cancer survivor

Thriving Through the Unexpected

“Help me not to let unexpected events throw me off course. Instead of getting upset or anxious, I want to respond calmly and confidently—remembering that You are with me.” Jesus Listens, November 3 In the years since I found out I had cancer, plenty of people have asked me why I think I got sick in the first place. Why did this happen to me? Why does cancer happen to anyone? I actually love that question, because it gives me a chance to share the story, once again, of my mother’s prophetic words. My simple answer is that this happened to me because I was chosen. A Legacy of Firsts If you know anything about me, it’s probably that I’ve been blessed with many opportunities to serve others by being a “first.” First Black senior class president of Kennedy High School in Richmond, California. O...

The Power of Prayer: Holly Shivers & Erin Lundmark

Our guests today have experienced the power of prayer in their lives and want to share with others what they can gain by talking to God. Holly Shivers is the author of I Can Learn the Bible and I Can Learn to Pray. Holly has served as a staff wife for over a decade at Prestonwood Baptist Church, where she stays involved in women’s and children’s ministries. Holly is passionate about encouraging both kids and adults to communicate with God through prayer. Erin Lundmark is a wife, mother and business owner.  During a standard physical Erin received some devastating news—the diagnosis of stage 4 colorectal cancer and was given just weeks to live. Erin shares how she faced this news and how her relationship with God and the prayers of others carried her through this di...

During our Hardest Times, God Is Faithful: Dr. David Jeremiah & Tracy Layman

Our guests today have experienced first hand the faithfulness of God–even in difficult times–pastor and author Dr. David Jeremiah and cancer survivor Tracy Layman. Dr. David Jeremiah is the pastor of Shadow Mountain Church and the founder of the popular radio ministry Turning Point. Dr. Jeremiah speaks to us about God’s faithfulness—-even through the difficult seasons of our lives. Tracy Layman is a wife, mother and cancer overcomer who volunteers with Compassion That Compels, an organization dedicated to bringing hope and comfort to women who have been diagnosed with cancer. Tracy Layman shares how she faced the grim news from her doctors about her cancer and how God was faithful to bring people into her life to support her and how she also felt inspired to encourage and support others fa...

Courage to Use Your Voice: Mark and Danielle Herzlich

Welcome to the Jesus Calling Podcast. Today we visit with Mark and Danielle Herzlich. Mark is a Super Bowl-winning NFL linebacker with the New York Giants. Danielle is a new mom and a captain in the U.S. Army. By the time Mark and Danielle met in college, each had faced difficult battles in their young lives. Mark was a football star, destined for the NFL, when he found out he had a life-threatening cancer. And as Danielle began college, she was putting a life of domestic abuse behind her and recovering from the terror that her abusive father brought into her home. As they were seeking God to sort out their lives, God brought them together and showed them how they could use the pain of their experiences to help others find courage through similar challenges. Courage to Use Your Voice: Mark...

Faith to Tackle Life’s Biggest Challenges: Devon Still and Keni Thomas

Devon Still and Keni Thomas have braved life-or-death moments. Now they strive to set an example for others and show them how they trusted God for His life-giving presence. First up, Devon Still is an All-American defensive end who spent his NFL career playing for the Cincinnati Bengals, Houston Texans, and New York Jets. In 2014, just weeks after his faith in God was re-ignited, Devon discovered Leah was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. He recounts a pivotal moment in a hospital chapel that changed the way he viewed his new faith and his daughter’s disease. Our next guest, country music artist, and former Army Ranger Keni Thomas, was impressed with a strong sense of duty to serve in the military. In 1993 he was deployed to Somalia, where he found himself entrenched in the horrific events po...