Parenting | Be Not Afraid

I Will Rise

April 25, 2013 by allisonbenotafraid

I’ve been running with Cancer to 5k, a program that trains cancer survivors for a 5k for free, for a little over a month now. And last night, as I ran with three “sherpas” (volunteers who either have had cancer or been touched by cancer) by my side, I felt strong. I had only run twenty minutes or so, and by no means quickly. Every three minutes I had taken a one-minute break to walk. But I had made it […]

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Categories: Cancer, Faith, Music, Parenting • Tags: Cancer, Cancer to 5k, Christianity, Family, Jesus, Lymphoma, Running

7 Quick Takes

January 11, 2013 by allisonbenotafraid

Hello all! I’m back to share some happenings in the McGinley world! 1. Jen at Conversion Diary has been having some serious health problems (pulmonary embolisms in her lungs) and is not only pregnant, but a busy mother of five children (not to mention an incredible writer.) Please join me in keeping her in your prayers in a special way during this time. 2. Speaking of Jen, Mike and I recently used her Saint’s Name Generator to select a “Saint […]

Categories: 7 Quick Takes, Cancer, Faith, Music, Parenting • Tags: 7 Quick Takes, Anniversary, Cancer, Family, Life, Motherhood, Prayer

Savor the Moment: All Things Made New

June 1, 2012 by allisonbenotafraid

Almost six years ago, I lived with my sister Rebecca in New York City. I was a new graduate of Notre Dame out to change the world and find my purpose in life. My sister was an actress striving to share her talent with the world and her big heart with someone with equal passion for life. I was a nanny for a family dealing with quite a few difficulties – a toddler who often struck out violently, the possibility […]

Categories: Faith, Parenting, Relationships • Tags: Christianity, Family, Hope, Life, Motherhood, Sisters

Savor the Moment: The Joy of Merely Being Alive

May 25, 2012 by allisonbenotafraid

Today, while John Paul took an unusually long afternoon nap, I went on a vacation. That is, in my backyard. I set up the baby monitor on the patio, and with the sound of my sweet boy’s steady breathing in the background, I sat in a rocking chair and drank a glass of wine. I subdued my desire to either check email on my phone, call a friend, get up and clean the house, or run to the front door […]

Categories: Cancer, Faith, Parenting • Tags: Happiness, Hope, Life, Wine

Pressing On

May 13, 2012 by allisonbenotafraid

Last week, my sweet boy stood on his tippy toes, reached further than I’d ever seen him reach, caught the hook of my mug that was still sitting on the Keurig machine, and attempted to drink the freshly brewed coffee. In horror, I watched as the mischievous smile on his face turned to an open-mouthed scream. In shock, I rushed to his side and tried to soothe him. And in grief, I cried steadily for the next six hours as […]

Categories: Cancer, Faith, Parenting • Tags: Christianity, Hope, Mother's Day, Motherhood

A Heart Like Mary

April 6, 2012 by allisonbenotafraid

Last week, John Paul and I enjoyed a perfect spring day. The weather was gorgeous, the flowers were blooming, and John Paul and I were both feeling well. Memories of PET scans, surgeries, needles, PICC lines, NICU stays, and cancer seemed far away. We had a wonderful time playing in the yard, exploring a park nearby, and saying hello to the many neighbors out and about. As I took in the day, I couldn’t help but feel how quickly these […]

Categories: Cancer, Faith, Parenting • Tags: Baby, Christianity, Crucifixion, Good Friday, Holy Mary, Jesus, Suffering

Be Not Afraid

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