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This piece was originally published in November 2011 by Inheritance of Hope Co-Founder Kristen Milligan. Kristen passed away from a rare liver cancer in 2012, but her legacy remains through her vision of serving other families like her own.

The LORD is my strength and my shield;
my heart trusts in him, and he helps me.
My heart leaps for joy,
and with my song I praise him.

Psalm 28:7

In January, I began training for the 2011 Marine Corp Marathon.  I had exactly ten months to prepare myself to finish 26.2 miles in less than seven hours.  I worried from day one.  I had spent the previous months recovering from a brutal surgery where doctors removed cancerous tumors from my chest cavity, the lining of my heart, my lungs, my diaphragm, and my esophagus. 

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Inheritance of Hope was founded in 2007 by Kristen and Deric Milligan, and although Kristen passed away in 2012, her legacy is timeless. 

I am a woman fighting a terminal diagnosis of stage 4 liver cancer.  But this does not define me.  I am also a wife and a mother of three young children.  My greatest struggle is not the cancer, but my efforts to balance my fight of the cancer with raising my family.  My greatest concern is not the illness, but my children and how this illness affects them.  I have watched my gentle, sweet son yell angrily at me because he does not know how to express his anger at the cancer.  I have watched my older daughter insist that her siblings not talk about the fact that I am sick.  And I have watched my baby girl ask other mothers what kind of cancer they have, assuming all mothers are like me.  How do I help them navigate the scariness of my illness?  You see, it was not only I who was diagnosed with this illness, it was my entire family.

My husband, Deric, and I founded Inheritance of Hope to serve the entire family of young parents like ourselves diagnosed with a life-threatening illness.  Through our Legacy Retreats, we offer a community where parents can encourage, support, and advise one another, and children can meet other children who understand their fears and struggles.  We offer memories that families will cherish for a lifetime, regardless of whether their parent lives a month or 60 years.  We offer resources to help navigate raising their family in the midst of crisis.  And we introduce or remind each of these families of the faith that has not only brought our own family through this time, but has also greatly blessed us in the eye of our storm.

Read more about Kristen's legacy. 

This post was originally shared by Inheritance of Hope co-founder Kristen Milligan in November of 2010.  As we prepare for our largest New York City Legacy Retreat^® yet (21 families), we look back at her reflections from the first Legacy Retreat^® there.

"They saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them.”  -- Daniel 3:27

As I write this devotional, Inheritance of Hope is hosting its first Legacy Retreat^® in New York City.  My prayer is that the seven families gathered there are being blessed with memories, community, and support, just as my life has been changed by these blessings at previous Legacy Retreats^®.  This is the first Legacy Retreat^® which I have not attended, and my heart hurts to miss meeting the families God has brought together this weekend.  Instead I am home recovering from a difficult surgery, feeling broken and useless despite wonderful family support and an ever-patient and encouraging husband.  I know those of you who have battled illness and the inevitable treatments know what I am feeling.

Inheritance of Hope co-founder Kristen Milligan died on October 26, 2012. The following is part of a Bible study series she wrote. If your church, Bible study, team, or group has interest in experiencing together this study from Kristen's unique perspective as a nine-year cancer survivor, simply contact aaron@InheritanceOfHope.org.

My plan for each week is for you to have four days of study and one day set aside for prayer or to catch up on a day missed. Perhaps this could be the day of a longer run. With three young children, our home is rarely quiet. I have recently

Inheritance of Hope co-founder Kristen Milligan died on October 26. The following is part of a Bible study series she wrote. If your church, Bible study, team, or group has interest in experiencing together this study from Kristen's unique perspective as a nine-year cancer survivor, simply contact aaron@InheritanceOfHope.org.

It is said that if Jesus had not used Lazarus’ name when he called him from the grave,

Inheritance of Hope co-founder Kristen Milligan died on October 26. The following is part of a Bible study series she wrote. If your church, Bible study, team, or group has interest in experiencing together this study from Kristen's unique perspective as a nine-year cancer survivor, simply contact aaron@InheritanceOfHope.org.

We will continue our study of strength in weakness by focusing on the character Gideon, the fifth judge chosen by God to defeat the enemies of Israel in the Book of Judges. Gideon was a man of undisputed weakness. He was the youngest, or weakest, member of the weakest family in the weakest tribe of Israel. It could be argued that he was indeed the weakest man in all of Israel. But it is this man that God chose to

Inheritance of Hope co-founder Kristen Milligan died on October 26. The following is part of a Bible study series she wrote. If your church, Bible study, team, or group has interest in experiencing together this study from Kristen's unique perspective as a nine-year cancer survivor, simply contact aaron@InheritanceOfHope.org.

As I felt led to run a marathon, I looked into the training program that was suggested by our wise Team IoH leader, Lisa, and I quickly realized that the training itself was far from my reach.  The first week began with a five mile trek, and I was having difficulty walking down the driveway.

The following is part of Inheritance of Hope co-founder Kristen Milligan's Bible study series. If your church, Bible study, team, or group has interest in experiencing together this study from Kristen's unique perspective as a nine-year cancer survivor, simply contact Aaron@InheritanceOfHope.org.

I have come across many people in the past several years who talk excitedly about a very exclusive club -- the Cancer Club. There is no ID card or dues expected when you are a member of this club. There are no official meetings, no speakers, no banquets.  The only requirement to join is an unexpected and dreaded diagnosis. It is, in essence, an imaginary club with very real members. Members who are hurting and afraid.

I have always found talk about this club a bit odd. I was resistant to joining, but apparently once you qualify you have no choice.

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