Jesus and Makeup

Today was a momentous occasion. I got my port taken out! We had bible study tonight (which I refused to cancel. I wanted my friends with me during this time). Ashby's first words: "Tell me all about it! How do you feel? Physically? Emotionally?"

"It's over. The one thing that kept me emotionally tied down to the category 'cancer patient' is out of me. I feel normal again." I responded

Not only was this the reason it was such an important day, but we also had a huge opportunity to impact the lives of others as we were able to freely talk about our journey this past year; Sharing with doctors and nurses what God did in our lives. I was asking for many prayers today. Not because I was nervous, or worried about complications or infections, but because we wanted God to be glorified during our time at the hospital. And boy was He!

I had a couple of nurses come in and ask me questions about my medical history. One of them mentioned that she worked in the oncology center for years and actually knew my oncologist!

Then it was time for the anesthesiologist to come in and ask me the same questions. (The most expensive 2 minute conversation you will ever have!) After he left, the same nurse came in and leaned over my bedside. "I had to text him before he came in and just tell him that you are absolutely radiant. Something about you is glowing. I don't know if it's your skin or..." I chuckled and thanked her, "Makeup helps!" I told her. "You were obviously faced with this and accepted it and got through it." She responded.

This is all to say that God answered "yes" to our prayers! We asked that He would be glorified and that others would see Him in us and it is clear that they did! Everything that woman described... None of it was me. Only Jesus can make me look that good! And makeup ;) Harrison and I were only able to get through such a terrifying situation because we were getting our strength from a very mighty God.. The creator of the universe!

Harrison and I were waiting in the surgery prep area for hours. The person in surgery before me ended up having some complications, so we had to wait. As anxious as this made me, it allowed us to have more time to meet and impact more people. God's timing is always perfect!

Finally Doctor Taber entered our room. The last time he saw me, I was riddled with cancer, skinny as a bean pole, and sick as a dog. Today, I was cancer free and very healthy! As always I was a little embarrassed by the significant weight gain, but I was excited for him to see my 100% turn around. And he was too!

He took one look at the scar located above my port and said, "Oh yeah, we can tighten that up and it will heal much better." Score! No more giant red line across my chest? That was great news!

Finally, it was time for my relaxation medicine (the best part!) and a quick kiss goodbye from Harrison. They wheeled me back to the OR and started prepping me for surgery. The anesthesia started kicking in while the nurses were getting me all tucked in. "I'm sorry I know this is cold." They kept saying. "Listen lady, I feel great!" I said. "Well just close those eyes." She chuckled.

The next thing I knew, I was in the recovery room. "I don't feel sick, this incision doesn't hurt, and I'm totally alert." I thought. "Is it gone? I better check" I said to myself. I looked down. "No bruising!? My last two surgeries left nasty bruises. This thing looks great!" I continued. Then I felt. "It is gone!" I started trying out positions that normally would be uncomfortable due to the port. And... Nothing! I felt nothing! What a wonderful feeling...

Next they took me back to get dressed. Last time, I was so out of it that the nurse had to do this for me. Not this time! I got up, told the nurse "thanks, but no thanks," grabbed my clothes, and dressed myself! A big thanks to everyone who kept me in their prayers. God answered "yes!"

Before discharge, I handed the nurse a few cards with my blog site on them and made sure that she gave one to the sweet lady who had such nice things to say about me.

Matthew 13: 3-9

^"3 Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. ⁴ As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. ⁵ Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. ⁶ But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. ⁷ Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. ⁸ Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. ⁹ Whoever has ears, let them hear.”

Will you all continue to join us in prayer as we pray for the hearts of our witnesses today? We will be praying that a seed was planted on good soil! I hope He says "Yes" to that too :)

We went into overtime, and God won.

I remember when I lived with my parents in Seattle, we had a night at youth group where we shared what God was doing in our lives. The lights were dimmed and there was pretty music in the background. God always moves of course, but that night He moved! I guess what is so awesome about it, is that it was an experience I shared with my closest friends. He was touching all of our hearts the same way.

We we're always very close as a group, sometimes in ways that would disgust most. For instance, if one of us had Starbucks at church and the person at the end of the row wanted a sip, we would each take a swig as we passed it down and then do the same as we passed it back. Talk about church family! But, hey,  we were also teenagers.

When we would sing together on Thursday night's, there wasn't a group of us on stage that were better than everyone else because we were musically talented. No, we were worshiping and praising God! Sometimes we would all get up and sit in a group on the stage, including the singers, and worship while we held onto one another. We would also sit together like this on night's when we shared with one another what God was doing in our lives. I remember when I got home from that particular night, I just didn't want it to end! I looked up the same song that was playing in the background on the internet and played it in repeat until I fell asleep. I slept on the couch that night so I could listen to it and continue to pray.

I never thought I would have anything like that again after I moved back to South Carolina, but I'm having one of those night's again tonight. I am I'm awe of how God moved this morning in church. This morning was the first time in a long time that I felt that same unity with my brothers and sisters in Christ, and we didn't even have to swap spit drinking after each other!

There is a girl in my class who has pulled on my heartstrings since the day she said me, "I've been struggling with so many things but when I saw your scar, I knew what I'm going through doesn't compare to what you have probably been through with your health."

We have gotten together on several occasions to study and have seriously failed each time. We always get so caught up in conversation. Her curiosity for Jesus was exciting and we would end up talking for hours about it. This has gotten me a parking ticket and B on my last test! But every moment has been worth it. I finally invited her to our church, not expecting her to come, but she did this morning!

Today was a perfect day for her to come because we had a worship team visiting who were awesome! Kim and Rance were there also which made me feel better having some people our age welcome her to the church.

The worship was beautiful and Pastor Shane's message was powerful. Before we stood up for the time of invitation I explained to her, "This is a time where you can go down and have Pastor Shane pray for you to receive salvation. No pressure whatsoever, I just wanted you to know that's what this time is for." We didn't even get to the chorus of the song and she was a blubbering mess! 

Thankful that I sat at the end of the row, I had Kim take my place comforting her while I frantically dug the tissues out of my purse. I had to get one for myself too... darn hormones!

Before I knew it, she went downstairs. I gave her a minute before I followed her down to check on her. There she was, "Where in the world is there a bathroom in this place!" She laughed. I didn't want to push her, I just asked her what was going on. "My family will be so upset with me if I do this." She confessed. "Jesus said, 'they will hate you because they hated me first.' But I promise there is nothing better and more comforting than letting Jesus have your life. Are you ready?" With a quick nod, we opened the door into the sanctuary.

Uh oh, the invitation song is over but at least they sang one more for a love offering. A buddy from Harrison's work was at the door. "Is everything ok?" He asked. "We need Shane." I whispered. He pointed him out and we walked down the isle together to get him. He immediately stood up to embrace her. She fell apart, and so did I! Stupid hormones! " She's ready." I told him.

Instead of praying with her right then and there like I had expected, he grabbed the youth pastor and his wife to take her into another room. I am so appreciative that he took the time to explain to her what it means to be saved so she could make an educated decision. He explained to her that we, as humans, deserve to be punished and we deserve to go to hell due to our sins. But Jesus took care of that for us when He died on the cross. After that, my sweet friend prayed a prayer that forever changed her.

"The bible says that the angels rejoice when someone gives their life to Christ." I told her. "That's right." Chase said. "They're rejoicing for you right now." He told her.

What a beautiful day in the midst of God's works with my church family there to support and be there for my new friend. I didn't want it to end! 30 Minutes before evening service started I said to Harrison, who was exhausted from working long hours day and night all weekend, "I'm still so pumped. I'm sorry, I'm leaving you to go back to church." I told him.

At church there was another beautiful message, as always, but I loved one thing Shane said during his sermon. "We had to go into overtime today, and we won! God won! Someone got saved today!" That's right. I explained to Harrison that if it wasn't for that extra song and those rare few minutes, we would have missed it. But even still, Northside sacrificed beating the Methodist to the buffet and went into overtime for my friend.

I still don't want this day to be over. Just like when I was 16 on the couch, in the basement at my parents house in Seattle, I've got this one song on repeat and I'm going to praise Him until I fall asleep.