Celebrating Cancer Survivors and a Son, 22 Years Cancer-free

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Celebrating Cancer Survivors and a Son, 22 Years Cancer-free

Today I’m celebrating Cancer Survivors, those brave but suffering souls who have battled and prayed and cried and begged and pushed through . . . or maybe who have suffered in silence and pushed through inspite of it all. All were scared and maybe still are.

I’m celebrating the loved ones who suffered alongside and didn’t run away from the “not knowing” . . . who cried and prayed and begged and never gave up….

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Celebrating Love, Life, & a Son, 20 Years Cancer-free

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Celebrating Love, Life, & a Son, 20 Years Cancer-free

This month is a special month. This month I celebrate my darling son and his amazing, godly life that our sovereign Father God spared 20 years ago ... and not only spared, but brought to abundant fruitfulness inside and out! Can I tell you the story? 

Twenty years ago on February 13, 1998, my beautiful baby boy, Jeremy John Loyd, was diagnosed with thyroid cancer.  OK, he wasn't a baby at the time...he was 20 years old and a sophomore at Grace College.  But as every one of you moms knows, your baby is always your baby.

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Life to Life...Celebrating Love, Life, & and a Little Boy all Grown Up

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Today I'm celebrating "Life to Life" and a precious little boy, all grown up...all by the grace of our sovereign Father God!

Fifteen years ago today, February 13, 1998 (Friday the 13th for those of you who may be superstitious), my beautiful baby boy Jeremy John Loyd was diagnosed with thyroid cancer.  OK, he wasn't a baby at the time...he was 20 years old and a sophomore at Grace College.  But as every one of you moms knows, your baby is always your baby.

This was the same son I prayed for, gave birth to, sang hymns to while nursing, taught Scriptures and stories, cried over, laughed with, read to, taught and eventually launched into young adult life.  How could this be happening?!

To say the diagnosis was a shock is an understatement.  It was an incredible shaking...but also a perfect, but painful, opportunity to be "carried by Arms much bigger than our own."  We saw our son, on the brink of adulthood, walk through the trial of his life with grace, courage, and the strength of an Almighty Savior in the midst of his fear.

And oh the prayers that were answered!

  • and of course, many more...thank you to all who prayed!

So today I'm remembering and celebrating LIFE...Jeremy's beautiful, precious, God-honoring LIFE!

For those of you who know our son, you are incredibly blessed!  You know him as a loving, caring, humble, gifted, talented man who is faithful to his God, his wife, his sons, his family, and his friends and colleagues.  Can you imagine life without him?  I can't!

And so my treasured gift of a son, my Jeremy John Loyd,

Today I celebrate your life...and God's incredible mercy! And how I thank God for preserving your life cancer-free these 15 years in addition to your 20! May He give you many more for His honor and glory and for the joy and delight of all who know you!

With love and prayers as long as there's breath,

Your grateful Mom

I love you up to the moon And I love you big as the sky I love to watch you when you sleep I love to hold you when you cry

One day when you're older And taller than me I'll say I watched you grow Like a beautiful tree

I love you up to the moon And I love you big as the sky You'll always be my little man I love you the best that a mama can

And one day if you rise up And call me blessed I'll say it was a joy To give you my best

'Cause I love you up to the moon I love you big as the sky I love you up to the moon I love you up to the moon