“Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and

Supplication with thanksgiving let your requests

Be made know unto God. And the peace of God, which

Passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and

Minds through Christ Jesus.”

                                                                            Philippians 4: 6 – 7

Two days. Eighty-one years apart. One rooted in history, the other deeply personal.

On April 3, 1944, a life was given to the world.
On April 3, 2025, a choice was made to preserve life.

This date is etched in my family’s timeline as a marker of life. One was the beginning of a journey. The other was an inherent decision to keep that journey going. Life, legacy and faith will ultimately intersect, reflecting the sacredness of this mere date in time. A date filled with love and courage both sheltered in His grace.

My Momma was a woman of strength, and she touched many lives with her powerful, hard-working hands. She lived, loved, built a family and in doing so, gave me the roots of my own strength.  She passed down her values, stories and the toughness of doing what needs to be done, when it needs to be done, and the tenacity to endure for the necessary duration. She gave me a glimpse of Jesus, the provider of peace like no other.  I will never know if she unknowingly possessed a DNA mutation with silent warning that would eventually have a devastating impact on the lives of her three girls. She didn’t live to know what we would all face.

What would you do if you knew breast cancer was waiting for you?

Even though I often professed it, I wasn’t looking for it – peace. Not when the genetic counselor said the words negative but a variant of uncertain significance. Not when I considered the medical options and risks. And certainly not when I faced choices that would forever alter my body, my plans, my sense of what “healthy” looks like. I wasn’t sure how I felt about being told something could happen and that this thing is essentially a diagnosis without a diagnosis.  But somewhere in the middle of all of that—the every six month appointments, the statistics, the professional conversations, the weight of what-ifs—God showed up. Not with definitive answers, but with peace, clarity and calmness.  Peace that surpasses understanding—not because things were easier, but because I then knew I was not alone. Peace does not equate to fearlessness; it does stand on the tallest riser serving notice that fear does not have the final say so.  It was during those moments that I realized inner peace is indeed a highly sought after super-power.  This is the peace that we all must attain, maintain and cultivate.  It is not a one-time event; it is a daily discipline. If we want to live with clarity, confidence and joy in all situations, peace must be a protected pillar of our well-being. Attaining and maintaining inner peace begins with surrendering by letting go of the illusion that we must control everything and instead placing our trust in something greater than ourselves. For me, that greater is God. I’ve learned that peace isn’t found in perfect circumstances, but in intentional stillness knowing that no one person, thing, relationship or substance has authority over MY PEACE.  Maintaining peace takes practice and often multiple do-overs.  We must guard our hearts and minds, forgive ourselves, practice gratitude, surround ourselves with kindred souls respecting boundaries in the best of relationships, breathing deeply, and most importantly, stick to our definition of our truth. Peace is not passive; it is an active choice we must make each day. And when fear creeps back in, we must simply re-center ourselves with our Source knowing that we will be met at the right meeting place again and again.

Perfect peace is possible even in grief, diagnosis and prevention. It is not the absence of struggle, but the presence of stillness within it. It is the deep, quiet confidence that, no matter what’s happening around you, you are not alone. Peace is when your heart is steady, even if your path is not. It is what happens when fear loosens its grip and faith takes its place. Peace is not pretending everything is fine. It is knowing that even when it is not, you will be okay. It is found in moments of surrender, when you stop trying to fix everything for everyone and start trusting the One who holds everything. It is more than a feeling. It’s a self-protecting, clear, calm, and courageous way of being. At this time for me, it is designation as a Previvor, a survivor of a predisposition to breast cancer.

I’m no expert, but I know one thing for sure—God loves you and He loves me too. Blessings!