² There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. ³ What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs. (Luke 12:2-3.)

I have a very inquisitive nature – always have, always will – and have a difficult time trusting people. I rely on my inner-knowing to discern fact from fiction. That inner-knowing is God. He leads me on the path to discover the answers that I seek. I have been steeped in research and reflection for nearly two years and have gathered enough information to fill a lengthy book. When I penned, Mirror of the Soul: A Flutist’s Reflections, I cited over fifty sources to shine the light of truth and establish my credibility as an author. One of my professors in graduate school instilled in me the importance of thorough research – dissecting, analyzing from all angles and creatively revealing truth. When I was in graduate school, I was in the presence of greatness in the form of a world-class Philadelphia Orchestra flutist/mentor and a Harvard-educated/Oxford-published professor. The greatest gifts I received from them were the lifelong pursuit of excellence and the ability to uncover the truth for myself. I was an open vessel to learning, but I did not trust the information until it was verified from every angle of research. I was not blind when I earned my master’s degree at age 23, and since then, my vision has become clearer every day – thanks be to God!

When I was working on my first book, I filled the pages with Bible verses to support my arguments. At the time, I did not believe that every verse I quoted was to be taken literally, but I have since changed my mind. For the past three decades, I dabbled in the idea that pure evil did not really exist but was merely a consequence of fear. I didn’t really believe in the power of the devil or in the existence of hell, but again, I have changed my mind. It is very easy to embrace the darkness because it can be so creatively disguised by what appears to be light. The devil’s greatest power is deception, but there is no greater conqueror of this deception than God! Through His word He promises that “every lie will be revealed.” I have done my research, connected the dots and arrived at this conclusion.

Since graduating from the University of the Arts in 1994, I have developed a huge interest in health, healing and natural medicine and have believed whole-heartedly in the mind-body connection. I believe that everything is energy, and perfect health can be restored through frequencies, which is one of the reasons why music affects so many people on a soul level. When my grandmother died in 2019 at the age of 103, I marveled at the fact that she lived so many healthy years on her own and did not have to rely on caregivers until after she turned 100. She gave birth to her third and final child at the age of 40 and did not have a personal physician until nearly 40 years later. I vividly remember her at the age of 80 and how she did not look a day over 60. She easily climbed steps, served drinks at her bar several hours a week, cleaned her house and cooked every day. My parents are now approaching 80 and do not look nearly as healthy as my grandmother did at that age. I attribute my grandmother’s more youthful appearance and physical health and flexibility to the complete absence of pharmaceutical drugs in her daily living and her faith in God. She did not start popping pills until after she was admitted to a nursing home a few months after her hundredth birthday. My parents have been taking pharmaceutical drugs for decades – statins, antacids, proton-pump inhibitors, beta-blockers, diuretics, etc. They never wanted to hear about natural alternatives because the appeal of a quick fix was far superior to a lifestyle change. When one embarks on the journey to natural healing, he is in it for the long haul and must patiently await results – much like learning an instrument. After decades of private teaching, I am convinced that the biggest deterrent to continuing study on an instrument is that instant gratification is forever elusive, and progress is seen only after weeks and months of diligent practice. It cannot compete with the entertainment value of a favorite video game!

I grew up believing that “money was the root of all evil,” but again, I have changed my mind. Money can be used to do tremendous good, but it is the love of money that is the “root of all evil.” Our healthcare system is big business. Physicians are not schooled in nutrition, natural alternatives nor in the long-term side effects of the drugs they prescribe. They push pills because of the perks they receive from the pharmaceutical companies, as do the drug reps that distribute the pills. It is hard for these reps to resist the perk of several cruises per year! Vitamins cannot be patented, and a healthy patient is not good for business.

In January of 2017, one of my high school classmates died from lymphoma. At one time, we were very close because he was a fellow flutist with the drive and enthusiasm to match my own! We had lost touch for several years, but when he heard that I was getting married, he wished to speak with me. We chatted a few weeks after he had completed a round of chemotherapy. He told me he was frustrated because after all of the treatment he had undergone, his arm was as large as a tree trunk, and he could not move it, let alone play the flute. He was going to try another round of chemo, and if it didn’t work, he wished to go the natural cure route. He told me he was convinced that science had discovered the cure for cancer but was keeping it hidden because it was more profitable for all involved in the treatment. At the time, I did not share his views because that idea seemed way too diabolical for my taste. One would have to be criminally insane to perpetuate that type of hoax in order to earn a buck! I no longer feel that way. I participated in a webinar that was hosted by Chris Wark. He received a stage 4 cancer diagnosis and chose the road less traveled – sans chemo. I enthusiastically share his website here: https://www.chrisbeatcancer.com. I am not a scientist, but I have an uncanny ability to discern fact from fiction. With this link, I am merely providing information and food for thought. Do the research, connect the dots, draw your own conclusions, and above all, PRAY!

This is the first blog I have written in over a year. I have been itching to write but have been tied up with other projects and have been mentally exhausted. My most highly read blog, which reached nearly 600 people on LinkedIn, included information about a little boy that was very near and dear to my heart – Nathan (Gray) the Superhero. When I had shared his story, I had asked my readers to pray for him and his family. Sadly, Nathan died on 6 January 2022. There are no words to communicate the utter devastation his family is feeling. He died at home. The tributes I have seen on social media are a testament to the love and immense purpose of his short life. There is no doubt in my mind that he was welcomed into the Kingdom of God with open arms and that he is watching over his loved ones. In the words of his mom, “He should be here,” but if God had to take him, he is surely making Heaven brighter than the sun. My parents attended his wake service where he was wrapped in a Winnie-the-Pooh blanket, with his casket flanked by orange balloons. Orange was Nathan’s favorite color. I cannot wrap my mind around the treatment he endured: 221 doses of chemo, 3 doses of a trial drug for mutation, 26 surgeries, 17 chest tubes, 33 days radiation (not including liquid radiation dumped directly into his lung as a trial), 3 rounds of palliative radiation (15 days total), an inhibitor, a literal hole in his chest leading directly out from where it broke open post chest tube due to the inhibitor, over 100 blood and platelets transfusions and three referrals to hospice. Nathan, your short life astronomically impacted so many others. Well done, good and faithful servant!

On the recommendation of a friend, I joined a group on Facebook – Three Days of Darkness: Catholic Prophecy. I had been enjoying reading many historical articles that were being posted by the group’s members when I happened to see numerous prayer requests being asked for a 13-year-old boy named Carson Dimsdale from Oklahoma. Carson had been battling leukemia for over five years. When he was first diagnosed, his blood was 85% leukemia. His parents were desperately searching for a cure and tried chemo and bone marrow transplants. His mom posted on Facebook:

With all the odds against him we started another trial VenAML. We are begging and pleading for a 3rd transplant at this point and a chance to finally get Carson’s Cure! God has been with him every step of the way and Carson believes that his purpose is to bring others closer to God through all of this. He has FAITH, we have FAITH, not in what the world is telling us but in our God who has overcome this broken world! Handing this battle over to him Please Lord do it again!!!

Carson had people all over the world praying for him but unfortunately died on 6 July 2022 – six months to the day of Nathan Gray’s death. In Carson’s final days, his parents were informed that the leukemia was 100% in Carson’s blood and organs. The outpouring of love on social media has been overwhelming. I was hoping and praying for a different outcome. The deaths of these two kids have only made me appreciate my sister’s healing from leukemia all those years ago. If her outcome had been different, we wouldn’t have our precious nephew, AJ. I love that little boy like he was my own. I cannot say enough about that kid! He is curious, inquisitive, loving, happy-go-lucky, mischievous and oh-so-smart. My husband and I cannot get enough of him! Everything about him melts our hearts.

My husband, Jay, is an avid golfer and plays on two different leagues. On Thursday nights after a round of golf, we have dinner with his buddies. One of the older men in the league has a set of twin grandsons that are three years old and were born one day before our nephew, AJ. One of his grandsons was diagnosed with leukemia on New Year’s Day this year. He is currently undergoing treatment at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. I pray for a complete and lasting cure. Children are gifts from God and do not deserve to suffer any trauma. Dear God, please save the children!

On a happier note, Jay and I celebrated our fifth anniversary on 15 July 2022. We traveled to Niagara Falls last weekend for a short getaway. We got engaged at Niagara Falls in September of 2016, so returning to such a beautiful place was just what the doctor ordered. We love watching the water! Nothing heals the soul quite like water. We hiked around the state park last Saturday and then cooled off by getting soaked at the Cave of the Winds. There is nothing quite like the hurricane deck. As soon as the water splashed my face, I could see clearer than I have in a long time. It was magical! The Maid of the Mist was just as refreshing. I have always loved the ocean and listening to the surf, but the sound of the falls is much more constant. The rushing water washes the darkness away. There are hidden messages in water if one only takes the time to listen. God is good and will bring us through the darkness and into the light. My prayer is a safe journey for all!