MY LIFE Matters - Winter 2023/2024 - 28

Finding Faith Through Adversity THE CHOICE TO HAVE FAITH
I Choose Faith Over Fear
NEOSHO C. PONDER, PHD, TIGERLILY LEAD ANGEL ADVOCATE
FINANCIAL INSECURITY, MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES,
DEATHS OF LOVED ONES, and more. There had to have
been a three-year schedule!
After prayer and reflection, there were three pivotal moments
throughout my traumatic three-year journey that tested my
faith-becoming homeless, contemplating self-harm, and living
with a severe radiation burn. I vividly remember choosing faith
over fear in those dark moments and at times, laughing at my
situation, which also helped me remain faithful.
Excerpt from God's Got Jokes: How I Used My Faith and God's
Humor to Survive Breast Cancer:
I
28
t has been seven years since I was asked those two questions:
Are you Christian? Do you have family here? It was the day
when doves cried.
Almost two weeks prior to those two questions, after
discovering the lump in my left breast, God said, " This is
why you can't find a job. I have a bigger job for you. " This was
the first time in my life that I can remember putting my faith
over my fear. Later that night, I told God that I wasn't ready, and
he responded that I had to fight. That is what I have been doing
since April 2016, fighting. God gives us free will, as depicted in
the film, Bruce Almighty, but what we do with that free will is
what faith over fear means to me. It is a choice. That night, I made
a choice to fight for my life, and I did.
In addition to fighting for my life, I fought for my sanity. If one
thing did not happen, another did. It was almost like the universe
had a " FAITH TEST " schedule and on it was HOMELESSNESS,
MY LIFE MATTERS
FAITH OVER FEAR | WINTER 2023-2024
Early on in my journey, I began to recite
the mantra, " faith and prayer do not
go with fear and worry. " I practiced
faith and prayer over fear and worry
throughout each battle because I knew
that was exactly what I needed to win
the war. This practice allowed me to see
all the hilarious things that happen to
us that we can't explain. I laughed until
I cried, but I also prayed and did not lose
my faith. (Though I won't lie; it wavered
a little.)
- Authors note, p.11
There were moments when I felt like giving up, like literally,
throwing in the towel! However, the way my faith is set up, I just
pushed through and overcame, obstacle after obstacle . . . after
obstacle. After finishing seven years of graduate school, I was ready
to take on the world. Then, on Friday, April 8, 2016, at 5:37 p.m.,
I discovered " Clarence, " the 2.8 cm tumor in my left breast. My
first and last mammogram was the day when doves cried, Thursday,
April 21, 2016. Ironically, it was also the same day that the
artist, Prince, passed away. After the radiologist asked me those

MY LIFE Matters - Winter 2023/2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of MY LIFE Matters - Winter 2023/2024

Contents
MY LIFE Matters - Winter 2023/2024 - Cover1
MY LIFE Matters - Winter 2023/2024 - Cover2
MY LIFE Matters - Winter 2023/2024 - 1
MY LIFE Matters - Winter 2023/2024 - Contents
MY LIFE Matters - Winter 2023/2024 - 3
MY LIFE Matters - Winter 2023/2024 - 4
MY LIFE Matters - Winter 2023/2024 - 5
MY LIFE Matters - Winter 2023/2024 - 6
MY LIFE Matters - Winter 2023/2024 - 7
MY LIFE Matters - Winter 2023/2024 - 8
MY LIFE Matters - Winter 2023/2024 - 9
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MY LIFE Matters - Winter 2023/2024 - 11
MY LIFE Matters - Winter 2023/2024 - 12
MY LIFE Matters - Winter 2023/2024 - 13
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MY LIFE Matters - Winter 2023/2024 - 16
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MY LIFE Matters - Winter 2023/2024 - 18
MY LIFE Matters - Winter 2023/2024 - 19
MY LIFE Matters - Winter 2023/2024 - 20
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MY LIFE Matters - Winter 2023/2024 - 28
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MY LIFE Matters - Winter 2023/2024 - Cover3
MY LIFE Matters - Winter 2023/2024 - Cover4
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