It was on November 9 that I received the phone call that would forever change my life. My daughter, Angela, her husband, David, their two children and Cristina were on their way to Panama City - a road trip vacation that was long overdue. I stayed home. Angela's voice alerted me that something was terribly wrong. Then the words, "Cris has cervical cancer." I fell to my knees in disbelief - crying. I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I then wanted only to be there with my daughter. I am still unable to put into words what I felt that day.
What happens to a mothers heart when she finds out her child has cancer? For those of you who know me you know that I am a fighter. From childhood I’ve had to fight and survive. I am also a cancer survivor. My daughter Cristina has inherited my warrior spirit as well. An athlete since 1st grade Cristina has developed the disciplined mind of the gladiator as she excelled first in baseball, then basketball, to soccer to finally receiving her 1st degree black belt in taekwondo at age 13. As a personal trainer she lives every day disciplining her body and mind. Today she enters another battle AND she is not alone! She has us! Cancer has picked the wrong family to mess with! Her sister Angela and brother in law David are the parents of Azariah ( who was born with chromosome deletions). They too are warriors and we all know how to fight - physically, mentally, and most of all spiritually on our knees!
"Hope." This word can mean so many different things to so many people. To me my hope is like a reservoir of emotional strength. Hope is the desire for something good in the future. A biblical hope is a confident expectation and desire for something good in the future. Biblical hope not only desires something good for the future; it expects it to happen. And it not only expects; it is confident that it will happen. There is a moral certainty that the good we expect and desire will be done.
Welcome to Cristina's Story. We are using it to keep family and friends updated in one place. We appreciate your support, prayers, and words of hope and encouragement. Thank you for visiting. If you are led, please leave a word of encouragement for Cristina. Her GoFundMe site can be found here:
https://www.gofundme.com/crisstrong God bless you! Thank you for walking alongside us all. Your love and support means so much!
