I just had a WEEK.

Actually two weeks. Not the worst weeks ever. Not the hardest weeks of my life by any stretch. But nearly 14 days that drained me. Tested me. Left me with lots of feelings.

It was a Thursday afternoon. I was prepping for an over-the-weekend work trip that already had me feeling somewhat overwhelmed at the thought of not having a true break for 12 consecutive days—and I was only four days in.

One day at a time, I reminded myself yet again that afternoon as I sat at my computer and took a few breaths, waiting for a remote meeting to start with my coworkers. Just then, literally one minute before the call was scheduled to begin, my husband walked through the door and announced, “Gus has cancer.”

Three words I had no time to process before joining the meeting with anxious thoughts running freely through my mind. How bad is it? Can it be treated? Will he live? Do we need to make a difficult choice? What did the vet say??

In case you’re wondering, Gus is our Old English Bulldog—and yes, we are best friends. I could not fathom losing him just then, even though he’s eleven years old and I know it’s only a matter of time. But. But. But. He’s just so full of life.

READ MORE about Gus’ spunky personality.

I mean, he’d only gone to the vet that day due to a broken nail that didn’t seem to be healing properly. But now, this seemingly minor issue had become the worst news possible: CANCER.

The moment my meeting was over, all my questions came out and my husband patiently told me what he knew. The cancer was only visible in that one toe and it was already scheduled to be amputated the following week. More testing the next day would confirm if the cancer had spread—which would determine if any other next steps were needed.

But that Thursday, we didn’t know. And suddenly, I didn’t want to go on that work trip. I didn’t want to leave. And I wouldn’t return till the day of Gus’ surgery. The unknowns felt overwhelming. The thought of working eight more days in a row felt overwhelming.

That night, I cried. Big, ugly tears.

Life felt like a LOT. I didn’t know how to deal. So I cried and I prayed for answers. I prayed that the tests would show the cancer hadn’t spread. I prayed for strength. And God gave me enough, one day at a time.

The X-ray did not reveal any other cancerous spots. Just the toe. It was the hope I needed to travel for work that weekend without falling apart. Still, the next few days were not easy. On the outside, I did my job. I went through the motions. But on the inside, my feelings were loud and exhaustion creeped in.

One day at a time. One hour at a time. One task at a time. God got me through till I could get home. Till Gus came home from his surgery. Till another work week passed and I could truly rest for two whole days.

Oh, and on top of work and Gus, I launched season 3 of my podcast and decided to be okay with doing the bare minimum to promote it that week.

Looking back, it’s wild how fast time goes, even when it seems unpleasantly slow in the moment. And that is why I try not to wish time away—even when I want to—because I know it will pass and every day is a gift. Yes, even the hard days mean I’m alive.

Bible Verses to Read When You Feel Emotionally and Mentally Drained

When life feels overwhelming, I can’t help but turn to Philippians—one of my go-to books of the Bible because of the Apostle Paul’s insights and wisdom. If you’re feeling overwhelmed today, let me share this passage with you.

Philippians 4:6-13 (ERV)

⁶ Don’t worry about anything, but pray and ask God for everything you need, always giving thanks for what you have. ⁷ And because you belong to Christ Jesus, God’s peace will stand guard over all your thoughts and feelings. His peace can do this far better than our human minds.

⁸ Brothers and sisters, continue to think about what is good and worthy of praise. Think about what is true and honorable and right and pure and beautiful and respected. ⁹ And do what you learned and received from me—what I told you and what you saw me do. And the God who gives peace will be with you.

¹⁰ I am so happy, and I thank the Lord that you have again shown your care for me. You continued to care about me, but there was no way for you to show it. ¹¹ I am telling you this, but not because I need something. I have learned to be satisfied with what I have and with whatever happens. ¹² I know how to live when I am poor and when I have plenty. I have learned the secret of how to live through any kind of situation—when I have enough to eat or when I am hungry, when I have everything I need or when I have nothing. ¹³ Christ is the one who gives me the strength I need to do whatever I must do.

I don’t know about you, but these are the reminders I need—over and over again.

• Instead of worrying, pray (v. 6)
• Peace only comes from God, not your own mind or willpower (v. 7)
• Focus on the good (v. 8)
• Remember God is with you (v. 9)
• Choose to be content no matter your circumstances (v. 11 & 12)
• Rely on God’s strength—not your own—to keep going (v. 13)

Anxiety and Gratitude

Though I’ve come a long way in my struggle with anxiety, it still surfaces and reminds me I need God. One thing that helps is focusing on hope—or believing that God’s best plan will happen. And part of that belief involves tapping into gratitude.

In this case, I am thankful we caught Gus’ cancer early, thanks to that broken nail that led us to keep a more watchful eye on that particular toe.

I am grateful it was only one toe and not his entire paw—or leg.

I am praising God that we did not have to make a hard decision. That we have more time with Gus.

And I give God the glory for helping me through the mental struggles and extra work that seemed too daunting to face.

But I also want to go back to that night I was bawling my eyes out. The first night after we received the diagnosis. After letting out my grief and feelings and anxiety through the tears streaming down my face, I prayed, But I trust You. I can’t control this. I trust You.

Choosing contentment and relying fully on God does not come easy for me. But we have to start somewhere. And for me, that night, it was praying words I didn’t want to pray, but I knew I needed to pray.

And the more I prayed them, the more I started to believe. And trust. AND let go of the outcome I wanted, no matter how badly I wanted everything to go my way—or really just go away.

Are You Feeling Mentally Drained?

First, you’re not alone.

And second, I understand that what’s wearing you down may not be work or your pet. It may feel 10x worse than that for you. I don’t know, but God does. And the same truth applies no matter how difficult your situation is right now.

It is not too big for God.

Your feelings aren’t too big for God.

Pray. Seek His peace. Give thanks. Choose contentment. And live in His strength—one day at a time.