My mother was diagnosed with stage three cancer in 2020. It was at the height of the pandemic, and I had just secured a position in day-to-day management with rapper, radio, and TV personality Yung Joc. Little did I know that he was able to understand what I was going through with my mom, as he too was experiencing a cancer diagnosis with his own mother. Being so far away from home during such a critical time where I couldn’t really visit my mother due to the national restrictions on travel, crossing state lines, and even entering hospitals; life got really hard, really fast. However, I am a firm believer in God‘s work, God‘s will, and God having His way. Watching Joc maintain such positivity during such difficult times was beyond inspiring for me. Once travel restrictions began to relax, Joc provided me with a level of support and flexibility to know that I could travel home, take care of my mother, and still come back and have a job. Over the years it’s been a roller coaster. Life doesn’t stop just because you have a life-changing incident. Throughout this time, I’ve lost close friends, I’ve had financial hindrances, and I’ve had major business complications. It really got tough, yet it was in choosing to still trust God, maintain a positive attitude, and stay grateful for my blessings that I saw God’s hand continue to work in my favor. Throughout this entire process, I’ve remained as faithful as I could; the harder it got, the more faith-filled I became because I continued to acknowledge the blessings in it all. Last month, I watched the health of Joc’s mom decline. It was very overwhelming. His mother sadly passed recently. What I found amazing was how positive he remained and how many of their family members rallied around to show love and support and encouragement, not only his mother during her decline, but also to him and his brother as well. Watching Joc’s diligence and strength, as he continued to move forward was breathtaking. I’m not sure what I expected to see, but what I saw poured into me to let me know that I will be OK, no matter the outcome. There were several things I needed to understand: my relationship with God, that God does not make mistakes, but He is a perfect God, that no matter what I do or how I do it, I am not in control, that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord, and to be present with the Lord is a blessing and beyond. So, to anybody who is possibly experiencing something of this magnitude where you have a loved one, specifically a parent who is terminally ill, stay in prayer because that is going to be your only saving grace. God WILL come through. I can’t tell people or even advise you who to believe in, but you have to believe in something; a higher power, other than yourself to have refuge and peace.
