82: Anchored In Hope with Whitney Ernest

A swollen lump. Years of fatigue and infections. Two biopsies that said “benign.” Then the diagnosis flips everything: thyroid cancer, a fast second surgery, and the question so many of us whisper when fear is loud what do I do now?

We invited our dear friend Whitney to tell the story from the inside, not as a highlight reel but as a real cancer journey shaped by waiting, uncertainty, and the daily work of choosing trust. We talk about anchoring to Isaiah 26:3, how simplifying your life can make room for prayer, and why a small circle of friends matters when your strength runs out. Whitney also shares how worship music carried her when a thyroid nodule affected her voice and kept her from singing.

Along the way, she recounts specific moments of guidance that felt like God pulling back the curtain: the right phone call at the right time, help with overwhelming medical decisions, and an unexpected text of “hope” sent to someone else at the exact moment it was needed. We also celebrate the update everyone longs to hear, her cancer is currently undetectable, and we reflect on redemption, gratitude, and Psalm 71 as a steady closing prayer.

If you’re walking through illness, anxiety, or an uncertain season, let this conversation remind you that you’re not alone and you don’t have to do it at full speed. Subscribe for more stories of anchored hope, share this with a friend who needs steady courage, and leave a review with the line that stayed with you most.

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Transcript

Welcome And Meet Whitney

Leanne Tuggle 0:00

Friends, today I have a special conversation to share with you. My dear friend Whitney is joining me here on the show today to share a little bit of her story. And I am certain that her story will bless and encourage you. Many of you know that I often ask for your input when it comes to topics that you'd like to hear more about, or maybe even topics on how to stay anchored in hope when you are going through a difficult season. This is something that many of you requested. And as I thought about this topic, I knew that Whitney's story would be the most inspiring and hope-filled. So, Whitney, thank you so much for joining me here today and for agreeing to share your beautiful story with us. To start, can you tell us just a little bit about yourself?

Whitney Ernest 0:51

Sure. And thank you, Leanne, for having me today and for everyone listening. I am really honored to be here today and to share with you all that the Lord has done in this past season of my life. So I grew up here on the Monterey Peninsula. And I began following after the Lord as a young girl, and I walked closely with the Lord throughout my childhood and into college, where I met my husband while I was studying accounting and working towards becoming a CPA. And today we are approaching 17 years married. We have three precious children and we get to raise them here in Monterey. So I feel like we are living the dream.

Leanne Tuggle 1:41

You are. Beautiful. I love it. So, Whitney, in order to kind of give the listeners a little bit of background, would you kind of walk us through your health journey? Give us a little synopsis of that.

Whitney Ernest 1:55

Yeah. So it was, we first noticed a swollen lump in the left side of my neck in 2022. And doctors just said, let's keep an eye on it. So we did that. We had various ultrasounds. I had two benign biopsies. And let me tell you, those benign biopsies really threw us off the trail. Yeah. We had specialist consultant appointments, and ultimately it led us to schedule to have the nodule surgically removed. Okay. And that was in April of 2025. So almost a

The Long Road To Diagnosis

Whitney Ernest 2:35

year ago today. The Lord already knew He He foresaw that a year later I would be on the other side and I'd be able to share this today. Amazing. So but during this three-year period of time, I was really struggling. And my struggling turned into suffering. I had a compromised immune system. I had an inability to recover from various uh infections, extreme fatigue. I started losing my hair. And the list just goes on. I was in a downward spiral of struggling with my health. And so I was hopeful that after they removed this compromised left side of my thyroid, maybe that would be the answer. So when they when they took it out, they did a final biopsy. And at that point, they determined that it was indeed thyroid cancer.

Leanne Tuggle 3:29

Wow.

Whitney Ernest 3:29

And that that had been the culprit to causing all of the trauma in my health. And so this meant that I needed to do a quick turnaround for a second surgery. They needed to remove all remaining thyroid tissue, check the lymph nodes, you know, has the cancer spread? Is it contained? We canceled our entire summer and we made preparations to determine how to move forward and what was the best treatment plan.

Leanne Tuggle 3:55

Wow. Yeah. That's I can I can only imagine the multitude of feelings and emotions that were going through your mind, just from thinking it's benign to finding out that this is actually cancerous and just all of the spirals that could happen with that. So in a season like that, when fear can feel very loud, what did it look like for you to maybe wrestle with the fear while still choosing to trust the Lord?

Whitney Ernest 4:25

I really leaned on Isaiah 26, verse 3. He says, You will keep in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you because he trusts in you. I had seen the Lord's faithfulness. I had seen his goodness throughout my life thus far. And I decided I wanted to follow after this verse. I wanted to keep my mind and my heart focused and trust the Lord that he had a plan. And following close to the Lord and trusting in him during this type of season, honestly, it looked really, it's going to sound really simple because

Wrestling Fear And Choosing Trust

Whitney Ernest 5:04

I had to make my life really simple during those seasons. And so I stayed close to the Lord. I had a few key scriptures that I read on repeat. I had sweet time in prayer, just daily giving my cares over to the Lord and trying not to carry them myself. And I had to slow down. I everything about my body was slowing down. Right. My pace of life had to slow down, and I had to rest in his peace. And I surrounded myself with a small group of friends and family who would know how to lift me up when I couldn't lift up myself and who could point me back to trusting in the Lord. It was during this time the Lord used music in my life. I've always had a heart for worship. And I love to sing on the worship team. And this nodule had put so much pressure on the nerve that controlled my vocal cords that at this point I hadn't sang for a couple of years. Wow. In fact, I lost my voice regularly. I had a whistle that I would use to communicate with the kids to get their attention because my voice would just be gone for weeks at a time. And so it was sweet that the Lord chose to use worship music to minister to me because he knew how sweet that was and dear to my heart, but yet it was also something that he had taken away in a way from me for that time. So there was a specific song that I listened to. The artist is Samantha Ebert, and it's a song called Flowers. And God would use this song at particular moments when I was feeling at my lowest. He would have it queued up on the radio right when I turned the radio on. The idea of the song is there's a woman who's walking through a trial, and she asks God in a desperate prayer, she says, God, like, why are you keeping me here? And God tells her, He says, Child, I'm planting seeds and I'm a good God and I have a good plan. And someday you will get to see all the flowers that are gonna come from this valley in your story. And so you fast forward through the song after she's walks through this valley and she's now up on the mountaintop. And she's looking back at the flowers that needed time to grow, and she says, Thank you, God. She says, I now I see that the hurt and the long days of the rain and the pain. She says, Thank you for keeping me there. Thank you for keeping me in that season because it was what I needed, and it was what you needed as a good God who had a good plan to have those flowers grow. And she says, We can have peace, knowing that flowers are gonna grow in the valley. And so I really held tightly to that promise. I didn't know how long I would be in that valley, and I prayed that someday I would be on that mountaintop looking back. But it was a it was a promise of hope. Yes, that the Lord gave me as I was walking through that time. And, you know, during during this three-year process, the Lord He really showed himself to me just very clearly. He wanted me to know that he was close. This this theme of closeness and hope were two themes that he kept bringing to my attention. And I mentioned earlier, you know, I followed the Lord since a young age. My faith has has always been strong. But even so, it was like the Lord wanted me to have no doubt in my mind that that the answered prayers that I was going to experience through this season that they were from him and him alone. And it was like he was feeling back the curtain. Yeah. So that I could see that he was the one who was working all things together. Right. And there would be

Small Miracles And Clear Guidance

Whitney Ernest 9:13

numerous miraculous moments throughout this time that the Lord allowed me to see firsthand and be a part of. And so I started writing them all down in a journal because I thought this is gonna be part of my story. This is gonna be my testimony that I can share with my children, with friends, with you here today, of the things that the Lord has done. And I I've jotted a few of them down just to share today to, you know, the Lord doesn't always choose to work in miraculous ways or doesn't always choose to allow us to see it until later on when we look back and oh my gosh, look what the Lord was doing. But for whatever reason, he wanted me to see him right in those moments of desperate need. And this was kind of a new experience, these miraculous moments as a Christian to see and experience. And I realized that they they're a gift, they're just a true gift. And the Lord was just wanting to bless me because he knew I was hurting. I, when you're walking through a medical crisis, let me tell you, like you sometimes have to make a decision on which doctor to use, and it is overwhelming. And I remember being in my living room, I had three different doctors to choose from, and I just cried out to the Lord. I needed direction. I didn't have time. I was hurting, I was suffering, and I just I literally got on my knees and I cried out to the Lord and I said, Help. I need your help. I don't know which doctor to choose. And as soon as I said amen, my phone rang. And it was one of the doctor's offices that I had been put on a long waiting list for. And they said they had a cancellation and they'd like to move me to the top. And I said, Thank you, Lord. That's my doctor. And so I took the appointment, and that has been one of my doctors who has walked me through this journey. Amazing. And fast forward to getting ready for my first surgery. I had misplaced the medical forms we were during all of this. Our house was under construction. Oh my word. And I was moving in to live with my parents for a season. And so we're moving in and out, and I lost these papers that I needed to fax to the hospital. And I said, Lord, you know where these forms are. And he told me where to find them in my bedroom. Exactly. Wow. And I just, and I, and I, I had in that moment, I just the Lord just gave me this great faith. Like, the Lord knows where these forms are. Why am I, why am I searching for them? Like the Lord knows. Yeah. Later, when I shared that story with my sister, she said, you know, Whitney, just like the Lord knows where your forms are, he goes, He knows where the cancer is. That's true. He knows exactly where it is. This is not a mystery to him. And we can trust him just like he gave you direction on where your forms are. We can trust him to guide the surgeons to get all of the cancer. And so that was that was my, I was pretty pumped going into my second surgery. Yeah. Knowing that the Lord had just given me that that hope. Yeah.

Leanne Tuggle 12:22

He had given you evidence of his faithfulness and that even the tiniest details matter to him. Something like where are the forms? And he will point you in the right direction. I think that's that is so hopeful to know that.

Whitney Ernest 12:36

It really is. And on that, on that theme of hope, you know, I had mentioned hope, closeness. Later we'll get to the idea of redemption, these themes that the Lord just wove through my story. I want to fast forward to the third moment that I want to share with you. I'm in the waiting room of my first post-surgical scan where they're gonna see if the cancer spread or not. And I'm in the waiting room and I asked the Lord, I said, Lord, use this circumstance to offer hope to someone else. Wow. Like just have there be some greater purpose. Because I'm sitting here in Los Angeles in a waiting room. I'm about to go get scanned and told if my cancer is spread. And I just, I need to know that this, that there's a greater purpose for this. And so I'm sitting there and I said, Who needs hope? And he put a woman on my heart who I had mentored in the past. And I texted her the word hope. And then I went into my appointment. And when I came out of my appointment, my friend had texted me back and she said, It was at that very moment that you texted me that I was crying out to the Lord because I needed hope. Wow. And the Lord had told me to not lose hope. And that was at the same moment that I texted her the word hope. And she just said, How did you know? And I said, The Lord told me that's what you needed. He's he's he's using us to encourage and love one another. And he just he can

A Text Of Hope In The Scan

Whitney Ernest 14:12

do that because he's God and because he's so good, and because he loves us and he has such great power and such great goodness. And I walked away from that knowing that when we keep our hearts focused on the Lord, we can see that his plans are so much bigger than our current circumstances.

Leanne Tuggle 14:33

Yes. And what the I mean, everything that you just shared just perfectly encapsulates that Isaiah verse you shared about he keeps in perfect peace those who trust in him. And I think that that's you've exemplified that in all those examples that you shared and how he continued to return you to that place of peace just all throughout all of those different trials. And the coolest part of it is that you were walking in obedience throughout it all. You were listening, and you're because your eyes were focused on him, you were not wavering. You know, that story of Peter walking on the water with to Jesus, and then he looks at the storm and starts to sink. You kept your eyes on Jesus. And that's what helps you through those trials. When you stop and look around, that's when you start to freak out. But I hear a lot of you keeping your eyes on him. Not to say that there weren't moments, I'm sure. But all of those examples are you walking in obedience, doing that next thing. And that's just so wonderful.

Whitney Ernest 15:32

And he and he meets us in the middle of the storm. Exactly. He's not waiting for us to finish the storm and make it over to shore. Right. He's not over on the shore like, hope you make it. Right. He walks out, he meets us in the middle of the storm because he wants to be with us. Right. And that was, you know, we're not meant to do this alone. He says, I don't want you to walk through this alone. I want to be there with you. Right. Holding your hand the whole way through. Yeah.

Leanne Tuggle 15:56

That's okay. So, how did walking through cancer shape your understanding of God's character and his faithfulness in ways that you may not have experienced before?

Whitney Ernest 16:09

I have learned that God wants me to come to him with everything. He wants me to bring the small matters and the big desperate ones. I didn't want God to think that I was questioning or testing him or doubting his plan when I was making these requests, but now I see that it was more a matter of me uh allowing and inviting him to show himself to me in the process. And I mean, God is just constantly on the move. And when my life got real simple and the distractions were removed, the Lord was then allowed to let me see firsthand his miraculous ways. And I think because of that, today I am more expectant for the Lord to show up because I now know from experience. He really does go before us. Right. And

Learning God In The Waiting

Whitney Ernest 17:13

that God is not bound by time. We are. Yeah. He's not bound by time. And and so seeing him weave these last three years together has been a reminder of that. It's a reminder that God wants us to share our testimony like we're doing today. He wants us to recount his faithfulness and his goodness over our lives, and that we can use our stories to remind others of his great love and his great power. Some of you might need to hear this today. It is okay to move slowly. Yes. Yes. His strength was made perfect in my weakness. Right. God's strength was only best displayed through through my limitation. And I had to depend on Christ for my daily energy in these years of fatigue and infection. And I had to depend on the Lord in all of the waiting, wondering why my body was failing and waiting for a diagnosis. And then once you receive the diagnosis, it's not the diagnosis that you were planning on. And then you have you have to wait with all these unanswered questions while you search for a plan and pray how to move forward. And there's just so much waiting. But when we depend on Christ in the waiting, we become a part of the story. We become a part of his purpose and his plan. And and I'm now more attuned more than ever to his voice. Right. I I hear him and I see him so much more clearly. And I am more quickly, I would say I'm much more quickly to give him the glory as I see him move.

Leanne Tuggle 19:03

Right. And perhaps that would not have been the case had you not walked through this trial. And I think that sometimes when we're in the thick of it, we don't have that perspective. And so I appreciate you sharing it where you are now, because this is really hope-filled for someone who's in the middle of it, thinking about like, what is the purpose of this? Why am I going through this? I think that's something we ask a lot. Like, why did God allow this suffering? And for those of us who love the Lord, I think a lot of times it is to bring us closer to Himself, to be able to have His glory be magnified for our own spiritual growth. And so that's really cool that you're able to see that and to experience that and to be that much more in tune with what God is doing in and through you. What a beautiful gift to be able to experience that on this side of heaven still, you know, like that's that's so cool. So what is next for you now that you are on the top of the mountain looking down at the flowers? What is next? Praise God. I know. It's so good.

Whitney Ernest 20:08

Well, we praise God that my cancer is currently what they would call undetectable. Okay. I feel my health, I feel so great every day. I I honestly I don't remember that living could feel like this. Wow. And so I just thank the Lord every day. I'm still amazed that I can exercise and go to the grocery store all on the same day without having to lay down. Yeah. So I feel like I've gotten a lot of the physical attributes of my life back that I wasn't sure I was gonna get back. And so just the gratitude that I have and the perspective has changed. The Lord has particularly given me the word redemption for 2026. He wants to redeem for me and my family what was lost. I see him doing it in small ways and in big ways, but I can see it more clearly now because my lens has shifted. Yes. And so if you're listening right now and you're walking through a difficult or an uncertain season, I just I want to encourage

Undetectable Cancer And Redemption

Whitney Ernest 21:14

you to know that Jesus is close. And that when you anchor yourself in the Lord, He offers hope and peace. And that's that can seem like a really simple message, but I think it's something that we forget. And when we're walking through something hard, we need to be reminded Jesus is close. He wants to offer us hope and peace. And all we have to do is anchor ourselves in him. I think in closing, I I want to share with everyone the psalm that I've just held closest during this season, and I would pray that it would encourage everyone today. It's Psalm 71, starting in verse 19. It says, Also, your righteousness, O God, is very high. You who have done great things. Oh God, who is like you? You who have shown me great and severe troubles. You shall revive me again and bring me up again from the depths of the earth. You shall increase my greatness and comfort me on every side. Also with the lute, I will praise you and your faithfulness, O God. To you I will sing with the harp, O holy One of Israel. My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing to you and my soul, which you have redeemed.

Leanne Tuggle 22:36

What a perfect psalm for this story. I love that. I even love the part that it references singing. And you are such a beautiful singer. This is so good. Whitney, thank you so much for sharing this story with us. I have no doubt that it will bless many women who are either going through a trial or know someone who is going through a trial. So thank you for your vulnerability

Psalm 71 And Final Encouragement

Leanne Tuggle 22:57

and just being able to share this the what the last three years have brought you through, and that you can now stand here and share this with us and give us this message of hope and remind us that we simply have to anchor ourselves in Christ. Thank you so much. Thank you.