightening for the individual. It’s frightening for family members. Many of you have probably heard words similar to the following statement: “Your biopsy confirms that you have cancer.” I received that news through a phone call in January of 2013. But I felt lucky. I was grateful. I guess that may sound a little strange. I went through surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation, but still, I always felt grateful and lucky when thinking about my diagnosis. I was grateful because my cancer was diagnosed early and my prognosis was very good. But, I was also grateful that I did not have to hear these words from the doctor: “The test results confirm that your child has cancer.” I wish that no parent ever had to hear those words! I know that all parents (and grandparents) out there who have ever heard those words wish that they could have traded places with their children.
Through the years, I’ve known several families who have had to navigate their ways through all the ups and downs and twists and turns of a childhood cancer journey. Most recently, the family of a close friend began the journey with one of their children. Imagine thinking one day that your son has a case of bronchitis and then finding out the next day that he has an aggressive form of cancer. Just that quickly, this family’s lives were turned upside down. Life as they knew it came to a screeching halt and became overwhelmed with scans, biopsies, chemotherapy, transfusions, antibiotics, side effects, and the list goes on. My own cancer journey seems like a minor inconvenience in my life, a quick, little detour, in comparison to the road ahead for this family. Imagine the feeling of helplessness for the family members – knowing they cannot take away the pain, they cannot explain why this is happening, and they cannot say with certainty that everything is going to be just fine. Imagine the fear and anxiety of the child or infant and the loss of those carefree days of childhood.
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6
Forty-three children in the United States are diagnosed with cancer every day. Each year, about 400,000 children and adolescents are diagnosed with cancer worldwide. Childhood, or pediatric, cancer is not just one disease. It includes many different types of cancers, which affect different areas of the body and have different survival rates. Thankfully, survival rates have increased over the years, but many survivors face health issues later in life because of their treatments. Raising awareness about childhood cancer is the first step in increasing support for programs and research. Only about four percent of the money that the government spends annually goes specifically to pediatric cancer research. You can help raise awareness by going gold for the month of September. Click here for ways you can go gold now or in the future!
Please pray for all the families and children affected by pediatric cancer and provide assistance whenever or however you can. Remember to go for the gold in every season of every year. Be uplifted, inspired, encouraged, and cheered by every golden, winter sunset, every spring goldfinch, every summer marigold, and every golden, fall leaf, and let the gold remind you to keep these families in your prayers. May all of the scriptures presented here bring comfort and assurance to those who are fighting a battle against childhood cancer – as patients, as parents, as grandparents, as siblings, or as other family members or friends. God bless each of you! And God bless the doctors, nurses, and researchers working tirelessly to care for their patients and find cures for these horrid diseases that no child should ever have to endure!
The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. “The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.” Lamentations 3:22-24
“She turned to the sunlight and shook her yellow head, and whispered to her neighbor: ‘Winter is dead.'” A.A. Milne
Great reminders of the blessings God bestows upon us! Praying for this child and the entire family as they deal with this cancer diagnosis. Thank you, Dana, for sharing your uplifting thoughts & words! ❤️
Thank you, Sherry! And thank you for praying for Bryson!