Personal Victory Celebration!

In the busyness of life lately, I forgot to CELEBRATE a huge personal victory! On January 31st, 2008 I finished my LAST CHEMO!

Yes... this is possibly the WORST picture of me EVER... but it was a day for celebrating, even though I felt like death. We PROBABLY should have taken the "yay it's my last chemo pic" prior to receiving 6 hours of chemo and turning yellow. On the left is my oncologist and on the right was my infusion nurse. Big cheerleaders of mine!

It's insane how much life has changed since then! I have a baby I shouldn't be able to have and another miracle on the way! My hair is (let's be honest) pretty amazing, long and full of life and body (I can brag about this right?) Looking at me now, 3 years later, the only visible sign you can see is my port scar and 95% of people just think I was knifed instead which is WAY more gangster and it makes me laugh.

There's definitely been a change of heart. I became hard and cold to other people's problems during my cancer. It was tough to be compassionate and it's something God is really working on me with. I'm starting to see change, albeit S.L.O.W.L.Y! Sympathy, empathy and compassion are all qualities I have never had in abundance but pray to learn and feel. I see this change in my new found heart for preemies and young children in terrible circumstances. Hopefully, it continues to flow to other areas as well!

So today, despite whatever Daniel's test results are (we find out at 11:45)... today is a cupcake and sunshine day because we have SOO much to be thankful for and today we're claiming victory in that! Amen!

I leave you with this video: Healer by Hillsong. Yes, the man singing (Mike) faked his cancer and this should infuriate me but that doesn't negate the fact that this is an AMAZING song and God worked wonders in me through the lyrics of this song. This song gave me the words to claim in the name of Jesus for healing of my body and I pray and sing the same lyrics over Daniel now.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_MQtokXCb4
Unfortunately, blogger is being silly and it won't let me add the video so you can watch it here but you can click the link and it will take you to it.

"For NOTHING is IMPOSSIBLE for YOU! YOU hold my world in YOUR hands!"

Do you have a personal victory you're celebrating? We'd love to celebrate and praise Jesus with you! Leave a comment below!

Me, God and the Keebler Elf Truck

Don't you love when God puts you at the right place at the right time? Yesterday, it was behind a Keebler Elf truck. It was glorious. A warm, beautifully crafted rainbow chip cookie was coming out of the little golden oven and the creepy little elves were all around the hollowed out tree kitchen making fudge stripes.... hmmm.... I can taste them. After almost rear ending the Keebler Elf truck (wouldn't that have been awesome! I wonder if they would have given me the damaged cookies?) I started paying more attention to my surroundings. It was then I heard a familiar tune on 91.9 (christian radio). HEALER......

The song Healer has special meaning for me. While battling cancer there were songs that I would play over and over and over using the lyrics of the songs as my prayers to God for healing. The more I would sing the lyrics, the more I believed in the power of the words I was speaking. Unfortunately, the song Healer (originally done by Mike Guglielmucci of Hillsongs) was tainted when Mike faked having cancer but other artist such as Kari Jobe have rerecorded it, restoring the power of this song. The song Healer and Praise You in this Storm by Casting Crowns reminded me on a daily basis that God could and WOULD heal me of cancer. He proved faithful and healed me.... TWICE!

My favorite line in the song is "Nothing is impossible for You. You hold my world in Your hands." I can't tell you how many times God has revealed that to me.... most lately in the eyes of my child I was told I wouldn't be able to have. Cancer robbed me of my hair, fertility and 1st year of marriage but God restored all of that and has proved to be infinitely more faithful to me than I deserve.

One would think I would be on my knees daily praising God for my blessings. Healing, my child, health, Parker's health, my husband etc.... but for some reason.... I stray like a lost puppy. Usually not for long... God kinda loves me a lot and doesn't let me go too far but I love how He meets me where I am to remind me of my need for Him... yesterday, it just happened to be the Keebler Elf truck. :)

Here is the Kari Jobe version for your listening and praising pleasure
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvIEJ_PmqJ8&feature=related

And the simple but powerful lyrics:
Verse:
You hold my every moment
You calm my raging seas
You walk with me through fire
And heal all my disease

Pre-Chorus:
I trust in You
I trust in You

Chorus:
I believe You're my Healer
I believe You are all I need
I believe You're my Portion
I believe You're more than enough for me
Jesus You're all I need

Bridge:
Nothing is impossible for You
Nothing is impossible for You
Nothing is impossible for You
You hold my world in Your hands

Check out my little miracle "then" and "now"... for NOTHING is impossible for Him.