EP 58: WHAT HAPPENS WHEN PRAYER IS ALL YOU HAVE LEFT?

Reframing Cancer With Hope

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Welcome back to Not Alone with Melissa Sue Methin. This is a space where we share truth, healing, and most of all, hope, where we can build resilience and guide together the tools that maybe we were never taught as a young girl or as a young boy. And these tools to give us the vitality to live the life filled with joy, faith, and happiness where we can laugh more, dance more. Don't we all want that vitality and that health? So today is going to be a powerful one. I already feel it. It's going to be move you through a lot of emotions. It's a dear friend and a neighbor who is so grounded in our faith. And just about a year ago, I had a really hard diagnosis that I know many of you have been touched before. Touched by cancer. Where the word cancer often holds the feeling of fear. But I'm asking you today with an open heart to reframe that word. Let's reframe the word cancer with a coming back in with hope. And it's just, we're going to reframe that word because words hold so much power. So we're going to remove the fear when we speak the word cancer today and forever. So I want to welcome my special guest, Melissa Nucle. And I Hello. I am this is going to be fun. Because she's got us.

SPEAKER_02 1:44

Well, I mean, she says, I was like, I always think of her coming for a dance party, but you know, we'll see how this goes at the end. We can do that. We can end off with a dance party.

SPEAKER_00 1:52

That could be something new. I like that. You've always been such a radiant light. I mean, look at her smile. I think you can feel and see her radiance. And ever since I met you for the first time in my neighborhood, our kids go to the same school. We've gone to the same gym. Always such a bright light. So when I heard last year your diagnosis, it hit me so hard because I'm like, oh, sometimes you question. Oh, but then why? You know, you have four beautiful children, an incredible husband. And so I just want to come back just to that moment for you. I know there's a big story behind as well, but just bring us to the time, that moment where you were given that diagnosis, kind of how you felt, what how your husband, your kids, I can only imagine the impact.

A Vision Before The Diagnosis

SPEAKER_02 2:56

Yes. So well, first of all, thank you for having me, Melissa. And I feel like I hope this conversation can just be like a flow of friendship between you and I if we're like in your home or whatnot. But um did we were we gonna pray first? Yes, I'm praying.

SPEAKER_00 3:10

Yes, I did ask you. Actually, I'm so glad you closed me. You are such a good prayer.

SPEAKER_02 3:15

We're gonna say I just want to pray so we can just ask the Holy Spirit to be with us. So um, dear Heavenly Father, Lord Jesus, I am just so thankful for you, Lord, um, for all your goodness and your mercy and your grace upon my life, upon all of our lives. Um, I pray that you just bless this time right now with Melissa and myself, Lord, and that the conversation here, Lord, may be to your glory, to your edification, Lord. That whoever's out there, Lord, that whoever needs to hear this, let their, let that fall on their ears, Lord, that they may be encouraged, they may be helped, they may be healed, they may feel what you have for them, Lord. Um, I just pray that you bless us in our conversation. We love you in Jesus' name. Amen.

SPEAKER_00 4:00

Amen. See, you are such an air warrior. It just flows. Yeah, it's so beautiful.

SPEAKER_02 4:08

Um, so um, my story is actually, I don't really use the word, the C word, uh, because I never wanted to adopt that as my my journey. I called it my journey. And so how this started, I got in March of 2025. And but there is a story before that. And um, I've always been a believer of our Lord Jesus Christ, and I've always been faithful to him. Um, but this is a different type of faith, I would call it, and a different type of journey that I've been on. So prior to that date, three months prior to that date, I was at the gym, the collective, um, with my good friend Jen Weiss. And after working out, we were walking. And I said, Jen, I have something to tell you. And she goes, Yes. I said, the Lord gave me this vision. And the vision was a dark, dark barrel of how you put in, like where you put the grapes into the wine. I was a grape, and I felt myself getting poured into the barrel like a grape, and then the giant lid being shut and covered and locked in. And as wine, those berries have to stay in there for a while because they have to be tried and they're being sweetened up. And I said, I don't know, I just I have a vision that I think God's gonna put me through some higher trial, and I'm the berry, and I'm gonna come out sweeter. And we like, she goes, That's that's cool. And we're like, yeah. And then we just kept on going. So we kept on walking, and that was that part of it. Um, and then prior to my diagnosis, I was feeling a little bit sick. I was feeling really tired. I thought I have four kids, this is why I'm tired and whatnot. Um, I went to the doctor, I had my blood work done. They couldn't do it, all the blood work. I went back and it was like, you have to do all the panels, every blood work you can imagine.

SPEAKER_00 6:22

Because the first panel was nothing came up. Correct.

Hearing Leukemia Out Loud

SPEAKER_02 6:26

Okay. And I said, I know something's wrong. I need you to do all the panels for me. So they said, okay, Miss Nicola, we'll go ahead and do that for you. We'll we'll hear back in, you know, seven to ten days. When I went home, again, I felt the Holy Spirit tell me I went to the bathroom, I shut the door, and I felt the Holy Spirit tell me, it's going to get worse, a lot, lot worse, but you're gonna be okay. And I just sat there in my toilet and I cried and I cried because I didn't know what it was, obviously, and I couldn't even imagine it was gonna be the big C word. Um so then at that point, I got out of the bathroom, I was at the park with my twins, and then I get a call within an hour, and I was like, you know what? I'm gonna go to my other good friend, Holly, house. And I was like, oh, Holly, can you help me with the kids so we can so I can take this phone call? So her and I sit on a couch similar to this, um, and I put it on speaker phone, like maybe you can help me understand the blood work. Um, we put it on speaker phone, and then they're like, Have you ever heard the word leukemia? And we were like, huh? And it was like, you know, when you hear those things, you don't really know what to think. Um, and I was just sitting there with her and me. Um, and then at that point, I was just kind of like frazzled, you know. I didn't know what to really do at that point. We were just like, okay, we were thinking we weren't hurting the right information. I called my husband over to her house. Um, and John and I were like, we're just gonna go to the doctors tomorrow and see what they tell us. So then the next day we go to the doctors, and it's at the doctors, and they're like, it looks like you have some elevated blood work. We need you to go to the hospital. So I went to MD Anderson here in Gilbert, which I'm very thankful for all of them. I love all those nurses and my doctor, Dr. Badari. Love ya.

unknown 8:30

I love that.

SPEAKER_02 8:32

Um, but I they saw my blood work, my favorite, they didn't even do, but they took my blood, but they saw the blood work that I had from my previous doctor. And the doctor just sat by me, very straight face, and says, You have leukemia, and you're not going home. And I just, I didn't even cry. I think I was like shocked. Shocked. Shocked, yeah, complete shock. You don't want to accept that. Yeah. Like, no. And my husband was just like crying, and like, I, you know, it um you, as the person that goes through it, is different than your spouse or your loved ones, right? We're all going through a different journey on different sides. So he was there, and then my mom came. I called my mom, and she looked at me and she says, You're gonna be okay, you're gonna be okay, you're gonna be okay. Um, and it's a lot. But then at that point, they like wheel me up to the fifth floor at MD Anderson, they tell me what I have, and I I just said, I'm gonna be okay. I knew I was gonna be okay. Um, I knew what God has put in me. I know the God we serve, and I never accepted them saying the C-word or what I actually had. To be honest with you, this is not even a joke. My actual diagnosis, I didn't even know what type of leukemia I had. Because I was like, nope, that is not what I have.

SPEAKER_00 10:09

Because that word creates so much fear, and you knew that every time you'd hear that, it would create so much fear, and you're like, no, I'm gonna be okay. So I'm gonna be okay, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 10:19

It's because that that word, and I don't even like to say it now, um that doesn't have power over me. That word doesn't have power over me. Yes, I believe I did have it, and I did have, you know, the L word and all of that stuff, but I wasn't going to accept this was going to be my life and it was going to be over. This was just the beginning of my journey. And I needed to use everything I had that the Lord has given me in this world as bringing his word and all the scripture I have to to run this race.

SPEAKER_00 10:54

Yeah, completely surrender to it and trust. Yeah, deep trust because you had heard the Lord say, You're going to be okay.

SPEAKER_02 11:02

Yes. And it's weird because I think people are like, Well, how'd you know that was Jesus or how do you know God? And I, you know, it's like in your spirit, you know, you know when the Lord talks to you, it's in your heart that you know. And I'm so thankful that I talked to Jen prior to this. Because I think if I was saying this now, people would be like, Yeah, right. Like, uh, did you really, did that really happen? You know, did you really talk to someone? But yeah, so um for so okay, so then I had to go through a lot of treatment, very extant treatment. Um, and for the first six days in the hospital, I did remember biggie the Lord to heal me.

SPEAKER_01 11:47

I said I have four kids, they're young, 13, 11, and two have twins that are six. I was like, I I always said I was gonna live until I was 99. Like that's a joke me and my husband have. And um I begged and I cried. I cried out to the Lord. I was like, Lord, by your stripes, we are healed. That's what your word says.

SPEAKER_02 12:15

And so, you know, the six days went on where the prayer and just prayer and prayer um was happening, and on day seven, like the good Lord that he rested on day seven, I heard him tell me, you don't need to beg me anymore. All I need you to do now is trust me and believe me, and to give me praise and move forward. So from that day forward, I never begged God again for my healing. I trusted that I was healed on day on day seven, I trusted that he was gonna take care of me. That doesn't mean that there weren't hard days, that doesn't mean it wasn't hard and it wasn't easy, but when you trust and you believe and you lead with gratitude, it is much easier. So at that point, I literally just said, Okay, like I'm just gonna trust in God. And I just praised him, and um every day I would wake up and I say, Holy Spirit, if I'm here, I'm here for a reason. I'm here to help people. So I would like walk the hallways, talk to people, pray for them. You know, it it's um it's a very humbling experience to be in a hospital with a lot of sick people that are terminal and they don't know their faith. And it gives you perspective on the things that are so little that you think are big that um are not, right? It's not, and I know you know a lot about that, so yeah. So I mean that's just part of the journey, but yeah, that was the first part of it.

SPEAKER_00 14:10

Where you completely surrender because that's what he wants us to do and completely trust. And like you said, I love how you said stop begging, because oftentimes we will pray and say, Oh, I just want to be. You have to believe it. You just have to completely believe it every day. Say grateful for my health and and the abundance, and it you have to embody it. Yes. So he was saying, embody your health, you're gonna be okay and completely trust in me. But like you said, you still had to do a lot of the work, and there was a lot of trust in who was taking care of you. Yes. But what I loved is that how you reframed even how the nurses would speak to you and the doctor. Yes.

SPEAKER_02 14:50

So I was like, okay, from this point on, we're not gonna say the C word, we're not gonna say any of that. I just want to say this is my journey. And they're like, okay, Miss Nuclo, noted. Because I think that's important. Yeah, and I didn't talk. This is another interesting thing. Um, as you're getting these chemos and whatnot, literally everything could happen to you, but your head falls off. I mean, basically. Um, and I was like, I don't want to know, I don't need to know because you'd have this paperwork, right? That you had to either say, read through this, sign your life away. And you're like, no, I'm not reading this. I'm not reading it. And I didn't read it because I I feel, and I know we're on the same page, whatever you read and put into your mind has power. So am I gonna read that I could become brain dead, uh, lose, you know, limbs, blood clots, whatever it would be. I don't even know what they actually are, the symptoms are. But I wasn't gonna do that. I was gonna believe that this medicine was going to help me. And by in the name of Jesus Christ, that's why I say when I would get my meds, I say in Jesus' name, that this may bless me and not harm me, that this may motivate me, and that all my cells may be obedient to the name of Jesus Christ. And I still say that now. And I would just, you know, I wouldn't let negative talk come in. And when it would come in my mind, no, you're not allowed. You're not allowed negativity, you're not allowed, because a lot of times in the deep darkness, you're by yourself. And I know you know that. Yes, yeah, and you have to fight the battle for yourself. And yes, I had a giant community, friends and family, but they're not with you in the midnight hour of the darkness. It's you and Jesus, and that's where the fight is.

Guarding Words And Thoughts

SPEAKER_00 16:49

Yeah. Do you find that? Okay, I truly feel the the loud, the fear, the the fear, the the noise is much louder than than Jesus sometimes does. Yes. You know, I always say it's more, he's the louder ones is the ones that's trying to bring in that fear and bring you down. But Jesus, they're gonna be these quiet whispers, and to listen to him, you've gotta say you block off the loud ones. Yes, right? They're gonna try and overpower his words. Yes. And I love how you kept on. Sometimes I'm a friend of mine's taught me to say, cancel, cancel, or just start with prayer even more and just bring in more of that light and that trust.

SPEAKER_02 17:29

Yes. And I also feel like what you're saying too is like I have to be very particular with the people I surround myself with.

SPEAKER_00 17:38

Amen. Oh yes.

SPEAKER_02 17:42

God made us all, and we are all beautiful, made in Him. But negativity or, you know, just naysayers, you know, I don't want to be around that, you know, and I don't want to be a person of a naysayer. I want to be someone that uplifts you. I want to be someone that I'm on your side, and yes, you're going through something hard. I'm not saying that that that's not hard, but we can turn around our thinking and say, do we trust God in this situation? Are we putting our trust in God? And I feel like that was another thing, is like God was telling me, you have believed in me for a long time, daughter. But do you really believe I am your healer? Do you trust me? Now you're gonna walk in faith. And it is your choice to walk in faith. He's gonna love you if you don't walk in faith or if you do, but it's your way to show that I believe in faith. And you know, that is a big thing with surrounding yourself with good people that love you, that encourage you. And when some people are just not the right person for you, it might just not be the season. And that's okay to walk away from that friendship.

SPEAKER_00 18:59

Yes, I'm so important that you share that because I've realized that as well. And and because sometimes when you are such a bright light, you know, it might just take some of that light. And right now, you had to really protect that light and you're surrounded. And but you had to have other people around you that believed your healing. And I truly believed it. I actually felt it that almost God was using you because you were such a light. So you were gonna impact our community our now globally with this podcast. You were gonna impact the way we hear the word, the C word, the hear, the and how we can heal, bring faith in hospitals. Yeah. Instead of why why don't we have more doctors and and nurses now praying over their patients and giving them the hope and not giving a oh you have two weeks to live, oh you have this. Never ever say that. Right, right. You never say, you know, never bring that into the conversation, right? So I truly feel like you were called to bring this movement, this shift, your voice, because it's so important who you surround yourself with, because that would impact your healing. You had to believe as well.

SPEAKER_02 20:14

Yes, and I do believe, like, I so an interesting thing is I was with my daughter Madeline. Um, she's so sweet and I love her so much. Um, she's like, when you know, we celebrated the end of, you know, because the world of the cancer world doesn't call you cancer free. Actually, they don't even call you cancer free until like you hit two years and five years, but I've always been healed and I've always proclaimed that. Um, and I was telling my daughter, and she's like, weren't you healed like in the very beginning, mom, like 11 months ago? And it made me realize what we say in our homes. And I wasn't, you know, she just heard me talking, she heard me praying, and she heard me talking to other people. I was healed, and this is like this is matter of fact, right? Um, she was like, You've been healed from the C-word for a long time. She's like, She's like, Did you even have it? And I was like, Yeah, I did, because I know I lighter, like I did. So, you know, it's what we do in our households that affect our children, right? It's like your conversation household, even the ones that you don't, you're not talking to them, but you're talking to yourself or your spouses or the people you're around, it makes such a difference for your children. So I also think that's like conversations with who we what we talk about, it's so important with that.

SPEAKER_00 21:37

It is, it is. Well, our children kind of mirror us, right? Yes. And they co-regulate with us. So it is so important. They're learning from you and how you healed. And that is gonna be so powerful for your family moving forward. And they will continue that legacy of being mindful of how they speak to their bodies. Yes and trust trusting.

SPEAKER_02 21:56

Hold on, take a drink of water, is that. But I also feel it's like interesting, right? So I've been on this journey for about a year, and I've had so many, many miracles that have happened to me. Um, and one of them is I feel that when I was going through everything, um, you know, God tells us to put on the full armor of God. And I, again, I just get these like little clips that God gives me of like these visions, and not visions, I don't know, just imagines. I call them visions. I get them.

SPEAKER_00 22:34

They come like three o'clock in the morning. It comes right in my face. So I don't know. I call them vision. Yeah, so we had vision or imagery. Imagery, yes, yes.

SPEAKER_02 22:43

Um, and I saw myself in this, like in the middle of the journey. Um, I was, I guess, like a like a Roman soldier back in the day, you know, and I had my my big old shield. And I just saw a bunch of like fiery darts, you know, coming at me and hitting the shield. And I was like, okay, those are like the those are like the treatments, those are all the pills and crazy chemicals I'm getting here. But I did feel very, very protected and protected from everything with it. And I remember looking at the shield because it was all bented up. And I was like, oh, you know, Lord, do I get a new, do I get a new shield? And he said, no. This is a shield that you carry around now because this is your testimony, and like you said, your testimony is so powerful, also, Melissa. That is a testimony that I get to carry and speak to others, that it will be okay. Put up your shield, praise the Lord, give yourself to God and your mind to the Lord with protection, because He will protect you and He will guide you, and don't fall into all that the world says, you know, of negativity and you know, just you know, all the yuck, you know, that the world has to say. It's not right, you know, and I think people sometimes mean to be kind, but they're not. Yes, yes. They're like, wait, I don't think you meant that.

SPEAKER_00 24:27

But you know, we're gonna go on with it. But you know, it's like you have to shield yourself from that. Shield, yes. And and that's why I always say, uh, you know, your body is your temple, right? And to protect it so much, and because it put on that armor. I I pray that on a daily basis, the prayer, the armor for my family, my home, even our our community as a whole. And because, and that's why I'm such an advocate for our health and what we put in our body, because that's we it makes us stronger for challenges ahead. We're all gonna come forth with some challenges, and you want to be so strong. Yes, and for you, you were so strong in your faith, and that was the major armor. I would say that's the umbrella. Yes, okay. And then you have other protocols that you can do, like nutrition, things like that, movement, community, yes, you know, but the overall is knowing that you're never alone. When you are in that dark place alone, yes, you're gonna go through this alone. Yes. And when those chatters, those dark chatters that come in, they're loud. Yeah, you gotta learn tools to quiet them. So I for you, um, I know you prayed a lot in your rooms. Yeah, even the nurses at one point were like, it's a little loud. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 25:39

That is true. So, what she's talking about is one time I was like in the room and I was just praying and praying, and I was really giving thanks to God. And I was just, I'm very loud and very vocal. You won't really, I don't know if you can hear that from here, but um, I was praying and you have heart monitors on. And I guess my heart monitor went way up, and they like rush in and they're like, Are you okay? And I'm like, crying. I'm like, Yeah, why? And they're like, Okay, you maybe pray a little calmer. But you know, when you are in a fight for your life, you have to go to war. And a war for your own life, for your children, for your spouses, for whoever's close to you, there is a time that you have to say, I'm gonna go to war. You're not gonna take my family, you're not gonna take my children. And even if you see the symptoms, uh, personality traits, whatever your child or husband or friend or might have, I'm not saying that we're not accepting it or we're ignoring it. I'm saying, yes, we know that's true, but we're gonna go to war and we're not gonna allow that to oversee us because we have the Lord, Jesus Christ. Yes, and I think um even like when my uh, you know, sometimes my numbers are down and Dr. Bedari, I really hope you listen to this. He will. I love that man. Um, but you know, I always tell him, okay, I'm I'm going to war. I'm gonna go to war with with my numbers and we're we're gonna conquer this. He's like, okay, that sounds good, but it is your mentality, right? I'm not gonna shivel and be like, oh, this happened to me, you know, why? Or and and that actually, um I never questioned God why. And I I I guess you know, as I think about now, it's questioning why, uh there's no real answer, right? We live in a broken, fallen world, and things happen to a lot of us, all of us probably, and when you are presented with a journey, it's your job to fight through.

Letting Community Carry You

SPEAKER_00 28:02

Yes, to fight through. Like for me, if I remember time when my husband, it was like, okay, this was given to me, and so what I can do from now is just live in the now and go for war for my kids and learn every tool possible, mental health-wise, uh, for healing, for grieving. And and and yeah, I had to live day by day in the now. Amen. And completely surrender and trust when he was guiding me along to even, you know, move here and find a beautiful community. And I love that you said that it matters that everyone believes in who what your journey is. Because even for me, after my husband passed, I was in Maui and I was alone with the kids. You know, there were some friends that uh live there most of the year. So I was like, oh, okay, there were some people there. But I told my mom, I remember this very vividly, because there's some people saying, okay, we probably should fly over and be with you guys until you go back to Alaska. But I remember telling my mom, because I said, Okay, but if you're gonna come to be beside me, you have to be strong. Amen. You have to be my anchor. We're not gonna dive into just all this because that's what I needed. Yes, you know, I needed, I didn't need to spiral, I need to stand strong and of course go through all the motions. It's not like I never cried, never had some hard days. Right, but I went put one foot in front of the other each day and fought hard, yeah, you know, to stay there, yes, and and keep my mind sharp as well throughout that time so I can make the right decisions along the way. And what I love with you, too, I don't know how long after your diagnosis, we all met at a friend's house in our neighborhood. Oh, yes, yes, and we all prayed because there is power in in prayer, right? And getting a community to pray, because I know after my husband, so many people were praying, and I think that gave me that strength. Amen. And I felt it. You zoomed in from the house.

SPEAKER_02 30:01

So it was on day three.

SPEAKER_00 30:02

Day three, okay.

SPEAKER_02 30:03

Yeah, so it was on the third day, and you know, uh the the Griffins held it at their house, and it was it was so powerful. And I remember, you know, she was like, Well, you don't have to get on. I'm like, Oh no, I'm gonna get on. Like, well, yeah, yeah, I'm gonna be a part of this. Like, this is like, I think not masking. Yes, you know, it's okay to say I need help, it's okay to say, I am not doing good. It's okay to say I need help with my kids. And I think when we say I'm not able to handle this, come alongside me is powerful, you know, because I think when people hide things, it doesn't get better. No, no, no, and you know that. Oh, I know that.

SPEAKER_00 30:53

Yeah, I hid behind that smile for way too long, and so I knew that. And accepting help was the hardest thing ever. I pride myself for being super strong, could do it all by myself. But for you, was that kind of similar to receive all that help with your kids? Was that a little uncomfortable at first?

SPEAKER_02 31:09

And you know, no, actually, yeah, you're like, okay, good. No, I mean, no, and I think because I was so weak. I was so, I was very, very sick. And I I guess I don't really talk about that part of it, but in the first 16 days of the hospital, they told me I was gonna be there for 30 days, first of all. They're like, You're gonna be here for 30 days. By God's goodness and grace, I was out of there by 16 days. But when I first walked in, they were like, We're not sure how you're walking, lady. Like, your numbers are through the roof. We're not, and then I and then I said, Okay, and guess what I said? I think I need a wheelchair, I think I'm gonna faint. Because now you're telling me I'm not Yeah. I was like, okay, maybe I do need to say if I did, I said, well, maybe you should we'll put me in a wheelchair. Um, but I was so weak and I needed the help. And I I I didn't, I mean, I was in the hospital and my husband was there with the whole time. So, you know, like I said, I had a I had a a war of friends that came alongside me. You, my, you know, my good friends, and they were at my house cleaning, organizing, taking care of my kids. Um, so yeah. That's why we live in the best community, really. You know, really do. Don't tell them where we live.

SPEAKER_00 32:28

Yeah, it's a very good secret community. No, it is such a great community. And it's a community that I don't know if it exists. I don't know. Yeah, and I know God put me there for a reason. Even people were like, how did you find it from Wasilla, Alaska? Uh God. God really truly brought me there. Amen. Amen to that. And so uh, yes, that's I love that you were allowing yourself to receive. I'd love to know a bit more, even years prior to the diagnosis leading up to you getting sick. I mean, what as a mom, we I feel like oftentimes we forget to take care of ourselves and slow down. And I is like, know you, you're probably a very big giver. Yes. Right? Give and give and give and give. Yes. And were you giving back to yourself as well?

SPEAKER_02 33:17

You know, I think, you know, it's interesting that you say that. Um, I see pictures of myself, you know, prior to me my diagnosis. And I think I was sick for a while, you know, and maybe I I didn't really, you know, I, you know, so I'm 45, almost 46. I had my twins, I'll always say I was 40, but I was really 39, almost 40. Um, so I had kids, I had my twins later in life. Um, and I didn't really start taking care of myself, my body, prior to a year of being diagnosed as going to the gym, taking care of my health more. And I think I just went and went and went and went and went and went and didn't stop. And the diagnosis helped me pause. And even now, when somebody asked me to do lunch, now I'm telling the whole world if I don't have the and not because of that person, really, because of me. If I don't have the energy and it's not gonna be life-giving, I just say no. Because I need to make sure I'm the best person for my children, for my husband, and I'm not giving everything out to the world and then coming home and being a horrible person in my house.

Burnout, Boundaries, And Motherhood

SPEAKER_00 34:37

Yeah, completely depleted. Yeah, that's kind of what I saw with myself too. I think we're we're taught, I think, for generations, you know. If I think of my mother, grandmother, it's give and give and give, and so depleted, no time for taking care of themselves. And then over time, they pay for it with their own health and their mental health. Exactly. And or they start saying, well, it's just part of being 40, 50, 60. They start saying, well, this is normal. Yes. But it's not, it doesn't have to be corrupt. And so I think we need to change that for the next generation of women, and even for me now, I do the same thing. Yeah, I don't, I don't, I take care of my nervous system. I'm much better mom. If I'm exhausted, I love going to bed early. If I can bed early, yes, fantastic. I love early mornings and my time in prayer and meditation and breath work, and that is so important. So I do the same thing. I'm not as social as I, you know, used to be. I I am, but in increments, yes, you know, because as much as I want to serve, uh, which I feel me have when I was called by God to start a podcast was to serve. Is you know, because he knew so many people were sharing their stories. This is why I do it. People like you would share their stories, and I said, these stories need to be heard globally. Yes, yes, to help plant those seeds that if somebody's getting a diagnosis today, that you can inspire them in how you you provided that hope, that guidance along the way to never give up. Actually, my uncle is an example of that too. He's um 13 years ago, he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, and then they remove the pancreas, and then he's had uh in the kidneys, and every time when I talk to him, because he's in French, I try to interview him. I think it's my first interview, and it's in French, but he said the same thing with his face, he's like, it's not gonna take me, and he fights hard that fight every day. Yes, and he's still around today, so he's a miracle too, yeah, of exactly what you've done.

SPEAKER_02 36:42

Yes, and and I think it's you know easier said than done, obviously. And I don't that's why I would say, like, I don't um I don't want to say it was easy. Yeah, we don't want to diminish the the the the word and then die. Yeah, exactly. And but you have a choice. All of us have a choice, each and every day, how we're gonna live this life. And life and as I know it now is so short, you know, you don't know when your time is gonna go. Um, but we have a choice to be the best person we are. We have a choice to say, I'm going to not give in to the negativity of this world. I'm gonna take care of myself, I'm gonna do all these things so I can be the best version of myself. And I think, you know, and I'm not perfect, obviously. Um nobody is. Yeah. And I'm just like, you know, honestly, and like after diagnosis, I'm just like actually starting to look for a health coach to help me like make sure I have the right foods in place now. Um so that is my next step, you know, but it is just a it's a it's a building block, right? Yes. One step at a time.

SPEAKER_00 37:52

Yeah, the small, the big big wins. You've had big wins. Yes, I have. But yes, because then it becomes overwhelming if you want to overhaul everything. You know, I know for me when I go to these whole conferences, I can't, I can't have like, oh Melissa, this Melissa, what about this methyline blue and red light? And you're like, okay, hold on.

SPEAKER_02 38:10

It's like because I think you have to do one thing at a time. I know. It's not because I don't, I love your health and you're so generous. Um she gives me all kinds of things all the time. I'm like, okay, I don't know if I can do this, but let me see.

SPEAKER_00 38:22

I just have this passion for everyone to live with health and vitality. You really do.

SPEAKER_02 38:28

No, you really do. And I'm so thankful for you, you know. Um, but yeah, so it's just one thing at a time. And I feel like if we just women, you know, men, but women, especially with children, you know, as mothers, you want to give and you give so much to your kids. It's hard to take time for yourself. But I do think it's very important.

SPEAKER_00 38:48

Oh my gosh. Because I do feel, I feel this so big that we are the heart of the family. Amen. Yes. And when mom is not okay, then it starts showing up in the household with our children, the husband, and and we often feel so guilty taking care of ourselves. Yes. Because it's more time. It's I they always come first. Like, I don't know how many moms I hear, like in a dental chair, it'll be like, oh, we'll get husband in first, we'll get the children, they're they're kind of last to take care of their health. And I said, No, you should be, you know, first. Yes, yes. And actually, you know what? I where I learned that was actually the hospital in Maui. I was sitting down with an organ donor specialist because we were donning Scott's uh organs, and I was panicked to find a psychologist, therapist for my kids. I said, they're gonna need help. How can we go back home without dad? And I was really worried. He's like, no, you, you need it first. You need to take care of you first. I said, okay, well, send me whomever. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'll do whatever it takes. And and and the next day they had this gentleman from uh Oahu zoomed in with me. And and just in that therapy alone, he that was where I was put in through a 10-minute breath work session. And that's where I felt the Lord. I felt God, it felt that calmness, and I was like, oh my gosh, I need to keep doing that to survive this and start taking care of myself because I knew staying in the fight and flight, which often we stay in the sympathetic nervous system way too long. Especially, you know, you had you had, you know, you're you have four kids and you have twins. Yes. So that's a busy household. Yeah, yeah. And so for you, it's go, go, go. Constantly, your body never could rest and repair.

SPEAKER_02 40:38

Yes. Well, and that's interesting you say that because I feel like even now that I'm getting better, you know, life's like, you know, like life's picking back up. Um if there's always so much noise around us, our I think you're right, our bodies can't hear, the Holy Spirit can't ever rest. I do believe your body needs to have calmness and quiet for you just to have your body say, You're safe.

SPEAKER_00 41:03

You're safe now. We need to find safety because without safety in our body, we can't heal. I see that. I talk about this nervous system. I see the world in a nervous system lens right now. I see it in the dental world. We cannot heal. Yes. If we are in that sympathetic nervous system, yes, it's physiology. Yes, and so when we feel safe and when we even talk to our body, amen. And we say, I am safe now, I'm safe to heal now.

SPEAKER_02 41:31

Yes, I do believe that because I feel like even like, you know, and every day, you know, I'm thankful. And I never, you know, people ask about the R word. I don't say any of the real words. So you might have to put it on the podcast. What is it? It holds an energy. Yeah, exactly.

SPEAKER_00 41:53

Yes, it holds an energy for so many people, and it's an energy of fear.

SPEAKER_02 41:57

Yes, and I don't I don't welcome that in me, but my body's safe to heal and to be on this healing journey, and I'm just gonna allow only goodness to come into my body. And I just pray every day and I'm thankful every day for his goodness, and I want to be quiet so I can hear God's word. And I don't want to shun it out. I want to, you know, hear it and to be able to help people, also, you know, um whether I meet them in the grocery store or whether I see them on the streets or just a friend that I'm not so busy that I can't listen, I can't see someone hurting. Yes, you know, like I'm so busy or or or just by with my own self that I don't see another person hurting. I don't want that because I think that's what's happened before. And now I see people and I'm like, I know you're hurting. Let me pray with you. Let me come alongside you. And just as people have done for me and came alongside me, a lot of people came alongside me. Um, and I want to, I want to give that back, I guess.

SPEAKER_00 43:02

Yes, I think that's so important. And so you we're able now, like for me to see beh behind that veil that we often, you know, live behind. We live this veil, this mask. Yes, but when we can see through that and we're like, it's okay. Yes, we can remove that mask. It's gonna be safe and it's okay to share. Yeah, you're gonna be okay.

SPEAKER_02 43:22

You're gonna be okay.

SPEAKER_00 43:23

So yeah, I mean, I think uh you are helping people already. It's so powerful, and that's why I was so excited when you were ready to share it here. And I know you're speaking at a few different churches events right now.

SPEAKER_02 43:35

I'm doing some like church events, I'm speaking at some mom events, so at uh mops events that they're called. So I'm very excited about that. And I'm having a big celebration. Yes, I can't wait next weekend. I know, and so and every time I go there, so they're like, Oh, you know, you are you getting married? I'm like, no, I'm not getting married. And they're like, okay, and I I would say I'm having a celebration of life. Well, obviously that means that person's dead. And I was like, oh, but It's the meaning that you put on there. I am celebrating life. I am having a celebration of life. And then it's I'm alive. I'm living. And they're like, oh, okay. And you know, people are like, okay, this is great. And I, you know, we should celebrate life. Yes. And we don't have to have just a big webby. You know, we can just have celebration of life with wherever we want. So yeah. So I'm very excited about that. Um, yeah. So yeah.

SPEAKER_00 44:24

You know where I see where you would be so needed to speak is actually with doctors, with doctors, with nurses, healthcare professionals at hospitals, just even with your story. I know they see these kind of miracle stories, but just to speak it out loud and say, hey, maybe changing our language a little bit in the hospital, the way we speak to our patients. Yeah. I think this is not taught in school, in medical school. No. And I think it would be so important to make doctors realize that their words matter and how the patient will heal.

SPEAKER_02 45:01

Yes. Yes. And I also feel like, you know, I know they have to give you the truth. Yes. Right? The blood work is the blood work, and this is the truth. You can't see, but not to be more, it's gonna be okay. And I don't know. I guess they couldn't say that. I don't know. But you know, but I guess you're right. I think in the mindset, when I was even in the clinic, which I still go to the clinic, but um, you know, you're sitting kind of like where you are and where I am, the patients, you know. And I always tell the other, like, we're gonna be okay. You are strong, your body is strong, you're gonna be okay. And you know what? They would just come to tears. Oh, because sometimes you just need to hear it. Yes. You need to hear it from somebody else and say, I am strong.

SPEAKER_00 45:49

And somebody else has gone through it, right? Yes, that matters too. Yes. So maybe it's starting a group that's at the hospitals and can meet with them because I know for me, when I was at the the trauma side of the hospital where everyone's is passing and is just going through those doors was so traumatic. And I remember they say, Hey, do you would you like the chapel lady come and pray with you over your husband? And I said, Yes, yes, I would love that. Yes, and then something miraculous happened when she came there because they told me he was completely brain dead. Uh, he couldn't hear, he couldn't do it. And I was like, No, I know he can hear me. I know he's in there. And as he we prayed over him, a tear cried down. And I said, There, he sees the Holy Spirit, he knows what I'm talking about. Yes, and so maybe having a group of people that just come and and and sit with them and say you're going to be okay. And maybe that is a company of like hope. Yes, a team of hope at hospitals. Yeah, because I know doctors and and nurses, they're they're bombarded, they're so busy and uh overrun themselves, you know, long hours.

SPEAKER_02 47:00

But this could be a different well, and I think also like someone's like, Oh, you should go do like a cancer survivor group. Okay, I did try one, but it was so sad and gloomy. Yes, I was like, this is not, these are not my people. And I felt like it was just like, you know, fear feeds fear. Yes. Anger feeds anger, you know, and all they were talking about, all the bad symptoms and all this and that. And I'm not saying they didn't have them. I know they were having those symptoms, but it was so fear-driven.

SPEAKER_00 47:31

Yeah, it fed the fear. Yeah. So they went home, probably like, oh, okay, more in fear. And it was actually not a little bit. That's why I've never gone to a grief like this group. Because I'm like, oh, you know, and actually I had a friend just yesterday walking back with Britney. She was saying, a friend is a newly widow, and she went to a grieving group, and it was so down, so I was like, Yes, it's important to have community, but the right like community, yeah, right?

SPEAKER_02 48:00

Yeah, that is so interesting. And I don't know why they're like that. I was like, oh my goodness. I knew I just walked out. I was like, this is definitely not my people. Uh Lord Jesus, help them, you know. But I you do need a people, like, okay, you're going through something hard. That's okay. We're gonna be okay. Yes, you are strong, your body is strong, you can do this. Let's do this. You know, what what are some tools that we could do? Yes, breath work, whatever, everything under the moon, I would do, you know. Anyways, but I do.

SPEAKER_00 48:28

Yeah, but do you think you incorporate a lot of how you spoke to your body?

Safety, Breathwork, Sleep, Healing

SPEAKER_02 48:32

Yes, right? Well, I even see like I still take pills every morning, and I um I hold I put them in my little pill cap and I hold them up. And my kids know when I hold up the pills, I'm gonna pray so they are all quiet. And I hold them up and I say, in the name of Jesus, by the blood of Jesus Christ, that these may bless me and they may heal my body continuously in Jesus' name. And I take the pills because I am praying everything that comes through my body is healing myself.

SPEAKER_00 48:59

That's why I talk about my book. I say, bless your food. Yes. The water, water holds so much um so much healing. But also I I've also take some uh hormone, uh bio identical hormones, I take peptides, and I always pray beforehand that I only take in what I need and what I don't need to release it. Right. Uh but just to give me the vitality and balance, you know, my hormones of years of uh nervous system dysregulation, yeah, you know, and and it's years of us women grinding through and not pausing in stillness, taking more time because we feel like we're not productive, yes, right? We feel guilty if we're you know, I felt guilty. I know when I moved here, I was blessed where I could take a full year off of work, and I think God did that for a reason, so I can pause and really take care of myself. And some weeks I would go five days a week to that reconnect mind body and do cold plunge, red light therapy. I would do some breath work and just really have some time to heal. Because until then, I couldn't pause. I was so tired. Yes, I was completely exhausted, yeah. I was so drained. And so it was important, imperative for my health right now, for my children, to take that time to heal. Because I said I I really felt like I need to do that because I saw the pain my kids went through to lose one parent. They can't lose another one.

SPEAKER_02 50:31

Amen.

SPEAKER_00 50:32

Right. Amen. Yeah. And so that's was my big driver.

SPEAKER_02 50:35

Well, and I think you're teaching them how to manage their own bodies, how to heal their own bodies, how to eat, all that, what you're doing in the home, what I'm doing, and we're all doing the home, is we're teaching our kids one way or another. You know, and it is very important just to take that time and just to, you know, love on yourself.

SPEAKER_00 50:54

Yeah, they're watching us. And we can't go back and say, oh, I wish I would have started that, you know, years ago. And we can't live in the past either. We just forgive it for what we knew, but what can I do today to be that best version of me and that role model for my kids? And we're gonna always pivot. It's it's like a dance. Yes. I call it a dance with Jesus. That's what picture I have in my house, because that's the vision. I call them vision. I had a vision of me dancing with Jesus. Oh. And it's a dance. Yes, it's a constant ebb and flow. I'm not gonna be perfect.

SPEAKER_01 51:24

Yes, yes, yeah, no, no, well, none of the summer.

SPEAKER_00 51:26

So that's good. You're in good company. And so let's be honest, right? That I'm gonna have some hard days where I'm yelling at my kids. I'm drained. Yes, I you know, might have not said the right things back to them. And then I'm like, oh, but you know what I do now? I say, guess what? Sophia Mateas, I didn't say that well. I'm so sorry. You didn't deserve.

SPEAKER_02 51:48

Yes.

SPEAKER_00 51:48

And I'm really sorry. Yes. You know, I'm gonna let's try that again. You know, you're a good mom.

SPEAKER_02 51:54

And I think that's the thing, is like, we're not gonna be perfect and recognizing that and saying, and I have obviously I, you know, have done wrong with my kids, and I think it's so good for me to be like, I am so sorry, I shouldn't have done that, you know. Please forgive me, you know, and um just pivoting, like you said. Just pivoting is a beautiful thing. I was trying to think in um, you know, all of the time that we've had, you know, of like uh of David before David went out to Goliath. You know, he didn't go face this giant on day one, right? He was mending the sheep, he was taking care of the sheep, he was doing the small stuff that God asked him to do. And then it's when he came, right? And then they all, and I feel like this is what I was gonna say. I feel like we don't have to face big giants every day. You just have to mend the sheep, feed the sheep, comb the sheep, take care of the sheep, do the small things every day, because when the big thing comes up, you will be prepared to fight your Goliath. Yes, and you know, and and it is those warriors that were at the front field, they did not say, I will go fight Goliath. And I thought, well, why not? Because they weren't doing the small things for themselves, maybe in perhaps. I don't know. They didn't no one on and then I love this about David. They said, Well, we're gonna give you all the armor. So they put all the armor on David, they put on their armor, and David was too heavy. David took it off because we don't need what the world gives us, we don't need the world's armor, what they say. We need God and God's armor. So he just took his little slingshot and he picked up five rocks, and oh, this is so amazing. Because I was reading this the other day. I was like, it only took one rock to take out Goliath. You know, what made David pick up five? And I think what happens, God only needs one shot. He we pick up all the rest of the stuff, but he only needed one shot. And when we and he said uh the in the scriptures basically they said, Well, you know, are you scared or something like that? Um I'm paraphrasing obviously, and he says, No, I have the Lord with me. And I think when we have the Lord with us and we go in confidence, he spoke faith, he spoke provision, he spoke, I'm gonna be fine, I'm going with the Lord, I'm gonna take what the Lord gave me, this little slingsaw, these five little rocks, and I'm gonna be okay. And he slung it and you know, hit Goliath in the middle, and he fell down. And with our giants, uh, my giant, your giant, they look like giants to us. But God only needs a little pebble of our faith to knock our giant down.

SPEAKER_00 54:56

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 54:56

And so we don't need, I guess I think it's like take care of yourself, do the small things. You only need a little bit of faith, and God will knock your giant down. You don't need everything.

Armor Of God And David’s Pebble

SPEAKER_00 55:09

Yeah, that is beautiful. That's a powerful message, I think that needs to be heard, and even more so now because there's you know, always so much noise. I don't even know, you know, so much noise. And so to anchor in to your faith and completely surrender and trust, which is hard to trust. But once you do, like right now, when we've lived something where we fully see it and trusted and surrendered in the beauty of what happened after, yes, we can't unsee that. Yes, and now we've like trusted even more. I'm so much more grounded in my faith. Yes, so much more grounded when something is opening up to me that might seem like, well, I'm not sure about it. Okay, no, I'm diving in. Yes, yeah. Hit first, because I'm going to trust. Yes, yes, that I will be provided for, that this is the right path, and uh I'll be safe doing so. Yes, you know, because sometimes uh, you know, you you fear what you put out there with the words and how it's gonna be taken. But uh no, I completely trust.

SPEAKER_02 56:07

Yeah, I guess there's no fear, right? Like if if someone doesn't like it, they can just walk away.

SPEAKER_00 56:12

Exactly. It just doesn't align, right? You find the people that are authentically meant for you along the way. Yes, and that will continue to lift you up, and that's it. I'm actually feeling that I am drawing more light, like-minded people that are filled with light and Holly back there. Yes, you know, very much uh there's just so many people that uh the the kids' school, I I think it's why I'm put there because as we do God's work, we will need that light, that community. Yes, and I will need to be kind of protected. Yes, amen. And that is so important. So for now, for you, if if you there is somebody listening right now and they have heard the C word, and there is a lot of fear, what's you know, what's what would you tell them if she's the sitting right beside you? Yes, what would you say?

SPEAKER_02 57:10

You know, I would say breathe, take in the information that they are giving you because they are there to help you, but fear not, and that's what God tells us the most in the Bible. Fear not, and you have to believe your words when you say it, and keep on saying it, and trust in the good Lord and our Savior, and dive into the Bible. Listen, He will speak to you if you open up your word, and He will guide you, and He will bring along the people you need to help you, and it is a journey, it will not be easy, but you are gonna be okay. I think that's what I would say. And I would say find people that can surrender that you can surrender to and be honest with, and that can love you and guide you, yeah, and guide you to stay strong with you.

SPEAKER_00 58:16

Yeah, yes, uh, that's a beautiful message. I think it's so important, and I know you will bless so many people with that hope, that resilience, that perseverance, yes, uh, that when they are sitting in that dark, you know, in hotel room all by themselves, that they will remember your name, they will remember God, and they will just pray and quiet the noise.

SPEAKER_02 58:36

Yes, and I think also um uh to enjoy the journey.

SPEAKER_00 58:43

You know, okay, because that's a reframe, yeah. That's a reframe, yes, enjoy it.

SPEAKER_02 58:49

Like um, we were supposed to go to Hawaii last summer and we couldn't. And my awesome husband, he and the kids decorated the um living room, they got lays, they got Hawaiian shirts, we had a Hawaiian dinner, and I honestly think I enjoyed that dinner more than Hawaii because you realize the people that you love most are just right there. And I enjoyed, I know that sounds weird, but enjoy the journey. Take it in. This is the life you're given, and you can say, I'm gonna enjoy it. And and and I I know that sounds kind of odd. No, I mean that's so beautiful.

SPEAKER_00 59:39

I mean, we need to reframe the way we look at it every day.

SPEAKER_02 59:43

I love no, I love that you're mentioning that. Um, you know, we would do, you know, how they have little dances or whatnot. You know, me and the kids would dance and we would do the mimics of the dancing. I would try to do as much with them and just to laugh and have fun with them. Um, I was never ashamed of losing my hair. Um, it's like, I don't know, I don't even think I look that bad bald. Because your smile is so radiant and you're like, yeah, I mean, I'm really pretty. Look at me with no hair. No, yes. I love that. But I, you know, I was just like, I'm not gonna be ashamed of my bald head. And um, I'm just gonna wear it, and and it's okay. It's okay for me to be a bald, it's okay to show my scars. Um, it's okay for that. Um, I did have to get a wig because I was getting mad uh uh sunburned, but it was a beautiful wig.

SPEAKER_00 1:00:35

I love the wig.

SPEAKER_02 1:00:36

I might wear it again, but yeah, but just I would say enjoy the journey, enjoy people. Um, and you know, you're in this journey for a reason. And I believe, like like you have said, we're here to help other people in this exact spot that we could help them.

SPEAKER_00 1:00:52

Yeah, and we were given that story to connect to the hearts, amen. To connect to their hearts and and provide that hope and perseverance. And now, how did that, because now you said let's see it as a gift and and enjoy it. What did you enjoy? What did it change for you? How you see your family and life on a day to day.

SPEAKER_02 1:01:13

So this is so interesting. So I don't know if I told Holly or Jen. Um, I don't know, one day I was coming out of treatment and I would look at people and I would see them in such beauty. I would see them like almost like I felt like how God was seeing them, and even their imperfections, everything that, but there was there's so much beauty in each and every person. And I was like, oh my goodness, this person's so beautiful because not not necessarily outwardly, I mean they're also beautiful outwardly, but the beautifulness that they brought, the different personalities they have, and I just really started appreciating everybody and what who they were, you know, and appreciating life. I mean, the first time I walked out of the clinic, I saw the mountains and I started crying because you when you don't have something, you take it for granted. Yes, and I saw the mountains. I was in uh MD Anderson and in Mesa and the mountains, there's the superstition mountains I was looking at. They're so far away, you know. But I was like, those mountains are so beautiful. And then I saw a yellow flower. I'm like, oh my goodness, look at this yellow flower. I'm not joking, it was this little yellow flower. And I was like, this is a beautiful little yellow flower. And I I don't take things for granted in the end, because everything is we are surrounded by beauty and we're surrounded by good people, and we're surrounded by such good things and just not taking things for granted. And just like you said, we were chosen. We were chosen to go through this battle, and I'm gonna, I'm gonna live this battle well, and I'm gonna fight hard, and I'm gonna, you know, I'm gonna wear my my um armor that's all dented up, and I'm gonna be proud of it, and I'm gonna shine bright, and I'm gonna help, you know, whoever needs to be helped. You know, it makes me think of um on at our church, they're talking about um Paul. Is it Paul who walked the water? And um, you know, there were all the apostles were in the boat, you know, and you then you know Jesus calls Paul come out. And it it's interesting because they weren't all called to walk the water. Is it Peter? Peter, I believe. Pause. I don't know, Polly. Peter, okay, okay, yeah. Well, we're gonna come back. So it's Peter, they were all in the boat, the other apostles, but Jesus called Peter out to the water. Now the other men love Jesus and they, you know, are are men of God. But when you're called to something tough, right, there is beauty. Only two men have ever walked the water, Jesus Christ and Peter. But the beauty was because he trusted and he believed, he was given that privilege. So, such as a hardship, we're not all called to these hardships. And nor do I want this for anybody, nor would you want your situation for anybody, right? You were given this hardship, I was given this hardship. But there is beauty in that, and that we may just walk that water with Jesus Christ, as long as we stay focused on him. He's going to not drown. We're not gonna drown, we're going to be okay. And I think that's the thing is that you just trust in Jesus, you love him, you enjoy the journey, you have fun. Life is so short.

SPEAKER_00 1:05:02

Yes, yeah, you know, he's changed in an instant, as we know. Yes, and to be so present, like I do that too. Look at the flowers, look at the leaves and the way they're moving. And I'm like, oh wow, it's so beautiful. Yes. Taking in each little slow moment with your family too. Yes, as much as we like to be of service, we, you know, work and school and everything, but pause more often than you think. Right, right. You know, pause more often, slow down more often, take it. Breathe. Breathe, yes, a lot of breath work, yes. That's really what saved me so much was through breath work. Yes, amen. And slowing down because how often do we lay down for an hour to breathe? Yes, yeah, or and sleep is so important.

SPEAKER_02 1:05:46

I have this bed, number eight bed. If they would like to sponsor Melissa and give her a number eight bed, it'd be great. But it it literally will tell you everything about your body. Oh, wow. And it tells you how long you sleep, interruptions, your deep sleep. The bed does. The bed does. It is number eight bed. They're amazing. And it like, it really does like, you know, over time, sleep is so important. Yes. Because that's actually when your cells rejuvenate. Rejuvenate. Yes. So it's so important.

SPEAKER_00 1:06:14

That's why I usually wear the uh whoop watch. You know, because they are ring, yep. To see what my sleep is at and what's affecting it, you know, and learning what's uh gives me the best quality so for repair, especially brain health. Yes, amen to that.

SPEAKER_02 1:06:30

So I don't know how we got on that, but we can get to bed, Melissa. You're so fun. And my friend Holly needs to bed.

SPEAKER_01 1:06:38

Everybody leads to bed. We'll see if we can even get something this sponsorship.

Communion, Healing, Final Blessing

SPEAKER_00 1:06:48

Oh my gosh, you're too good. I will have to have you on again. Yes. Because I know you're you're going to be needed to be to use your voice and share your message. And this is just that stepping stone. Amen. But if people wanted to reach out and have you speak at anyone, because it's such a powerful testimony, how can they get hold of you? Well, that's a good question.

SPEAKER_02 1:07:13

I don't know.

SPEAKER_00 1:07:15

Do you have a social media that I could put in the show?

SPEAKER_02 1:07:18

Yes, I'll give you a social media. Okay. I didn't mean to do one, so maybe I'll just make one up to create one on that one, Chase. So yes, I will. I'll leave it in the show notes.

SPEAKER_00 1:07:25

And then that way, if people want to contact you for either speaking or just, you know, hearing your story and make an impact for somebody else.

SPEAKER_02 1:07:32

That'd be really good. But before we go, I would like to do communion with you. I brought it. Oh, I love that. Hold on. Yes. Um, so um, I've been reading this book, I love this lady. Oh. Um, but we'll do communion.

SPEAKER_00 1:07:47

I love it.

SPEAKER_02 1:07:48

My Bible. I I brought a lot of things.

SPEAKER_00 1:07:50

Oh, good, good. You bring it all. Oh, we're gonna be baking too. That was so sort of different things, I didn't do it.

SPEAKER_02 1:07:57

So I I need to know what it's for. Okay, so really what this was for um was when I was talking about how the shield that God gave me, and you know, when you go to war, and these are just baking pans, but this is my shield, right? Before anything happened, it was just my shield. But as warfare came, as the trials came, as the chemo came, as the long nights came, you know, there are hard times in our trials, in our journeys. So I would feel like the I would feel like this is what it was. Every time it come and come and come after you. But I was never, ever, ever, I was always protected, never ever hurt. And then when I was saying that, and this is a little pan with a little neck rooms, but this is all of the the hurt that you see that we went through. And this is when I saw it, I said, God, do I get a new shield? And he said, No, this is what you carry around now to help others know that you've been through this and you can help them. So it was just a protection of like always knowing that God is with us and that no matter how hard that enemy comes after you, no how hard the negative thoughts, people, whatever is coming for you, that you're always gonna be protected and just to trust in Jesus. I love that. Let's take communion together. I love this. And um, so you know, communion as you gather together with another believer um is so important. And I believe, you know, this is the Lord's body was given to us for healing, not just for uh healing in our body, but our mental state, our homes, our family, anything that you need, God is for you. And I kind of feel like we don't take communion enough, you know. And I guess, you know, and so I was like, oh, I have this book, which um you can put in there, but it's called The Healing Power of the Holy Communion. And it just proclaims and it's it's affirmations about the communion and about taking it and just believing for your healing. So I am taking this, honestly. We're gonna take it together because we're together. So we're gonna open up. So I'm just gonna we'll just open up.

SPEAKER_00 1:10:19

This is so beautiful. I'm so glad you did this, Melissa. I'm like, you're right.

SPEAKER_02 1:10:24

Maybe I should every podcast we have communion.

SPEAKER_00 1:10:26

I like this.

SPEAKER_02 1:10:27

So I'm just gonna pray for us and then we'll um take it. You have yours open. Hold on. It's good to have it open prior. Did you get your little bread open?

SPEAKER_00 1:10:35

I yeah, oh, the top layer. Oh, yes, sorry. And I opened the whoops, hold on, pause. I've got this. There you go.

SPEAKER_02 1:10:45

Okay, okay, so I'm just gonna pray for us and then we'll take it. Um, dear Heavenly Father, I'm so thankful for this time with Melissa, and um I pray that whoever may hear this, I actually, Lord, and I didn't even bring this up where we're talking, but I listened to so many podcasts and so many sermons that were done five, 10 years ago, and they brought me healing in my journey. And so that this podcast, Lord, may fall onto ears that need to be heard, Lord. Um, all of what Melissa does, Lord, I pray that you bless her. I pray that you will continue to give her everything that she may need in this life, Lord, and more. Lord, I pray that as we take this communion, that we take this bread in remembrance of you, in remembrance of the day that you're on the cross, and you gave your body for us, Lord, for our healing. So we take this bread and we eat it in Jesus' name. And we take this wine in remembrance of your blood that was shed for us. We thank you for your goodness and your mercy and your miracle, Lord. And I proclaim I accept my healing, I accept Mulis' healing, but we also say, whoever this may need this, that you are healed in the name of Jesus Christ, that you can feel the full healing, and we take this blood in Jesus' name. We thank you, Lord, for your goodness and your mercy. We thank you for this time. Thank you in Jesus' name, amen.

SPEAKER_00 1:12:27

Amen. In Jesus' name, amen. That was so beautiful. I love that you did it. And I'm like, oh, I need to do this every every episode. Yeah, I do love the episode. That was so thank you for having me. Oh my gosh. And in the the book, yeah. Is there any like is there a little what a preferred oh my gosh, so well it's it's a it's a daily theme? Oh, that you screenshotted one time and you sent it to me.

SPEAKER_02 1:12:49

I already screenshot a lot of things to you, I love it. But it's like so like day six is one of those forgiveness and healing. Bless the Lord, oh my soul, and forget not all his benefits. Who forgives all your iniquities, who heals all of your diseases? Psalms 103, 2 to 3. And then it just says the insight, and then the prayer says, Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for showing me how to rightly discern your body as I partake of the holy communion. Thank you for loving me so much. You allowed your body to be broken from mine and your pain and your pains in my body. I believe that even now you are driving out diseases and removing all pain out of me. Through this communion, I believe I am receiving more and more of health. I'm receiving more vitality, I'm receiving more strength, and I'm receiving a long life. Amen. Yes, and then you just take the communion. So I there are affirmations and they're beautiful and just reading that, right? We're gonna have a long life. Yes, we're gonna have vitality, we're gonna live that and we're gonna partake that. And like you said, we're not, I'm not perfect, we're not perfect, but we're trying to get it right, right? And that we are just we're surrounding ourselves with the goodness of all of it.

SPEAKER_00 1:14:09

This is such a beautiful conversation. I'm deeply honored and grateful, and I know this will touch many, many lives and and for years. Like this is gonna be on the platform. Like you say, you listen to some five that were recorded five, 10 years. That's what I see. And I always pray on them to who it needs to be reached and heard. So yes, we will never know how many hearts we'll touch, but I know we'll be thousands and global. Yes, it will.

SPEAKER_02 1:14:35

I do, I do believe that. I mean, honestly, I'm not joking. I would listen to podcasts and I'll be like, this is like 10 years ago. And we talk about how when you pray, your cells are being healed. And I was like, how did this person know? You know, and they don't. And so, yeah, so I do believe that this is gonna help a lot. And um, I'm excited. I'm excited for my next adventures, wherever they may be. Yes, we'll have you back awesome a year from now, and then we'll see.

SPEAKER_00 1:14:59

Okay. Well, I'm looking forward to your celebration of life next weekend. And that's gonna be such a beautiful union to celebrate life that we get to live today. And I think that was a big reminder actually for all of us when we heard that about you. It's like, oh, this could happen to any of us any day. Yes, amen. So be present, yes, take care of our temple, yes, pause, yes, right. So that was also, I felt that ripple of a reminder for us as a community, amen. To really like, wow, you know, we know life can change in an instant and and and have fun.

SPEAKER_02 1:15:35

Yeah, dance form, dance form, sing, dress up. I was telling my friend Holly, they're like, we should do a day where we put on our nicest outfits and go to Starbucks. Like, love to put on your nice outfit and you go to Eric Bar. Yes. You know, like we don't have to wait for some special occasion. Live life, be blessed, speak kindly to yourself.

SPEAKER_00 1:15:58

Yeah, I love that. That's an important message. Yes. Well, thank you so much for listening. I, if this touched you today, and I know it did, please like and share because this allows me to send this message, this podcast globally to the people that the hearts that need to hear it. So the more people share this message, share this podcast, you never know how many people we're gonna touch and save because this life is so beautiful and we want to live it with vitality and joy. Amen. Thank you for listening.