Marissa Henley

Encouraging weary women to hope in Christ alone

Trust the Expert of Everything

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Have you ever needed an expert? In 2010, I was diagnosed with angiosarcoma, a rare cancer that doctors in my area only see about once a decade. I went to the largest medical facility in my state, where they see it once or twice a year. Then I went to MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. There we found an oncologist who treats it once or twice a week, with great success. My husband and I looked at each other with the same thought in our heads: “We choose this guy.” 

We trusted this doctor because he knows more about angiosarcoma than most people on the planet. We knew that no matter how much searching and reading we did, our understanding of this complicated disease could never match his. Because of his expertise, we decided to do whatever he told us to do—even when we didn’t like his plans, and even when his recommendations were difficult and life-altering. His expertise led us to put my life in his hands, medically speaking. 

The same is true of the Lord. There is no limit to the extent of His knowledge and wisdom, not just about cancer, but about foreign policy, immunology, and everything else in all creation. He is the ultimate Expert of everything. 

“Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! ‘For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?’” (Romans 11:33-34)

We can confidently choose to trust the Lord because of His riches of wisdom. He knows the past, present, and future. He knows all the possibilities and which ones will become realities. He knows how He will provide for His children and every situation they will face. He knows what is best for us, even when it doesn’t make sense from our perspective. 

Not only does He know all things, but He uses His knowledge to always do what is right. Even when His commands are challenging and His plans are perplexing, we are secure in His loving and faithful hands.

No matter what you face this week, you can trust the One who is the ultimate Expert of everything. 

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God Will Provide

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Eleven years ago today, I woke up on a Monday morning expecting a phone call that might change everything. When the call came, the news was worse than I had imagined. I had a rare cancer I’d never heard of, and it came with a grim prognosis. 

As I look back on that day and the months of treatment that followed, there are so many overwhelming memories and emotions. But more than anything, what stands out is God’s faithful provision. When my needs became extreme, His provision grew even more extreme. 

God lavishly provided for our tangible needs with friends who fed us for months, an incredible nanny who sacrificed to care for our kids, a home away from home in Houston, and even the use of a private plane for our first trip to MD Anderson Cancer Center. God also provided peace, comfort, and confidence. I knew that He who rescued me from death and gave me eternal life would be with my family and me at every single moment. 

That’s why Romans 8:32 is one of my favorite verses: 

“He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:32)

God didn’t make an empty promise to provide for us. He proved it. Paul makes an argument here from the greater to the lesser. If God has sacrificed that which was most costly to Him—His own Son—we can have confidence that He will give us all the lesser things we need. 

Do you wonder if God will give you strength to face your suffering? Do you wonder if God will give you wisdom in your pressing dilemma? Do you wonder if God will give you forgiveness and mercy when you keep falling short? Look at the cross of Jesus and know that He will give you all this and more. 

God did not spare His own Son. He gave Him up for you. Because God is all-powerful and in control, He is able to provide for you. Because God is faithful and loves you, He can be trusted to keep His promise to provide. 

No matter what you face this week, God will provide everything you need. 

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Living in the Unknowns of Cancer {Podcast inteview}

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I recently chatted with Niki Hardy on her Chemo Chair Prayers podcast about living with the unknowns after a cancer diagnosis. I’d love for you to check it out and consider sharing it with cancer patients and survivors who might be encouraged by our conversation!

Click here to find out more or find Chemo Chair Prayers wherever you listen to podcasts.

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Better Than Life Itself {No Matter What Monday}

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Ten years ago, I was spending most of my time in Houston. Over and over again, I left my husband and three young kids to travel to MD Anderson Cancer Center and receive chemotherapy and injections through a clinical trial. I never expected to “winter in Houston,” as I jokingly called it. But when a cancer diagnosis means you might not live long enough for your toddler to remember you, you do whatever it takes to live. 

My story is just one example of how much we love life. We wear seat belts. We take vitamins. We turn our society upside down to attempt to minimize the impact of a deadly virus. When our life is threatened, do anything we can to survive. 

And yet, Psalm 63 teaches us that there’s something even better than life: the steadfast love of God. 

“Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you. So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands.” (Psalm 63:3-4) 

As we continue our study of Psalm 63, we find one of the reasons that David’s soul thirsts for the Lord—because His love is even better than life itself. Better than life?! I don’t think David is using hyperbole here, and his choice of words makes me wonder if I fully grasp the magnitude of God’s steadfast love. 

The Hebrew word translated here as “steadfast love” carries a connotation of loyalty and faithfulness. God’s steadfast love involves His commitment to keep all His covenant promises to His people. He promised to be with us. He promised to be our Deliverer. He sent His Son to make a new covenant with us and shed His blood for the forgiveness of our sins. God’s love for His children isn’t just an emotion—it’s a commitment to us and to our salvation in Christ. 

So whatever you’re struggling with today, even if your very life is threatened, you can praise God for His steadfast love. And if you’re enjoying the good gifts God has given you in this life, keep this perspective in mind—God’s given you something even better. His steadfast love and promises will never fail.  

No matter what you face this week, God’s steadfast love is better than anything—even better than life itself. 

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