Make Your MARK

Here’s a fun random fact about me. On my right hand, I have a vein that’s in the shape of a heart. What might surprise you to know is, I haven’t always had this mark. One day after that scary season in December seven years ago, I noticed this peculiar vein. I remember looking at it in surprise and telling everyone who was around, “Hey, I have a vein in the shape of a heart!” 

Every now and then I’ll glance down at this heart and marvel at its uniqueness. I believe it’s a special way God has shown me He has His hand on my life and despite the difficult times I’ve had to live, He has just as many mountaintop victories ahead.

Last week I looked down at the blue heart and had this thought— I have this cool mark on my hand, but what kind of MARK will I leave in this world? Whatever it is, I know I want it to be a MARK that makes a difference in others life. My goal is for my MARK to show people of all ages they are MORE. Above all, I want my MARK to point others to Christ.

I think the question we all ask though is how do we leave our MARK? We know what kind of MARK and legacy we want to make, but how do we accomplish it? Last night I discovered the answer. The Bible says in Proverbs 16:9, “A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps.” 

We all have a calling and purpose God has placed on our life. Of course, the Good Lord wants us to be proactive by exploring ways we can serve and use our talents for Him. But the way the Lord will be able to produce fruit from our efforts is when we allow Him to direct our steps. He knows what, when, where, and how our gifts will change the hearts of people.

How do we know the what, when, where, and how? Well, the answer to that is so easy that it can be difficult at times. We pray, listen, and wait. Believe me, I understand how easy it is to move ahead with a plan without covering it in prayer when you're excited about the opportunities it could hold.  I myself am working on praying about ideas and visions I have before I share them with others in a rush of excitement for several reasons: 1) Any vision I have should be covered in prayer. 2) It’s important to make sure the idea I have is of God. 3) There may be things God wants to reveal to me before I reveal my vision to others. It’s so difficult to wait, but I’m sure we all can say whatever MARK we make on this earth we want it to be anointed of God. The way it will be is when we pray for God to direct our steps.

Above all the message I want to encourage you for 2019 is exactly what this inspirational quote encourages you to do— believe in your MARK. You were created to be MORE. Don’t ever settle. Pray for God to direct your MARK and then go all out pursuing the calling God has given you. 

So are you ready? On your MARK. Get set. GO!

A Christmas Miracle

         This season is truly a season of miracles. We anticipate them at this time of year so much that they are called Christmas Miracles. But never have I witnessed the power of the impossible becoming possible like I did during this very week in 2011— when I received my very own Christmas miracle.

         In August of 2011, the National Institutes of Health, (NIH), diagnosed me with malrotation of my small intestines. The malrotation had caused me to lose an excessive amount of weight and had to be corrected with surgery. But I wasn’t ready to set a surgery date and jump onto an operating table just because my doctors said the procedure had to be done.

         I was getting ready to begin my senior year of college at Asbury University and I accepted a leadership position as a chaplain for my hall. My disease had already taken so much from me so I was determined that I’d finish my college career on my terms. I came up with a plan with my professors to combine my week of final projects and final exams so I could have my surgery during the university’s official final’s week. I’d have three weeks to recover and then go back to school for the spring semester to finish my senior year and graduate. My doctors signed off on this plan and my surgery date was set for December 13^th, 2011.

         Even though my health continued to deteriorate during that semester, I would never go back and change my decision to wait to have surgery. God gave me a beautiful semester where He redeemed a painful past, old wounds began to heal, and I grew as a person. I left my fall semester of college with an “A,” average and a sense of satisfaction that I had done my best through what seemed like insurmountable odds.

         The procedure took place on a Tuesday and I came home the following Sunday— totally routine after bowel surgery. So what happened next no one saw coming.

My body went downhill devastatingly fast.

The day after I came home from surgery, my parents had to take me back to the hospital. By Tuesday night my hemoglobin had dropped to a frightening 2.8. Hemoglobin is the part of the blood that controls the oxygen throughout the body and brain, so when the hemoglobin is low, the body isn’t getting the oxygen it needs to function or to remain lucid.

My blood pressure dropped to 30 over 60 and I was in danger of having a heart attack. I was talking out of my head, I didn’t know my mother or father, and my hematologist told my parents if I survived, I’d probably need to undergo a bone marrow transplant.

I was rushed to ICU and my doctors and nurses explained to my parents I would be transfused, given my Rituximab treatment, and I would receive an antibiotic that commonly causes an allergic reaction where a person’s whole body turns red. They warned my mom and dad that it was imperative I didn’t have a single reaction to any of the medications because my life was hanging on by a thread and it could take no more.

My parents knew I had always had an allergic reaction to these medications…so how was I going to survive? 

My mom and dad were directed to the waiting room to wait while I was connected to machines. They noticed there was no one in the waiting room except for a man sitting at the computer. They thought this was strange because ICU was maxed to capacity that night.

Nevertheless, they began calling people asking them to pray. The first person my mom called was her friend Karen Pelphrey, but she broke into sobs and was unable to finish the conversation. My dad took the phone from her to give Karen the details and all of the sudden the man got up from the computer, walked across the room, and knelt down beside my mom. My mom noticed he had the clearest, bluest eyes she had ever seen.

“What’s the child’s name?” He asked.

“It’s Whitney,” my mom told him.

“Okay, I’ll put her on THE Prayer Chain.” Then he got up, walked out of the waiting room and my parents never saw him again.

He didn’t say I’ll put her on my church’s prayer chain, or I’ll let my pastor know— he said THE Prayer Chain. And the next night the ICU waiting room was completely full.

My parents are convinced the man was an angel sent from God because right after he left for the first time in my life, I had not one single reaction to my treatment or transfusions. My body miraculously did a total 180 and I began to get better much quicker than any of my doctors ever dreamed was medically possible.

I was admitted into the hospital on Monday, December 19^th, 2011 and got to come home on Saturday, December 24^th, 2011— the best Christmas gift ever. Two weeks later, I went back to college to finish my degree and in May of 2012, I graduated with a Bachelors in creative writing. 

Looking back at that dark time seven years ago, I remember what could have been. I marvel at the timing and pieces God intricately sewed together during that week so I could remain on this earth.

14 times He made the impossible possible to be exact. 

This ornament is filled with the 14 miracles
God performed on my behalf during that Christmas season

The greatest part of this story though? I went from fighting for my life to living life to the fullest because God placed His healing hand on my body. Everyone who knows me can only shake their heads in amazement and agreement to the fact that my new story, my beauty from ashes, and my MORE began in 20ll when God gave me something precious: 

A Christmas Miracle.

Before the Mountains

         This week has been a whirlwind. Between writing an article that was due yesterday and helping my mom get ready for her surgery that was also yesterday (thank you for praying for her) daze and exhaustion has set in. But I still wanted to share with my readers about a cool moment God gave me.

         Tuesday afternoon I got the calendar out to schedule and reschedule doctors’ appointments. I was put on hold so the receptionist could look at my specialist’s availability and I took that moment to look at my calendar as well. My eyes immediately connected with a beautiful picture attached to the calendar of a snowy mountainous landscape with the words of Psalm 90:2- Before the mountains were brought forth, or even hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting thou art God.

         My heart immediately warmed and I thought, ‘wow, before the mountains I faced were ever assigned to my life, before I was ever born, God was God. His authority is what permitted the very peaks and cliffs I had to climb to form because He knew I would victoriously scale them through His Strength in my soul.’      

The Lore Family, a Southern Gospel singing group sings a song called, “Mt. Testimony,” and the first time I heard them sing it, I felt the lyrics had been written for me. My favorite words in the chorus say, “Looking back ore’ the cliffs of Mt. Testimony,  I’m amazed I’m standing here. But the Lord my shepherd led me safe through the valley, and gave me strength to climb. Now I stand on top of Mt. Testimony with His hand still holding mine.” 

That’s exactly how I feel. Every time I look back at the sickness I had to endure, the frightening unknown and uncertain days, and the moments I had to fight for my life, I’m truly amazed I’m standing on top of my Mt. Testimony. That’s why I feel so called to share my story. God gave it to me to be MORE so I can give Him glory in the process.

         So, take heart in the fact that whatever you’re going through today, it’s only happening because God gave His stamp of approval.. He knows you can not only handle it, but you can overcome it. You will stand on top stand on top of your Mt. Testimony, because before that mountain ever came in to existence, this profound truth existed before the beginning of time— God is God.