Living in Freedom as a Woman

Trials are something none of us would sign up for. None of us want to suffer, to experience pain, to have our lives drastically change unexpectedly, to get that dreaded phone call… In the midst of a trial, it feels like you're out in the middle of the ocean, kicking your legs as fast as possible to stay afloat. Doing everything you can to not go under. Then finally something happens and the water starts to recede... You come out a new person, a survivor!     What I have learned about trials... God is real. He is alive. God is chiseling away the ugly to make something beautiful. Trials force you to run to God or away from him.     In the midst of my greatest trial... In my weakest moments, I had no choice but to surrender everything in my life to the Lord. It was in those moments that I found freedom and a closeness to God I have never felt in my life. I would never wish to be back in those moments again, but because of those moments I have gained so much...

April 6, 2016. Today I turned 35 years old. Honestly, turn the clock back to July 9, 2015 at 10am. I was scared I would never see today. What a year this has been. So many ups and downs.. physically, emotionally, spiritually. Each of you have been with me every single step of the way. My village. It absolutely takes a village. This year I have learned more about myself and the true nature of my Jesus than I ever imagined. Last night, I looked back to my blog and on my 34 th birthday I wrote about me . The good, the bad, the really bad and the ugly. I was completely transparent in my journey to that date. As I came across the last paragraph, I could barely read the words I wrote…. “But, this year, I want to just be me and embrace what God has in store for me. Lord in my weakness, you are strong. Please use me and my broken past all for your glory. For you, it will all be worth it. ” Lord in my weakness, you are strong. I had no idea what weakness truly meant. I just th ...

You can now listen to my podcast interview with Traci & Rebecca. Story Cast My prayer is that every word will be used for God's glory.  Jesus, it's all for You!

Well, this post will be short and sweet. Great news is I had a repeat sono this week that showed my cyst is smaller. My oncologist was happy to hear this and said that's good if it's smaller because cancer doesn't get smaller on its own. Reassuring! His nurse Paige has been a God send. Listening to my worries over and over again, all the while providing such sweet encouragement and support.  I won't lie though... This week has been awful. I've been an emotional mess. Life, work, health. I feel like I'm standing still in the midst of a whirlwind. Like I said last post, two people I know have been diagnosed with ovarian cancer in the last week. For something so rare to happen twice, just awful. I have grieved for them knowing what they are about to endure. I have grieved for myself relieving the time I was diagnosed. My mind has been all over the place knowing I have a cyst we are watching and then having other symptoms as well. Going into yesterday I was terrifie...

I am so excited to share with you this video of my journey with cancer. It's been long in the making but totally worth it. I wanted something to be able to remember all that the Lord has brought me through. Praising through the tears today as I watch this and share it with you. So much to celebrate! God is good, not only because he healed me, but because he never left me. I will never be the same. For that, I am thankful for cancer. As scary and difficult as the journey was, I am thankful. God has never been more real to me than he is now. Jesus, it's all for you! #teamholly

2 Corinthians 12:7-10 “ 7  So   to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, [ a ]   a thorn was given me in the flesh,   a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited.   8  Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me.   9  But he said to me,   “My grace is sufficient for you, for   my power is made perfect in weakness.”   Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that   the power of Christ may rest upon me.   10  For the sake of Christ, then,   I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For   when I am weak, then I am strong. ” I have been thinking about writing this post for weeks and just couldn’t bring myself to sit down to do it. It has been a tough few weeks since my last OB appointment. The new cyst. Another cyst. I am thankful th...

Well today didn’t go exactly as planned, but the news could have been worse. I went in for my yearly check up with my OB/GYN. My oncologist wanted me to have an ultrasound to follow-up from my surgery back in December. Just in case you’ve just joined in on this journey- I was diagnosed with a cancerous ovarian cyst on July 9, 2015 (after having it removed June 30 th ). I had surgery to remove it all and then underwent chemotherapy for 9 weeks. I was deemed in remission, cancer free on September 29 th , 2015. I went for my three month follow-up in December and on my CT scan it showed an ovarian cyst on my left (and only) ovary. On December 29 th I had that cyst and half of my ovary removed. Thankfully it was not cancer and there was no sign of cancer elsewhere in my abdomen. Today, I had this ultrasound to make sure there were no cysts or new concerns. Well, I went into the appointment feeling confident. Feeling at peace about everything. Just as I shared earlier, I had spent so...