November 7, 2014 - Thank you for your prayers!

I was diagnosed with breast cancer on October 16, 2014. It started out as a normal day - I felt great but was going for a check up, like I have done for the last 7 years. My mother was diagnosed with breast cancer in her 40's and so my doctor had me on a high risk protocol that included regular mammograms, ultrasounds, MRI's and biopsies as needed. This visit seemed the same.

At 3am that morning, I woke up feeling worried about a big event happening at our church. I picked up my phone, looking for verses dealing with feeling overwhelmed.  This is what I read:

"When we look continually in faith to Jesus, not at our circumstances, we will find a tranquility within, no matter what is happening around us."

You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You. (Isaiah 26:3 NKJV)

How perfect!  I posted it to my Facebook page and went back to sleep.

Fast forward to 9am. Sitting at the doctor's office, I received a text from my friend, Ashley:

"Good morning Kathy. I just wanted to let you know that I'm praying for you. You are covered by God's righteous right hand. I'm praying that you be refreshed and renewed emotionally physically mentally. That the Holy Spirit would breath life and energy into you like nothing on this earth can."

I thought that was so nice - Ashley and I text often but she doesn't text me things like that every day. I told her thanks and waited for the doctor.

Two hours later, my doctor (who is not a worst-case scenario person) told me, "we need to do a biopsy today, and I would not be surprised if this is cancer."  Time stood still - I felt sad and calm and peaceful, all at the same time. Immediately I remembered what I had read at 3am, and what Ashley had sent me at 9am, and I KNEW that God was preparing me. The God of the universe, who had created all things, knew where I was and what was happening, and wanted me to know that He was with me. The next day, the diagnoses was confirmed and the journey began.

On October 23, Tony and I met with the doctor and found out that I had infiltrating ductal carcinoma, and it was a high grade, aggressive tumor. After some consultations and testing over the next few days, and prayer and conversations with my family, we decided to go ahead with surgery. I will have a double mastectomy with reconstruction on November 12th. The surgery will determine whether there is lymph node involvement, the cancer stage, and from there we will begin to formulate the treatment plan.

That is the clinical side. I wanted to create a caring bridge site to keep everyone up to date with us from a medical perspective.

More importantly, my hope is that as our friends and family stop by the site, that you will be encouraged by the real story - how God is going to use this for His Glory.  Over and over, He is showing His power as He gives us a verse to meditate on, a song to sing, an encouraging word or prayer from a friend, or a devotional that keeps us focused on the fact that He is with us and we are not alone. I want to share with you the things that He is doing in and through us, and we want you to know how much we appreciate each prayer and kind word.

Please be praying for Tony, Mindy and Kelli, and for our extended family and our amazing friends as we take this journey!