Thankfulness

 “Thankfulness to God is a recognition that God in His goodness and faithfulness has provided for us and cared for us, both physically and spiritually.  It is a recognition that we are totally dependent upon Him; that all that we are and have comes from God.” — Jerry Bridges 

For the past month, every Sunday, I share on FB what I’m thankful for the previous week in pictures. Gratitude starts with me and my heart’s posture towards God. As Christians, we have so much to be thankful for. May we remember it all year long. 

1 Thessalonians 5:18 

Marriage Rocks

 I lost my wedding band the other day. I must confess it was weird not proclaiming the truth of my marriage by this symbol. As this ring is a complete circle...it reminds me my marriage takes no breaks, it is to last, and I should strive for purity. 

Marriage rocks.

-Joe

Dehydration

If a person is on the journey of faith for any period of time, you will know that there are ups and downs. One of the things to notice is that when you feel thirsty on a hike, you need to drink water, when your thirsty you are headed to the point of dehydration and maybe even exhaustion.

So when you only pray when you feel desperate, you are most likely suffering from some sort of spiritual dehydration or even exhaustion.

Why is this possible? Because the necessary means of abiding or remaining in Christ are not present in your life or your motives are impure. You see if we look at as spiritual boxes to check, that’s all it is, a sense of duty but that’s not enjoyable. It becomes another addition to the never-ending list that you already have.

May we drink from the fountain and eat from the source so that we will always be satisfied with what truly keeps us satisfied.

-Joe

October Book Stack 📚

 New book stack! 

1️⃣ Transformed by Truth by Katherine Forster

2️⃣ Sacred Privilege by Kay Warren 

3️⃣ Emptied by Wynter and Jonathan Pitts

4️⃣ Letters to Pastors’ Wives exited by Catherine J. Stewart

5️⃣ Becoming Elisabeth Elliot by Ellen Vaughn 

What are you reading right now?

He is faithful

 πιστός

faith·ful

/ˈfāTHfəl/

loyal, constant, and steadfast

God is faithful. 

He’s faithful in your affliction. 

He’s faithful in your weariness. 

He’s faithful in your mundane. 

He’s faithful in your joy. 

He’s faithful in your loneliness. 

He’s faithful in your confusion. 

He’s faithful in your waiting. 

He’s faithful in your anxiety. 

He’s faithful in the ordinary. 

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. 

-Hebrews 10:23

God is faithful. He never fails. #preachingtomyself

Decorating

 “A man who has a layover at an airport does not go into the bathroom, frown at its decor, and start redecorating! Why? Because he doesn’t live there. He has a home in another place. While he is away he will get by with only what he absolutely needs, to have more money with which to furnish his permanent home.”

—Michael P. Green

I don’t know about you, but my soul longs for Heaven. Where there won’t be anymore pain or suffering. To combat this sometimes I try to make this side of Heaven more comfortable. I’m decorating airport bathrooms. 🥴 This world is not my home. One day I will receive my inheritance. “...An inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.” - 1 Peter 1:4-5

Fair Trade Friday September Box

 This month’s Fair Trade Friday box was un-🐝-lievable! The theme for September’s box was Bee Kind. It included:

1️⃣ Honeycomb Soap Bar made refugees resettled in Houston, Texas. I love the honeycomb design on the top of the soap! K says it smells like an oatmeal cookie! 

2️⃣ Ceramic Beehive Soap Dish made by Prodigal Pottery in Birmingham, Alabama. They offer employment to wen who are fleeing homelessness, domestic abuse, and sex-trafficking. The soap dish has a honeycomb design complete with little bee 🐝 imprints! 

3️⃣ Raw Honey Sampler made by Hon’s Honey in Baltimore, Maryland. They offer dignified work to women at risk of addiction, abuse, poverty, sex-trafficking, and prostitution. 🍯 

4️⃣ Wooden Honey Dipper made by Ethikos Home in Thailand. Artisans rely on orders like this one to earn enough to sustain their families. Creating these honey dippers provided 33 people with 937 hours of dignified work.

5️⃣ Gold Hexagon Earrings made by Starfish Project in Eastern Asia. They help provide exploited women in Eastern Asia with the opportunity to experience freedom, establish independence, and develop careers. Purchases of Starfish Project help provide employment, safe housing, counseling, vocational training, and educational opportunities. This order of earrings created 311 hours of work for 18 employees. 

6️⃣Gratitude Bracelet made by Mercy House Global in Kenya. Started in 2010, Mercy House started with a dream to help pregnant teen moms in Nairobi, Kenya. Now, Mercy House fully funds 3 maternity homes in Kenya funded by generous families who believe in their mission. 

What’s your favorite item?

September Book Stack 📚

 New book stack! 

1️⃣ Gentle and Lowly by Dane Ortlund

2️⃣ Anxious for Nothing by John MacArthur 

3️⃣ Across the Street and Around the World by Jeannie Marie

4️⃣ Wherever You Go, I want You to Know by Melissa Kruger This book is so cute! You’ll want this for any kids in your life! ❤️

What are you reading right now?

Jesus is Better

Jesus is better.

He’s better than being rich.

He’s better than your relationships. 

He’s better than your stuff. 

He’s better than living in comfort. 

He’s better than your political affiliation. 

He’s better than food. 

He’s better than your job.

There’s nothing in all of creation that’s better than Him. Chasing after worldly things that could be gone at any moment only leaves us thirsty for more. Only Jesus satisfies the hole in our soul. #preachingtomyself

Rejoice Always

 In 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 it says, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” 

In my selfishness I’d like to think that God can’t possibly mean ALL circumstances, right? Surely, whatever I’m struggling with is not something to rejoice over! 

It’s not that we should be grateful for evil, but that we KNOW God is going to bring some kind of good through every circumstance. God wastes nothing. 

Instead of focusing on the circumstance we’re struggling with, we should ask ourselves, “How can I glorify God through this situation?”

August Book Stack 📚

 New book stack! 

1️⃣ Before You Open Your Bible by Matt Smethurst

2️⃣ You’re Not Enough (and that’s okay) by Allie Beth Stuckey 

3️⃣ Praying Together by Megan Evans Hill 

4️⃣ Beautifully Distinct edited by Trillia Newbell 

5️⃣ 12 Faithful Women: Portraits of Steadfast Endurance edited by Melissa Kruger & Kristen Wetherell

What are you reading right now?

June Fair Trade Friday Box

 🌮Let’s Taco ‘bout this Fair Trade Friday box this month! 🌮 

It’s so fun! Did I mention it includes a tortilla recipe? 😋 

1️⃣ The first item is a fabric tortilla warmer made by Ziyada in India. This order of tortilla Warner helped them to keep running during this hard economic time. 

2️⃣ The second items is the metal taco holder made by Noah’s Ark in India. 

3️⃣ The third item is a medium salsa spice blend by Women’s Bean Project in the USA. 

4️⃣ The fourth item is Let’s Taco ’Bout It Conversation Cards! They’re fun questions to spice up family conversations. These cards also feature artwork from the girls Mercy House Global. “Rehema Rescue Center, the flagship ministry of Mercy House Global, operates three maternity homes in Kenya where more than 50 teen mothers have been offered a second chance and empowered through hope and dignity. One of the most cherished activities at Rehema House is the annual art camp, where the girls learn new creative skills and gain self-esteem. Sana’a, which means “work of art “in Swahili, celebrates the therapeutic process by turning the girls’ unique creations into beautiful works of art.

What item is your favorite?

June Book Stack 📚

 New book stack...

1️⃣ Everyday Faithfulness by Glenna Marshall 

2️⃣ This Changes Everything by Jaquelle Crowe

3️⃣ A Place to Belong by Megan Evans Hill 

4️⃣ Growing Together by Melissa Kruger 

5️⃣ Show Her the Way by Mary Margaret West 

What are you reading right now?

April Book Stack 📚

 New Book stack and quarantine reads...

1️⃣ The Little Woman by Gladys Aylward and Christine Hunter

2️⃣ The Pastor’s Wife by Gloria Furman  

3️⃣ Nothing to Envy by Barbara Demick 

4️⃣ Stop Calling Me Beautiful by Phylicia Masonheimer  

5️⃣ Word-Filled Women’s Ministry by Gloria Furman & Kathleen B. Nielson 

6️⃣ Saints & Scoundrels by Nancy Guthrie

7️⃣ Suffering is Never for Nothing by Elisabeth Elliot

8️⃣ Identity Theft by Melissa Kruger 

What are you reading right now? 

March Book Stack 📚

New book stack... 

1️⃣ The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness by Tim Keller 

2️⃣ Jesus, Keep Me Near the Cross by Nancy Guthrie

3️⃣ Enough About Me by Jen Oshman

4️⃣ Foundations by Troy and Ruth Chou Simons

5️⃣ Made to Move Mountains by Kristen Welch  

6️⃣ Worthy by Elyse Fitzpatrick and Eric Schumacher

7️⃣ Teach Me to Feel by Courtney Reissig

What are you reading right now? 

In My Skin: Treatment

Okay, here we go... 

Treatment starts on Monday. I will be having my port put in Monday morning and then my first infusion that afternoon. 

For the first month I will have infusions Monday through Friday. The first week we are supposed to be in Tampa for all 5 infusions. After that week we will visit Moffitt on Mondays (this may vary for the holidays) for infusions and lab work and then go to a local oncologist for the infusions Tuesday-Friday. 

Treatment the rest of the year will be me giving myself shots 3 times a week. As well as going to Moffitt for monthly check ups and lab work. 

Thank you for praying with us for insurance. We got some clarification on our existing policy. After praying we've decided to keep that one.

Praises-

God is always before us. God orchestrated all of this. He will take care of us during this time. 

Treatment is starting! The faster we start, the faster we finish! 

We will have a new insurance starting the first of the year! 

Prayers- 

Pray for my body as it endures the medicine. Pray for the side effects from the medicine as well.

For our family. It isn't just me going through this. They are all living this with me.

For wisdom to discern our finances over the course of the next year with the insurance.

That through this we would glorify God in all that we do. And that we continue to make His name famous. 


Thank you in advance for praying with us!

In His Amazing Love, 

The Hennis Family

In My Skin: Unremarkable

The Journey continues! Yesterday, we had our second appointment with my oncologist at Moffitt. They did blood work and an EKG. The doctor was happy with those results. We also went over my MRI and CT Scans that were done last week. Both of them came back clean! No evidence of metastasis! PTL! The scans said over and over that this or that organ was unremarkable. It is my new favorite word!

So in the next 3 weeks we will start treatment due to the way melanoma sits in the body and the fact that I am super high risk of it coming back. We have chosen to fight now instead of later. As we start treatment, I will be scheduled to have a port put in as my veins tend to give everyone trouble. As we continue on the path that God has laid, we continue to exalt Him and rejoice for He has not changed His love for us. 

Praises-

My scans came back clear!

Prayers- 

For our family. There are lots of changes coming in the next year. 

Pray for my body as it endures the medicine. 

Pray for the side effects from the medicine too.

Pray that I would keep focused on Jesus.

Most of all that we would glorify God through this.

Thank you for continuing to pray with us!

In His Amazing Love,
Jenn

Momma was making me laugh to keep our nervousness at bay!

In My Skin: Moffitt

Today, we had our first appointment at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa with my oncologist. I had the best people with me who kept me laughing all day. We started the day off with orientation and familiarizing ourselves with the McKinley Campus.

Over the next two weeks I will have multiple appointments for an MRI, CT scan, blood work, and another appointment with my oncologist. Right now, my chances are 50/50 of the cancer reoccurring. We were given a lot of information in an hour. They would like me to be in a clinical trial. We have a 22 page report to read and two weeks to read and pray about whether or not to be a part of it.

Praises-

I have insurance! We have a portion that we will have to pay each month, but are so thankful that the Lord provided it for us.

Prayers- 

For our family. It isn't just me going through this. They are all living this with me.

For wisdom to discern the information we are being given. As well as clear direction and guidance for participation in the trial.

If I participate in the trial, pray for my body as it endures the medicine. Pray for the side effects from the medicine too.

Most of all that we would glorify God through this.

Thank you in advance!


In His Amazing Love,

Jenn

Kendall loved her "room".

Moffitt has an area for patients and families. Kendall got to paint which she loved.

Blowing bubbles while we wait!

Waiting to see the doctor.

Doctor Hennis?

In My Skin

It's been quite a whirlwind for our family here lately. In September I (Jenn) was diagnosed with malignant melanoma. Cancer. It's not something I expected at 32. But who does?

Below is a timeline of events from then to now. Mostly for my own recollection, but if you want to follow along this is the place to do it! There are some post appointment/surgery pictures below. If that sort of thing makes you queasy you can probably stop scrolling down now. :) 

The dark spot on my arm is where the melanoma was.

September 2016

9/9/2016- I went to the Brevard Skin and Cancer Center for a freckle that darkened to black and itched. It turned into a mole that was growing on my right forearm. I saw the ARNP-C who thought maybe it was a pyogenic granuloma. The mole was removed as well as other raised spots around it in a shave biopsy and sent to pathology. I barely told anyone about it. I texted my parents about it because I didn't want to make a bigger deal out of it than it needed to be. I didn't even tell my best friend until right before I got the results back.

After they removed the freckle and some satellite spots by it.

9/19/2016- The office called me and informed me that I had nodular malignant melanoma. Clarks level at least 4, at least 1.8 mm in depth (Breslow). Staged at pT2a, pNX, pM N/A. It felt like everything stopped in that instance. She started talking about cancer, surgery, oncologists, and treatment. It was all too much for me to process in one 5 minute conversation. 

9/23/2016- I met with my surgeon, Dr. Mark Talbert (EXCELLENT), from Health First to discuss what surgery would be like and what I could expect afterward. At that time he also did two punch biopsies on places of concern. One came back benign and the other was precancerous. 

Marked for surgery. Wide local excision.

October 2016

10/17/2016 At HRMC I had lymphatic mapping followed by a wide excision of the primary tumor and a sentinel node biopsy. No one warned me how bad the radiation shots would be. Honestly, I am glad I didn't know. All you need to know is that they hurt ALOT.                                                            

                                   

I was sent home with a drain. The drain was removed the Thursday following surgery. I am thankful for my people. They took great care of me afterwards. They cleaned my drain, made sure I got my meds, helped me shower and use the restroom. It was all very glamorous. 

(Left waiting for imaging and Right the imaging machine that would be home for the next hour.)

Before my first surgery.

10/18/2016 my surgeon informed me that one of my lymph nodes came back positive for metastatic melanoma. The lymph node was 1.2 cm in greatest dimension and you could see the melanoma without a microscope (macrometastasis). I was Staged as IIIB- T2a, N1b, Mx. 

The wide local excision of my primary tumor.

10/24/2016- Whew! Two surgeries in 1 week! I was back at HRMC for a axillary dissection to remove the lymph nodes under my right arm pit. I went home with another drain. It was also removed the Thursday after surgery. Again, my people took great care of me and it was all very glamorous.

   

After my second surgery.

10/25/2016- My surgeon informed me that of the 14 lymph nodes removed none of them were positive for melanoma! PTL! 

After my stitches were removed the incision opened up. So they steri stripped it back together. 

I am still very sore. Both surgeries back to back took a lot out of me. I nap often. Joe and I had a date night Wednesday night due to a thoughtful gift. I fell asleep on him twice. Everyday I am getting better than I was the day before. I am grateful to God for that.  Where does my Hope come from? Psalm 121  As a family we are saddened by the cancer, but as a believers in Christ our hope, confidence, and future are in His hands. We know and believe God is ruling and reigning on the throne and that this bump in the road will be used for His glory. I know that God has already written my story and I am just playing my part. This is the confidence we can have in this life, because of Christ and the relationship we have with Him. We are thankful for your prayers. We will update as they come available and will let you know what it is we need.  We are currently waiting for an appointment with Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa.  In His Amazing Love, Jenn