Emerging Courageous Online Magazine - Stories
God’s Healing
Touch by Virginia Baty
weeks
into the month, I discovered a lump on one breast. My first response was denial. Troubled thoughts ran through my
mind. It wasn't cancer—it just
couldn't be cancer, and there’s no cancer in my family. I couldn't even tell my husband. With much fear and trembling, I could
hardly get through my days. For
three weeks I was in denial.
Finally, I had to tell him to keep my sanity, and he immediately insisted
that I make an appointment with the doctor. I still rejected the idea that cancer
was a possibility—there must be some mistake.
My husband couldn't go to the doctor with me, so my daughter-in-law took
me. We saw the gynecologist first,
and before I knew what was happening, he told us there was a suspicious lump,
most likely a tumor. Even though it
could be benign, I should see a surgeon as soon as possible. Then he made an immediate appointment
with a surgeon friend of his and sent us on our way. I was in somewhat of a daze as we
followed his directions to see the surgeon.
Following x-rays, we discussed my situation and options. Indeed, there was a tumor and the doctor
wanted me to have surgery right away.
I was still sure it couldn't be anything, and I knew a biopsy would prove
that. I even asked for a week's
reprieve since we had already planned a trip for the upcoming weekend to see
some of our family 200 miles away.
The doctor reluctantly gave permission but insisted on scheduling the
surgery for the following week.
We went on our trip but the words that we had just heard weren’t far from
our minds the entire time. We told
our loved ones and friends, who all began to pray for me. Without the knowledge of this prayer
support, I am not sure I could have gone on in the next few days and weeks.
Even as I signed the papers prior to surgery, there was no doubt in my
mind, that I would be OK. My
surgeon was a Christian and he prayed for me before being taken into surgery
which was a real comfort. Oh, yes,
I was quite fearful, but with my husband standing by, I went to sleep fully
trusting God would take care of me.
The tumor was Cancer!
A radical mastectomy was performed, taking 6 hours and a tumor the size
of an egg was removed, along with 24 infected lymph nodes and leaders, spreading
under the breast bone. The doctor
indicated he didn’t think they had gotten all of the infected tissue during the
surgery. He even had to do a skin
graft from my leg to the chest wall.
We were told chemotherapy treatments would follow my recovery from
surgery.
It is at a time like this that you realize only the prayers of God’s
people can and will help to carry you through. “Therefore confess your sins to each
other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is
powerful and effective” (James 5:16).
It took 4 months to recover from my surgery. During this
time, as I waited for chemotherapy to begin, I became increasingly apprehensive
and fearful.
The Devil taunted me, and I was quite unsettled. You know how the enemy
works, “You would not be fearful if you really were a Christian.” “Where is
your faith, Virginia?” Finally
after much prayer and counsel I came to realize my fears were only human and it
was OK.
Again, I confirmed that God would see me through.
I literally fed on God’s Word.
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name, you are
mine. When you pass through the
waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not
sweep over you. When you walk
through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze”
(Isaiah 43:1b-3).
Another scripture that encouraged me greatly was, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be
dismayed, for I am your God. I will
strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand”
(Isaiah 41:10).
I underwent 12 months of chemotherapy treatments and had very little of
the severe side affects many experience.
I was even able to work part-time that year. God drew very close to me through the
reading of His Word and meditating on it.
Of course without the constant support of my husband, Dave, I would have
lost heart many times. He was a
wonderful moral booster and my best friend in and through this time of change
and adjustment. His steadfastness
and love gave me the courage to go forward no matter how difficult things
were. I praise God for giving Dave
the ability to stand by me at this time.
I have now been healed for 25 years and praise God for His touch on my
life. During these many years of
continued good health, God has confirmed to me that the things we go through are
often just the experiences that give others the courage to go on. This scripture expresses my feelings
well. “Praise be to the God and
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all
comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in
any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God” (2 Corinthians
1:3-10).
It has now become my ministry to encourage others to trust God fully for
their healing also.
During my hospitalization, our youngest son, Dale, who was deep into a
life of drugs, alcohol, and waywardness, was broken-hearted about my
illness. He kept telling me that he
was the one who should be suffering—he was the one who had done wrong, why was I
suffering? We encouraged him to
understand that trouble comes to the just and unjust alike. My faith was still in Christ. About that time, our oldest son asked me
if I would be willing to die if it would mean Dale’s salvation? I agreed that I was willing to do
whatever it took to have him become a Christian. We continued to pray, and as the time
went on, we began to see a change in his attitude, and finally he did make a
decision to give his life to Christ.
I truly believe my bout with cancer was used of God to help bring him to
the Savior. Of course there were
other people and situations that affected his decision. But, Dale has now been a Christian for
23 years. Praise the Lord! God not only heals our diseases, but
heals from sin and its consequences as well.
Virginia M. Baty
All
scripture is from the New International Version (NIV) of the Bible.
Virginia M. Baty is retired editor and a free-lance writer since 1983. Her favorite types of writing are personal interest stories, devotionals, and poems. Other interests are family, church, walking, crocheting, and music. Virginia has 5 children and 13 grandchildren and one great grandson. She lives with David, her husband of 49 years, in Kansas. E-mail: vmbwrites@comcast.net
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