My dear friends it h
My dear friends it has been a long while since I have written. I admit to withdrawing from certain things that were a part of my daily life. Both my husband and I have been facing some health challenges. I have been waiting for biopsy results. My tendency when I am in a time of trial is to withdraw and isolate myself. I am happy to say that for the most part, by God’s great grace and mercy I didn’t do this. However, I didn’t write on my blog because I really had nothing to say! Haha! Those of you who know me well are probably laughing hysterically that I actually had nothing to say! Yet, Isn’t it better to say nothing than to use words carelessly!?
Yet today I have that urgency in my heart to share with you.
I want to be transparent and honest with my readers. The Lord allowed this trial in my life to teach me many great things. I have been dealing with this health issue since late September. All my life I have dealt with fears of illness. At the beginning of 2005 I asked God to deal with this issue in my life once and for all. I admit I was NOT surprised when in September this health issue came up! ( God is faithful!
I learned so much… and I will use future blog writings to share with you… how God used this time of waiting to cut the strings of worldliness that I have… how God showed me how to deal with fear… etc… how God showed me to focus on things eternal.. the Lord and I revisited assurance of salvation… So many beautiful things to discuss and I look forward to sharing my thoughts with you!
However, this is not what I want to share with you today… Many of you may have already heard that John Piper, great author, pastor, theologian and man of God has been diagnosed with cancer. He wrote a letter announcing this. Following is the text of his letter… please read it and be amazed at what it is like to be totally surrendered to God’s will, to put Jesus before all else.. to want and love Jesus more than life itself!
John Piper and Cancer
January 6, 2006
Dear Friends,
I hope this letter will encourage your prayer, strengthen your hope, and minister peace. I am writing with the blessing of the Council of Elders of Bethlehem Baptist Church to help you receive the news about my prostate cancer. At my annual urological exam on Wednesday, December 21, the doctor felt an abnormality in the prostate and suggested a biopsy. He called the next day with the following facts: 1) cancer cells were found in two of the ten samples and the estimate is that perhaps 5% of the gland is affected; 2) my PSA count was 1.6, which is good (below 4 is normal); 3) the Gleason score is 6 (signaling that the cancer is not aggressive). These three facts incline the doctor to think that it is unlikely that the cancer has spread beyond the prostate, and that it is possible with successful treatment to be cancer-free. Before going with my wife, Noël, to consult in person with the doctor on December 29 about treatment options, I shared this news with the Bethlehem staff on Tuesday morning, December 27, and with the elders that evening. Both groups prayed over me for healing and for wisdom in the treatment choices that lie before us. These were sweet times before the throne of grace with much-loved colleagues. All things considered, Noël and I believe that I should pursue the treatment called radical prostatectomy, which means the surgical removal of the prostate. We would ask you to pray that the surgery be completely successful in the removal of all cancer and freedom from possible side effects. With the approval of Bethlehem’s executive staff and elder leadership, we are planning surgery in February. The recovery time is about three weeks before returning to a slow work pace, and six weeks to be back to all normal activities. This news has, of course, been good for me. The most dangerous thing in the world is the sin of self-reliance and the stupor of worldliness. The news of cancer has a wonderfully blasting effect on both. I thank God for that. The times with Christ in these days have been unusually sweet. For example, is there anything greater to hear and believe in the bottom of your heart than this: “God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him” (1 Thessalonians 5:9-10)?God has designed this trial for my good and for your good. You can see this in 2 Corinthians 1:9, “Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.” And in 2 Corinthians 1:4-6, “He comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God . . . If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation.”
So I am praying: “Lord, for your great glory, 1) don’t let me miss any of the sanctifying blessings that you have for me in this experience; 2) don’t let the people of Bethlehem miss any of the sanctifying blessings that you have for us in this; 3) grant that the surgery be successful in removing cancer and sparing important nerves; 4) grant that this light and momentary trial would work to spread a passion for you supremacy for the joy of all peoples through Jesus Christ; 5) may Noël and all close to me be given great peace—and all of this through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever, Amen.” I hope God will lead you to pray in a similar way.
With deep confidence that
“Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting. The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 15:54-57
Pastor John
With Sam Crabtree, Lead Pastor for Life TrainingKenny Stokes, Lead Pastor for SpreadingTim Johnson, Chairman of the Council of EldersRoss Anderson, MD, Bethlehem Elder
(image placeholder)
Please join the saints in praying for John Piper.
Also, I would like to publically thank Jesus for his mercy in my life. My biopsy did come back normal. God is good… but God is good whether my biopsy came back normal or if it didn’t. I rest in God’s goodness always. Please join me also in praying for my husband who is undergoing some medical exams as well. Blessed be the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
Yet today I have that urgency in my heart to share with you.
I want to be transparent and honest with my readers. The Lord allowed this trial in my life to teach me many great things. I have been dealing with this health issue since late September. All my life I have dealt with fears of illness. At the beginning of 2005 I asked God to deal with this issue in my life once and for all. I admit I was NOT surprised when in September this health issue came up! ( God is faithful!
I learned so much… and I will use future blog writings to share with you… how God used this time of waiting to cut the strings of worldliness that I have… how God showed me how to deal with fear… etc… how God showed me to focus on things eternal.. the Lord and I revisited assurance of salvation… So many beautiful things to discuss and I look forward to sharing my thoughts with you!
However, this is not what I want to share with you today… Many of you may have already heard that John Piper, great author, pastor, theologian and man of God has been diagnosed with cancer. He wrote a letter announcing this. Following is the text of his letter… please read it and be amazed at what it is like to be totally surrendered to God’s will, to put Jesus before all else.. to want and love Jesus more than life itself!
John Piper and Cancer
January 6, 2006
Dear Friends,
I hope this letter will encourage your prayer, strengthen your hope, and minister peace. I am writing with the blessing of the Council of Elders of Bethlehem Baptist Church to help you receive the news about my prostate cancer. At my annual urological exam on Wednesday, December 21, the doctor felt an abnormality in the prostate and suggested a biopsy. He called the next day with the following facts: 1) cancer cells were found in two of the ten samples and the estimate is that perhaps 5% of the gland is affected; 2) my PSA count was 1.6, which is good (below 4 is normal); 3) the Gleason score is 6 (signaling that the cancer is not aggressive). These three facts incline the doctor to think that it is unlikely that the cancer has spread beyond the prostate, and that it is possible with successful treatment to be cancer-free. Before going with my wife, Noël, to consult in person with the doctor on December 29 about treatment options, I shared this news with the Bethlehem staff on Tuesday morning, December 27, and with the elders that evening. Both groups prayed over me for healing and for wisdom in the treatment choices that lie before us. These were sweet times before the throne of grace with much-loved colleagues. All things considered, Noël and I believe that I should pursue the treatment called radical prostatectomy, which means the surgical removal of the prostate. We would ask you to pray that the surgery be completely successful in the removal of all cancer and freedom from possible side effects. With the approval of Bethlehem’s executive staff and elder leadership, we are planning surgery in February. The recovery time is about three weeks before returning to a slow work pace, and six weeks to be back to all normal activities. This news has, of course, been good for me. The most dangerous thing in the world is the sin of self-reliance and the stupor of worldliness. The news of cancer has a wonderfully blasting effect on both. I thank God for that. The times with Christ in these days have been unusually sweet. For example, is there anything greater to hear and believe in the bottom of your heart than this: “God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him” (1 Thessalonians 5:9-10)?God has designed this trial for my good and for your good. You can see this in 2 Corinthians 1:9, “Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.” And in 2 Corinthians 1:4-6, “He comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God . . . If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation.”
So I am praying: “Lord, for your great glory, 1) don’t let me miss any of the sanctifying blessings that you have for me in this experience; 2) don’t let the people of Bethlehem miss any of the sanctifying blessings that you have for us in this; 3) grant that the surgery be successful in removing cancer and sparing important nerves; 4) grant that this light and momentary trial would work to spread a passion for you supremacy for the joy of all peoples through Jesus Christ; 5) may Noël and all close to me be given great peace—and all of this through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever, Amen.” I hope God will lead you to pray in a similar way.
With deep confidence that
“Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting. The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 15:54-57
Pastor John
With Sam Crabtree, Lead Pastor for Life TrainingKenny Stokes, Lead Pastor for SpreadingTim Johnson, Chairman of the Council of EldersRoss Anderson, MD, Bethlehem Elder
(image placeholder)
Please join the saints in praying for John Piper.
Also, I would like to publically thank Jesus for his mercy in my life. My biopsy did come back normal. God is good… but God is good whether my biopsy came back normal or if it didn’t. I rest in God’s goodness always. Please join me also in praying for my husband who is undergoing some medical exams as well. Blessed be the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
posted by diane boucher @ 9:57 AM
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