How I Became #NotConsumed

For the most recent updates on Luke, scroll to the bottom of the post.

Whether you’ve landed on this blog for the very first time today or been reading along for five years, you might not know the story behind it all. So, may I tell you?

The year was 2011. From my spot on the couch the blessings were overwhelming. God had provided a place for us to live despite a foreclosure, impending/unwanted divorce, and deep sorrow that rarely found words adequate. I felt so very grateful and yet so afraid. The road ahead of me was long and promised loneliness, sleeplessness, and great uncertainty.

The silence in that moment was deafening. My four children (ages 1, 3, 6, and 7) were all sleeping soundly and it was more than I could handle. The tears began to flow and my heart cried out for help, “Oh God, what do you want me to do?”

I knew it was only a matter of time before I had to find some kind of work. I had paid a year of rent in advance by selling literally every possession we had, but after this year there would be nothing to sell. I trusted God fully to provide; my cries weren’t of unbelief, but of a desire to know what direction I should pursue. I knew it was likely I would need employment as part of God’s plan. I just didn’t know how, when, or what I should do about it.

The idea of starting a blog had been tossed around and prayed over, but I didn’t have a clear answer. In that moment I found myself asking God again to show me what He would have me do. I looked back down at my Bible and began to read again. I can’t tell you why I was reading Lamentations. Maybe I was just wanting to lament and felt comfortable doing it with those very words. Maybe it was God’s leading. Either way, the words of the third chapter fell on my soul like a warm blanket on a restless baby.

Because of the Lord’s great mercies… we would not be consumed.

What a hope and promise. What a future we had because God’s compassion would never fail us. That night I texted my friend what God had finally revealed in my heart. I would indeed blog and the name of the blog would be “Not Consumed.” Although I had no idea how to start a blog and honestly felt inept with even small technology tasks like checking email, I believed God would one day provide through this blog.

I knew that day our circumstances were far from over. I knew I’d have to continue to trust God in ways unfathomable to me. I knew that someday God would use this pain that we couldn’t escape to bless others with the same promise of not being consumed by their circumstances. But I’ll be honest. There was a lot I didn’t know.

I didn’t know then I’d be sitting in an oncology clinic many years later with my baby, clinging to the very same promises. I didn’t know how precious the words of Lamentations 3:22-23 would become to me and how easily they would flow from our lips in even the smallest of trials. I didn’t know those words and that phrase (#NotConsumed) would literally become the very breath of God poured into our hearts.

#NotConsumed Meets Cancer

Barely over a month ago God changed our lives forever. (Read the whole story here.) It was an ordinary day and I had my usual wardrobe planned. #NotConsumed T-shirt, yoga pants, and flip flops. I had to drop off the girls, but other than that, I was planning to be home sitting behind a computer for most of the day. When the pain in Luke’s head suddenly became an emergency, changing my shirt was the last thing on my mind. That one thing would end up becoming the most valuable thing.

When they told me it was a tumor, I looked down to see those words. #NotConsumed

When they showed me the images on the MRI and told us of the dangers of the surgery, those words brought peace into my heart. #NotConsumed

When we were readmitted several times for complications, the shirt became a tool to remind me of the truth. #NotConsumed

When they said it would be a year of chemo, the message of God’s unending faithfulness blared across my chest. #NotConsumed

In fact, I’m glad I have a few colors because I think this shirt will follow us into every clinic visit, hospital stay, and chemo treatment for a long time. Not because the shirt has special powers or changes the outcome of anything we do. Because it reminds me to stay focused on the truth.

We are #NotConsumed by cancer and anything and everything else. It will always be true. No circumstance, situation, trial, will ever consume us. That’s a promise. And isn’t it beautiful? Isn’t that what you want to remember when things are hard?

I know I do. It’s my natural tendency to think that I can’t handle it. That the situation is out of control. Or that the circumstances are so overwhelming there’s no reasonable resolution or action on my part.

The funny thing is–all of that is true. I’m not in control. I can’t handle the situation. And there’s really nothing I can do. Nothing aside from trust God, the One who does control the situation and the One who can handle any and every circumstance. The One who’s not surprised or playing catch-up. The One who has a plan that is ONLY and always good.

As we’ve frequented the ER, hospital rooms, and facilities, I’ve become known for my shirt and I love it. It provides an opportunity for conversation, which is an open door for witnessing both to medical staff and other patients we come into contact with. But even if that were not true, the promise it holds for us is one worth wearing.

Today was one of those days. When Dr. Bryant walked into the room, she smiled and said, “I see you are becoming rather fond of that shirt.” All I could do was smile back and bask in the graciousness of such a good God. As we sat and discussed results, made chemo plans, and talked through side effects there wasn’t a moment of doubt that our family was #NotConsumed. Today. Next week. Years from now. Always.

One Year Update (Nov. 2017)

If you’ve been following our journey in our Facebook group you know that it’s now been a year since Luke was diagnosed. God has been so gracious. Luke has kept most of his hair and experienced minimal side effects considering the possibilities. We so appreciate your prayers for the last several months of chemo, the future of the tumor (which is not growing, but not removable), and the neuropathy in his legs.

Luke’s sweet spirit has blessed so many nurses, doctors, our family and even the readers of #NotConsumed. We are so very grateful for every single prayer sent on our behalf. It’s a HUGE thing to do and we are blessed by you.

God is only and ALWAYS good. I know that whatever you are facing right now may seem difficult, but His promises remain true. You are #NotConsumed because of HIS great love and unending mercies! (Lam. 3:22-23)

One year OFF Chemo Update (Sept. 2019)

This picture says it all. This is Luke’s oncologist. She’s tough but laid back. She’s hilarious, the absolute best in her field, and she loves him to pieces. Words could never adequately describe how thankful we are to have her.

This week’s MRI is showing a small regrowth of Luke’s tumor. At this point, it’s not substantial enough to change anything, but something we need to watch closely and plan for. We would love for you to join us in prayer that it stays that way.

We are also going to see a neurologist to try and get more help with his headaches as they seem to be the biggest issue for him right now.

Two Years OFF Chemo Update (Sept. 2020)

This week we got our official “STABLE” report from the oncologist. Woohoo! There is still that bit of tumor growth that they saw a year ago, but that growth has been stable (unchanged) since September 2019.

Headaches are also now completely under control. There is a good bit of medicine in play to make this happen, which I don’t love, but I’m thankful that something is working.

Hypothalamic issues seem to be the biggest pest right now. He’s gained another 15 pounds since May and there are several labs that came back with abnormal levels. Please pray as we determine what steps need to be done to help with this.

CHEMO ROUND 2 (March 2022 Update)

In May of 2021, we got the bad news that Luke’s tumor was again growing. We are thankful for the break from chemo, but not surprised by this news since the tumor is aggressive and grows in juvenile cells. Luke started oral chemo in June of 2021 and has been stable since that time. His hypothalamic issues remain. So far the oral chemo is keeping the tumor from growing, but sadly, it’s not shrinking. For now we wait on the Lord to show us what’s next.

Chemo continued (June 2023 update)

We’ve now been on oral chemo for about two years. The tumor remains stable. It’s still there, but not growing. I asked Dr. Bryant how long we’d continue like this and she said, “At least for now.” So we wait and see what God will do. The chemo doesn’t have many obvious symptoms aside from some toe pain that ends up looking like ingrown toenails and some skin rashes. Luke still has metabolic issues from his original rounds of chemo and the tumor removal which includes hypothalamic dysfunction leading to excessive weight gain. We are working to try and combat those.