Take Heart

Sometimes We Don’t Choose the Journey

“In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” — John 16:33

If someone had asked me a year ago what this season of my life would look like, breast cancer would have been the last answer on my list.

Like many women, I had plans.

Dreams.

A busy calendar.

A family I love.

A business to serve.

A community that means so much to me.

Then came the words no one ever expects to hear.

“You have breast cancer.”

In that moment, life changed.

Not just physically, but emotionally and spiritually.

There were questions.

There were concerns.

There were moments of fear that tried to steal my peace.

Yet, in the middle of it all, one verse kept finding me:

“Take heart.”

Not because life is easy.

Not because the diagnosis disappeared.

Not because every day has been filled with strength.

But because Jesus has already overcome the very things that overwhelm us.

I’ve learned that taking heart isn’t pretending everything is okay.

It’s choosing hope when circumstances tell you to give up.

It’s believing God is still writing your story, even when you can’t see the next chapter.

Some days have been harder than others.

Chemotherapy has challenged me in ways I never imagined.

I’ve discovered that courage isn’t the absence of fear. Sometimes courage is simply showing up for today’s treatment, whispering a prayer, and trusting God with tomorrow.

This journey has also opened my eyes to the incredible kindness of people.

Family.

Friends.

Customers.

Neighbors.

Complete strangers.

Each prayer, card, meal, hug, and encouraging word has reminded me that God often wraps His love in the hands of His people.

One of the greatest lessons I’ve learned is that hope isn’t found in having all the answers.

Hope is found in knowing the One who walks beside us through every unanswered question.

That is why this blog exists.

Whether you’re facing cancer, caring for someone you love, grieving a loss, carrying anxiety, or simply walking through a difficult season, I want this to be a place where you can breathe.

A place where faith grows.

A place where healing begins.

A place where hope blooms.

Together, we’ll talk about faith, forgiveness, courage, wellness, Scripture, and the quiet ways God meets us in life’s hardest moments.

You don’t have to have it all together.

You don’t have to be fearless.

You simply have to keep taking the next step.

If you’re reading this today and your heart feels heavy, I want to leave you with this reminder:

The Gardener is still tending your life.

He has not forgotten you.

He has not abandoned you.

He is still growing something beautiful, even if all you can see today is the soil.

Thank you for joining me on this journey.

I’m so grateful you’re here.

Take Heart.

The journey isn’t over.

The garden is still blooming.

— Missy Newhouse