by Mark Weinrich

Psalm 38:9 (NIV) All my longings lie
open before you Lord; my sighing is
not hidden from you.

Chemo was my valley of dry bones
and like Ezekiel, I can say
they were very dry.

“Can these bones live?”
Ezekiel answered wisely,
“Oh Lord you know.”

How I longed to hear 
my voice echo up and down 
that valley, to hear the rattling, 
bones coming together, 
but I could barely speak.

Cancer and chemo had worn me down. 
I felt almost like one of those 
lifeless solders denting the sand.

Like Ezekiel I learned
the secret is in the breath.

I lingered over David’s promise 
that God hears my sighs.
He understood when every fiber 
of my strength was spent.
I found such comfort in taking a deep, 
deep breath, holding it and knowing God
heard my release. No matter how weak,
how weary I felt His Spirit moved through
my wordless prayer and restored me.
He raised me up and by His breath
I am standing like Ezekiel’s army.

Mark Weinrich lives a creative life as a writer, photographer, musician, and artist—all wrapped together in an outdoorsman. He is a retired pastor and nine-year cancer survivor. His writing and photography have appeared in over 139 news stand, inspirational, and literary publications. He has sold eight children’s books and currently has two fantasy novels on Kindle.