Celebrating!

This week I hit 2 milestones. On February 29th it had been 6 months since being diagnosed with cancer and on March 1st it was 6 months since I gave up all animal based products and switched to an all plant based diet.

I have so much to be thankful for. This gift of cancer has radically changed my health. I feel better and look better (so people say) than I have in my entire life. I've lost 30 pounds and no longer say "tomorrow I will start my diet." I feel mentally empowered because I know every single thing I put in my mouth is good for me. I know every organ is being detoxed and getting healthier.

I have been given the opportunity to teach anyone that will listen, including my students, about the dangers of eating all the junk we consume. My own family has started to make some healthy changes. Our 15 year old has not eaten sugar for 4 1/2 months! Go Taryn! Ashley is working at a health food store and is starting to learn more about nutrition and is applying what she's learning it to her life. She is also talking to people who come through her check out line about nutrition and has been able to pass this information on to me. Yesterday I celebrated my 6 months by going to her store and buying some yummy cookies that I can eat that aren't made with sugar, dairy or white flour! Cookies were one of my addictions of choice in my BC days!

For the first time in my life I am getting 8 hours of sleep almost every night. I understand the dangers to the immune system and to the body in general when we are sleep deprived. I no longer get sleepy during the day and I have more energy than I have ever had.

I have learned how to eliminate stress and how to say "NO" without guilt. This has been as tough as getting off all the unhealthy food. Learning the affects stress has on the entire body has greatly motivated me to push it away. Most of us know it isn't good for us but have no idea what it exactly does. Now that I do I am no longer going to live with stress stealing my health.

God has taught me the importance of faith and trust. He is the air I breath and His word is the well I drink from each day. I know that apart from Him there will be no victory in any area of my life. I've learned the importance of silencing my life so I can hear His voice. He will speak if we will take time to listen.

Family and friends are the anchors in the midst of storms. They are the ones that keep pointing us back to God and who hold us up when we are weak. My family and friends have laughed with me and cried with me and have been my strength when mine has failed. How lonely and frightening this journey would have been without all of you. Your prayers have been heard by our Father! Please don't stop as I know this journey is far from over.

Like the apostle Paul I am learning how to be content in every circumstance and how to find joy in the midst of pain. It really is a choice. When life gets hard we can throw our pity parties and draw into ourselves or we can grab a stone, stand to our feet and face our giant with a God saturated soul. This battle is not mine but God's. My actions and words are going to show the world how big my God is. I am choosing to be an overcomer. These past 6 months I have had greater ministry than in all the years I've been a Christian. My prayer each day is, "Here I am Lord, use me."

I have also learned that taking care of yourself takes time and effort. I no longer allow the busyness of my life to dictate the state of my health. I realize that I have to make my health the second highest priority after my relationship with God. If I don't the people I love the most will pay a high price. What I do now will secure my future health 20-30 years down the road. Most of us never think that far. I do not want to end up with a heart attack, stroke, dementia, Alzheimer's or any number of diseases that afflict us as we age. I believe they are all related to how we are taking care of our bodies now. I do not want to wear diapers, be in a wheelchair, lose my memory, or be placed in a nursing home to finish my days. I want to die quietly in my sleep once I have reached triple digits. The day I die I want to have taken my hour walk, spent some time mentoring someone in the Lord, worked in my garden and visited with my great, great grand kids. I am fully convinced from everything I have read and researched that this is possible if we would only listen to the Lord, be obedient and make our health a highest priority. Taking care of yourself is not a selfish thing to do, it is the best thing you can do for your family and the kingdom of God. You need a healthy body to have long life on this earth to do the work He has called you to do.

Looking back I am so grateful that God gave me the wake up call of cancer. Maybe it is going to prevent the heart attack or other illness that would have killed me. Romans 8:28 says that God works all things for good to those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. Thank you for taking the time to read this and celebrate the good things He is doing in my life!