It’s All Juniper Berries

Focusing on the beauty, the joy and the gratitude! Every photo here from the past 3 weeks are simply a testimony of how God has taken sweet, tender care of me…I’m His Beloved! I’m so blessed!

My sister turned 50 on March 22 so I surprised her with showing up in Rockford, IL at a party she was attending. It had been 42 years since I donned a pair of roller skates! I was all in, however, I wanted to be cautious so I didn’t break my neck, so I rented a little training wheel helper so I could do my fancy footwork like back in the day when I went to the roller rink every Friday night in 8th grade!! 

🛼🛼 laughter is so good for the soul!

Happy 50th Sissy!! You’re my favorite youngest sister forever! And our mama is the best role model of love, grace and friendship!

Every three weeks for the rest of my life I’ll go to Columbus, OH to get the infusions for treating the stage 4 breast cancer that once was in my body. Now I just get it for fun!! And I now can forever say, “I’m healed! In the name of Jesus!”

 

I spent over 2 weeks in Colorado with dear friends where God spoke to me through His creation: thousands of juniper berries reminded me of His abundant & endless love for me, dead juniper trees with twisted sturdy branches were the visual of how much beauty comes from so much trial and struggle over the decades. I literally worshipped WITH a juniper as its branching arms were held up in permanent praise as it stood erect waiting for my voice and raised arms to join in while we worshipped in Gratitude to our Creator together! Sacred moments! His Word talked to my soul and even instructed me of what to do next in my Season.

Sometimes angels wear dog skins and this pup was my angel as we hiked together back into the canyons and he provided the sense of safety I needed. God met me there every time! 

This magnanimous sky was a literal sign to me from my Heavenly Father that He will redeem things broken and restore them in His perfect timing! And I believe it. 

This canyon was truly where my Lover met me and reminded me of His tenderness toward me. He told me so many promises!! Here’s a snippet of what He comforted me with on our hikes: “Draw me into your heart. We will run away together into the king’s cloud-filled chamber. I will remember your love, rejoicing and delighting in you, celebrating your every kiss as better than wine. No wonder righteousness adores you! Listen, my radiant one— if you ever lose sight of me, just follow in my footsteps where I lead my lovers. Come with your burdens and cares. Come to the place near the sanctuary of my shepherds. My darling, you are so lovely! You are beauty itself to me. Your passionate eyes are like gentle doves. My beloved one, both handsome and winsome, you are pleasing beyond words. Our resting place is anointed and flourishing, like a green forest meadow bathed in light. Rafters of cedar branches are over our heads and balconies of pleasant-smelling pines.”

‭‭Song of Songs‬ ‭1‬:‭4‬, ‭8‬, ‭15‬-‭17‬ ‭TPT‬‬

The Monument in Fruita, CO!

All glory, praise and honor to my Heavenly Father and Lord, Jesus who through His Spirit has called me His own and HE LIKES ME JUST THE WAY HE MADE ME! 

In Times of Growth

Friday Feb. 28, 2025 was yet another infusion. I love how God provided exactly what I needed! This was the second appointment that I went to by myself in order to have time to focus on my treatment without any distractions. I had beautiful conversations with my nurse, Michele, who hadn’t heard my story about the Gratitude Bell. God knew how to comfort me in His own special way. And this was the first time in 3 weeks I’ve rung my own Gratitude Bell so it was extra sweet! The poem I wrote to go with the Bell is sent with each purchased Gratitude Bell and I’m so appreciative for Bevin Bells gift of making this bell for me and selling it so others can ring their own!

I am in a stretching season of marital growth in my life right now. It is where I can take the mask off from pretending all is well and just be real! Details of my situation are not important but my healing is and because of my stage 4 diagnosis, I will take necessary measures to try and keep my mind calm, focusing on whatever I need to not stress because stress invites in illness. I have prayerfully asked a small circle of trusted people that encourage and pray over me to hold me up right now while I keep focused on maintaining my body’s health because I know if too much stress resides in me then my health is at risk. Someone who is stage 4 doesn’t have the luxury of taking one’s health for granted. None of us do, really, but I became much more aware of this after the reality check of a diagnosis.

When troubles hit and the enemy of our soul strikes like WW3, there’s no better defense than God’s Word, tenderness of Christ-minded friends, prayer warriors and constant submitting to the Holy Spirit to focus on Jesus. I’ve spent these past weeks on my knees, on my face and on an emotional roller coaster. I yo-yo between my fears and tears back to remembering my identity in Christ. 

My dear friend, Linda, gifted me with a Crafted Prayer to keep me in the right boat. She sent me verses from the Bible that are the tapes I want playing in my mind all day. Then I got to share them with one of my dear sisters in Christ, Judy. I just love how intentional God has been in orchestrating our sweet friendship.  Judy said that the whole world should know of this Crafted Prayer. It’s powerful! So I’ll copy it here for all to read. Credit goes to the Holy Spirit!

“Lord Jesus, this is the Nehemiah time.  I will not be overcome by a spirit of discouragement as I fill in the gaps in the wall.

I will erect a defensive wall that is impenetrable to the enemy’s assaults.

This is the word of God for this season.

I will fill in every gap with the help of the Holy Spirit, guiding me along the way.

Holy Spirit expose any gap, any breach that is in my life, in my body, in my finances, in my family and friends, my ministry, my marriage or my church or any part of my life. 

I decree that this rebuilding of my defensive wall to protect me and my family will happen very quickly!

I say, satan, I’m aware of your strategies, your influence to kill, steal and destroy my family relationships.

You ridicule, reject, divide, accuse, slander, berate, discourage and dishearten.

Lord, in the name of Jesus, I forgive everyone coming against me now and from my past who has wounded me or afflicted me in anyway so I can get healed of the wounds inside my soul that came from those conflicts so that I can join with others to do the enormous work that God has called me to and his plan for me in this earth. I realize I can’t do it on my own.

I let go of the offenses. I forgive them and expose myself to the healing power of the Holy Spirit. I expose myself to the love of God to the grace of my Lord Jesus Christ, and to the help and hope that Holy Spirit pours into my life with the anointing of God himself.

Right now, I receive complete healing for any trauma in my life. I likewise drive out betrayal from within me, canceling the effect of it. I cut it off, divorce it and send it to the pit of hell to never return. I know who I am in Jesus Christ. No relationship or earthly words will separate me from the love of God, the purpose for which I’ve been created and my union and wellness in Jesus Christ. 

Spirit of the living God, release your rivers of living water into my heart, to flow into my mind, to flow into my emotions, to flow into my will, my personality and every intention that I hold in Christ Jesus, and destroy every betrayal.

Heal & comfort me and overcome my past as I overcome evil with good in the name of Jesus Christ.

I break trauma right now and I say, “Grief, you come out & be gone. I release and let you go forever.”

I fill those places of abandonment and woundedness with the power of the Holy Spirit to be walls of Holy Spirit life and peace, righteousness, and joy, faith, hope and love.

I declare that deception and defilement have no place in my life or in my marriage.

I refuse them and I cancel every influence from darkness, and I speak the light of Christ which is greater in me than he that is in the world. I speak the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses, purifies & washes us whiter than snow and brings the goodness and grace of God to bear in our lives, our marriage, our friendship & our future and hope. 

I cancel the effect of discouragement that distracts us from building a strong, godly wall of protection and peace around us.

We have overcome by the blood of the the Lamb and the word of our testimony.

I break my agreement with bitterness. I break my agreement with offenses. I break my agreement with being judgmental and critical. I break my agreement with rejection, abandonment and betrayal. I break my agreement with keeping myself isolated to protect myself, in the name of Jesus.

I will not engage the enemy. I will send my arrow prayers out to God to keep my mind steadfast on my victory and on the promises of God! 

Instead of keeping my mind on the battle, the doubts and the fears that the enemy wants to put on me, I will not leave my calling or life purpose to engage the enemy.

Hallelujah and praise God for the victory that I have in Christ Jesus.

(I will practice my arrow prayers straight to the Lord)

Amen”

Thank you, Linda for a powerful Crafted Prayer!! In fact several years ago Linda and Burr came to see me and pray over me for healing. I love how God surrounds me with the comfort of loving, sacrificial friends! 

And now God has provided the resources for me to go visit them for the next 2.5 weeks where I’m being pursued by God around the clock. I will get to be restored and loved on by these beautiful humans where we will hike in the rocky hills of Kodels Canyon in Colorado National Monument and in surrounding geological formations.  

Additionally here are the verses I listen to every day. Seriously, this link has the most inspiring audio of scripture verses that describe who I truly am in Christ. THIS must be my focus or I get swallowed up in thoughts not from God. If I go to sleep listening to these biblical truths, and if I wake in the middle of the night, I listen again until I fall asleep. If I don’t, then the enemy just replays the negative tapes in my mind that I am experiencing and I unravel. So no matter the heart ache I feel, I must take action to heal and grow and have no expectation that others will meet my needs. Only Christ. Yes, only Christ meets my needs!

Thankfully during this painful growth season I have the love of family and friends to offer something that I am especially grateful for, hugs and laughter of innocent babies and a tender relationship with my own children who love me so well. I was blessed to spend the past 2.5 weeks in Florida at my daughter and son-in-law’s home where my grandchildren filled my hurting heart with love that only babes can offer. The joy of hanging out as a family is the best distraction during a time of waiting in the Lord.

I am honestly excited to see how God directs my thoughts and helps me move into what He desires for me! This week I’ll be reading a book called The Longing In Me by Sheila Walsh recommended by my sweet friend Jordan. I invested in my personal development by purchasing a relationship workshop called The Conflict Cure and I am very excited to see what God has in store for me there! 

What I’m learning is that I’m never done learning and sometimes life’s challenges seem to come quickly and unexpectedly. And if I give in to the enemy’s lies, the grief, the stress and despair… then satan wins. I love this verse Linda’s shared with me where I am reminded that it is ONLY God and His Word that can be trusted with my frame. This photo is exactly where God has placed me feet this week…literally upon the Rock!