This week is a hard one for a lot of us. Twelve years ago, we lost our sense of security. And people lost their lives, their loved ones.

This week is hard for me because nine years ago yesterday (September 10), I lost my mom to cancer.

Mom and me

She fought that cancer for years, first when I was young and then again when I was a teenager. A lot of people say she “lost her battle to cancer.”

Personally, I hate that phrase.

Because in my book, my mom didn’t lose. She overcame a lot. She fought the pain every day. She loved fiercely in spite of it. She didn’t complain.

Last week, I watched the new video from Mandisa for her song, “Overcomer.” It’s so inspirational and features a lot of people who had horrible things happen to them — like Gabrielle Giffords, for example — and who overcame them with God’s help.

For my mom, “overcoming” didn’t look exactly the same. But that doesn’t mean God was any less a part of her story. He was there, helping her overcome day in and day out until He called her home.

Today, let’s celebrate all that we have overcome — all that we have yet to overcome — through the strength and grace of God, who never leaves us nor forsakes us.

Here’s a link to the video:

Mandisa’s ‘Overcomer’ Music Video World Premiere | Video – ABC News

Your Turn: When has God helped you or someone you know to overcome?

*I’m headed to the American Christian Fiction Writers conference tomorrow, so will be taking a mini blogging break. I’ll be back next week!