Giving God the Glory During and After the Storm: Breast Cancer Survivor

Saturday’s Story for His Glory!

A Christ Follower from Wisconsin

It was the summer of 2011, when I heard some words that changed my entire way of being—I will never forget my doctor saying, “I hate having to make these phone calls, but the tumor is malignant. I remember asking, “What does that mean?”  She replied, “You have cancer.”  When I hung up the phone, I immediately called my sister who is a registered nurse to share the diagnosis with her.  I remember her saying, in an emotional and concerning voice, “Well what kind of cancer is it?”  I knew it was breast cancer because I discovered the lump but did not tell anyone about my visit to the doctor. “Now what” A sense of numbness came over me. 

My immediate thought was what about my son. He was 14 at the time and dealing with the residual of a divorce, living between two households and now his mother was diagnosed with cancer.  In that moment of panic, I never once asked my heavenly father why me…instead, I leaned on my favorite scripture that tends to comfort me during any storm, no weapon formed against me shall prosper (Isaiah 54:17).

I prepared myself for this journey by looking in the mirror and saying hello my name is… and I have breast cancer.  This was one of the ways that I began to put on the full armor of God to fight this battle and lean on the word of God.  I refused to focus on the negative side of having cancer and I did not want anyone to feel sad for me.  I remember asking my mom, why are you crying, God got me. He would never put more on me than I can bare.  I had to do this for my son. I needed to see him graduate from high school.  I was his biggest fan.  Although I was preparing for this storm, I discovered that God had equipped my son as well. For a year, he slept at the foot of my bed on the floor to watch over me through the night. He expressed, “I had to make sure you were ok. Now that you are better, I can go back to my room.” In that season of my life, my son was my angel of protection. For He will give His angels charge concerning you, to guard you in all your ways” (Psalms 91:11). 

It was during my battle with cancer that my personal relationship with God improved and I fully understood the meaning of the scriptures that I often recited.   I began looking through a different lens and my relationship with God felt different. I was reminded of 2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”  

I often share my story because it is important that we praise God by telling others about what he has done in our lives.  When praises go up, blessing comes down. 

I began to understand that he was keeping me for a reason.  In the word, he said, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29:11).  Once I finished chemo and radiation, things started happening in my life and I can only say BUT GOD!  I went on to get my doctorate degree in Educational Leadership, I co-founded an Educational Consulting Group, J3 Solutions, LLC.  We were featured on a national early childhood magazine, Exchange, in a special issue about courageous leaders. I am an Advocate Ambassador for Susan G. Komen Center for Public Policy, and I support other women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer. I realized God was preparing me for something greater than I understood at the time. 

I witnessed that God would do what he said he would do. During the storm of breast cancer, God developed my faith so that I would be strong enough to share my testimony, which brings me to the honor of being able to share my story on Testimony T.E.A. 

In the words of the lyrist, I got some scars, but I am still alive, in spite of calamity, He still has a plan for me, and it is working for my good, and it’s building my testimony.

Heavenly Father thank you for keeping me.  

#He kept me