What stands out most to me is how her faith never wavered. It wasn’t loud or overly religious. It was real.
A Different Kind of Day
Yesterday, I spent the day with my daughter, Kristen, at a few appointments. But these were different from the ones we had been going to since April.
These were the kind where she met with her oncologist and radiologist to talk about her clear scans. About how the cancer is gone.
Her OB oncologist told her that the treatment she went through was one of the toughest, and that he’s proud of her. Hearing that made me tear up. She fought through so much, and she did it with courage and quiet faith.
A Joyful Ride
After her appointments, we had lunch and did a little shopping. It was one of those days that felt light and joyful—a gift after so many hard ones.
At lunch, she showed me a few photos she had taken of herself during her journey, ones no one had seen before. The truth behind the strength.
The pictures she shared online were always smiling ones, makeup on, full of life. But those private photos showed what she was really walking through. She didn’t share them because she didn’t want us to worry. That’s who she is. She loves deeply and protects the people she cares about.
Faith That Feels Real
What stands out most to me is how her faith never wavered. It wasn’t loud or overly religious. It was real.
She talked about Jesus in a way that made people lean in, not turn away. She made others curious about God by the way she lived through that unwanted journey.
Family Love in Action
My younger daughter, Kelly, showed her sister so much love and gave me so much support. She let me vent when I needed to, checked in on me often, and lovingly helped me recognize when I was crossing boundaries that weren’t mine to cross.
She reminded me that I didn’t have to take care of everyone. God had placed other people in our lives who stepped up in their own beautiful ways.
My son, Bobby, showed his love in a way that was steady and sincere. He was concerned, attentive, and made sure Kristen knew he cared. Sometimes we underestimate how deeply brothers feel things, but his quiet love spoke volumes.
And my sister, Teri, showed me such empathy and compassion. She checked in on me often, prayed for us faithfully, and her words of encouragement always seemed to come right when I needed them. Her prayers carried me through more than she’ll ever know.
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.”
2 Corinthians 1:3–4
What I’ve Learned
Through all of this, I’ve learned so much.
- What love really looks like.
- How not to be so quick to judge others, because we never know what they’re going through.
- How to take life one day at a time and be grateful for small, daily wins.
- How to stop worrying so much about the things I can’t control.
We live in such a divided world right now. So much noise. So much negativity. But those arguments and battles have been going on since Old Testament times.
We don’t have to join in. We can focus on what’s right in front of us with the people we love, the blessings we’re given, and the quiet ways God still shows up every single day.
Because this, right here, is what faith and love look like when God is at the center.