I am HOME!!! Even if only for 10 days, I choose to be grateful. It seems we just plug away in life, until we are stopped dead in our tracks. But it is in those moments we have choices. We can be angry, the “why me” or… we can have hearts of gratitude for ALL of the blessings we DO have. I have so, so many. My family and friends are like no other. It is really the people around us that matter. What kind of conversations are we having? How are we loving each other? What are we doing with our time, talents, treasures? It definitely puts into perspective the things we spend our lives chasing after; new cars, new houses, new clothes, looking younger. Whatever IT is, NONE of it matters. I love how the Lord has taught me so much in this last year. Actually, as I am typing this the dishwasher is flooding the kitchen with bubbles. I can only laugh!

Last week I was able to do most of the therapies! We bumped everything up a day because of flying home on Friday. Monday, I was up early for lab work, they always do this one day prior to IPT and Curcumin with the red light. Tuesday was IPT day, and the doctor did increase the dosage of the Carboplatin. So, let’s pray it is the kick my body needs. I am so grateful that I have NO obvious symptoms from the chemo. Please continue to pray for my hemoglobin, white blood cells and liver enzymes to stay healthy and strong! I believe it is because of all of the therapies I have been doing to build my immune system up! Then Kenzee and I went out for pizza and churros for my usual cheat day. Wednesday, I did Heckel, and my temp went to 104. The doctors and I felt it would be best to skip the Artesunate and Vit. C IV’s because the week before it seemed to really stay in my abdomen and was very uncomfortable and didn’t seem to go away. I did the Avastin this week as the doctors thought I should continue this VERY expensive medication. So, we will trust that the Lord is using it for my good. Thursday was the paracentesis and the Selenium IV, which helps my body detox the chemo. The doctor remembered that the local did not work the best, so he started with more and I had no pain at all! It was amazing. He is such a sweet man. We talked the whole time, and he was showing me pictures of his kids and was such a proud dad. When I got up, he smiled at me and said, “I really like your personality!” I just keep giggling about that because he doesn’t really speak great English, but that was clear as day, but such a funny sentence that we wouldn’t necessarily say to someone! Then, I grabbed my big bucket of fluid and prayed Jesus would bless it and use it for my good! The AARSOTA vaccine will be ready when I get back. Friday, we stopped at the clinic to do a few therapies and say goodbye to our friends. It was emotional. I just can’t believe how connected I have become to many of them. Especially, my Omish friend Dena. She is having her tumor markers check this coming Friday, so please pray that they will be less than 20 so she can go home to her 5 kids! She has been here for 5 months and almost died, but, Praise God, she is doing amazing! We both cried as we hugged, not knowing if we will see each other again. I hope with all my heart they can go HOME for good!

With a heavy heart, my dear friend, Tyrel, passed away this week. It is SO hard. We cried out to the Lord for a miracle, but we did not get the miracle we wanted. I was in one of my therapies and the Lord gave me a vision of Ty, a fully healed, healthy, and happy cowboy, in heaven with Jesus. No more pain, no more coughing. Fully restored in his new body. I have a story about Ty that I cannot speak or type without tears. The week before, Ty and I were at IPT sitting next to each other. I had some tears because the fluid returned, and I was asking the doctor if he thought I should come home. After the doctor walked away, Ty looked at me sincerely and spoke softly, he said, “Jodi, you are one of the most positive people I have ever met. This is just a little bump in the road. You’ve got this.” I nodded, as I wiped my tears away. Those words mean so much to me and will hold them dear to my heart. Even in his pain and suffering, he was sitting right next to me, encouraging me. THAT is why I love where I am. We took this group photo for his sweet wife Stormi. Please pray for Stormi, their 3 kids and the family as they are grieving the loss of their husband, father, son, brother, uncle.

Psalm 16:5-9 Yahweh, you alone are my inheritance. You are my prize, my pleasure, and my portion. You hold my destiny and its timing in your hands. Your pleasant path leads me to pleasant places. I’m overwhelmed by the privileges that come with following you! The way you counsel me makes me praise you more, or your whispers in the night give me wisdom, showing me what to do next. Because I set you, Yahweh, always close to me, my confidence will never be weakened, for I experience your wraparound presence every moment. My heart and soul explode with joy—full of glory! Even my body will rest confident and secure.

These verses are a prayer over my life but also yours. It is in the knowing, that we can still have joy and peace. Even when it doesn’t make sense. That is ONLY the Lord. So, today, I pray you can KNOW how much the Lord loves you and wants to know you. If we KNOW our identity in Christ, we have power against ANYTHING that comes against us. In this journey, life is so much more than just living for our self. As the Lord is guiding me through each day, I always think…what if ONE person’s life is saved (spiritually by finding JESUS or physically by learning about a different treatment option). It was ALL worth it, everything. The Shepard leaves the 99 to find the 1 (Matthew 18: 12-14). And Jesus won’t stop pursuing you!

I am excited to be home and enjoying as much time with family and friends as possible. I love each of you. Thank you for your prayers, encouraging words and support!