Story of Hope

MY CANCER STORY – ONE OF HOPE

I’ve been there. That day is embedded in my memory, when the doctor was giving me my diagnosis in the hospital with my wife beside my hospital bed. I was watching my 2 year old son run around the room as the doctor gave me my diagnosis of stage IV follicular lymphoma and, eventually, also large diffuse B-cell lymphoma. It didn’t feel real. It almost felt like a dream. That was in 2006. After the diagnosis, I went through 3 ½ to 4 years of different chemo/radiation treatments and two stem cell transplants. I am now cancer free and have been in remission since February 22, 2011. Today, I am trying to give the comfort, peace, strength, and hope to others that was given to me when I battled cancer.

I do not enjoy reading or writing. I’m not good at it. However, I now feel it’s my obligation to help others battling cancer. I could not have beaten cancer and everything else that comes with it (anxiety, fear,etc), without God and His Word. We know that God and His Word brings: love, comfort, peace, strength and hope. Throughout I will share the verses from The Living Bible that I held onto for comfort and strength and also answered the questions that continuously went through my mind, hoping they will do the same for you.

HOW CAN I BEAT THIS

After taking time to process my emotions and fears of having cancer, I was ready to start fighting. I had found a great oncologist and done my research on other ways to help combat cancer, including a healthy diet (lymphoma.survival per resources page). I knew I wouldn’t be fighting alone, God would be with me all the time. I turned my attention on how to survive and beat cancer. I can’t do it by myself, chemo doesn’t always work, and the doctors and researchers said stage IV follicular lymphoma is incurable. One gave me 7-10 years to live. God was the only way. I needed God’s help.

Now put your trust in the Lord, not the doctors.

Our doctors are smart and know what they are doing. I had confidence in my doctors that they would know the best treatment plans to prepare for me and I should trust their judgment. When I listened to my doctors and the medical research about my cancer, the percentages and news were not always positive. My comfort came in knowing the Bible reminds us not to put all of our trust in mere man. We should put our trust first in The Lord.

Psalms 118:8 – “It is better to trust the Lord than to put confidence in men.”
Psalms 50:15 – “The Lord said I want you to trust me in your times of trouble, so I can rescue you, and you can give me glory.”
Psalms 84:12 – “O Lord of the armies of heaven, blessed are those who trust in you.”
Jeremiah 17:7 – “ But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord and has made the Lord his hope and confidence.”
Psalms 91:1-2 – “We live within the shadow of the Almighty, sheltered by the God who is above all gods. This I declare, that he alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I am trusting him.”

Some of you may ask “why or how can I trust The Lord?” Well, you trust people who are honest. Our heavenly Father is bigger and never lies. The Bible says that whatever God says, you can believe it. He does not tell a lie. If He says something, we can believe it and hold onto it. This is where we obtain God’s comfort, strength, peace, and hope.

God’s word is the truth, He never lies. God’s word is His will.

I knew from past experiences and following God that His Word is true. God never lies. So as I read my Bible, I read in confidence knowing I was going to receive the truth and I would have answers. These verses I came across confirmed His Word is nothing but true and if he says something I should listen and follow His Word.

Romans 11:29 – “….he will never go back on his promises.”
2 Corinthians 1:19, 20 – “He isn’t one to say “yes” when he means “no”. He always does exactly what he says. He carries out and fulfills all of God’s promises.”
Hebrews 6:18 – “……for it is impossible for God to tell a lie.”
Hebrews 10:23 – “…..for there is no question that He will do what he says.”
Psalms 12:6 – “ The Lord’s promise is sure. He speaks no careless word; all He says is purest truth, like silver seven times refined.” (God’s words will always prove true and right)
Psalms 111:5 – “…..He never forgets his promises.”
Isaiah 7:9 – “…..If you want me to protect you, you must learn to believe what I say.”
Isaiah 45:23 – I have sworn by myself and I will never go back on my word…..”

Reading those verses showing God does not lie allowed me to have confidence in and trust God’s Word.

I held onto this verse from Mark throughout my entire battle.

Mark 11:22-24 – “ Jesus said to his disciples, “if you only have faith in God, this is the absolute truth – you can say to this Mount of Olives, ‘Rise up and fall into the Mediterranean’, and your command will be obeyed. All that’s required is that you really believe and have no doubt! Listen to me! You can pray for anything, and if you believe you have it; it’s yours!”
John 14:13,14 – “ ….You can ask him for anything, using my name, and I will do it, for this will bring praise to the Father because of what I, the Son, will do for you. Yes, ask anything, using my name, and I will do it.”
John 16:23, 24 – “…..for you can go directly to the Father and ask him, and he will give you what you ask for because you use my name. Ask, using my name, and you will receive, and your cup of joy will overflow.”

Now don’t get this twisted. “Anything” in these verses does not pertain to answering prayers for evil purposes or for our own selfish desires in life that don’t line up with His perfect will or word. However, God does not desire poor health for us. Jesus healed many people of poor health throughout the Bible so they could give praise to Him and glorify God. I knew “anything” used in the prior verses could be applied to my health and I held these verses very close.

TIME TO FIGHT!

Be prepared for spiritual warfare.

The fight wasn’t easy. There was always the anxiety and wondering what was going to happen. Fear. How would I tell my very young kids and family goodbye? I now had a 6 year old boy and 3 year old girl. I had to remind myself that fear is not from God. I knew Satan, the father of all lies (John 8:44), would try to tear me down and I couldn’t listen to his lies.

1 Peter 5:8, 9 – Be careful – watch out for attacks from Satan, your great enemy. He prowls around like a hungry, roaring lion, looking for some victim to tear apart. Stand firm when he attacks. Trust the Lord; and remember that other Christians all around the world are going through these sufferings too.

It is easy to get mentally drained worrying about everything. Jesus gives advice about worrying in the book of Luke.

Luke 12:25, 26 – “And besides, what’s the use of worrying? What good does it do? Will it add a single day to your life? Of course not! And if worry can’t even do such little things as that, what’s the use of worrying over bigger things?”

Have the Elders of the church pray over you.

James 5:14-15 – “Is anyone sick? He should call for the elders of the church and they should pray over him and pour a little oil upon him, calling on the Lord to heal him. And their prayer, if offered in faith, will heal him, for the Lord will make him well; and if his sickness was caused by some sin, the Lord will forgive him.”

Ask The Lord to have pity on you.

Isaiah 66:2 – “Yet I will look with pity on the man who has a humble and a contrite heart, who trembles at my word. “

Pray with someone and agree together what you ask for (healing) will come.

Matthew 18:19,20 – Jesus states: “I also tell you this—if two of you agree down here on earth concerning anything you ask for, my Father in heaven will do it for you. For where two or three gather together because they are mine, I will be right there among them.”

The more I read the Bible, the more I was comforted and at peace. While reading, I came across these verses and it was explained why we are comforted and given peace by God’s Word.

2 Peter 1:2,3 – “Do you want more and more of God’s kindness and peace? Then learn to know him better and better (by reading His word [The Bible]). For as you know him better, he will give you, through his great power, everything you need for living a truly good life.”

(This chapter goes on explaining you need more than faith to obtain His gifts. You must also work on allowing God to make us “good” according to His example, learn to know God better and discover what he wants you to do, put aside your own desires and gladly letting God have his way with you. This will make possible to enjoy other people and love them deeply. The more you do this the more you will grow spiritually and become fruitful and useful to the Lord Jesus Christ.)

Isaiah 55:11 – “….so also is my Word. I send it out and it always produces fruit. It shall accomplish all I want it to, and prosper everywhere I send it.”

THE 3 P’s:

The Bible shows us God wants us to Pray, be Persistent in our prayers, and have Patience for His answer. So be persistent in praying and have patience for His answer. Remember, my answer did not come until 4 years later. Pray believing that His answer will come. Don’t get discouraged.

PRAYER –

Romans 12:12 – “Be patient in trouble and prayerful always.
Psalms 9 vs. 12 He does not ignore the prayers of humble men in trouble when they call to him for help.”
Psalms 34:17, 18 – “Yes the Lord hears the good man when he calls to him for help, and saves him out of all his troubles. The Lord is close to those whose hearts are breaking; he rescues those who are humbly sorry for their sins.”

PERSISTENCE – Jesus in Luke 18 gives an example to his disciples to illustrate that man must pray and keep praying until the answer comes. He told a story of how a woman frequently came to a godless/evil city judge begging appealing for justice against a man who harmed her. He ignored her for a while but eventually over time she got on his nerves and he gave her her justice for she wore him out with her constant coming. (This does not imply you will wear down God, but that we should have a whole-hearted devotion to Him.)

Luke 18:6 Then the Lord said, “If even an evil judge can be worn down like that, don’t you think that God will surely give justice to his people who plead with him day and night? Yes! He will answer them quickly! But the question is: When I, the Messiah, return, how many will I find who have faith and are praying?
Luke 11:8, 9 – “…..if you keep knocking long enough he will get up and give you everything you want – just because of your persistence. And so it is with prayer……”
Colossians 4:2 – “Don’t be weary in prayer; keep at it; watch for God’s answers and remember to be thankful when they come.”

PATIENCE –

Psalms 27:14 – “Don’t be impatient. Wait for the Lord, and he will come and save you! Be brave, stouthearted and courageous. Yes, wait and he will help you.”
Romans 12:12 – “Be patient in trouble and prayerful always”
Hebrews 6:12 – “….you will be anxious to follow the example of those who receive all that God has promised them because of their strong faith and patience.”
Psalms 37:34 – “Don’t be impatient for the Lord to act!”

GOD REWARDS FAITH AND PATIENCE

Hebrews 11:1 – “What is faith? It is the confident assurance that something we want “is going” to happen. It is the certainty that what we hope for is waiting for us, even though we cannot see it up ahead. “
(My personal note: This is the spiritual warfare. Even though I had anxiety and negative thoughts and lies in my head, I had to fight those thoughts and push them back and believe that God would heal me or see me to a healing).
Matthew 9:29 – “Then he touched their eyes and said, “Because of your faith it will happen.”
Isaiah 30:18 – “….For the Lord is faithful to his promises. Blessed are all those who wait for him to help them.”
Psalms 91:4 – “His faithful promises are your armor.”
Psalms 91:14, 15 – “For the Lord says, “Because he loves me, I will rescue him; I will make him great because he trusts in my name. When he calls on me I will answer; I will be with him in trouble, and rescue him and honor him…..”
James 1:8 – “If you don’t ask with faith, don’t expect the Lord to give you any solid answer.”
Hebrews 11:6 – “You can never please God without faith, without depending on him.”
Hebrews 6:12 – “….you will be anxious to follow the example of those who receive all that God has promised them because of their strong faith and patience.”
Romans 8:24 Trusting means looking forward to getting something we don’t yet have. Vs. 25 But if we must keep trusting God for something that hasn’t happened yet, it teaches us to wait patiently and confidently.
Romans 1:17 This Good News tells us that God makes us ready for heaven – makes us right in God’s sight – when we put our faith and trust in Christ to save us. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scripture says it, “The man who finds life will find it through trusting God”.
1 Peter 5:7 “Let Him have all your worries and cares, for he is always thinking about you and watching everything that concerns you.”

ENCOURAGING EXAMPLES OF FAITH BEING REWARDED

Examples of people’s faith being rewarded in the Bible:

HEBREWS CHAPTER 11. READ THE ENTIRE CHAPTER OF HEBREWS 11 FOR EXAMPLES OF FAITH. SHORT STORY AFTER SHORT STORY.

Romans 4:20-22 “But Abraham never doubted. He believed God, for his faith and trust grew ever stronger, and he praised God for this blessing even before it happened. He was completely sure that God was well able to do anything he promised. And because of Abraham’s faith God forgave his sins and declared him “not guilty”.”
Matthew 7:9-10 Jesus says, “If a child asks his father for a loaf of bread, will he be given a stone instead? If he asks for fish will he be given a poisonous snake? Of course not! And if you hardhearted, sinful men know how to give good gifts to your children, wont your Father in heaven even more certainly give good gifts to those who ask him for them?”
Matthew 15: 22-28 – A woman came to Jesus, pleading, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, King David’s Son! For my daughter has a demon within her, and it torments her constantly.” But Jesus gave her no reply–not even a word. Then his disciples urged him to send her away. “Tell her to get going,” they said, “for she is bothering us with all her begging.”
Then he said to the woman, “I was sent to help the Jews—the lost sheep of Israel—not the Gentiles.” But she came and worshiped him and pled again, “Sir, help me!” Jesus said “It doesn’t seem right to take bread from the children and throw it to the dogs.”
“Yes it is!” she replied, “for even the puppies beneath the table are permitted to eat the crumbs that fall.” “Woman,” Jesus told her, “your faith is large, and your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed right then.
Mark 5:24-34 Summary: A woman who had been sick for 12 years walked up behind Jesus in a crowd and thought “If I can just touch his clothing, I will be healed.” And sure enough as soon as she had touched his clothes she was healed. Immediately Jesus new healing powers had gone out from him and he turned around and asked “Who touched my clothes?”. The woman told Jesus what she had done.
Mark 5 vs 34 Jesus said, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, healed of your disease.”

Even when we are too weak to have any faith left, keep trusting God.

2 Timothy 2 vs. 13 Even when we are too weak to have any faith left, he remains faithful to us and will help us, for he cannot disown us who are part of himself, and he will always carry out his promises to us.

REGARDLESS OF YOUR OUTCOME THERE IS HOPE

Regardless of your outcome, there is HOPE. If my body was not healed, I knew God would be pleased with my faith, believing to the end. I knew I would have eternal life in heaven through what Jesus Christ did for us on the cross. That is the hope everyone has. There is hope even for those who have not believed in the past. No matter what anyone has done in the past, they can be forgiven of their sins as long as they truly believe in Jesus and accept Him as their Savior. This is the hope that everyone has, that there is life after our time on earth. There is eternal life in Heaven with Him. If you are not healed, this is not the end. Life on earth is not even a drop in the bucket compared to eternal life. Our hope is eternal life in heaven which will be much better than earth.

The Revelation 2:10 “Remain faithful even when facing death and I will give you the crown of life – an unending, glorious future (Heaven).”
Hebrews 3:14 “For if we are faithful to the end, trusting God just as we did when we first became Christians, we will share in all that belongs to Christ.”
1 Peter 1:6 “So be truly glad! There is wonderful joy ahead, even though the going is rough for a while down here.”
Mark 13:13 Jesus said …..”but all who endure to the end without renouncing me shall be saved.”

HOW TO KNOW JESUS AND HAVE HOPE WITHOUT A HEALING

No matter what my outcome was with cancer, I would always believe. The truth is we do not know God’s exact plan. There is life after death. Now if you have never believed in our Savior (yours and mine) Jesus Christ, it is never too late to come to Him and be able to have eternal life with Him in heaven. Do it sincerely through prayer and your conversations with Him.

Believing is by faith. You can be saved and have eternal life in heaven by asking for forgiveness of your sins and believing in Jesus Christ our Savior, the Son of God. It does not matter what you have done in the past nor does it matter how late in life you come to know Christ. Believe in Him and ask Him to come into your heart and you can have eternal life with Him.

You can start by saying this prayer:

Lord Jesus, I ask you to forgive my sins and save me. By faith I accept your work and death on the cross as sufficient payment for my sins. Thank you for providing the way for me to know you and to have a relationship with my heavenly Father through faith in you, I have eternal life. Thank you also for hearing my prayers and loving me unconditionally. Please give me the strength, wisdom, and determination to walk in the center of Your will. In Jesus’ name, amen. (by Charles Stanley)

Congratulations! If you prayed this prayer sincerely, you have just received Jesus Christ as your Savior.

Now that you have accepted Christ as your Savior the next step is to read the Bible, one that is easily understood like The Living Bible. The only way to come to know God and grow closer to Him is to read His word and talk/pray to Him and also trying to obey His word. If you don’t know where to begin reading in the Bible, begin in The New Testament with the book of Matthew and read through The New Testament.

In knowing and accepting Jesus Christ as your Savior, you have hope. Hope in the big picture knowing you will have life in heaven after our time here on earth because of your faith in Jesus. Hope in being healed of cancer, even when a miracle is needed. Whether it is an answer to your prayers in the form of being healed of cancer or a miracle, or hope in knowing you will have life in heaven with God after your time here on earth. We have hope through Jesus.

AFTER YOUR HEALING OR MIRACLE

Those who endure should comfort and strengthen others. The Bible talks about sharing God’s comforting words with others.

2 Corinthians vs. 3,4 “God is the source of every mercy, and the one who so wonderfully comforts and strengthens us in our hardships and trials. And why does He do this? So that when others are troubled, needing our sympathy and encouragement, we can pass on to them this same help and comfort God has given us.”
Hebrews 13:15 “With Jesus’ help we will continually offer our sacrifice of praise to God by telling others of the glory of his name. Don’t forget to do good and to share what you have with those in need, for such sacrifices are very pleasing to him.”
Hebrews 11:15 “If they had wanted to, they could have gone back to the good things of this world. But they didn’t want to. They were living for heaven. And now God is not ashamed to be called their God for he has made a heavenly city for them.”
2 Peter 3:15 “…He is giving us time to get his message of salvation out to others.”
Deuteronomy 4:9 “…..never forget what you have seen God doing for you. May his miracles have a deep and permanent effect upon your lives! Tell your children and your grandchildren about the glorious miracles he did.”
The Bible talks about doing God’s work and helping/loving/comforting others as well in James 4:3-4. So after you cancer treatment, don’t just go back to the “pleasures of the world” as it talks about here. Love, help, comfort others.
James 4:3-4 “And even when you do ask (in prayer to God) you don’t get it because your whole aim is wrong – you want only what will give you pleasure. You are like an unfaithful wife who loves her husband’s enemies. Don’t you realize that making friends with God’s enemies – the evil pleasures of this world – makes you an enemy of God? I say it again, that if your aim is to enjoy the evil pleasure of the unsaved world, you cannot also be a friend of God.”
1 John 5:3 “Loving God means doing what he tells us to do.”
2 John 1:6 “If we love God, we will do whatever he tells us to.”

Tell others of God’s good works in your life.

After Jesus healed a leper he said to him: Matthew 8:4 “and take with you the offering required by Moses’ law for lepers who are healed – a public testimony of your cure.”

Psalms 22:22 “I will praise you to all my brothers; I will stand up before the congregation and testify of the wonderful things you have done.”
Psalms 71:15 “I will tell everyone how good you are and of your constant, daily care.”
Luke 11:28 Jesus replied, “Yes, but even more blessed are all who hear the Word of God and put it into practice.”

VERSES THAT ANSWER OTHER QUESTIONS WE MAY HAVE

If you have never believed or known Jesus, don’t test Jesus by declaring you will believe if He heals me or blesses me with a miracle.

When Jesus was in the wilderness Satan tempted Him daring Him to jump off a cliff to prove he was Jesus because the Scriptures said ‘God will send his angels to keep you from harm.’

Matthew 4:7 Jesus replied, “It also says not to put the Lord your God to a foolish test!”

And in Luke this is mentioned again:

Luke 4:12 Jesus replied, “The Scriptures also say, ‘Do not put the Lord your God to a foolish test.’”

HOW AND WHY DID THIS HAPPEN?

In the beginning I wondered how could this happen? Why did it happen? I had all kinds of emotions running through my mind and trying to understand why. Cancer does not run in my family. I even started to wonder if God was mad at me and punishing me for something I did.

As I turned to God and my Bible to find answers, I read God does not seek to hurt us. He may allow us to be tested by satan as he did with Job in the book of Job, but his purpose is not to harm us. He loves us unconditionally. He wants to save us as He demonstrated by sending His son Jesus Christ to die for our sins.

1 Thessalonians 5:9 “For God has not chosen to pour out his anger upon us, but to save us through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

The devil sets out to seek and destroy our relationship with God. God may allow things to happen to us for whatever reason, but He does not set out to hurt or inflict us; that is satan.

John 10 vs 10 Jesus said, “the thief’s purpose is to steal, kill and destroy. My purpose is to give life in all its fullness.”
Psalms 11:7 “For God is good, and he loves goodness”
Psalms 56:9 “This one thing I know: God is for me.”
Psalms 72:18 “Blessed be Jehovah God, the God of Israel, who only does wonderful things.”
Psalms 100:5 “For the Lord is always good. He is always loving and kind…..”
Psalms 103:8,9 “He is merciful and tender toward those who don’t deserve it; he is slow to get angry and full of kindness and love. He never bears a grudge, nor remains angry forever.”
Luke 9:56 Jesus said, “For the Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.” (King James Version)

Punishment?

Hebrews 12:5 “My son, don’t be angry when the Lord punishes you. Don’t be discouraged when he has to show you where you are wrong. For when he punishes you, it proves that he loves you. When he whips you it proves you are really his child.”
Hebrews 12:11 Being punished isn’t enjoyable while it is happening; it hurts! But afterwards we can see the result, a quiet growth in grace and character.

After coming across these verses I knew there was a purpose for this illness. One that God only knew. I figured after reading these verses that purpose could be to bring glory to God or to bring me closer to God. How? I figured if God blessed me with a miracle or healed me or just gave me peace and comfort, I could share my story with others and this would bring glory to Him and also comfort them in their time of need. Punishment? I don’t know if God was punishing me for straying away from Him or something else. If so, I am amazed at God’s love for some sinner like me that he would spend this amount of time on me to bring me back to him, no matter what I have done. That is an amazing unconditional love he has for us. Why would he do this? Because the bible says He loves us unconditionally and wants a relationship with everyone of us.

I wasn’t ever angry at God for what happened, but I did read these verses that spoke to that subject. Do not blame and be angry with God.

Job 36:18 “Don’t let your suffering embitter you at the only one who can deliver you.”
Job 34:17 “Are you going to condemn the Almighty Judge?”

When you do blame God and are angry and bitter with Him, verse 37 states:

Job 34:37 “For now you have added rebellion, arrogance, and blasphemy to your other sins.”
Job 33:12,13 “In this very thing, you have sinned by speaking of God that way. For God is greater than man. Why should you fight against him just because he does not give account to you of what he does?”

As that last verse states, God does not give account to us for everything that happens. We are not all knowing, but God is. He knows why things happen and has a plan for each one of us. We are not always going to understand everything, so we don’t need to beat ourselves up or get mad at God trying to understand it all. Just trust in The Lord.

I didn’t understand why. I had to come to the realization that I was not going to understand everything.

Romans 11:33,34 “How impossible it is for us to understand his decision and his methods! For who among us can know the mind of the Lord? Who knows enough to be his counselor and guide?”
Job 11:7-8 “Do you know the mind and purposes of God?…..Are you qualified to judge the Almighty? He is as faultless as heaven is high – but who are you? His mind is fathomless – what can you know in comparison?”
Proverbs 20:24 “Since the Lord is directing our steps, why try to understand everything that happens along the way?”

Why some godly people die before their time:

But I am so young. Why now so early in my life.

Isaiah 57:1-2 “…the godly die before their time and no one seems to care or wonder why. No one seems to realize that God is taking them away from evil days ahead. For the godly who die shall rest in peace.”

I knew God wasn’t out to destroy me from reading those verses. Moving forward I felt comforted reading the next verses reassuring me that God loves me and I should not be afraid.

Romans 8:35-37 “When we have trouble or calamity is it because he doesn’t love us anymore? And if were in danger or threatened with death, has God deserted us? No….

No…..nothing can ever separate us from his love. Death, nor life, nor all the powers of hell itself cannot keep God’s love away.”

God loves us and we should not be afraid.

1 John 4:16 “We know how much God loves us because we believe him when he tells us that he loves us dearly. God is love.”
1 John 4:18 “We need have no fear of someone who loves us perfectly; his perfect love for us eliminates all dread of what He might do to us.”

I wasn’t sure how I got cancer and still to this day I don’t know, but what I do know is that God allowed me to go through cancer as part of His plan for my life. He does not set out to harm us. He does allow us to be tested and go through trials as noted in the book of Job. God is love and loves us unconditionally. He is beside us always. I knew He was with me then, during the battle against cancer, and will be throughout my life. He is always with us.

I encourage everyone of you to not go through this battle against cancer on your own, but to ask God to walk with you through this. From my experience, it’s not an easy journey even with God, but through His word He gave me hope, strength, peace, and comfort when I did not have any. I encourage you to go through this battle with strong faith, being prayerful, persistent, and patient knowing that God is for you and not against you. Knowing there is hope whether you are cured or healed of cancer, and even if you are not.

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