Friday, January 30, 2015

Smashing our fears to the ground #lungleavinday


Today I want to share with you Heather's story
Heather is a mom...a mom who was diagnosed with mesothelioma 
when her daughter was just three months old.


She was told she only had 15 months to live
and as a mom that makes my heart just ache. 
I had heard of mesothelioma. 
I'd seen the commercials on television, 
but I had never stopped to think a mom with a newborn 
would have to face it. 
I can't imagine that fear she must have felt. 


I struggle with fear on a daily basis
especially when it comes to being a mom. 
I think it's just something that happens when you bring babies into the world. 
When they are growing inside of you, it's easier to feel like you can protect them. 
Then they come into this world and fear seems to all a sudden be right there beside you. 

You ask yourself...
"Am I going to be a good enough mom?"
"Can I keep them alive?"
"Are they going to get sick?" 
"Am I going to screw them up?" 
On and on the questions, worry, and fear pile up. 

This isn't something I share often, but I worry about other things too. 
I worry that something is going to happen to me 
and that my husband and kids will be left without me.
I worry that something will happen to my husband or my kids.
I worry that my hypothyroidism will turn into diabetes 
because that's what happened to my mom.
I worry that Maeva having a minor heart issue will turn into something bigger. 
I'm fearful of the doctors needing to do surgery on her heart, like they tell us they will. 
I worry about little and big things when it comes to my family. 

I worry about these things, but they've never been a reality for me, like for Heather.
Thankfully Heather is cancer free, 
but wants to spread the word about this horrible cancer. 
She started Lung Leaving' Day (February 2nd) 
in order to share her testimony and how we can handle our fears. 
On this day her family comes together, writes their fears on plates, and smashes them. 
I love this because fear can be so hard to handle, 
but we don't have to let it paralyze us and control our lives. 
Like Heather, we can take our fears and refuse to let them control us. 
We can do that because there is hope (and you know my hope is Jesus)
and with hope anything is possible. 

I'm so thankful that we don't have to live a life of fear, 
but we can chose to smash our fears and cling to hope. 



Do you want to help Heather spread the word about mesothelioma
Then be sure to read her story and share it. 
Also, go here and smash your own fears. 


4 comments:

  1. Thank you so much for sharing this story! It brought tears to my eyes. Every since I was a young girl I worried about everything under the sun. I always worried about my parents, friends, siblings. Now that I am older I still worry. I worry about being able to carry a child because 2 years ago I had a miscarriage and sworn after that I never wanted kids to keep the pain away. Now after having the discussion of children with my Honey, I need to get over the fear of miscarrying. I will be smashing my fears away and sharing this story! Thank you again.

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  2. I love this! I live with all of your same fears daily! I think about something happening to myself or my hubby or kids all the time and you're right, it really is hard not to let those fears control us. How horrible it must have been for Heather having all of those fears come knocking on her door! Thank God she is ok and I pray that you and I would have peace and not let our fears get the best of us!

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  3. I love this post! Ever since having kids, I have lived with the same fears. It is amazing what having so much love for some other human makes you feel the fear of dying so much more intensely. Thinking of Heather today, thanks so much for sharing!

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  4. Thank you so much for sharing this and her story with all of us. I can't imagine having all of those fears she had to face with a newborn.

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