I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears
– Psalm 34:4
I grew up in a small town – where everyone knew everyone. It had its pros and cons. What I loved most about growing up in that setting was that my friends pretty much remained constant through my adolescence. I found a friend when we were two years old in the church nursery, and we’ve been inseparable. My first sleepover was at her house, we went to school dances together, played on the same sports teams, took family vacations together, and went to proms together. Then one special day, I was able to stand beside her as she married the love of her life.
Some of my favorite memories with her are from the many different mission trips we took throughout middle school and high school. It never mattered where we were; we were having fun and being silly. That is, until one day when the fun and silly became very serious, very quickly.
Her headaches and dizziness came on fast, and her overall health was deteriorating at a rapid pace. What she thought was the flu became her worst nightmare.
She was diagnosed with brain cancer at the age of 23 and her life changed forever. Although she was going through so many different struggles and trials, she never let her faith dim. She knew that God was in control, and she never let her worries or fears get in the way of His power and love. As she journeyed though the next year of life, undergoing multiple surgeries, chemotherapy, and proton therapy – she became an inspiration not only to me, but also to many others. She had gone through so many trials in such a short amount of time, but she never let any of that slow her down. Now after almost two years of remission, life is good.
One of the things that had changed for her was – after treatment – she was told she would not be able to have children. God works in many different ways, and they are now expecting a baby in July. She never let her faith in God and her love of life out of sight. Expecting the unexpected is something her life has been full of, and she’s living it to the fullest.
Taylor Easttom, Edmond Campus Director of Children’s Ministry
