{"id":2182,"date":"2023-06-05T19:29:28","date_gmt":"2023-06-05T23:29:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/walkingdeadman.com\/?p=2182"},"modified":"2023-06-05T19:29:28","modified_gmt":"2023-06-05T23:29:28","slug":"strength","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/walkingdeadman.com\/index.php\/2023\/06\/05\/strength\/","title":{"rendered":"strength\u2026"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">wow\u2026 june already! the 29th of this month will make 8 years since my diagnosis of stage four lung cancer! my pc doctor suggested that i should \u201cget my affairs in order!\u201d what a jerk! i actually left his office with tears in my eyes! but by the time i walked the half mile home, i was feeling much better because i started thinking about the miracles that Jesus performed! isn\u2019t God great? i had an epiphany this morning! and i now recognize something extremely important! for so many years i have been praying to God literally as the deity outside of myself! you know, like looking up to the sky as if that\u2019s where He resides! hahaha! but even though i\u2019ve heard that God is within us all, i never really understood that concept. but now i understand that He really resides in each and everyone of us! so with that being said, we all have a capacity for introspection. and when you do that you will find that strength\u2026 the strength that comes from faith, trust and belief in Him! i am not special. but now i recognize my path before me. i\u2019m not patting myself on the back or being prideful! the strength i have gained is a sign that cancer, albeit a deadly devastating disease, can also be a wonderful gift! and my life has become something that should be shared so people who are diagnosed with cancer will have hope! so this will and can help us all! for people with loved ones, family members and friends can see that cancer is not always an immediate death sentence! as of now, i am enjoying my life as never before! i get up each morning before dawn so that i will never miss another sunrise! i see the beauty of this world! i have found in myself a wealth of strength that i would have never touched\u00a0without this disease! not everything is great but believe it or not, i always see a bright light over the horizon! if it wasn\u2019t for cancer, i wouldn\u2019t be riding my bicycle or even getting ready to publish a book! i would probably still be working nights, busting my ass to the end of this life! cancer\u2019s changed all that! i would have never thought that me being diagnosed with cancer would change my life for the better but it has!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">peace and blessings!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" data-id=\"2168\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingdeadman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/IMG_6476.jpeg?resize=768%2C1024&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2168\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingdeadman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/IMG_6476-scaled.jpeg?resize=768%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingdeadman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/IMG_6476-scaled.jpeg?resize=225%2C300&amp;ssl=1 225w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingdeadman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/IMG_6476-scaled.jpeg?resize=1152%2C1536&amp;ssl=1 1152w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingdeadman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/IMG_6476-scaled.jpeg?resize=1536%2C2048&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingdeadman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/IMG_6476-scaled.jpeg?w=1920&amp;ssl=1 1920w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingdeadman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/IMG_6476-scaled.jpeg?w=1740&amp;ssl=1 1740w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>wow\u2026 june already! the 29th of this month will make 8 years since my diagnosis of stage four lung cancer! my pc doctor suggested that i should \u201cget my affairs in order!\u201d what a jerk! i actually left his office [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2182","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-living-life-with-cancer"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/s8zBYf-strength","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2560,"url":"https:\/\/walkingdeadman.com\/index.php\/2026\/05\/29\/havent-posted-lately\/","url_meta":{"origin":2182,"position":0},"title":"HAVEN\u2019T POSTED LATELY!","author":"Michael","date":"May 29, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"I have not been posting lately for a very simple reason. My concentration has been focused on my second book, CANCER\u2019S GIFT:THE GIFT OF AWARENESSFurther Conversations of a Walking Dead Man I know the title is a mouthful, but once you read the introduction, you will understand exactly what this\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Living life with cancer!&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Living life with cancer!","link":"https:\/\/walkingdeadman.com\/index.php\/category\/living-life-with-cancer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingdeadman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/IMG_6476-scaled.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingdeadman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/IMG_6476-scaled.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingdeadman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/IMG_6476-scaled.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingdeadman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/IMG_6476-scaled.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingdeadman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/IMG_6476-scaled.jpeg?resize=1050%2C600&ssl=1 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingdeadman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/IMG_6476-scaled.jpeg?resize=1400%2C800&ssl=1 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":198,"url":"https:\/\/walkingdeadman.com\/index.php\/2017\/07\/05\/15-recapitulation\/","url_meta":{"origin":2182,"position":1},"title":"Recapitulation!","author":"Michael","date":"July 5, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Since I'm now just beginning my 3rd year of treatment something occurred to me. \u00a0Mind you, I'm still here through the grace of God but it goes much deeper than that. The simple fact is that I've made it this far in my life\u00a0only through the grace of God! There\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Living life with cancer!&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Living life with cancer!","link":"https:\/\/walkingdeadman.com\/index.php\/category\/living-life-with-cancer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":2572,"url":"https:\/\/walkingdeadman.com\/index.php\/2026\/06\/29\/eleven-years\/","url_meta":{"origin":2182,"position":2},"title":"ELEVEN YEARS!","author":"Michael","date":"June 29, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Eleven years ago today, I received what I believed at the time was a death sentence: Stage IV lung cancer. It was not. Ironically, I walked out of that doctor\u2019s office with my head held high. But as I turned the corner and began the quarter-mile walk home\u2026 the tears\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Living life with cancer!&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Living life with cancer!","link":"https:\/\/walkingdeadman.com\/index.php\/category\/living-life-with-cancer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingdeadman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/IMG_6476-scaled.jpeg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingdeadman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/IMG_6476-scaled.jpeg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingdeadman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/IMG_6476-scaled.jpeg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingdeadman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/IMG_6476-scaled.jpeg?resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingdeadman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/IMG_6476-scaled.jpeg?resize=1050%2C600 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingdeadman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/IMG_6476-scaled.jpeg?resize=1400%2C800 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2589,"url":"https:\/\/walkingdeadman.com\/index.php\/2026\/09\/03\/subject-to-change\/","url_meta":{"origin":2182,"position":3},"title":"subject to change","author":"Michael","date":"September 3, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"i have something to sayto some may seem strangethere are things in my lifethat are subject to change now do not get me wrongi know what i claimcircumstances ariseno one is to blame with my life at riskand time at its essencei will never denybelief of God\u2019s presence so i\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Living life with cancer!&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Living life with cancer!","link":"https:\/\/walkingdeadman.com\/index.php\/category\/living-life-with-cancer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingdeadman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/IMG_8958-scaled.jpeg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingdeadman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/IMG_8958-scaled.jpeg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingdeadman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/IMG_8958-scaled.jpeg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingdeadman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/IMG_8958-scaled.jpeg?resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingdeadman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/IMG_8958-scaled.jpeg?resize=1050%2C600 3x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingdeadman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/IMG_8958-scaled.jpeg?resize=1400%2C800 4x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2594,"url":"https:\/\/walkingdeadman.com\/index.php\/2026\/09\/13\/nature-of-the-game\/","url_meta":{"origin":2182,"position":4},"title":"nature of the game","author":"Michael","date":"September 13, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"in life i tread lightlyi say my prayers nightlynothing is ever the same my days i live brightlyeach thing i do rightlysuch is the nature of the game to love so mightilyit means so much to mepins and needles in my brain so i always tread lightlywhile speaking eruditelyliving with\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Living life with cancer!&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Living life with cancer!","link":"https:\/\/walkingdeadman.com\/index.php\/category\/living-life-with-cancer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingdeadman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/IMG_8643.jpeg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingdeadman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/IMG_8643.jpeg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingdeadman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/IMG_8643.jpeg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingdeadman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/IMG_8643.jpeg?resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingdeadman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/01\/IMG_8643.jpeg?resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2568,"url":"https:\/\/walkingdeadman.com\/index.php\/2026\/06\/20\/fractured-glass\/","url_meta":{"origin":2182,"position":5},"title":"fractured glass","author":"Michael","date":"June 20, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"here but i\u2019m notto replace what I gotmy eidetic nightmarestraduced my soul depleted and dejectedbreaking that prismwhich holds my intensecache of optimism they repeat every nightno solace, no reliefanother phase of the battletrying to break my belief lost in the echoesof choices and yearssurrounded by shadowsand unfinished fears looking behind\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Living life with cancer!&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Living life with cancer!","link":"https:\/\/walkingdeadman.com\/index.php\/category\/living-life-with-cancer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingdeadman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/BF8BEE72-99D9-4991-99DB-1B0FA3AFB220-scaled.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/walkingdeadman.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/BF8BEE72-99D9-4991-99DB-1B0FA3AFB220-scaled.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, 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