If you follow me, you know how excited I get about my annual One Word focus. But I don’t choose my word, it’s actually chosen for me. How?

When I start seeing and hearing a particular word, I start paying closer attention and praying to see if it’s “the one”.  But even after God clearly reveals the word, I never truly understand the meaning behind the choice, until I can view the year in hindsight.

In late fall/early winter 2015, Rise kept crossing my path. I soon knew it was my 2016 word. I thought I knew what it meant, but a few months in, I realized I was going to have to rise above some really tough situations. And things were already rough, as we struggled to protect one of our grandsons from things no child should endure.

I was in another Jobette season, where life knocks you down, but you struggle back to your knees, only to have another tsunami of crisis sweep your feet from beneath you. But no circumstance can keep you down when God is on your side. He may let you go through hard times, but He will not leave you alone or forsake you to deal with it by yourself.

In 2017, Reset became my One Word focus. It kept me clear and centered, so that no matter what we faced, (and true to pattern, it was a lot), day by day, step by step, choice by choice, and prayer by prayer, I began to climb out of the murky madness. Relationally, financially, emotionally, mentally, and physically, I mercifully made progress.

Though life isn’t perfect, and there’s much more work to be done, I’m getting there. And one of the areas I’m most excited about is my health.

When Reset was unveiled, I had no idea I would need a complete health overhaul. It was another example of One Word surprises — something I’m now accustomed to. But life’s an adventure, right?

In April, I saw a doctor about the lump on my neck. I’d read and researched enough to feel confident it was my swollen thyroid, and the physician confirmed. He ordered an ultrasound. But only three days later, my husband had an early morning heart attack.

Thankfully, I was home and not speaking in another state, so at my insistence, my stubborn man went to the hospital. When he didn’t argue, I knew it was serious. Sure enough, the first hospital referred him to another, where they discovered both 95% and 40% blockages in his arteries. Stents, great surgeons, and a greater God saved him. But of course, this meant my health issues were put on hold.

When I finally saw my doctor again, a few months later, I had read a couple of interesting books and wanted to try a completely natural treatment, versus jumping into man-made chemicals. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m grateful for modern medicine, but sometimes I think we grab for easy pills, instead of at least trying to work with God’s built-in healing mechanisms.

So for both my body’s sake and financial reasons, with my doctor’s approval, I chose to try a natural thyroid protocol. I based it on hours of research, and the core foundation of a book titled, Hashimoto’s Protocol, by Izabella Wentz. For almost 90 days, I’ve stringently watched what entered my body, and protected it fiercely from outside stressors and physical pressures. (This is day 80.) I’m thrilled to report it worked.

I’ve run out of room today, but be assured and stay tuned, because I will talk about this in more detail very soon. And I will offer you specifics regarding what I’ve done to reset my body’s internal thermometer, plus I’ll share some health results. I’m not a physician or pharmacist, so I am not suggesting treatment for anyone else, only sharing what worked for me. If you’re interested in trying this for yourself, see your doctor, and make medically informed decisions.

This year, my One Word once again surprised me, but this time, in a very exciting way. I don’t despise the tough times, because every challenge, as well as every celebration, teaches me something. And when I’m open and listening to it, everything I experience, helps shape my abundant purpose for breathing on this planet.

Do you do a One Word focus? If so, what is your current One Word?

Anita Agers Brooks motivates 21st century women and men to dynamic break-throughs, blending mind, heart, body, and spirit, as an Inspirational Business/Life Coach, International Speaker, Certified Personality Trainer, and Common Trauma Expert.

A multi-published, award-winning author, Anita’s titles reach a wide range of audiences in the Christian and general marketplaces. Her books include the Amazon Best Seller and Readers’ Favorite International Award Winner, Getting Through What You Can’t Get Over, Barbour Publishing. Her latest book, Exceedingly: Stories, Skills, and Strategies for Unearthing Your Abundant Purpose, releases in 2019 with Kregel Publishing. You can find her titles at most bookstores and online retailers.

Anita fulfills her mission to help people make fresh starts with fresh faith, sharing hope and healing from the page and the stage. Connect and keep up with Anita on social media or at anitabrooks.com. Email anita@anitabrooks.com for more information or to inquire about having her speak to your group.

I’m not quite sure where to begin. You know those periods of life where you have a plan, but then life seems to have an entirely different one? Yeah, that just happened.

When I left you last, I had just come off of a heavy six week travel schedule and jumped immediately into last minute wedding prep for my oldest son. Then, disaster…

A couple of days before his marriage, my son’s back went out. It was so bad, he could barely stand through the ceremony with his new bride. As a mom, my heart cracked when streams of sweat poured off his face and tremors racked his body, as he struggled to stay on his feet. He was hunched over like a 100-year-old man.

What a horrible way to start such an important new chapter of your life — it seemed unfair. After the wedding, while my sweet daughter-in-love worked, my son needed someone to sit with him. This required strategic scheduling for various family members to spend the day. Watching my grown child grimace at the tiniest move added to the emotional weight I carried.

We prayed and prayed for his relief, however, as I’ve known for years, God’s timing isn’t mine. Faith isn’t about getting what you want, faith is about trusting even when you don’t. As the weeks wore on, our concerns raised. A month in, after multiple medical visits and attempts at treatment, no improvement. And the word surgery entered the conversation. But we barely had time to register the possibility before life tossed another curve ball our direction.

It was a Friday morning. Through a groggy mind, I realized I heard my husband in the shower. This may not be unusual for some, but in our household, I’m the morning bather, while he showers at night. But tired as I was, I drifted back to sleep. It didn’t take long for him to wake me up again, this time alarmed.

I heard my honey groan and say, “This is stupid.”

“Are you all right?” I half-heartedly asked.

“Not really. My chest hurts.”

I leaned up on an elbow as my pulse speeded up. “What do you mean your chest hurts? Are you having sharp pains? Do you feel anything in either of your arms?”

“I don’t know. I mean, it’s like there’s pressure, but every once in a while I feel a sharper pain. And my left arm hurts. I probably pulled something when I was carrying my boat batteries yesterday. Do we have any aspirin?”

“Yes!” I ran to the kitchen and grabbed three baby aspirin out of the cabinet so he could chew and swallow them. “We’re going to the hospital.”

When he didn’t argue, I knew something was seriously wrong.

At the hospital, though his EKG came back normal, his blood work did not. His heart enzymes were extremely high. We were quickly sent to a larger facility in St. Louis and during a heart cath, the cardiologist discovered one are of an artery with 95% blockage, with 40% in another. The heart muscle was damaged, but thankfully, only moderately so. According to the medical team, those three baby aspirin may have kept his heart attack from mushrooming into a major or even fatal event.

Two days later, he was home recovering, so I prepared to get back into the routine of helping sit with our son while I worked around it. Until the next thing happened.

My eye disease flared up not once, but twice in two weeks. Though I was fighting it, discouragement began to gain ground.

At my lowest point, I questioned whether I could or should continue pursuing the writing and speaking career I loved — and felt called to. But God stepped in with a surprising encouragement.

My phone rang and a voice on the other end identified herself as a woman who had heard me speak during my crazy busy travel weeks. Then she gushed, “I had to call and tell you that I just finished reading Getting Through What You Can’t Get Over, and it’s one of the best books I’ve ever read. I feel like I was supposed to thank you for using your talents to help other people.”

Since the beginning of the year, a lot has happened. But as I’d learned in the past, I chose to trust God while my emotions ran haywire. I do not regret that decision. He came through, as He always ultimately does.

• My son had his surgery last week, and though his recovery won’t come overnight, we already see dramatic improvements.
• My husband is doing great.
• And my eyes are back to normal.

Someone recently asked me if I would still praise God if things had turned out differently. I have to say, “Yes.”

I would grieve. Life would grind to a temporary halt. But I would still refuse my feelings the opportunity to supercede my faith.

Life may blindside me, and some of those events may cause delays, but I refuse to allow them to defeat me. I will continue to tell myself and others, “It’s never too late for a fresh start with fresh faith.”

Anita Fresh Faith

What necessitates your resolve to exercise faith over your fears?

Anita Brooks, CPT, CLTF, CCS, motivates others to dynamic break-throughs. Blending mind, heart, body, and spirit, as an Inspirational Business/Life Coach, International Speaker, and Common Trauma Expert. She shares hope and encouragement on the stage and from the page — reminding 21st century audiences, “It’s never too late for a fresh start with fresh faith.”

Anita is also a multi-published, award-winning author. Her most recent titles include Readers’ Favorite International and Florida Authors and Publisher’s Association Award Winner: Getting Through What You Can’t Get Over, Barbour Publishing, and Death Defied-Life Defined: A Miracle Man’s Memoir, Clovercroft Publishing. All of her titles are available at major and independent bookstores as well as from online retailers.

Anita is quoted as saying, “Reading is my obsession while writing is my compulsion.” Anita’s passion is inspiring others to transform life’s battles into lasting victories, a superior quality of life, and an abundant purpose.

For pure pleasure, Anita’s favorite pastime is watching sunsets with her husband of thirty-three years, while they laugh and dip their toes in a Missouri river or lake. She adores her grandchildren, but she also wants to hear about those you love.

Follow Anita’s Fresh Faith Inspirations, to get your weekly dose of hope and encouragement. You can connect with Anita on Facebook, YouTube, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Periscope, and Twitter. Email anita@anitabrooks.com to request information on having Anita inspirationally speak or train at your next event.