tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48049169994998798262024-03-13T22:55:03.224-06:00Dana - Victorious OVER Cancer!Psalm 91:13-16 You will tread upon the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent. "Because he loves me," says the Lord, "I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation."Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15405440500875254615noreply@blogger.comBlogger69125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4804916999499879826.post-90746481556053292432009-08-12T21:30:00.002-06:002009-08-12T21:45:58.708-06:00Life Is sooooooo Good!Hello Family and Friends,<br />It really has been quite awhile since I last posted something to you! Life is so good and I am enjoying every moment! This past year has been filled with fun, good memories and continual growth in my walk with Jesus! God is such an amazing God and continues to reveal His Faithfulness, power and might! I have found that great trials bring the potential for great praise. God has given me the opportunity to share my story with several people and provide hope, encouragement and for some break the chains of tormenting fear. Isn't God amazing how He can turn something so horrible into something so comforting to others. Not to mention how this whole experience with cancer has made me a new person physically, mentally and spiritually. It's in our toughest battles or weakest moments where we begin to learn of God's strength and faithfulness in our lives. If everything always went the way we wanted it to we may not feel we need God and then begin to do things are own way. That's the way I was living my life before the diagnosis. God has brought me through so much to reveal to me a life so much more fulfilling when I have put my full trust in Jesus Christ. He is the Way, the Truth and the Life. He is my everything and I give Him all the glory for His Grace and Mercy in my life. We are God's children and we are in the palm of His hands. He never leaves us or forsakes us and promises to bring us comfort, joy, peace and deliverance. I am finding that if I put my complete trust in my Heavenly Father I have rest! Rest in God is the best place to be. His rest frees me from my fears, doubts, worries and control. Life is so much more fun and enjoyabe when we live for Christ and not our problems!<br /><br />God's richest blessings to you - Love U!<br />DanaDanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15405440500875254615noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4804916999499879826.post-9759268955050743642008-11-29T08:06:00.003-07:002008-11-29T08:46:21.430-07:00Happy Thanksgiving 2008!Happy Thanksgiving!! We as God's children and Believers have so very much to be thankful for and praise God for! I hope that each one of you enjoyed your time with family and friends. This year we spent Thanksgiving with the Dunlap's here in Colorado and had a wonderful time and awesome meal!! It was fun to just eat and rest the whole day. We did absolutely nothing but just hang together and enjoy each other! This year I am so grateful to the Lord for breath and the ability to bring Him glory! I am thankful for all the "things" God has given me but also very thankful that I can give!! I look back on some of the photos last year at this time and just praise my God for all He has brought us through! Wow, isn't it something to go through such a horrific event but then get through it and look back and see all that God has done ?? That's the amazing thing about serving God - He promises to never leave us or forsake us and if we trust and rely in HIm He promises DELIVERANCE!! AND OH MY - WHAT TREMENDOUS DELIVERANCE HE BROUGHT! We can't possibly understand His ways at the time we are going through something very painful but in the end His ways are truly good and for His loved ones we are always rewarded and given victory! Just lately I have recently found out that my dear friend whom I job shared with at church has been diagnosed with breast cancer and just began her treatment. Her name is Sarah and I would love for you to pray for her healing and victory! I have also learned of another family friend in our church that just found out 5 days ago she has breast cancer. Sometimes do you wonder if the very reason your allowed to go through something so painful is just for the ability of being able minister healing and God's love to someone else going through the same thing??? Let me tell you, I do not for one second believe in coincidence! I am beginning to find out as time goes on how much of God's goodness is coming from my experience with cancer. It was not all in vain!! He is given me the ability to encourage these two special ladies with God's wisdom and knowledge. God spoke something to me several days ago - just 3 words: "Firm, Relying, Trust". Last year at this time just completing my last treatment I wouldn't have been able to thank God for this experience with cancer but as I continued on throughout the year in my healing He has shown me all that He is doing through this experience - AND IT'S AMAZING! I have learned and am learning that a Firm, Relying, Trust in our Savior Jesus brings great deliverance and blessings!! Do you want deliverance today from anything difficult you are facing in life? Just firmly rely on and trust in Jesus and with time ( sometimes longer than we want) He will bring great rewards of blessings and deliverance that you can't possibly imagine! So everyday can be a Thanksgiving because of all that God is doing in our lives! <br /><br />Love you tons!<br /><br />DanaDanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15405440500875254615noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4804916999499879826.post-21694447355195170232008-11-13T16:01:00.003-07:002008-11-13T16:50:17.398-07:00God Prepares Us!Hello My Sweet Family and Friends,<br />Hope this day brings you great joy and gratitude for all that God has given us! I must have put a spring cleaning pill into my orange juice this morning because I cleaned my house from top to bottom today and while I was doing it I just kept saying "Jesus, thank you so much for the ability, health and strength to clean for my family!" I can't even begin to tell you after facing something like cancer how somedays you just wake up and Praise God for your life and family! Today is one of those days. If felt good to clear out the clutter that had been stacked for about 1 year, layers of dust wiped away and floors that are now the right shade of white! In the midst of my cleaning frenzy I came across an old journal from 2005 that my dear friend Jod the Toad had given me. I just opened it up to an entry from December 1, 2005. It literally took my breath away at how God so prepares our hearts for things to come. I would like to share with you that entry from Dec. 1, 2005:<br /><br />"My Precious Heavenly Father,<br />I love you so much and desire to serve you - You have placed a hugh desire and hunger to seek you and know you- You have placed an undescribable passion and urgency to learn your word and know you! I ask myself why??? Are you raising up this generation of Christians to do mighty things for you in these last days? Because if you are, just like Isaiah I say "Send Me". Prepare me Lord! Thank you for choosing me and calling me to be Holy and set apart. Please help me to be humble and obedient. Give me strength to fight the enemy!! Fill me and mold me to be your masterpiece. I hear your calling and I am ready for your change!"<br /><br />Whewwwwww!!!! I can hardly read that without loosing a few breaths because I had no idea what would hit my life 2 years later. OH, HOW THE HOLY SPIRIT PREPARES OUR HEARTS FOR WHAT IS TO COME! I can remember that feeling of urgency in my spirt and it almost made me anxious. I kept feeling like I needed to get grounded in the Word of God and praying that God would help me have the strength to fight the enemy. My enemy came to destroy me 2 years later and as I look back over the last year and a half God so beautifully answered that journal entry from December 1, 2005. God not only gave me His strength but His courage, He humbled me and stripped me of all my pride, selfishness, and showed me compassion, He most certainly molded me and threw me into a burning furnace to be refined. And all of this for what??? I heard God calling me on December 1, 2005 for a specific purpose on this earth. I remember responding "Send Me" - Yikes!!! (Note to self: do not speak those words to God unless you are ready for something HUGE!!!!!!!!!!) I am changed person for all God has brought through. I am so excited to see how God will use my experience with cancer to minister to many!<br /><br />This journal that my friend Jod theToad gave me has a bunch of little encouraging scriptures and sayings that she cut out and pasted through out the journal. It is such a treasure! THE most ironic thing about one of these inserts is the one that follows my entry from December 1, 2005! Here it is:<br /><br />GOD WILL PREPARE US<br /><br />When it is God's time to bring something into our lives, He will often do it after He has prepared us to receive it.<br /><br />He may withhold a place of leadership until He has taught us how to serve.<br /><br />He may withhold honor until He has taught us humility.<br /><br />He may withhold possessions until He has taught us contentment.<br /><br />He may withhold a relationship until He has taught us to be complete in Him.<br /><br />He may withhold an overflow of finances until He has taught us how to give. He may withhold guidance until He has taught us what is pleasing to Him.<br /><br />He may withhold an active ministry until He has taught us how to be still.<br /><br />Author unknown<br /><br />There is no such thing as a coincidence when you believe God is a Sovereign God!Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15405440500875254615noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4804916999499879826.post-2916735234602272142008-11-05T21:03:00.004-07:002008-11-05T21:30:43.162-07:00Long Time No See!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_XMk5s3jAAeQ/SRJxasMYTxI/AAAAAAAAADs/_3O58rKI8Ew/s1600-h/DSC00313.JPG"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_XMk5s3jAAeQ/SRJxasMYTxI/AAAAAAAAADs/_3O58rKI8Ew/s200/DSC00313.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265395617703153426" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_XMk5s3jAAeQ/SRJvBjK4RbI/AAAAAAAAADk/iU_UxwZc3vs/s1600-h/DSC00459.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_XMk5s3jAAeQ/SRJvBjK4RbI/AAAAAAAAADk/iU_UxwZc3vs/s320/DSC00459.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265392986760955314" /></a><br />Hello to all my Family and Friends!<br /><br />Wow, it has been several months since I have last updated you on the happenings of my life! It has been on my heart for quite some time to get back to journaling and share with you all what God is doing in our lives. Here are some pics of me and my my awesome family. I have had several haircuts now and am loving trying to decide if I should go short or long - Oh, what wonderful decisions!!!! So much has happened since the last entry! All I want to say tonight is that God is an Awesome God and has brought my family and me through great trials with great victory and now we have great Praise! If it weren't for trials and difficulties what would we have to Praise our Creator for??? He likes to show His power and miracles through our trials and then our faith in Him grows leaps and bounds. May God's richest blessings be upon you and your families.<br /><br />Love to all!<br /><br />DanaDanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15405440500875254615noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4804916999499879826.post-39684262811221556062008-06-09T08:45:00.002-06:002008-06-09T08:54:07.973-06:00Relay For LifeHello to all my Dear Loved Ones!!<br /><br />WOW!! What an incredible Relay For Life we had on Saturday and Sunday this past weekend! The Relay For Life is a community event which supports and raises money for the cure of cancer! It was truly amazing to see a multitude of survivors! That was soooo inspiring and encouraging. I was asked to be the Honorary Survivor speaker before the Luminary Ceremony. It was such a joy to be able to share my story and give My Jesus all the credit! He is the reason I am still standing here today and I want Him to get all the glory!! It was a memorable event and I just want to say thank you to all my family who supported me and stood by my side this weekend. Just having you there was such a comfort and so much fun! We will look forward to next years event! I will post some pictures as soon as I can figure that out and maybe I can post my speech too for those of you who want to hear it. Thank you all for your prayers - I actually made it through without being a total blubbering mess :) God is sooo good and I am thankful for the way He uses us! I hope you are enjoying your day today. Talk soon-<br /><br />Love,<br />DanaDanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15405440500875254615noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4804916999499879826.post-39329426924748462892008-05-26T21:31:00.003-06:002008-05-26T21:40:17.058-06:00A Little Girl named SydneyHello to all my dear family and friends,<br />Happy Memorial Day and hope all is going well! Things are going good and enjoying Chaz being home now as school ended last Friday! It is a complete joy to think of all the things we want to do this summer as I missed out on the fun last summer. We went swimming yesterday for the first time this year and it was a blast. A little cool getting out but sooooo worth it - the kids loved having mommy swimming with them again. Thank you God for your grace and mercy!!! Mark is still with out a job so keep praying that God would provide and send employment quickly - thank you! He is such an amazing man- He has a heart after God and when faced with trials He continues to put his full trust in God to work it all out. I am truly blessed to have such a wonderful example of Christ to lead this home!! I love you, honey! I have a prayer request for all prayer warriors. A little girl named Sydney who is 9 years old has just been diagnosed with a stage 3 brain tumor which is inoperable and is being flown to St. Jude's Hospital tomorrow. They will be giving her an experimental drug and have high hopes that it will shrink it. However, this little dolly is going to endure some serious sickness and pain. Please pray that God heal her and that the doctors have wisdom over her little body. God can do it and I am believing for a miracle. Please join me in praying for her and I will continue to keep you updated. Thanks so much. <br /><br />Love to you all!<br />DanaDanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15405440500875254615noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4804916999499879826.post-47018871668943007132008-05-19T08:48:00.005-06:002008-05-19T18:28:13.794-06:00My Day of Victory!Hello Family and Friends,<br />Yesterday marked the one year anniversary of my cancer diagnosis -WOW!!!!!! I call May 18th 2007 "My Day of Victory". I have come to realize looking back on this past year how much good has come from such a horrible event! It is my Day of Victory because I am a better person today! It took the cancer to help me see the miracles of God before me and all of God's beauty. I wake up each morning with an excitement to enjoy the day God has given me and to make a difference for HIm! My new favorite thing to do is wake up early when it's super quiet and peaceful outside and sit on our small back porch while the sun is hitting it and just listen to the birds! It is so amazing out there in the early morning hours. It's like God's presence is all around me. I sometimes like to think the birds are just singing praises to God! I enjoy a little prayer time and reading God's word and my day has begun on the right foot. I wanted to share with you what my daily devotional reading was about yesterday on my one year anniversary of the cancer diagnosis. It is titled "Our Confidence is in Jesus" and the scripture verse that goes with it is ( and this is no coincidence) Philipians 4:13 "I can do everything through him who gives me strength". Isn't God amazing??? The very reason I got through the Hell that cancer put me through WAS BECAUSE OF GOD'S STRENGTH!! The first line of this devotional made me laugh it says " Satan does not want you to fulfill God's plan for your life because he knows that you are part of his ultimate defeat!" Isn't that the truth? Satan will do anything to us to try and destroy us so that we can't and don't bring glory to God. Well I am here to say that if if you are experiencing some very difficult times in your life right now trust in a God who understands everything you are going through! While Jesus was here on earth He endured every possible emotion and pain that we have AND MORE!!! He understands and promises in His word that he will give strength to the the weary and power to the weak( Isaiah 40:29) There is a person named Valerie that I have been praying for daily and I feel like God just wants me to tell her a few things. Valerie, God wants you to know that He loves you with a passion that is undescribable! He is the Rock that you need to stand and lean on! He wants to be there for you and heal ALL of your hurts! He sees everything that you have endured and He wants you to know that He is Faithful! Give your life to Christ (meaning trust Him for all things). Make Him the Savior of your life and watch the awesome blessings start to flow. Christ is the One person who will NEVER EVER let you down. I have not endured the things you have encountered this past year but I have endured my own pain and I can tell you from experience that if you trust in Jesus He will bring you through anything. His love healed ALL of my pain! I hope that encourages you and know that I will continue to pray for you!! <br /><br />Enjoy your day!<br /><br />DanaDanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15405440500875254615noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4804916999499879826.post-36578280683788538042008-05-11T10:39:00.003-06:002008-05-11T10:52:42.259-06:00A Sweet Happy Mother's Day!!Happy Mother's Day to all my dear family and friends,<br />I woke up this morning to two, sweet blonde boys staring over me saying "Here's a big hug for Mother's Day!" Then I got a ton of kisses too!! I was totally impressed that they had remembered on their own. I found out that my sons' pastors told them last night at church to remember to give mom a big hug in the morning and they remembered!!! This Mother's Day takes on a whole new meaning and is even more special than any other Mother's Day that I have had. Thank you to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who has given me continued life and the privelage of being a mother and a wife. Today I was reading in my Joyce Meyer's Devotional book the verse found in John 10:10 " I came that they may have and enjoy life,and have it in abundance". Jesus came to this earth and died for us that we may enjoy the time we have here on earth. And not only that, but we have been promised eternal life with Christ after this life. WOW! Now that's something to get excited about. I refuse to fear the time I have left here on earth - rather I choose to enjoy every wonderful moment God will give me to love my family and make memories together! That's why this Mother's Day is truly a special one because everyday is a gift from God. I pray that each one of you enjoy the honor and privelage of being a mom. And to my mom: Mom, I love you with all my heart! You have blessed my life through your wisdom and love. This past year you have given me the encouragement I needed to fight my battle. And to my Mother-in-law, Marlene, I love you with all my heart and I appreciate all that you do for our family and your Godly example to us this past year. I thank God for both of you! HAVE FUN MOMS!!!!<br /><br /><br />Love to you,<br />DanaDanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15405440500875254615noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4804916999499879826.post-7951141278410768612008-04-26T08:05:00.003-06:002008-04-26T08:30:36.764-06:00Give Thanks to God!Hello All! I just want to begin with this verse in Psalms 105:1-3 " Give Thanks to the Lord, call on His name; make known among the nations what He has done. Sing to Him, sing praise to Him; tell of all His wonderful acts. Glory in His holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice..." That is just want I want to do! I want to thank my God for all He has done in my life and make it known to all! I received great pathology reports back yesterday regarding the little lymph node that was removed last Monday - totally BENIGN!! God has done a good work in me and will bring it to completion (Phillipians 1:6) I just want to shout HIs praises for the Awesome, Powerful and Living God that He is! Psalms 66:5 is another great verse for me to remember not only through my healing but all the things God continues to do in our lives on a daily basis. "Come and see what God has done, how AWESOME his works in man's behalf!" It can be so easy to forget all that God has done because we get so muttled down in the everyday rut of life and all of it's problems. But isn't that just what Satan would like - for us as God's children to forget all that the great and Mighty Creator has done for us since the beginning of time?? This past week I went to a Seder meal at church which was a terrific way of truly remembering ALL that God has done for us starting with the exodus of the Isrealites from Egypt to our present day! What a reminder of God's power, authority and knowledge. The Bible says that He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. (Hebrews 13:8) I think at times I have been guilty of thinking that God has changed just because our times have changed so drastically. Before going through an experience with cancer I often wondered and I have heard other Christians state that maybe miracles do not happen anymore. I realized after going through the experience I did God opened my eyes to all His Glory around me. He DOES and don't let Satan fool you that God does perform great and mighty miracles everyday we just have to be open to seeing them. If He was the same God yesterday (performing awesome miracles back then) His word says that He is the same today (still performing those great miracles). I have come to realize that even though this world may be filled with tragic disappointments God is in control and knows all! I just need to allow my mind to be focused on Christ so that I have a direct connection with the Holy Spirit and can be led by Him. I am learning by doing this allows me to see on a daily basis God's miracles and awesome works! I am a living miracle and believe that He has allowed me life to give HIm all the glory! I thank each of you for always praying and loving on us! God certainly does rally the Saints when His kids are needing help! We love each of you and hope you are enjoying your weekend as a family!<br /><br />Love,<br />Dana<br /><br />Oh yes, I just wanted to update you on Mark's job. He did have his second interview on Monday. He spoke with the recruiter that he is working with and found out that the interviewer felt Mark had a great second interview and is reviewing all of Mark's materials (research) he brought in. We are just praying for God's will - He knows best! Please continue to pray with us for God's provisions!Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15405440500875254615noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4804916999499879826.post-69519655052228737722008-04-16T19:33:00.002-06:002008-04-16T19:57:37.017-06:00YAHOOO- GREAT RESULTS!Hello Family and Friends,<br />Just had to report to you all that my 3 month check up with my Oncologist went well!! All my blood work came back looking good and clean - Praise the Lord!! Since the levels in my blood looked good I don't have to return back to the Oncologist for 6 more months and then they will repeat the blood work. I really had quite a bit of anxiety going into that place again. It is amazing how many different emotions and stages a cancer survivor goes through. At times I think "Hey, I think I am feeling like myself again in every respect and then another day comes and I am experiencing emotions and thoughts I never thought I could have. This is more than just a physical healing but also a mental one. I still haven't gotten the nerve to go back into the chemo room to visit all of my special nurses because it is to hard for me to see the other patients going through such pain. I really hope that changes because I would love to use my experience to encourage some one else in their battle! Not to mention share the hope of Christ with them. Please pray for me in this area :) There is a little nodule that I had found under my right arm pit that both my surgeon and oncologist think is benign or maybe just some scar tissue from the mastectomy but I don't want to mess around with it so I will be having that removed next monday at 9:45am. It's just an in office visit with a local and then it's done. It will give me a piece of mind to know everything is ok. Please pray for that as well - thank you. I have started a self Bible study on Fear and how it can hinder all that God has for our lives. It's amazing what I am learning. One thing I learned today is how our past experiences, big or small, should not cause us fear but rather reveal to us God's great power and protection through that experience. This past trials or experiences also build our faith for future events. The scripture used as an example of this is in 1Samuel when David approached King Saul about fighting the giant Goliath. King Saul told him that it would be impossible for little David to fight such a mighty warrior as Goliath. However, David tells King Saul that IN HIS PAST ( past experience) he killed a fierce lion and bear with his own hands to save his sheep. So because of his past experience with the wild bear and lion his faith was strong and build up in God trusting him to yet give him another victory. If David had not had that past experience or hardship he would not have been prepared to fight the giant Goliath. It was a great reminder to me that God puts things into our lives to prepare us for the future and to build our faith in Him! What an awesome God we serve. Oh yes, some of you have called about Mark's job. He did end up loosing his job a few weeks ago. The large pharmaceutical company did buy out his company and now he is without a job. He does receive a severance package for the next few months and we are praying for our Faithful God to yet reveal Himself again. WE KNOW HE WILL SHOW HIMSELF AGAIN!!!! Mark has a second interview with a company on Monday for a Spinal Orthopedic equipment position (medical sales) Please pray for the Lord's will.<br /><br />Enjoy your day and families!<br /><br />Love you,<br />DanaDanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15405440500875254615noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4804916999499879826.post-28006969654695991722008-04-13T20:51:00.002-06:002008-04-13T21:38:41.416-06:00God's Goodness, Grace and Mercy!Hello to all my family and friends!<br />I apologize for not keeping you all up to date the last couple of months. I have gotten several phone calls from friends in other states wondering what in the world is going on with me! I so appreciate all your concern, prayers, love and support. I had been having computer problems figuring out my blog account and just didn't want to deal with it as I am so not a "techy" when it comes to computers so I kept putting it off. However, I have realized that this is such a great way to keep everyone up to date with how things are going. Things are going great!! God's goodness, grace and mercy continue to amaze me and my family! I am feeling very good and strong. I have joined a cancer wellness program at a local gym and get to workout with a couple personal trainers a couple times a week to help get the blood flowing again and the muscles pumped up! It feels great. Last time I blogged I had made mention of an abnormal pap test. After I had a biopsy the reports still came back slightly abnormal but the doctor felt it was hardly enough to even bother with it. Yes!!!!! I just need to repeat the pap in 4 months and see how things are looking then. I am trusting that the Lord will heal that too :) I am really healing up nicely after the bilateral mastectomy. At times there are a few sharp pains that linger periodically throughout the day but for the most part I sometimes forget that I even had it done. I had noticed a small little "bebe" size nodule under my right arm pit and had my surgeon looked at it. He felt that because it was so tiny that it could just be a deep suture that cells have formed around and he wasn't worried. This Wednesday at 10:15AM I have my first 3 month check up with my oncologist. I have already done the blood work and I am trusting that God has healed me once and for all and that all my reports will come back beautifully! To God be all the the Glory!! May 18th will mark the one year date as to when I found out I had cancer. As I was working out a couple of weeks ago a thought crossed my mind and it was this " The Day God Gave Me Victory!" Actually that sounds like a great title for a book! I remember when I was first diagnosed some cancer survivors called their cancer experiences a "gift". Well, I still haven't gotten to call the cancer I had a gift but I will say that May 18th, 2007 marked the day that God gave Me Victory! Victory in so many ways! Healing over cancer, the building of my faith, the depth and intimacy of my relationship with my Savior Jesus, an incredible, awesome, intimate relationship with my husband, patience, kindness and compassion with people, healed relationships, beautiful friendships, and the list goes on! Had I not ever gone through this experience with cancer I am not sure I would have ever been able to experience these victories in my life and felt the joy and passion for Christ that I have now! The Word of God states that God works things out for the good of each believer. I know many wondered how in the world could any good come out of such a horrible event but as I review all God has done through this process it is evident that Christ's fingerprints were all over me EVERY step of the way! I am truly a different person now than I was before May 18th 2007 and still continue to grow in what God is teaching me. The victories still keep coming. Now that it's been a few months out I am realizing that I am healing more emotionally than I am physically. I am finding that Satan wants to have a hay day with my thoughts and try to convince me that every ache, pain, abnormal test and little bumps I find is the end of my life! It really has been a battle in mind to continue to focus on Jesus and what He has done in me and not believe the pile of lies I am being fed. I have never in my life dealt with so much emotional turmoil and fear. It truly can become a spiritual bondage. My fear is not dying because I know that being side by side with my Creator will be the best place in this world to be but it's not being here for my precious children and husband that drives me to my knees. I have dealt with a tremendous amount of fear in this area and am sharing with you today so you know how to pray. GOD WILL GIVE ME VICTORY OVER THIS TOO! God is showing me things everyday through His Word and counsel of others slowly break the chains of fear and anxiety. God's word tells us a number of times "Do not fear" and to trust and believe! God is truly a Compassionate, Gracious, Merciful and Loving God so why wouldn't I put my full trust in Him??? I look forward to reporting to you how God has given me yet another victory in this area! I had better wrap this up for now. Please continue to pray for God's healing physically, mentally and spiritually. <br /><br />All my love to you,<br />DanaDanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15405440500875254615noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4804916999499879826.post-58402972772482924762008-02-13T07:49:00.003-07:002008-02-13T07:52:38.674-07:00Please pray!!Hello Family and Friends,<br />Just need your prayers please!!! I had a pap yearly exam done last week and the results came back "abnormal". I will have a colposcopy on Friday March 7th to find out what's going on. Please pray for me that the Lord heal me to get a "normal" reading on the next test! I am very anxious and upset right now and really need God to intervene. Thank you so much!<br /><br />Love you all,<br />DanaDanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15405440500875254615noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4804916999499879826.post-10510772074370872132008-01-29T08:11:00.000-07:002008-01-29T08:23:47.129-07:00Happy Day!Wow - it's been awhile since I last checked in with everybody! All is going well and thanks to the Lord I am healing up nicely. Almost have a full range of motion on my left side and can do just about anything on the right side :) What I am amazed at is how much energy I have and how good I feel - I believe the joy of the Lord is my strength!!! I am so thankful to God for healing my body of such a terrible disease and bringing me back to great health. I even have had my thyroid medication cut in half because my thyroid didn't need that much. I am believing that not only has Jesus healed me of cancer but is also healing my thyroid as well. Isn't that just like our God to heal it all! I feel absolutely wonderful. I kind of forgot what it felt like to feel good so I am just bounc'n off the walls. I want to thank my mom for her great wisdom and strength in the Lord the other day. Mom, God has used you in my life so many times with your words of encouragement and wisdom. I love you!! Mark should find out by the end of this week or next if he has a job. The company that bought his company is making a lot of changes so we are praying for the Lord to provide as He always does! Please keep Mark and his job situation in your prayers - thank you! I did visit with my Oncologist last week and now only have to be checked in 3 months - then 6 months and then every year :) I started my Tomaxifin which is a drug that keeps estrogen from sticking to my cells. The cancer I had was estrogen related so this will prevent any estrogen from interacting with cells in the breast area. I have to take this for 5 years. Please pray that my body receives this daily pill well and with no side effects. I continue to Praise God for the miraculous healing He has done in my body and thank Him for all of you! Love you all so much and pray God's power work in your lives!!<br /><br />His Grace and Mercy is Awesome!<br />DanaDanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15405440500875254615noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4804916999499879826.post-4061965508882169872008-01-08T09:52:00.000-07:002008-01-08T10:12:23.082-07:00Praise Our Lord!Hello My Dear Family & Friends!<br />I hope you all are enjoying this day! I am just prais'n God for His Goodness, Faithfulness, Mercy and Love today. I am just busting at the seams excited to shout God's praises in what He has done in my life! I can't tell you how much my life has changed because of this cancer. God has renewed my life and for that I am completely thankful to my God! I am experiencing a joy that I have never felt - an excitement for life that I just can't explain. WOW - to wake up each morning with a new day ahead of me and I GET to share God with all I come in contact with! It truly is a great privelage to serve God. It blows me away that God loves us as He does. He is so merciful and compassionate on His children. I met a lady on the phone last night and her name is Vicki. Vicki is also battling breast cancer ( stage 3c). We both had the same amount of chemo treatments - 16 total and she is finishing her last FEC treatment tomorrow. I share her with you because I would love for you all to pray for her. The FEC treatments are so very horrifying that the thought of having to endure just one more is truly more than a person can handle. I know you think "oh just one more and then your done" but it is truly a living hell to experience and she really needs your prayers to get through "just one more". As I spoke with vicki last night I heard a woman who deeply loves her Jesus and has got her eyes on her Savior to get her through this. She's is an amazing woman and ministered to my heart! She too will have a victory to praise God for. Thank you for your prayers for her! I love how God brings people together. I am beginning to see how Jesus is using my trial to bring hope and encouragement to other people and not just people going through cancer but any trial. I have also realized that with great trails comes GREAT PRAISE!!! God does use horrible things in our lives to bring out the good in us and to give all the glory to Jesus. He is our helper in all our battles and promises us great victory as His children. You just can't go wrong with serving Jesus. If you are reading this and haven't surrendered your life to God please do so. I promise you as I have experienced the last 8 months that God is real and alive and active in our lives today. He will fill you with a joy that is undescribable. Yes, I know that trials will still come but in the midst of them you truly will feel His joy and peace. Please give him a chance to love you - He's just a prayer away and so waiting to hear from His child! <br /><br />Love you tons,<br />DanaDanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15405440500875254615noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4804916999499879826.post-27254850201859513932008-01-03T10:51:00.000-07:002008-01-03T11:05:40.883-07:00Please pray!Hi Everybody!<br />2 weeks following my masectomy and doing pretty good! Starting to get around (slowly) and enjoying everyday!!!! I really need some prayer regarding the swelling under my pit where the surgeon took out my lymph nodes. There is still quite a bit of fluid retention and it keeps me from moving my arm around like I should and quite painful! Please pray with me that the Lord would heal that all up and there would be no swelling in my arm (lymphadema) . This morning I was starting to get down about it and the Lord reminded me to share this with all my prayer warriors. I trust in God to get me through ALL of this and with your prayers there will be yet another victory! I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year! Yesterday Mark went back to work after having off of work for about 2 weeks. He was amazing how he cared for me and the boys. I am so totally blessed with my man! Mark did find out that he will still have a job with the new pharmaceutical company through the end of March. After that, not sure. He has been sending out many resumes for Medical Device jobs and has heard back from some recruiters. He would love to get into that field! Continue to pray for the Great Provider to meet all our needs and provide Mark an incredible job. As children of God HIs favor is on us all - HOW TOTALLY EXCITING!!!!! I love you all tons and am so very thankful for our friendships and family. God gives us so many blessings eachday in our family and friends. Thank you all for blessing me and my family!<br /><br />Talk soon!<br />Dana - (Victoriously Healed!)Danahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15405440500875254615noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4804916999499879826.post-23530970352740113192007-12-23T11:38:00.000-07:002007-12-23T11:54:03.434-07:00CANCER FREE AND PRAISING GOD!!!Hello Dear family and friends,<br />Well, the title says it all! It' s Sunday morning today and I just got a call from my surgeon regarding the pathology report. He asked if I had a few minutes and my heart just sank. Back in May when he called to reveal to me that I had cancer he said the same thing as I got on the phone. Instantly he told me that everything looked great and there was no traces of cancer! He ended up removing 8 lymph nodes and some of them appeared to be a little larger than others but NO CANCER!!! I am still shaking from the wonderful news and just praise God for His healing. I feel as if I have been given a new life or an opportunity to love, share, give and make memories. It is the best feeling I think I have ever felt. When I was praying with the pastors from our church about 2 weeks ago one of the pastors said he had a vision of me as a beautiful butterfly emerging from it's cocoon. That's what I feel like today. I have been transformed, given new life and restoration and now I am ready to spread my wings and make a difference for God!!!! Thank you all for your prayers for surgery. I ended up having to go back into surgery the next day after the mastectomy because there was a small blood clot under where the left breast used to be. So it was much harder to recover because of the aneseathia. God is good because now I am home and recovering well. Looking at the scars for the first time was hard but I am rather impressed at how good the incisions look. Last night mark threw out his first joke at me and called me the "beautiful boobless wonder". I laughed so hard that I almost busted my stitches open. I realized at that point I am in store for some pretty good jokes. :) No matter how you look at the situation it is best to see it with humor - it makes everything so much easier. And quite honestly ladies, I can now run faster than you because there ain't anything holding me up!!! And not to have to wear a bra anymore _ WHAT FREEDOM!!!!! I might just get used to this whole boobless thing :) Well, getting a little sore as I type so I better go. JUst wanted to praise God with you at His great and mighty power. I love you all and Merry Christmas!<br /><br /><br /><br />DanaDanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15405440500875254615noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4804916999499879826.post-44866864941943150292007-12-15T08:38:00.000-07:002007-12-15T08:49:21.323-07:00Needing Prayer!Hi Everybody, <br />It's Saturday today and just trying to get a lot accomplished before Tuesdays' surgery. Lot's of laundry today and christmas shopping. Hope you all are enjoying this Christmas season. This past week my uncle passed away (my mom's brother) in Illinois. My mom and grandma and grandpa could use some prayer as they have lost a brother and a son. Please pray also for my Uncle's only son Robby. He needs God's peace and strength right now. It has been hard to be away in a time like this so I just trust my prayers are comforting them. I must admit I am quite nervous about this whole surgery thing on Tuesday. I know that I have had the last 6 months to think about it but as it approaches my anxious thoughts are getting the best of me. I just pray that the pathology reports come back NO TRACES OF cancer! Also pray that the Lord prepares Mark and I as we have our first look at the scars. It really is quite a thought to think that there will be no breasts there after I wake up. Kind of scary! Sorry just babbling now as I have just a ton of thoughts running through my head. I find comfort and peace knowing that all of you are praying for me and my family. I also find comfort in knowing that my Savior Jesus is on my side and taking care of every detail. You all are so special to me and I can't wait to report back to you next week on God's great and mighty victories in my life. Mark or I will give the update when we can. Talk soon!<br /><br />Love to you,<br />DanaDanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15405440500875254615noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4804916999499879826.post-46098418089965991212007-12-06T16:37:00.000-07:002007-12-07T08:46:12.992-07:00Just WaitingHello Family and Friends,<br />Just wanted to check in with you. Not much happening here but just waiting for Dec. 18th to get this surgery over and done with. Today had a wonderful lunch out with some friends, Teri and Colleen, from Bible study. They are precious ladies and have been my prayer warriors before each of my treatments. It was so fun to get out and begin to feel "normal" again! For most of you who have not seen me through out this process (except by the pics on the blog) I am happy to report that my hair is finally growing back - YAHOOOOOO! I keep daydreaming as to how I want to wear my hair and I go back and forth with long and short. My eyebrows and lashes are growing back, but the bottom lashes have not made their debut yet. Mark has been gone for testing and training this week with his company and did very well. He pasted his test and is now one step higher in the company! Thanks you Lord! However, we got word 2 weeks ago that a larger pharmaceutical company bought the company Mark works for so we are not sure if he will have a job in the next couple of months. It all depends on the new company and how they will handle the new reps. Please pray for the Lord's great favor to be on Mark or that our great Provider will provide Mark a new job. Thank you. You never know in one day what kind of news you will be hit with - ugggghh! This news however is kind of small potatoes compared to what we have been through and God has proven Himself faithful to all of our needs so this will be an easy job for the Almighty! Please continue to pray for me that my body would be ready for this surgery and that when the breast tissue and lymph nodes are tested through pathology that I will get the same results that I got on Friday from all my tests - NO TRACES OF CANCER!! Thank you prayer warriors! I can't wait to shout His praises for all He has done for us! God is a good Abba Father and loves us so much :)<br /><br />Love you all!<br />Dana <br /><br />Love,<br />DanaDanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15405440500875254615noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4804916999499879826.post-73971565648668221622007-11-30T21:06:00.000-07:002007-11-30T21:16:25.300-07:00To God Be The Glory!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Dear Family and Friends,<br />I have such wonderful news to report to you all!!!! Today my oncologist called and told me that all my tests that I had taken this week came back cancer FREE!!!!! Praise the Lord and to Him be all the glory! I can't even begin to explain the pure joy and excitement in my heart to hear that report. God is awesome, amazing and a healing God. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your prayers and love through this process. You have truly been my encouragement. I just want to catapult myself into heaven for a brief second to give God the hugest hug! It's like my thank you's aren't enough. However, I hear Him saying "I just want your love Dana- that's it, just your love"! Wow, what a gracious and merciful God we serve! I have learned and am learning through this journey that God is not just a God of the Bible times but He is living, active and alive in our lives today. Matter of fact the Bible states in the book of Hebrews that God is the same yesterday, today and forever. So we can surely count on God doing the same wonderful miracles today that He did in the Bible. All I need to do is BELIEVE!! Well, off to bed for a restful sleep!<br />I love you all and thanks for praising God with me!<br /><br />Love,<br />DanaDanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15405440500875254615noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4804916999499879826.post-20680934597843329822007-11-18T19:17:00.000-07:002007-11-18T19:37:52.784-07:00Happy Thanksgiving!Happy Thanksgiving Family and Friends! So much to be thankful for this year. My dad and I have been touched by God's miracle saving power and what praises we will have on Thanksgiving! This year has been extremely challenging physically, mentally and spiritually and still have quite a bit of recovery. However, God deserves so many thanks for the ways He has provided for us throughout the year! I just wanted to give you a quick update on what to pray for this next week. On November 26th, 27th and 29th I have all my scans and xrays. Please pray that all the tests come back great! I hope to then visit with the oncologist to plan a surgery time. I would really like to get the surgery done in December so I can be done with it, but I am trusting in God's perfect timing. Please pray for me as my body is recuperating from the chemotherapy. My mind wants to get going much faster than my body and that can be extremely frustrating for a gal that is usually always on the go! The doctors say that it will take 6 months to a year before I will feel "normal" again or have the energy back. Pray for my patience to just rest my body so it can heal. Pray also for my thoughts. My thoughts and emotions are like a roller coaster. One day I am rock solid and the next day I just fall apart. I need my prayer warriors to lift me up :) This Thanksgiving I will be at the Dunlap's enjoying Marlene's wonderful cooking. Mark's sister Debi and family and Mark's cousin and family will be there along with Marlene's sister and grandma Gladys. We will enjoy the time spent together. I will be missing mom, dad and my sister and fam!!!!!!!!! I love you guys sooooo much and my heart is there with you in Wisconsin. I just pray that God sends my love to you across the miles during this time. It is so hard at times to be away from you going through all this! I just keep thinking of all the fun times we will have this summer together once dad and I have fully recovered. I so look forward to making some great memories! Well, that's about it for now. Thank you all for your prayers and love. Happy, happy thanksgiving and enjoy your time with family and friends!<br /><br />Love you,<br />DanaDanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15405440500875254615noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4804916999499879826.post-90863459493563383482007-11-11T09:59:00.000-07:002007-11-11T10:39:40.931-07:00Getting Better Each Day!Hello to my dear family and friends,<br />Thank you all so much for the wonderful cards, blog posts, calls and meals! Each day keeps getting a little better as far as energy and strength. I know with each treatment of F.E.C. it took a little longer to recover. So I am hoping in a few more weeks I will begin to feel strength come back that I have not felt in awhile. Many of you are wondering what's next? Right now the doctor is allowing my body to heal from the chemo and let my white blood cells rise again to a normal level. On November 26th and 27th I will have an MRI and mammogram and ultrasound. This will of course reveal God's awesome healing power through my body because WE ARE BELIEVING that the cancer is gone :) After these tests I will visit with my oncologists regarding the results and the surgery. I will also get a PET scan sometime in December which is a complete scan of your whole body. I am just guessing, but I am thinking the surgery will take place middle to later part of December. If you go back to my very first blog entry I remember joking how "All I want for Christmas is my one left boob"!! Well, how things and priorities have changed!! I think my new song is" All I want for Christmas is my joy and peace"! This has been a battle with a capital "B"!!! Not just a battle of my physical body but of my mind. I praise my God everyday that He walks beside me every step of the way because I could not have gotten through what I did without Him!! Thank you Jesus! Oh, the things God has taught me along this journey and continues to show me each new day. I know some of you have wondered if I will need radiation. I will know that after surgery when the surgeons can test the breast tissue and lymph nodes. If there are 4 or more cancerous cells remaining, radiation is needed. I believe with all my heart and because of your many prayers I will be cancer free. So as far as I am concerned no radiation will be needed - Praise God!! During the last treatment I was overwhelmed with awful thoughts of the cancer coming back or that I would die from it. How the enemy loves to attack when we are at our weakest!! What discouragement and lies straight from the pit! No wonder God had given me so many promises through scripture and people before this even began. What I wanted to share with you is how God has shown me just in the last few days what WORRYING can do to us and effects it has on us physically, mentally and spiritually. I read in Mathew 6:25-27 "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is life not more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your Heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? WOW! How many times I have read that verse but this time it means so much more. Based on that scripture alone this is what I got out of it through some study notes in my Bible: <br /><br />7 Good Reasons NOT TO WORRY:<br />1) Math. 6:25 - "The same God who created you can be trusted with the details of your life".<br />2) Math. 6:26 - "Worrying about your future hampers your efforts for today"<br />3) Math. 6:37 - "Worrying is more harmful than helpful"<br />4) Math. 6:28-30 "God does not ignore those who depend on Him"<br />5) Math. 6:31,32 " Worry shows a lack of faith in and understanding of God".<br />6) Math. 6:33 "There are real challenges that God wants us to pursue, and worrying keeps us from them."<br />7) Math. 6: 34 "Living one day at a time keeps us from being consumed with worry". <br /><br />Then my study notes followed by explaining the difference between worry and concern: " worry immobilizes, but concern moves you to action. I was the queen of worry and how God is putting out that fire!! Worry not only destroys our physical bodies with sicknesses but destroys the very purpose of what God is doing in our lives. It takes us away from what God wants us to focus our attentions on at the present moment. What a freedom we have in knowing that the same God who created our bodies can be trusted with the details of our lives! I still have much to learn in this area and OH I am sure that the devil himself will continue with his lies, but at least I have come to realize that God is in charge of it all - all the days of my life! I look sooooooo forward to giving you all lot's of hugs and spending some good "girlfriend time" over a good cup of coffee or tea. Love you tons!<br /><br />DanaDanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15405440500875254615noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4804916999499879826.post-90374242450221796962007-11-05T07:42:00.000-07:002007-11-05T07:47:52.636-07:00Yes!!! God Got Me Through!!Praise Him and Hallelulliah! My treatments are done. I am feeling still a little weak this monday morning but Praise God for getting me through each and every treatment. Now I am believing with all my heart that God has healed and rid my body once and for all of this cancer and will look forward to His constant healing physically,mentally and spiritually! I can not wait to share my story and look sooooo forward after my surgery sometime in December to start visiting all of you for some long awaited hugs! I love you all so much and want to thank you for ALL your prayers. Please continue to pray that God directs and gives us wisdom in the next month regarding doctors, new meds and surgeries. Pray that my body each day continues to heal and become strong again. That's it for now. Just wanted to give you a quick hello and Praise God together!<br /><br /><br />Love you,<br />DanaDanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15405440500875254615noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4804916999499879826.post-70568901323249256022007-10-27T16:07:00.000-06:002007-10-28T09:21:44.505-06:00LAST TREATMENT!!!!!! PRAISE THE LORD!!!Hello Family and Friends,<br />I love the title of this blog. I am so thankful to God for getting me this far and I am praying for His strength, grace and mercy to carry me through this last treatment. I know with all your prayers I will be able to make it through the next 12 days. Thank you so much for always praying. My friend, Chris, said the other day "the squeaky wheel gets the oil". Well, I have been one squeaky wheel to God and I believe His great might and miracles will be demonstrated! I look forward to my next blog to you because it will mean that the chemo is done. It has been a good weekend. I am trying to enjoy every minute before Monday. I had my friend and Bible study leader, Terri, come over today and pray me up for Monday. Thanks Terri and Colleen for your kindness and ministry to me! Hope you all have one terrific weekend and coming week! Love you all!<br /><br />Specific ways to pray: Please pray God will bless me with restful sleep each night and takes away the nausea so I don't loose anymore weight! I will be getting chemo tomorrow at 10:00 am- thanks for your prayers!<br /><br />DanaDanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15405440500875254615noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4804916999499879826.post-84133763049662735582007-10-24T09:13:00.000-06:002007-10-24T09:24:06.079-06:00Thanks Prayer Warriors!Thank you all so very much for praying yesterday for this sinus pressure!! Today that pressure is nearly gone and I have my energy back :) It is so comforting to know that the Saints of God will pray and results ALWAYS follow! I was driving Chaz to school this morning and I just felt God whisper into my heart... "just think Dana, in a few months you will be taking Chaz to school in complete and total health! " Wow, that was a great thought!! I can't begin to tell you the things that I have learned through this whole cancer experience and one of them is to just enjoy life-every minute of it!! Just noticing all of God's amazing creation all around us and the opportunities to give and minister to people excites me soooo much I can barely keep seated! Life is too short to be hung up on the stupid things of life. I am thankful for this lesson because if anyone needed to learn to get her priorities straight and forget the offenses of people it was me!!! Taking the time and making memories with family is my excitement and joy! Thank you God for refining my heart and hopefully making me a better person! Hope you all have a great day and enjoy every bit of it.<br /><br />Love you-<br />DanaDanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15405440500875254615noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4804916999499879826.post-80548424049476913262007-10-23T09:35:00.000-06:002007-10-23T09:41:52.241-06:00Please Pray!Hello Family and Friends,<br />Just a quick prayer request! I think I am fighting the beginning of a sinus infection. I have a ton of pressure and it has wiped out any energy I have left and this is suppose to be my GOOD WEEK! I need to be strong and healthy for Monday's last treatment. Please pray for me that God heal this up! Thank you so much for your prayers.<br /><br />Love,<br />DanaDanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15405440500875254615noreply@blogger.com1