My dear friends and family I wish that I could have called each one of you dear saints personally to share with you the journey that God has laid in front of Carl and I. But time is of the essence.

 As many of you know…I am a breast survivor. 11 years ago almost to the date I began and won a battle that molded me into the woman that I am today. I believe that many lives were brought closer to Christ during this time. Today I still believe that God is in control of every breath we take and has a divine purpose for all things. 

 My story to date:

3 weeks ago (September 16, 2019) I found a lump in my armpit that I knew was not good. I immediately got in to see my PCP.  A US, biopsy, CT scan, brain MRI, and who knows what else later, it was identified as a Stage III recurrent breast CA. Believe it or not this makes me special as there is only a 1% chance after 11 years that this can occur. All my annual scans and tests have been negative. Consequently, the tumor is growing fast. We started at 4.7 cm and then a week later it was 5.6cm.  This last week we are at 8.6 cm. The CA is believed to be isolated in the one area at this time. The plan is to treat it first with Chemo to shrink and stop it’s growth.  Then it will be followed with surgery, and then radiation.  My chemo port was put in October 1, and am scheduled for the first round tomorrow. I’ll give updates of the progress.

 The question that many ask, and it is a good one is: How are you feeling? There are so many emotions that flow. Oddly enough I feel at peace.

 God’s hands are greater than my illness.

 Am I angry? Yes, I’m pissed that I can’t do the things “I” want to do.  As many of you know a group of dear friends and I are hiking the Arizona Trail.  We are only 200 miles short of our goal. And I can’t finish right now. I pray that I will some day, but I know the recovery that this journey holds.

 Am I scared? Yes, scared of the pain, the weakness, the brain fog. I’m not ready to for a new normal. I feel like I was just getting used to my old new normal.

 But as a favorite character from Downtown Abbey says, “I’ll be fine until I’m not.”  If don’t know what I’m talking about you’ll just have to watch the movie.

God has carried our family through so much stuff and he is faithful and consistent in Scripture.

            -through the Red Sea onto dry land. (Exodus 14:22)

            -through the wilderness (Deuteronomy 29:5)

            -through the valley of the shadow of death (Psalm 23:4)

            -through the deep sea (Psalm 77:19)

He will take me through this:

            It won’t be painless and it won’t be quick…

But we will use it for His glory.

 First and foremost, we covet your prayers. Prayer for healing, but also prayer that Christ will be evident in all our interactions. We’ve already had someone say to us that they could consider coming to church after meeting such “normal” people. (I’m not always sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing, but if it gets them to church…AMEN!)

Both Carl and I will do our best to keep you updated on the journey that God has tasked us with for such a time as this. We love you...