The Light Within - Ali’s Healing Story

  Today I turn 53.  Birthdays used to be about getting older. Now they feel different. As I celebrate another year of life, I’m also celebrating my three-year “cancerversary” — the season that changed everything. Three years ago today we unknowingly walked into the darkest chapter of our life. We didn’t know what was coming, but God did. Looking back now, I can clearly see two versions of my life: before cancer and after cancer. There are things I miss about the woman I was before. She lived with the quiet assumption that tomorrow was guaranteed. She spent too much energy worrying about things that, in the grand scheme of life, didn’t really matter. Cancer took some things from me. It took my innocence. It took my sense of certainty. It changed relationships. It left scars that aren’t always visible. But it also gave me gifts I never would have chosen, yet wouldn’t trade. It taught me to slow down. I no longer save adventures for “someday” because I’ve learned that someday isn...

  “ Some seasons teach us to celebrate, others teach us to endure—but every season is preparing us for the growth God has ahead. ”  — Ali Sabino  There are seasons when life doesn’t make sense. Seasons when someone you trusted reveals a side of themselves you never imagined existed. Seasons that leave you questioning what happened, searching for answers, and carrying a hurt you never expected. I’ve been walking through one of those seasons. I’ve prayed over their intentions. I’ve prayed over my own heart. I’ve asked God to help me understand not only what happened, but how He wants me to respond. The beautiful thing about our God is that He doesn’t leave us to figure it out alone. I’ve never heard His voice audibly, but I have learned to recognize the countless ways He speaks. Sometimes it’s a Bible verse that seems to leap off the page. Sometimes it’s a devotional that answers the very question I’ve been asking. Sometimes it’s an unexpected text or phone call from someon...