Wow!  What a journey so far! Six weeks ago I was living life at a very fast pace--feeling healthy, finishing school, serving God tirelessly in ministry, planning trips...  Today I am in the beginning of a season which I know nothing about.  I have no idea what this journey of overcoming cancer will be like, but I do know that I serve a Powerful God, a God who loves us more than we can imagine, a God who heals.  I think this is what is meant by "stepping out in faith".  I will serve God in whatever way He calls me to serve Him.

Pastor John gave me the opportunity to share my story today with our church, Sandals Church in Temecula, CA.  The church is a family, and we felt that it is important that the family be part of this journey--a journey that will have twists and turns, roadblocks and straightaways.  My prayer is that God will be glorified through the entire journey.  I can't wait to see how His hand is in this and how He still does miracles every day.

When I was asked to share my story as it has unfolded to date, I started making notes--many from my journal. I prayed and wrote and prayed and wrote and prayed and wrote.  Here is what I shared with the church:

Ephesians 2:19 says, “you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of His household”

We are all members of one family—God’s family.  As in your biological family, the church family is committed to one another, we love each other, we support each other as we go through trials, and celebrate together in times of joy.

Right now, my husband and I are coming to you and asking you, our family, to stand by us and hold us up in prayer.

On February 9, (10 days ago) our world was rocked.  I was diagnosed with breast cancer.

It seems very surreal.  I have always been healthy, I have no family history of breast cancer, I get my check-ups every year and every year I get a clean bill of health. I am active and busy, and honestly, I almost expect at any moment for one of the many doctors that I am suddenly seeing, to say “Oh, we’ve made a mistake.  We have the wrong patient—you are fine Jane”.

It is amazing how we can get stopped in our tracks very quickly, and plucked right out of our comfort zone. 

I get tremendous joy serving in ministry here at Sandals Church.  I never grow weary of doing what I do here.  My life has been going at about 90 miles per hour for the past 5 months when in addition to my work, I took 15 units in college this semester to complete my degree.

Exactly one week after I completed my degree, I got my diagnosis of breast cancer.  

It looks like God said “Ok…pause!”  He hit the “pause” button on the remote control of my life. 

I don’t understand why He would allow this.  I have to be honest with you and tell you that I am dreading going through the physical and emotional discomfort that I will go through over the next few months. I absolutely love my job, so it was very hard for me to come into the office on Wednesday with everything that I do on a spreadsheet so I could sit down with Pastor John and Michelle and our staff and turn my work over to them because I will be at home for several weeks. 

But you know what??  I am also excited about what God is going to do through this. Since I first learned that something was wrong with my health,  I have been drowning myself in God’s Word.  He keeps telling me over and over again through His Word—“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go”. 

As I look out at all of you, I know in my heart that you are also experiencing some kind of pain. You may not be going through the exact same storm that Ed and I are going through, but chances are that you either: are coming out of a storm, are in the middle of a storm, or are about to enter a storm. You do not have to go through it alone.  You have a family here at Sandals Church.  Don’t go through your storms without your family.  Write your prayer requests on “The Card” in your worship folder.  This family will pray for you. We will follow up with you and walk your journey with you if you want us to.  We have a team that will bring you meals, clean your house, run errands for you.  This family will be here for you.

As soon as I was told that I had to have a breast biopsy because of abnormal findings on the ultrasound, our staff gathered around me, laid hands on me and prayed in faith that I will be healed, that my family will be comforted, and God will be glorified.  Many of you have known each step that we have been going through and have been praying diligently.  One of you came into my office when I wasn’t there and scripted on my wall Jeremiah 29:11, “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.”  Family has been there for me.

I know I will be healed of this cancer.  I know that God will be with me, my husband, and our kids through this.  That is huge!  We have a powerful loving God! 

But what excites me the most is that He will use this trial to change lives.  I cannot wait to see what He does. He makes a promise in Romans 8:28, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”  That’s a promise!  I can’t wait to see the miracles that come from this storm.

I’m still having scans and consultations and things, but from what I understand, I will be starting chemotherapy in a couple weeks.  Once I start that, I can’t come to church because my immune system will be compromised.  I’ll have surgery after 4-6 weeks of chemo, and radiation therapy after that.  I won’t be here physically during a large part of that time, but I will be praying for you, my family.  I have also started a blog so that we can share what miracles God does and how He is glorified through this journey.   You can follow the blog by clicking on the link on our website or on Sandals Church facebook.

When God calls, I want to say “Yes Lord, send me”.  He is now sending me into a new season.

Please pray for a miracle, pray for healing, and pray that lives are changed through the grace of God during this journey of ours.