19 Oct Fifteen Years

“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances;
for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

FIFTEEN YEARS AGO I had breast cancer. Fifteen years ago, on October 17th, 2009, I finished my last chemo treatment, and the following Saturday walked the Susan B. Koman Race for the Cure with some of my closest, dearest friends in Dallas. Fifteen years ago. That’s a long time ago— a long time ago and a whole lotta life ago. I look back with deep gratitude for it all. Yep—for all of it, and I don’t say that to sound holier-than-thou or uber-spiritual; and I certainly don’t want to have to go through it again. But, what God allowed in my life through breast cancer taught me more about who He is than any sermon or Bible study ever could. So, yeah, I’m grateful for it all.

• Grateful the Holy Spirit prompted me to check myself…and I found a tiny lump in my right breast.
• Grateful for my friend, and OB-GYN, Dr. Kathryn Waldrep who insisted I come in immediately and get a sonogram.
• Grateful for her suggestion, and that of about 20 other friends, to call Dr. Michael Grant!
• Grateful—so very grateful—I called the brilliant Dr. Mike Grant! So grateful for his entire, amazing team! I love them all dearly!
• Grateful for Dr. Mike’s wife, Judy Grant— grateful she installed a sound system in his office that just happened to be playing Steven Curtis Chapman’s Be Still and Know (that I am God) when I walked in for my appointment.
• Grateful for the wisdom of Dr. Mike when he told me that one day I’d be helping others go through their breast cancer journey.
• Grateful that through these 15 years I now count the Grant’s as precious friends!
• Grateful for all my others doctors— Dr. William Carpenter, and Dr. John Pippen— brilliant physicians, and amazing human beings who’ve experienced their own heartaches and losses. Yes, doctors are human, too.
• Grateful for my dear friend, Cheryl Black, who’d been down the road before me, put her arms around me and helped me walk it out, taught me the language she knew all too well, breathed faith into my frightened heart, and held my hand with love. She’s safely Home with Jesus now.
• Grateful for my husband, John, who never left my side, and always made me feel nothing but absolutely beautiful and loved… and he always does.
• Grateful for my beautiful sisters from Women at The Well, in Dallas and all over the country who circled around me, cared for me, laughed with me, cried with me, celebrated me, showered me with love, and kept watch over me with a 48 hour prayer vigil!
• Grateful for our loving small group of friends who got to the hospital at 5:15 A.M. the morning of my mastectomy to pray over me!
• Grateful for my life-long friend, Janice Subers, who loved me well, came to the hospital and prayed me through that day! Little do you know when you’re goofing around in Jr. High School that one day you’ll grow up and need each other in a big way.
• Grateful for my sister, Marilee, who came from Austin to spend 2 weeks helping me recover. What we shared during that time is absolutely priceless!
• Grateful for my BFF’s from Orlando, Patty and Caryl, who flew out to be with me at separate times, for chemo and doctor visits. They showed up. That’s what friends do.
• Grateful to so many friends who nurtured me with delicious food; who made my chemo days a party; and who blessed me with their life-giving presence!
• Grateful for all my Bosom Buddies— the women who’ve made the journey ahead of me and behind me… I would never have had the honor to know them and call them friends had breast cancer not come my way.
• Grateful…eternally grateful for the kindness of my Savior. He’s everything to me.

I could go on. And as I look over that list, with deep gratitude, none of it would be there if not for breast cancer. Yes, I’m grateful. Grateful for it all.

Paying it Forward…

I had so many PINK friends encourage me on my breast cancer journey; friends who truly came along side and helped me walk, helped me get the right perspective, and reminded me of the Hope I have in Christ.

And it’s been my great joy to pay it forward, just like my dear Dr. Mike told me I would. So, here’s a link to Living the Overwhelming Victory in Jesus – messages I’ve recorded, written, and taught about my journey through Breast Cancer. It’s my prayer that if you are faced with this diagnosis, or know someone who is, you’ll find encouragement within these messages to make the most of your now (Ephesians 5:15) and live in the overwhelming victory through Jesus (Romans 8:37). Because God wants you to do more than just survive the thing; He wants you to THRIVE!

Something to Think About

Sometimes the thing that threatens to take you out, sets you free, wakes you up—opens your eyes to what is truly important in life, and gives you a deeper understanding of how to live it.

Sometimes the kindness of your Savior becomes alive and dynamic through the people He sends your way to serve you when you can do nothing for yourself but receive. And sometimes it’s the people you’d least expect, when you least expect them.

Sometimes God’s greatest gifts to us come wrapped in really ugly paper. But they are gifts nonetheless; you just have to open them, trust Him, and let Him help you to see the value of what’s inside.

One More Thing

Take care of yourself, friend. You want to go long and strong for Jesus, don’t you? Take care of your life—your health. Check yourself. Take care of yourself spiritually; keep your relationship with Jesus the #1 priority in your life—because he is your life. He’s the only one who can do anything about everything that concerns you, so keep Jesus at the center of it all. And be grateful in everything, because that’s God’s will for you. That’s the best and healthiest thing you can do to take care of yourself.

Until next week— don’t forget that you are greatly and dearly loved by The King! And let’s live our beautiful, ordinary lives like women who believe it!

I love you!
xo – P❤️