Then in December 2022, I was diagnosed with stage 3 inflammatory breast cancer, a rare cancer that occurs in women under forty, according to the American Cancer Society. Cancer occurs in stages: stages 1 to 3, which, with treatment, are curable; and then stage 4, which is incurable. Once when I sought a second opinion for treatment, I was diagnosed with stage 4. My supportive husband reminded me that if anyone could get through this, it was me. They also found spots in my brain, lungs, spine, lymph nodes, and breast.

At thirty-eight, learning I had cancer left me feeling a variety of emotions–mostly sadness for my family. I knew that once I left the doctor’s office, I had two choices: I could either let despair take over and steal my joy, or I could surrender to God and keep the faith. I thought I would be planning my funeral. I fell to my knees, crying out and praying to a God who was waiting for my surrender.

Surrender did not come easy for me, and there were nights of tears and fearful thoughts. I questioned my ability to endure chemo treatments while taking care of my two girls. How could I find joy and faith through such a dark season of life?

Day by day, standing my ground in faith, my faith grew stronger. I listened to positive music like K-Love, read devotionals, and read the Bible almost cover to cover. During my period of faith and growth, my husband asked me if I wanted to share my testimony at the church on Easter Sunday. I did, thinking, “God, this is for you.”

I learned to pray first and foremost. My friends Rebekah and Vanesa gave me a gift that I placed on my kitchen window seal so it could remind me often what I needed to do. The gift displayed words from Philippians 4:6 NLT: “Don’t worry about anything; instead pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.”

I prayed several times throughout the day for strength and peace in my heart. I dealt with a battlefield of the mind at times, having moments of doubt and fear. I would pray to the Lord to cast these thoughts out of my mind.

Late one night, with tears in my eyes, I prayed, “If you need me to go with you, I will. But if I stay, I will share my testimony with as many people as I can. Your will be done, Lord.”

During the months that followed, I continued to read devotionals and scriptures. I prayed for continued peace, strength, and healing.

An especially helpful scripture addressed worry:

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Therefore, I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?” Luke 12:22-26 NIV

Those particular verses stuck with me. A short time later, I was getting a full-body PET scan to see how I was responding to the three chemo treatments I’d had. I was put in a small room to wait for an hour to allow the medicine to go throughout my body. Each room had a lighted picture of nature to look at while patients waited. What a beautiful place!

After staring at the picture in my room, I noticed a bird standing on a branch above the pond. I immediately remembered Matthew 6:25 reminding us we are more valuable than the ravens. I felt an enormous sense of peace and a divine reminder that everything was in God’s hands.

The following day, I was up for my fourth chemo treatment. By God’s grace, I’d been responding with only minor side effects, so I had been able to carry on with daily activities and keep up with my two little girls. My doctor met with me to address the scan results before I continued with further treatment. The doctor asked me, “Which news do you want? I have good news and good news.”

My results showed very good response to the treatment. I was nearly cancer-free in my breast and lymph nodes. I was completely clear with only a small spot on the lung, but even that was clearing up. He was very pleased and said I was improving faster than the typical patient. I shed tears of relief and we exchanged joyful hugs.

He recommended only six treatments. After that, I would stop chemo treatment to begin the anti-therapy pill.

Praising God was all I thought of when the doctor left. I told the nurse practitioner five things helped me: God, faith, family, friends, and a positive attitude.

Laughing, the nurse said, “Oh, we are the sixth.”

I told her that to be there at MD Anderson was part of God’s plan. It was only because of God’s great mercy and grace that I made it through the darkest season of my life. I am a witness of his power, and I will never be the same. I pray differently and have a different perspective on life, with a deepened faith.

God can change your life, as he did mine, if you allow him to. Just keep believing beyond your circumstances and stand your ground in faith. Brothers and sisters, in our weakness, it is the Lord’s strength that makes us strong. It took me forty years to finally break free and fully surrender to him. Don’t let the weight of the world force you to your knees. Instead, choose to surrender to Jesus, and you’ll find freedom!

I wrote Shoes of Peace on the Desert Road to fulfill my promise to God, giving him all the glory and encouraging others to keep their faith during the trials and tribulations of life.

So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever. 2 Corinthians 4:18 NLT