In this episode of Thrive Through the Fire, I share an honest and deeply personal conversation about food, nourishment, weight gain during chemo, and what it really looked like for me to support my body during treatment.

When I was first diagnosed, I assumed I would lose weight during chemotherapy. I think a lot of people believe that’s what happens. You picture constant nausea and no appetite. But my oncologist surprised me when he said most people actually gain weight during chemo. Between steroids, anti-nausea medications, water retention, inflammation, and reduced activity, weight gain is common. Research even shows many women gain between 5–15 pounds during treatment.

I experienced that firsthand. In the beginning, I looked swollen and inflamed. My face was round from steroids. My body held fluid. I didn’t recognize myself. And if you’re walking through that right now, I want you to know that it does not mean you are failing. It does not mean you are unhealthy. It means your body is under stress and fighting hard.

Early in my diagnosis, I chose to pursue integrative support alongside conventional treatment. I hired a naturopath to help guide me nutritionally. Not instead of chemo. Not instead of my oncologist. But in addition to it.

She gave me clear food and drink guidelines aimed at reducing inflammation and supporting detox pathways. Some of the foods I focused on included:

1. Dark leafy greens like spinach, kale, and arugula
2. Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, and Brussels sprouts
3. Berries, especially blueberries and raspberries
4. Organic lean proteins like wild-caught fish and pasture-raised chicken
5. Grass-fed beef
6. Garlic and onions
7. Turmeric with black pepper
8. Ginger
9. Flax seeds and chia seeds
10. Avocado and olive oil

For drinks, I prioritized:

1. Filtered water
2. Warm lemon water in the morning
3. Green tea
4. Herbal teas like ginger and dandelion root
5. Fresh vegetable juices that were mostly greens

I reduced or avoided refined sugar, processed foods, artificial dyes, excess dairy, seed oils, and alcohol.

There is no magic cancer-fighting food. Food was not my cure. But food was my support. Research consistently shows that diets high in vegetables and fiber help reduce inflammation, and chronic inflammation is linked to disease progression. Green tea contains antioxidant compounds that have been studied for cancer prevention. Cruciferous vegetables contain sulforaphane, which has been studied for detox support. While none of these replace medical treatment, nourishment matters.

I also share the biblical perspective that shaped my mindset around food and stewardship. In Genesis 1:29, God gives seed-bearing plants and fruit for food. In 1 Corinthians 6:19–20, we’re reminded that our...

In this episode of Thrive Through the Fire, I share why I continue to talk about colon cancer, even years after my diagnosis — and why this conversation is not meant to scare you, but to equip you.

As colorectal cancer rates rise, especially in younger adults, awareness matters more than ever. But this episode is about more than statistics. It’s about stewardship. It’s about obedience. It’s about using the story God allowed me to walk through to help someone else walk through theirs.

When I was diagnosed, I had no idea how public my journey would become. My cancer experience included overwhelming doctor appointments, scans, surgeries, recovery, and waking up with an ostomy bag. None of it was glamorous. None of it was Instagram-perfect. It was raw, uncomfortable, and very real.

Learning to live with an ostomy bag as a young woman and mom was humbling. There were questions no one talks about openly — what it feels like, how to dress, how to navigate confidence, intimacy, church, public spaces, and everyday life. Those conversations are rarely on a stage, but they matter deeply when you’re the one living them.

Early on, I made the decision not to hide. I chose to share my appointments, my surgeries, my fears, and even my ostomy experience publicly. Not for attention. Not for sympathy. But because I believe stories heal.

Sharing became cathartic. It helped me process what I was walking through. It helped remove shame. Silence creates isolation, but conversation creates connection.

I was blessed to have people I could talk to during my journey. One friend in particular became a lifeline for me because she also had an ostomy bag. From one young woman to another, we talked honestly about what life really looked like. I could text her questions that felt vulnerable. I could ask what was normal. I could admit when I felt overwhelmed. That kind of connection steadied me.

Even now, years later, people still reach out. They remember what I shared. They message me when they or someone they love is facing a diagnosis. They ask about surgery, recovery, ostomies, fear, and faith. And I answer — because I remember needing someone who had already been there.

This episode explains why I share boldly. I believe God created me that way. Not everyone is called to speak publicly about their hardest seasons, but I am. If He carried me through hospital rooms, through surgeries, through the physical and emotional weight of cancer, then I don’t want to waste the testimony.

Revelation reminds us that we overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony. Testimony is not always polished. Sometimes it includes scars. Sometimes it includes medical devices. Sometimes it includes moments that feel anything but attractive. But when we bring those things into the light, they lose their power to isolate us.

This conversation is not about fear. It is about awareness. It is about listening to your body. It is about getting screened. It is about advocating for your health. And it is about reminding anyone facing a diagnosis that they are not alone.

If my willingness to talk about doctor appointments, surgeries, and an ostomy bag helps one person seek care sooner, ask better questions, or feel less ashamed — then it is worth it.

God wastes nothing. Not even the hard parts.

If this episode speaks to you, share it with someone who may need encouragement or a push to schedule that appointment. Awareness saves lives, and testimony builds bridges.

You are not alone in your journey. And together, we can learn how to thrive through the fire.

In today’s episode, I’m talking about something I’ve had to learn the hard way: doing what’s best for you, even when everyone around you has advice, opinions, or fears they’re projecting onto your situation.

This conversation was shaped deeply by my cancer journey. I share how I was offered support groups and advice from many well-meaning people, but had to be intentional about what voices I allowed in. Not because support is bad, but because not all advice is wise for every season. I knew I couldn’t carry other people’s fear, worst-case stories, or experiences that weren’t meant for me.

I also talk about the weight of decision-making during cancer, from choosing doctors to treatment plans, and how a trusted reminder helped me realize that the hardest part was the uncertainty. Once a plan was in place, peace came through simply walking it out one day at a time.

We dive into how fear often disguises itself as wisdom, why approval-seeking can keep us stuck, and how Scripture calls us to live with discernment instead of anxiety. I share biblical examples of obedience over opinion, and why doing what’s best for you is not selfish, but stewardship.

This episode is an encouragement for anyone standing at a crossroads, feeling overwhelmed by outside voices, or struggling to trust their own discernment. We talk about how to filter advice, why peace is a powerful guide, and how God’s Word anchors us when everything feels uncertain.

If you’re navigating a big decision, a hard season, or a moment where everyone seems to have an opinion about your life, my prayer is that this episode helps you quiet the noise, lean into God’s voice, and walk forward in peace.

Thank you for being here, and for walking this journey with me on Thrive Through the Fire.

In this episode of Thrive Through the Fire, I’m talking about grief. Not just the kind we associate with death, but the quieter, often overlooked grief that comes with loss, change, unmet expectations, and the life we thought we would have.

This conversation was inspired by Session 4 of Megan Fate Marshman’s Bible study Relaxed, where she addresses grief and mistakes in a way that stopped me in my tracks. It helped me realize that grief shows up in far more places than we like to admit. It can be the loss of health, relationships, dreams, identity, seasons of life, or even versions of ourselves we assumed would always exist.

I share honestly about my own journey with grief after cancer and how I didn’t realize I needed to grieve the life I had before. The body I trusted. The sense of safety I carried. The predictability I assumed was guaranteed. I talk about how a friend gently helped me see that survival and gratitude do not cancel out the need to grieve, and how unacknowledged grief often shows up as exhaustion, frustration, or sadness we cannot quite explain.

We look at what Scripture says about grief and why the Bible never rushes people through it. From Jesus weeping at Lazarus’s tomb, to David’s raw honesty in the Psalms, to Peter’s restoration after deep regret, we see that grief and faith are not opposites. God meets us in loss, in mistakes, and in sorrow, not after we get over it, but right in the middle of it.

I also talk about common misconceptions around grief, why we try to rush healing, and how grief is not something to conquer but something to walk through with God. We look at Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane and what it teaches us about surrendering pain without denying it.

This episode offers practical encouragement for walking through grief in real life. I share simple, honest ways to acknowledge loss, stop comparing pain, bring your full emotions to God, avoid isolation, and allow grief to soften you rather than harden you.

If you are grieving something today, whether it feels big or small, I want you to know this. You are not weak. You are not failing God. Grief is not a lack of faith. It is evidence of love. And God is not asking you to hurry your healing. He is walking with you through it.

My prayer is that this episode helps you feel less alone, more understood, and more aware of God’s nearness in the middle of your grief.

Thank you for being here and for walking this journey with me on Thrive Through the Fire.

In today’s episode of Thrive Through the Fire, I’m talking about peace and not the surface-level calm the world offers, but the kind of peace that keeps showing up for me in Scripture, in Bible study, and through sermons at church. When a word keeps repeating like that, I’ve learned it’s an invitation to slow down and pay attention.

I share how Proverbs 3:5–6 has been reshaping my understanding of peace and trust, especially through my current Bible study, Relaxed by Megan Marshman. The more I sit with this passage, the more I see how closely peace is tied to surrender and how exhausting it is to lean on my own understanding instead of trusting God.

We talk about the difference between worldly peace and biblical peace. Worldly peace depends on circumstances being calm and predictable. Biblical peace is rooted in relationship with God and remains steady even when life feels uncertain or overwhelming. I explain how Scripture defines peace through the idea of shalom, meaning wholeness, stability, and completeness that comes from God’s presence rather than life going according to plan.

I also share why so many of us say we want peace, but what we’re really chasing is control. Using biblical examples like Jesus sleeping through the storm, I talk about how peace doesn’t come from the storm stopping, but from knowing who is sovereign over it.

This episode includes practical ways to pursue peace in everyday life, such as identifying what’s stealing your peace, releasing the need for answers God hasn’t given, being mindful of the voices you’re listening to, and anchoring your day in Scripture instead of circumstances. I also offer encouragement for anyone who feels anxious or discouraged, reminding you that peace is learned, practiced, and grown over time through trust.

I close by sharing what God has been teaching me in this season, that peace isn’t something we find, it’s someone we follow. My prayer is that you would stop striving for peace and start surrendering into it, trusting that God’s presence is enough even when life feels unsettled.

Thank you for being here and walking this journey with me on Thrive Through the Fire.

In today’s episode, I’m sitting down with my friend Sara for an honest and deeply meaningful conversation about addiction, identity, and the sanctification process.

Sara shares how her struggle with addiction didn’t begin with drugs or alcohol, but much earlier, through relationships, validation, and looking for worth in the wrong places. Over time, those patterns led her into substance abuse, brokenness, and a life that felt far from who she was created to be.

What makes Sara’s story so powerful is not just where she’s been, but how clearly she sees God’s hand through it all. We talk about how God doesn’t wait for us to clean ourselves up before He steps in. He meets us exactly where we are, in the middle of the mess, the addiction, the confusion, and the shame.

This episode is a real conversation about sanctification. Not the polished version we sometimes hear about, but the slow, daily work of God transforming a heart over time. We talk about grace, accountability, healing, and what it looks like to walk forward even when the past feels heavy.

If you’ve ever struggled with addiction, unhealthy patterns, or believing that your story somehow disqualifies you from God’s love, I hope this conversation reminds you that nothing is wasted. God is patient. God is present. And God is faithful to finish the work He starts.

I’m so grateful Sara trusted us with her story, and I believe her honesty will encourage anyone who feels stuck, ashamed, or unsure of their next step.

Thank you for being here and for listening. My prayer is that this episode helps you see yourself the way God sees you, fully known, fully loved, and never beyond His reach.

Welcome back to Thrive Through the Fire. In today’s episode, I’m talking about a phrase that can sound harsh at first but has actually become one of the most freeing mindset shifts in my life. This episode is called Nobody Cares.

I share why this conversation was inspired by something my grandma used to say and how, as an adult, I’ve come to understand the wisdom behind it. We talk honestly about the feeling of being overwhelmed, unseen, or forgotten and how quickly that feeling can turn into isolation, resentment, or silence if we aren’t careful.

I unpack what people usually mean when they say nobody cares and why it’s often not that people don’t care, but that they are human, limited, tired, distracted, and carrying their own burdens. I share stories from my own life and reflect on how unrealistic expectations of others can leave us disappointed, even when those people love us.

This episode also looks closely at what the Bible says about being seen, known, and cared for. I talk about how scripture reminds us that while people are limited, God is not. We explore passages that speak to casting our cares on the Lord, understanding weakness as a place where God’s strength shows up, and why God is the only one capable of sustaining us fully.

I also open up about sharing pain, especially on social media, and why vulnerability must be paired with wisdom and boundaries. I explain how I decide what to share, what I keep private, and why sharing from a place of healing is very different from sharing from a place of wounding.

Finally, I offer practical steps for what to do when it feels like nobody cares. I talk about naming your feelings honestly, choosing safe people, lowering expectations without lowering boundaries, bringing your complaints to God first, and becoming the kind of presence you wish you had. We close with encouragement and a reminder that your worth is not measured by how many people show up perfectly, but by the faithfulness of a God who never leaves.

If you’ve been feeling overlooked, emotionally exhausted, or like you’re carrying too much alone, this episode is for you.

As we step into a new year, there is so much conversation around fresh starts, clean slates, resolutions, and becoming a new version of ourselves. In this episode, I talk honestly about why that idea can feel both hopeful and heavy at the same time. While the new year promises possibility, it often brings pressure, comparison, and unrealistic expectations that leave many of us discouraged before we even begin.

I also share a little about why I took a break from recording over the holidays and why rest and resetting are sometimes necessary, especially in full and demanding seasons of life. Pausing does not mean quitting or falling behind. Sometimes it is exactly what we need to move forward in a healthier way.

In this episode, I unpack why we are drawn to the idea of starting fresh, why starting over is not always the answer, and how chasing reinvention can sometimes cause us to miss refinement. I explore what Scripture actually says about new beginnings, reminding us that God offers renewal daily, not just once a year. His mercies are new every morning, not just every January.

We talk about the difference between resolutions and spiritual growth, and why self fixing often leads to burnout while God following leads to transformation. I reflect on how Jesus calls us into relationship rather than perfection and how real change happens through abiding, not striving.

I also share practical and realistic ways to approach the new year with intention and grace. This includes taking inventory instead of making endless lists, choosing rhythms over resolutions, setting intentions that align with who you are becoming, and remembering that growth is often quiet and unseen.

If you are entering this year feeling weary, behind, or disappointed with how the last season went, this episode is for you. Starting fresh does not mean starting over. Sometimes it simply means continuing forward with more wisdom, humility, and trust than before.

My prayer is that as we move into this new year, you would feel less pressure and more peace, less striving and more clarity, and a deeper awareness that God is walking with you right where you are.

Thank you for being here and for stepping into another season with me.