Nascar drivers have their pit crews to refuel and recondition their cars before they zip out into the race again. Long distance runners have their team car following them with water bottles, gatorade, shouts of encouragement. Helps you keep running your race, you know?
Well, this Wednesday was my pit stop, where In the midst of my race, I got some fresh water. I had woken up early to meet a friend for Bible Study. But during the morning, when I usually shake the fog of tiredness and wearyness, I just couldn’t seem to step out of it. I went to work at Christ Community to find a horde of phone calls from people needing emergency dental care, agencies needing food orders and hungry families needing food boxes and counseling. About 1pm I was exhausted. So I told Carolyn, my secretary that I was stepping out for a bit to get some fresh air. And stepping out of the office, I went for a short walk and prayed that God would lift my spirits and give me some strength to finish the day out.
When I returned to my cubicle, it wasn’t 5 minutes later that Tara (not her real name), a young woman that I had counseled about 3-4 weeks earlier had come into the office for another food box. I put away all my other work and got ready to visit with her, and as I was doing so I recalled that when I had last seen her she had shared with me that she had been diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Tara was in her mid twenties, with a 2 year old little girl and a 6 month old baby boy. She had shared on her first visit about having a follow up with her OB/GYN following the birth of her son, how they discovered the cancer in her right ovary. She had seen 2 different doctors and both were recommending a hysterectomy followed by chemotherapy. I remember listening to her and my mind reeling at her circumstances, two little dependant children, chemo and hysterectomy? After I had heard her story I asked her if I could pray with her and we asked the Lord to heal her body and remove the cancer. I still remember helping her take the food to her car with her 2 year old daughter in one hand and baby carrier in the other wondering what kind of report she would have when she returned.
Fast forward to the present. I had just returned to my cubicle from my walk and prayer. Carolyn gave me her file and I welcomed Tara back. I proceeded to sit and listen with amazement as she testfied of how she went to a 3rd doctor after our visit, taking with her the results of all her other tests. They scheduled an exploratory surgery and discovered that not only had the tumor mysteriously shrunk in size since the original appts, but they decided to remove only a portion of her ovary and biopsy the surrounding tissues. After the day surgery they sent her home and told her they would have the results from the biopsies in a couple of weeks. Two weeks later she got the results… NO CANCER. Talking with her medical doctor he reassured her that there would be no chemo, no hysterectomy, just a follow up visit in 6 months! Tears streamed down Tara’s face as she related to me how relieved she was that God had healed her and answered our prayers.
What an amazing God we serve! That young woman’s life was changed. God had pulled up during my marathon and given me some fresh cold water- through Tara’s testimony. God is so faithful… I just had to share!
Wow!
This seems like a real encouragement to you in the area of pursuing healing. I know you have been really pressing in on this lately and this feels like a gift and affirmation from God.
Yes!!