Female in Motion

God gave me beautiful jewels during my cancer journey. My breast cancer journey is almost at a close. In the last year and a half, God gave me some precious gifts. I thought I would just bear down, and tough out this cancer battle, instead I have found delicate and multi-faceted jewels placed in my path. Rest: I didn't ever sit and get quiet until I was forced to with cancer. Seems like I always had something to do, or somewhere to be. Now, I have to schedule in those quiet times to relax my mind and gather my senses. Prayer: I've always considered myself a prayer person, but I really became a warrior during my cancer journey. Not how you think, though. I was praying for others , not myself. There are so many around us that are suffering. Achieving a deeper level of worship and prayer makes me hungry for more. Humility: I realized early on that I had very human limits. My body simply gave out when it had enough. There are lovely, kind people in my life who stepped ...

I had a "lite" version of breast cancer. It seems like there are a million products on the market now that are "light," "lite," or "reduced" in some fashion. Weird, but I think about my cancer in that way. I had a very mild case of breast cancer, or Cancer Lite. I almost feel like I shouldn't claim to be a cancer survivor. So many others have really, truly struggled with side effects of treatment, horrible pain from surgeries and catastrophic changes to their daily lives. While I did have three surgeries, six doses of chemotherapy and 30 radiation treatments, my body tolerated all of it fairly well, and I seem to be bouncing back rapidly. Call it "survivor's guilt," but I went through a couple of months after treatment where I felt a bit ashamed. I gained weight, had tons of personal support and a great experience with my cancer team. During this time, a young man I knew died from liver cancer. He was a vibrant, strong C...

Female in Motion at the Arkansas City Relay for Life 2013   John 10:10 (NKJV) The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. When my doctor told me I had breast cancer, I went into battle mode, full force. The Hubster and I prayed about it, then got a plan together. I went from doctor to doctor, hospital to hospital, until I found the best fit for me. Here's the interesting part...I kept right on with my life. I still worked, grocery shopped, did my laundry and paid my bills. Cancer was part of my life, but it didn't take over. What are your circumstances? Is there something that makes you want to stop trying? I wish I could whisper this truth in your ear.                                    ...

A friend and I talked about our cancer journeys this evening. She's in the middle of hers; I'm nearing the finish line. We both said we feel a need to pay it forward and encourage others who are facing this life-changing illness. I decided to go public with my cancer battle. Others are very private about their lives. You see, this is not my first bout with cancer. I survived skin cancer at age 25, with a husband, four-year-old and newborn. Cancer has taken several members of my family, too. I knew it was a matter of "when," not "if." Here's my reasons for living out loud: No secrets. Fear lives in the dark. Sharing my faith is what I do. I put it all in the blog. My whole life. I don't pick and choose from the pretty parts. Christians' lives aren't perfect. Bad things happen to everyone. Do I like calling attention to myself? Not really. I'm waving a flag for all cancer fighters. We're around you, and it doesn't take ...

God's Plan for me has no limits! The lesson I learned in last week's post was that I needed to find facts first, then add faith, and the feelings would follow. Let's face it, I haven't always done the right thing...or even the smart thing. This week, I'm making a full confession on what happens when you lead with your feelings. There are consequences to every action, and one of the things that happen when you let your feelings lead the way is that you won't be living God's best for your life. Our Father still honors His children, and will bless you in whatever you do, but it won't be the absolute best plan that He had laid. I am going through a season of mental challenge in my life. Frankly, I'm scared! Am I smart enough? Can I do all this? Will they think I'm stupid? All these questions are fear-based. We all know where fear comes from. Every self-limiting question that swims in my head is straight from the Devil.  A holding pattern of...

Faith Train I once had a conversation with The Hubster about our emotions. I asked him when the last time was he felt an emotion. He thought and thought...and finally said it was about three weeks before. I was completely floored, and told him that I had suffered at least five emotions in that conversation alone! He was perplexed by this and asked me, "How do you handle all of that going on inside of you?" "Exactly!"I exclaimed. In the story of Isaac's death, the blessing of a father was at stake. Esau was the oldest son, and tradition held that he would receive his father's blessing and inheritance. Isaac, who was blind, asked Esau bring him his favorite meal before he conveyed the award. Rebekah, Isaac's wife, had other plans for the inheritance. She wanted her favorite son, Jacob, to receive it, so she conspired to trick the elder patriarch.  Genesis 27:21-23 (KJV) 21 And Isaac said unto Jacob, Come near, I pray thee, that I may feel thee, m...

Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada L ord, make me an instrument of Thy peace; where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; and where there is sadness, joy. O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood, as to understand; to be loved, as to love; for it is in giving that we receive, it is in pardoning that we are pardoned, and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen .--St. Francis of Assisi, 13th century These words were set to music in the 1970s, and my vocal music instructor in Junior High School assigned us the task of singing this 12-page concerto by Mary McDonald. It was an ambitious piece for a group of awkward adolescents. We gave it our all, though, and it was well received.  I have always kept the words to this beautiful poem tucked away in my heart. It strengthens me w...