Chase Joy Anyway

07/14/2026

Sweet and short wisdom for today. 🌻

07/13/2026

What if joy isn’t something you find… but something you notice.

Joy doesn’t always arrive in fireworks.

Sometimes it comes softly—a quiet morning, a warm cup of coffee, a wagging tail, sunlight spilling across the window, or one deep breath before the day begins.

Today, I’m choosing the small things. Like my first cup of coffee and my Frameo.

What’s one little thing bringing you joy today? 🌿💛

07/12/2026

The day that life as I knew it changed. Stage 4 appendix cancer. Prognosis doesn't look good...What??? I have been healthy my entire life and tried to take good care of myself, how are we here???

First off, what is ACPMP - Appendix Cancer / Pseudomyxoma Peritonei Research Foundation cancer? Who gets that? A very rare form of cancer and the type I have is one of the rarest types of appendix cancer.

Those words turned my world upside down. Suddenly, my days became filled with appointments, scans, treatments, surgeries and questions I never imagined I'd have to ask.

I still can't believe it some days now 3 years later. If I am honest, there are still moments of fear and uncertainty. Moments when I wonder what the future holds.

But I also have moments filled with incredible hope.
Cancer has taught me that joy isn't the absence of hardship-it's the choice we make in the middle of it. It has deepened my faith, strengthened my relationships, and reminded me never to take an ordinary day for granted.

I'm sharing my story because appendix cancer is rare, and many people have never even heard of it. If my journey helps raise awareness, encourages someone to listen to their body, ask more questions, or give hope to someone facing their own battle, then sharing is worth it.

Even in the hardest seasons, joy is still possible.

07/11/2026

Today being my birthday and reflecting on that, if you had asked me a year ago what this birthday would look like, I don’t think I would have imagined it.

There were moments filled with fear, uncertainty, tears, and so many questions. But there were also moments of incredible grace, answered prayers, and reminders that joy doesn’t disappear just because life gets hard.

Today, I get to celebrate another trip around the sun. I’m reminded that hope has a way of showing up when we least expect it.

I’m grateful for another year of life, for the people who have walked beside me, and for every little reminder that joy is still worth chasing. Thank you especially to the incredible woman in this picture that gave me the gift of this amazing life.

Thank you for being part of this community. Whether you’re celebrating today or just trying to make it through, I’m cheering you on.

What Joy are you chasing today? 🌻

07/10/2026

07/09/2026

Some mornings, joy doesn’t come naturally.

Some mornings you have to choose it before you feel it.

Life doesn’t always get easier overnight. Prayers aren’t always answered on our timeline. Doors don’t always open when we hope they will.

But I’ve learned that joy isn’t pretending everything is okay.

Joy is trusting that God is still working, even when I can’t see it yet.

Today I’m choosing gratitude over fear, hope over discouragement, and faith over what I can’t control.

If today feels heavy, know you’re not walking through it alone.

07/08/2026

Some days joy comes easily.

Days like yesterday, I had to intentionally choose it because life felt heavy all day for me.

I’ve learned joy comes from looking for the little gifts God places in front of us—even in seasons we’d never choose.

Today I’m choosing gratitude for another morning.
For the people I love.
For the lessons I’ve learned.
For the hope that’s still growing.

If today feels heavy, you don’t have to have everything figured out. Just take the next step. Look for one reason to smile. Trust God with the rest.

What’s one small thing you’re grateful for today? 💙

07/06/2026

People sometimes ask if choosing joy has become easier for me.

The truth is… it’s still a choice.

Not because my life is perfect.
Not because every day feels hopeful.
Not because I’ve forgotten the hard parts of my cancer journey.

It’s a choice I make over and over again.

There are days when fear tries to be louder than hope. There are days when uncertainty wants my attention. On those days, I come back to the same truth that has carried me through it all: God has been faithful.

My circumstances have changed many times, but His faithfulness hasn’t.

Choosing joy doesn’t mean pretending everything is okay. For me, it means trusting that even in the middle of unanswered questions, God is still present, still good, and still writing my story.

That’s why this page exists.

Not because I’ve mastered joy, but because I’m learning to chase it every single day.

If you’re in a hard season today, my prayer is that you find one small reason to keep chasing joy anyway. 💙

07/04/2026

Some days, joy doesn’t just show up. I have to go chase it.

When you find yourself on a cancer journey you learn a lot. I learned joy isn’t about waiting for good circumstances. It’s a decision I make, even on the hard days.

That’s the whole reason this page exists — to chase joy anyway, on purpose, every day.

What’s one thing you’re chasing joy over today?

07/02/2026

As we begin a new month, I’ve been thinking about what it really means to choose joy…

Some days, chasing joy doesn’t look like smiling.

It looks like getting out of bed when your heart feels heavy.

It looks like making the doctor’s appointment you’ve been dreading.

It looks like caring for someone you love, even when you’re exhausted.

It looks like taking one deep breath and believing tomorrow might be a little better.

I’ve learned that joy isn’t pretending everything is okay. Joy is choosing hope in the middle of uncertainty. It’s celebrating the small victories, finding gratitude in ordinary moments, and refusing to let the hard days define the whole story.

If you’re walking through cancer, caregiving, grief, or simply a season that feels overwhelming, I want you to know this:

You don’t have to have it all together today.

Just take the next step.

And if today all you can do is breathe…that’s enough.

💙 What is one small thing you’re grateful for today. I’d love to hear about it in the comments.