What if....

What if...

• I get sick and hospitalized?
• The cancer has spread and I don't know it?
• The cancer comes back in 10 years?
• My body (liver/kidneys) is damaged from the chemo?
• I'm never healed?
• I never feel good/normal/strong again?
• My kids reject the Lord?
• Mark dies?
• My kids die?
• We can't get out of debt?
• I can't find a job?
• I get a job I hate?

My good friend, Joan, came to help us for my 4th round of treatment . She is a godly woman and a special friend and I love her dearly. Joan and her husband Mark influenced our lives spiritually more than anyone else. I learned more in the three years that I sat under Pastor Mark's preaching than I have under any other pastor. I am blessed and thankful to call them friends! 

During her time here helping us Joan and I were able to talk a lot; she encouraged me through scripture and challenged me to really trust the Lord in all things. One day after she left, I dropped the kids off at school and took my Bible and my journal and went to the beach. I spent a couple hours listening to the crashing waves and enjoying the warmth of the sun and really gave it some thought...and prayer!

What if?

To be honest, I didn't find the peace I was looking for. I didn't get the answers I wanted or the reassurance that none of those things would happen. We live in a sin-filled world. There's diseases, death, heartaches and a lot of pain and suffering and any one of those questions could happen. I could not be healed. I could have the cancer come back later in life. My husband or kids could die. We could always struggle financially. 

But I do know that God is still God and always will be. I do know that he promises to never leave us or forsake us. Joshua 1:5 "As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you."

And I do know that I can give him my worries and my fears and I don't have to be burdened down by them. Philippians 4:6-7 "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

The God who created all things: the ocean, the birds, me! Loves me and wants me to trust in Him and to cast my cares/stress/anxiety on Him so that I can rest in His peace for the future. So that is what I'll do. 

1 Peter 5:7 "Cast all your anxiety on the Lord, for he cares for you".

Live Event!

Live Event! Jordan Rubin, founder of Beyond Organic will be speaking on September 10, 2012 at 6:00 PM at the Doubletree Hotel, Palm Beach Gardens.

This is a FREE event for guests and preferred customers. Mission marketer cost is 5.00 at the door.

He will be sharing about the new products including beef cuts, beef summer sausage, snacks, granola, nuts, as well as introducing a new organic botanical skin care line that contains only natural botanicals, essential oils, vitamins and antioxidants.

For those who can't attend but are interested in learning more join Jordan Wednesday, September 12^th at 8:30 pm EST for a live conference call. Listen as he shares in-depth about our new skin care line. Call space is limited, so make sure you’re one of the first 500 callers!

Conference Call: 1-408-600-3600
Access Code: 666 205 734
*Attendees can call in 15 minutes prior to the start time (8:15pm EST). 
*Attendees do not need any additional information, when prompted by the operator to enter a key, just press “#” indicating you do not have one.

Jordan Rubin at the ranch

Shine Bright!

"If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you." John 15:18-19

Earlier this week I was talking to my dear friend Joanna about a troubling situation, she said something has stayed on mind all week. Something to the effect of "those in darkness run from the light". That brought clarity to me about the situation I was dealing with and gave me something to think about.

This morning I woke up thinking about being a light for Christ and what all it means. It means that people will think you're weird and different and they will make fun of you. They will try to find ways to upset, hurt and be mean to you. Because they don't like the light. At church this morning we heard a great message talking about the same thing. When you follow Jesus the world will hate you. You may even be persecuted. The dark world hates the light of Christ.

The closer you draw to the Lord, the brighter your light will shine and the brighter you shine for Him the more the world will hate you. Expect it. Pastor Aaron used an analogy that Mark uses with his football players. Mark always tells the guys "don't worry about it when I'm getting on your case (in practice), worry when I don't because I don't waste my time on those who don't play". Pastor Aaron said almost the same thing but in the spiritual sense "don't be upset when the world persecutes (that means you are doing something for the Lord) but worry when they think you're normal".

I have found that the more I seek the Lord and the more I depend on Him during this trial the brighter my light shines for Him. There will those who run and hide from the light because the darkness hates the light. But you never know, they may just come to know the Lord because of your light.

So Shine Bright!

SueroViv: Hydration During Chemo

I originally started this blog when I became a Mission Marketer with Beyond Organic. My goal was to give information about the company and the great products. But when I was diagnosed with breast cancer I decided to change the blog to include my story, my journey to beat cancer. Lately all my entries have been about my story...but I haven't stopped Beyond Organic!

I am still a Mission Marketer with Beyond Organic and I am still ordering the great products. I drink SueroViv daily to help me from becoming dehydrated which is especially important the week after chemo (chemo dehydrates the body).

 

SueroViv is a whole food, living cultured beverage. It contains cultured whey, Reign Supreme Mountain Water (from Beyond Organic), organic essential oils and is abundant in electrolyte minerals, B vitamins, probiotics, antioxidants, enzymes, calcium, potassium and magnesium. Each flavor contains other unique ingredients such as citrus, cinnamon, orange, berries, etc to make it's own flavor. All ingredients are certified organic.

I have been drinking the "Green" flavor which is wheat grass, carrot juice and lemon juice combination. I have been told by everyone (doctors, naturalists, other survivors, and people who work with cancer patients) that wheat grass is very good to fight cancer.

I am so thankful that I have these products to help me restore my body while going through chemo.The decision to do chemo was very difficult for me to make and when I finally decided to do it I knew I had to do everything I could to restore my body while the chemo was attacking it. 

Having Fun and Enjoying the Summer

My mom stayed for two weeks while I recovered from the mastectomy surgery. She cooked, cleaned, took care of the kids, did the laundry and took care of me. She helped me do everything including washing my hair and bandaging my incision. She gave me a necklace and matching bracelet that was a gold and silver mix of the word GOD. I love it! It is constant reminder that God is taking care of me and wore it almost every day this summer.

A week after my surgery Mark and I went out for a date night. It was nice to get out of the house and to spend some time alone together...we're still fun and silly!

I recovered quickly and was determined to make the summer fun for the kids! We spent a lot of the time at the pool...my kids are little fishies!

We soaked up sun at the beach.

And of course we fished.

Mark and I spent a weekend at a beautiful bed and breakfast to celebrate our 10 year anniversary.

Psalm 118:24
This is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.

God gave us many days to rejoice and be glad!

Recovery

I heard far away voices, my bed was moving, everything was spinning and I felt like I was going to throw up. The elevator bell dinged and the door closed and that's when I really started feeling sick. I still couldn't see anything, but I heard Mark's voice and felt him grab my hand.

I started to come to and realized that Matt, Mark's brother was there. He had come and spent the entire day with Mark while I was in surgery. I'm thankful he came to entertain Mark since my surgery was supposed to be 1 1/2 hours long but ended up being 5 1/2 hours long.

Granny and Papa Harper were there too. I asked for some water but was given ice chips...Granny spoon fed me ice for the next hour. I felt good but I was starving and the nurses wouldn't allow me to eat since I had been nauseus.

Later in the evening after she got off work, when I was much more alert Kasey, Matt's wife came. She helped me freshen up and change out of my hospital gown into my cute new pink pajamas.She and I were finally able convince Matt and Mark to leave and get some food to eat around 9pm. Mark hadn't eaten since we left the house at 5:30am and he was starving! Kasey insisted on staying the night in the hospital with me and after we sent Matt and Mark home we talked a lot and had a great bonding time. The nurses brought her a pillow and blanket and she attempted to get comfortable on the stiff recliner chair when the nurses wheeled in a half dead lady to share the room with me...it was a long night listening to the lady moan and wheeze and gasp to breathe. We called the nurses many times to come check on her! (she lived)

New Friends and Feeling very Loved

During the miscarriage process I felt so alone. We had just moved 7 months before and we hadn't connected or made very many friends. We were still trying to find a church and friends to connect with and families to be friends with. I remember my mom asking me when I called her in middle of the night "isn't there anyone you can call to come watch your kids so you can go to the ER?" and I felt so sad responding "No"...we just hadn't connected or so I thought.

Once word got out that I had breast cancer we were overwhelmed by the love and support of friends, family, acquaintances and even strangers!

People started calling, texting, emailing, sending Facebook messages, cards and care packages. People from Mark's school organized food, and mailed cards and offered to watch our kids. Church people who we hadn't yet met did the same. EVERYONE was willing and wanted to help us. We ended up meeting more people, faster, through this trial than we would have normally. God blessed us with some really great people who loved on us and encouraged us without really even knowing us.

One sweet friend, the mom of one of my husbands football players, connected me with a group called Breast Friends of Brevard. These women gave me books, articles, pillows, hats, scarves, meals and called regularly to give me love and support. My friend asked them what was most important and put together a beautiful care hospital care package.

Friends of family members who I had never met sent cards, packages and even money. God was really showing us how He is constant and faithful in taking care of his children. We have made so many wonderful friends and feel so very loved!