Is anyone among you sick? Then he must call for the
elders of the church and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in
the name of the Lord; and the prayer offered in faith will restore the one who
is sick, and the Lord will raise him up, and if he has committed sins, they
will be forgiven him. Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for
one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man
can accomplish much. James 5:14-16
October is breast
cancer awareness month so our church annually recognizes those who have been
affected by cancer this month. Pretty
much everyone knows someone with cancer or someone you know is touched by
cancer in some way, whether they have it or a friend or loved one has it. It is all too prevalent in our world
today.
What Cancer Is:
Cancer: The
uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells derived from normal tissues, which
eventually can cause death by spreading from the site of origin to other sites.
Cancer is not one
disease. There are an estimated 200 different kinds of cancers and cancer can
involve any tissue of the body and have many different forms in each body area.
The Journey Of A Cancer Patient:
Diagnosis – The day you are
diagnosed with cancer, your life changes.
Your life is suddenly filled with physicians, new words, terms,
procedures, follow-ups…life is scheduled by others.
Testing - Biopsy, Scans –
CT, MRI (with or without contrast), Blood Draws, Transfusions, Red and White
Blood Cell Counts, Radiation, Implant, Ports, Chemo, Hair loss, Nausea,
Headaches, Sensitivity to light, smells, tastes, I.V. fluids
Treatment - Results of Treatment
- ARRESTED:
Growth stopped (possibly temporarily, possibly permanently).
- CONTROL:
Growth rate reduced to where it is not life-threatening.
- REMISSION:
No sign of cancer but statistically might recur
- CURE:
No sign of cancer and statistically should not recur.
Prognosis – A Guess based on
History
Cancer is a word, not a
sentence. ~ John Diamond
Accepting and Fighting the Battle Before You
Not that I speak from
want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.
Philippians 4:11 Contentment requires acceptance. Satisfied/content does not mean
yielding. It means accepting. Accepting does not mean giving in to
defeat. It means accepting the
challenge. Acceptance can quench the
fire of anger. Otherwise, we live in
frustration and anger. It takes courage to accept and fight the battle ahead of
you. Courage is defined as: 1. Mental or
moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty;
2. The quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty,
danger, pain, etc., without fear; bravery.
God will give us all the courage we need to fight our battles and He
also provides others to stand beside us and hold us up when we can’t do it
ourselves. Courage comes when we rely on
His strength instead of our own.
Scripture to claim:
May the God of hope
fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow
with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13 NIV
