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Lives God has changed Barbara C., I was raised in a
non-Christian home knowing about God because I had been baptized
Catholic and had gone through communion and catechism and reverenced
God. I had seen my Gram go to church all the time and loved that about
her. My parents really didn't go to church because my mom was
Protestant and my dad being Catholic made for a major conflict. They
wanted the choice to be ours as to what church beliefs we chose. So,
the journey began in search of God because I was born with a heart
defect. I knew in my mind that I needed God and that my life was in
His hands. You see I was given a 50/50 chance of surviving Open Heart
Surgery in 1969 because those were the pioneering days. I had a hole
in my lower left chamber about the size of a quarter, called an Atrial
Septal defect. They decided after many procedures, probes and
prodding's by lots of doctors to do this surgery, where they would
patch the hole with some synthetic fiber. I was 12 years old when this
was done and I remember telling my folks that if I live I live, if I
die I die, it's all in God's hands. That brought comfort to my mom,
but anguish to my dad. You see, they had the choice of saying yes or
no to the surgery. Well anyways, they decided to go through with it. I
was very happy because I knew that if I didn't have surgery I'd be
dead by age of 20. The doctors even said that, plus I felt winded all
the time and had chest pains and was restricted from doing anything
active. I was a sick, thin and pale little girl.Then I had my surgery in 1969 and recovered amazingly, by God's grace. I later began to live a normal life, but still not "knowing God'. I started going to a protestant church and realized that these people had something I'd not seen before. These people were loving and joyful. I learned to talk to God and asked Him to become the real center of my life and my world. During this time my mom had also chosen to follow and know God, through Jesus Christ. Through the years I've grow in my relationship with God, but had gotten a little complacent. You know it's so easy to get caught up in "things" other than having your focus fixed right. --- Then my world was rocked. About 18 months ago I found a lump in my chest near my armpit. I immediately had it checked out. Long story short, the doctors did a biopsy and found a couple of days later that I indeed had breast cancer. I was in shock, and yes my world really did get rocked, but I truly cried out to God for help and comfort and found the most amazing peace going through this huge trial. This was a fight of survival and who better to bring me through it but God. I was told that I needed both chemotherapy and radiation because I had 2 cancers, of which one was aggressive. There were 2 options of chemo, both options had a slight chance of heart damage or heart failure. Now, you know I had open heart surgery because I was born with a damaged heart. Well this made me about melt. I chose plan 1 and truly felt God say "trust me and don't listen to what the doctors say". So I went forward trusting Him, with confidence. I was prayed for on several occasions and through out the whole journey. God has been with me this whole journey. I feel He has held my right hand the whole way through. Yes, I went through therapy, but God's grace has been there all along and He has been merciful in this process. I had very little down time while going through chemo and radiation was even better. I was told that I would be knocked down going through radiation, but again, God's grace...... I have my oncologist visits every 2 months and have a good report. I am cancer free and my heart was not effected at all. What a huge weight was lifted off my shoulders with that report! I now look at life in a whole different light. It's amazing what a little reality check will do to you. You know not one of us knows when will be our last day on this earth. We are not promised tomorrow. I now live life with more zeal and purpose. I don't want to go back to being complacent ever again!!! |
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