This now marks my 3rd testimony posted here:
In my first Testimony Share I wrote of how I yelled out “Jesus, Help Me!” and He came to my rescue, saving me from being attacked by muggers in the park. In my second testimony I wrote of how my being totally immersed in New Age spirituality for well over 30 years had nearly destroyed my life, risking my soul forever in hell. But Jesus had a plan for my life and pulled me out of New Age. I now want to share what has happened since I have come closer to Christ, with a much deeper testing of my faith.
Calling Card from Cancer
Just several years ago my physical health seriously began taking its toll on me. My first early warning sign of cancer came with the shock of seeing massive blood in my urine. Cancer runs in my family, with the death of my mother at 71, and my brother at 69. I had just turned 68 but I surely felt my time was not over yet, that God must have a plan for my life, which did not include dying early from cancer. So my personal faith in Christ was clearly being put to the test.
My diagnosis came by way of prostate cancer. The male prostate is located directly below the bladder and above the muscles of the pelvic area. My research tells me that all men are at risk of having prostate cancer, and about 1 in 8 men will be diagnosed with it during their lifetime. A prostate can grow to the size of a lemon or even larger, significantly exceeding its normal walnut size. But my prostate condition was a most rare case, rapidly growing in abnormal size to a large potato, metastasizing and spreading to my other organs, and to my upper body as well.
Once I had reached that physical state a medical doctor’s only hope would be for me to undergo chemotherapy, otherwise I would be too far gone and at that point I was just “a dead man walking”. Well I refused to take the chemo, which is no guarantee anyway. I felt instead it was best for me to spiritually try a holistic healing approach and do so in the name of Jesus.
Praying through the Pain
I had to endure the most severe pain due to the prostate’s growth in size. I was always physically tired, and I could only walk but just a few steps when I would feel a deep stabbing pain in my groin leading all the way down the nerve endings in my left leg and on to my foot. And I could not sleep at night, just tossing and turning in acute agony. As this continued for months, I was left pondering why as a Christian was I having to suffer such great pain?
I found my answer in the Bible: 1 Peter 4:12-13
“Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to test you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy”.
So, as my fiery trial was in full force, and as the pain only got worse, my faith actually got deeper. I found in Hebrews 11:6
“And without faith it is impossible to please God – because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists – and he rewards those who earnestly seek him”.
Without faith it is impossible to please God, I took that quite seriously! So, with my persistent praying throughout each day, with my full faith in understanding that, yes, God knew my pain, and that, yes, he would also take it away. Just a short while after this realization, one morning as I attempted walking, the first few steps I took were overwhelmingly painful. But as I kept on walking and praying through the pain, I began to notice the pain was slowly beginning to lift. I then began weeping, as I was feeling the Spirit, I kept on praying to Jesus. And just a few minutes later, the pain had lifted entirely! And even though my cancer was in a most serious advanced state, I became that day completely pain free. And since that very day, the pain has not returned. Not even once. Praise God!
A Healthy Holistic Healing
Now that the pain was gone, I continued my research of proper nutrition and healthier food choices which help to reduce the prostate’s inflammation. I was not eating healthy at all, and poor food choices can certainly have a deep effect on your intestines, bladder, prostate etc. I personally was too addicted to sugar and with foods containing HFCS – high fructose corn syrup – a common liquid sweetening agent made from corn starch. It makes foods taste sweet, and manufacturers use it because it’s less expensive than sugar, has a better flavor, and a longer shelf life. It’s why so many things have HFCS including breakfast cereals, bread bakery items, candies, canned soups and canned fruits, soft drinks, yogurts, granola, power bars, etc. – this stuff is everywhere! Consuming high amounts of this sugar can lead to very serious health issues. Especially for me in my condition to be eating all these things with HFCS was quite harmful, it was making my swollen cancer condition only worse.
I read that holistic nutrition is all about eating healthy food as close to its natural state as possible for optimum health and well-being. So, I became a strict nutritionist, creating my own anti-inflammatory meal plans. Eating nothing but whole grains, legumes, salmon, tuna, vegetables and fruits. Also drinking lots of green tea. And no dairy, no red meat, no processed foods, no fried foods, no sugar etc. I then and still do continue to monitor closely everything I eat and drink. And in time my swollen prostate had slowly begun shrinking in size, as well as restoring my other organs back to health. Along with the healthy eating, I’m still reading the Bible and praying daily, always giving deep gratitude for my holistic healing. Praise God!
The God of Grace
1 Peter 5:10
“And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.”
And indeed, He has done all of that for me! I realize that no one likes the idea of having to endure pain and suffering but the Bible also talks about the actual joy of suffering:
Romans 5:3-5
“We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us”.
So, we should actually rejoice in our sufferings — our labor pains, you might say — because all Christian suffering is like giving birth.
2 Corins 4:17
“For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all”.
Amen!
My One Blessed Brick
It was during my most painful moments that I was given by God the most amazing assurance that I am in his grace and that He has a plan for my life.
Let me explain: In 1996 Atlanta was selected to be the chosen city to host the summer Olympic Games. The downtown Centennial Olympic Park was built to serve as a gathering place and as a lasting legacy for the city. To help fund the park’s construction the walkways of the Centennial Plaza were paved with more than 430,000 commemorative engraved bricks. This allowed the Adopt-A-Brick program, in which people donated money to have a brick engraved and placed in the walkways throughout the park. Many purchased a brick for themselves or loved ones, either engraving their names or important phrases or messages on each individual brick.
One day as I was slowly recovering from my cancer, I was able to take a walk through the park. As I approached the Plaza area paved with bricks, I was just gazing at all the different names and messages etc. As I continued walking and reading different names and messages, I stepped over one brick in all-capped letters with this message:
God Has A Plan For Your Life!
I smiled at that and kept on walking. I had only stepped just a few feet forward when the thought occurred that I must go back and read it again. As there might be other messages similar to it on other surrounding bricks?
So, as I walked back to find that brick, I got quite a shock when I discovered it was not there. I frantically began searching up and down and all over each brick, but it was not there. I was beginning to feel like I was in the twilight zone! So why could I not find that brick with the message about God? I had just seen it with my own eyes, that’s why I went back to see it again. And that is when, as the saying goes, “it hit me like a ton of bricks” – it was not there! But I did find one brick that was blank with no writing on it at all. And that must have been the one brick that I saw with the writing on it. A supernatural sign from Him that was meant just for me to see at that very moment.
I went over to a nearby bench and sat just weeping with joy. I prayed and gave immense thanks for what had just occurred. And I knew that was a divine sign that my life would continue, and my health would be restored. Praise God! Having overcome the cancer, I remain a work in progress, and I believe the Lord Jesus will always be there for me. Trusting that the Holy Spirit will lead and guide me at all times as the plan that God has for my life continues to unfold.
Let us all pray and give thanks to Him daily! And I hope that my three testimonies posted here will help those who are striving to abide in God more faithfully.
Amen.
Hey Luke, your third story is indeed encouraging on many levels. It seems that a pivotal point was when you had the inner realization/revelation of faith from Hebrews 11:6 – a very treasured scripture for me personally as well. It also hit me that this was not an instantaneous healing but one that seemed to manifest as your faith grew. Do you think believers grow weary and some give up on their prayers when then could persist and wait for gradual results?
I like the way you approached your diet and wow, this is something I’ve been paying a lot of attention to lately. There are so many good tasting food choices that are healthy now. God made our bodies to function correctly on the right fuel it seems. I think I’m becoming a bit of a nutritionist myself and I confess I was up late last night looking at food labels after posting your story 🙂
It’s just such a blessing reading the testimonies of God working in your life and I thank you again for inspiring us with what you experienced, brother!
There is a scripture in Luke (17:14) where Jesus healed lepers but they key was that they were healed as they went to show themselves to the priests. The healing wasn’t instantaneous. They were healed as they went. Sometimes God heals right away and sometimes it’s over a period of time. And sometimes it’s not in this life but the next (which keep in mind that healing does come just sometimes not in this life which is hard to accept) BUT they are still healed keep in mind. Believers do grow weary and do give up praying for healing or having faith to believe. The Bible says that we win the race if we don’t give up, this is about our taking up our cross and following after Christ, but I think it can apply to continue in faith to believe and pray for a thing, in this case healing.
Ah yes, great points, Cece. They were cleansed “as they went”. That reminds me of the beginning of Acts 3 where Peter commanded the lame man to “Rise up and walk” then took him by the right hand and raised him up. I have wondered what would have happened if Peter had not offered his hand.
Thank you Luke, I’d been waiting to read what made you refuse chemotherapy.
And I like what I saw. In life I have seen that personal faith does always deliver. What I mean is – it always works when one feels an inner conviction or peace to or not to do something no matter how crazy.
In your case a scripture came to life to you and you had the audacity (faith) to take such a big decision, and the results showed God at work. I wonder what your medical team must have said / thought.
Like Emory noted above, sometimes our answers come in drops like the blind man Jesus healed who was seeing men like trees. Of course we would prefer an instantaneous answer but choosing to flow with God’s step by step way does surely stretch our faith.
Secondly, your experience with the bricks shows how creative our God is. He has unlimited ways to reach us personally and it’s quite encouraging to hear of new ways like this.
All in all the lesson for me here, is to not give up hope no matter how loud the problem shouts and to cry to God for what I want. This without giving in to lying deserving feelings of self pity, despair, anger, etc.
A few weeks ago I had planned to buy that syrup you talked about but somehow wasn’t able to. Though our foods here are more than 90% organic it’s still a bad idea to over indulge with sugars. So thank you for those rich info on foods.
Wishing you more and more conquests against the darkening, lieing kingdom of hell as you stop the generational lies in your family. Future generations will be better for what by your Faith you are doing.
God bless!
Hello Godwin,
I’m so glad you have seen that a personal faith does indeed always deliver. It’s that inner conviction that we need to stretch our faith! My decision not to take the chemotherapy hit me on different levels. One was my not being responsible enough in eating healthier food choices but resorting to consuming junk food loaded with sugar. If I had taken the chemo as a quick cure-all and still kept on eating bad food choices, how would that cure me? I related that to how I saw my mother, brother and cousin suffering from cancer due to their own poor eating habits. They all three took the chemo and got only weaker from it while still continuing eating so much junk food loaded with sugar. The chemo only gave them a few more months to live before they all three passed away. So, you can see now why I simply had to avoid the chemo and try a more holistic approach instead.
That had a big impact on me in deciding not going to see a medical doctor. I did a lot of online research and so many doctors kept insisting that with my rare case of a swollen prostate being the size of a large potato unless I take the chemo I would not survive. Well, that is where my faith in God had to take over and whatever a medical doctor had to say simply did not matter!
Well, let me tell you how God did intervene with my prayers about not taking the chemo. I met a dear Christian woman named Virginia. She has a son John who had also suffered with a rare form cancer that was quite advanced which led to his brain. He had suffered more intense pain than I did, or I could even imagine. He went to his doctor that told him his cancer was too far advanced and unless he takes the chemo immediately, he would not live much longer – two months – if at that – and he would not survive.
John just calmly looked the doctor in the face and boldly told him under no circumstances whatsoever would he be taking the harsh chemo. John also told him respectfully that he was just a man that was given the title of doctor, and that he was just a man, not God. And only God can give life, and only God can take llfe away. The doctor pleaded with John, but John persisted in saying he was not going to die, but he was going to live. Period.
Well, the two months passed, and John not only survived, he was getting healthier every day. He did return to the doctor’s office to show him just how healthy and alive he was and, yes, God did let him live. The doctor was quite speechless! Just hearing his story from his mother Virginia gave me so much inspiration. I was living vicariously through John’s deep faith – and it fueled me greatly!
But John’s testimony doesn’t here there. He had to endure the further effects of the cancer as it had spread to eyes in which he lost his vision. He had become totally blind. But that did not deter dear John as all of his friends and neighbors told him he must concede to the fact that, yes, he had survived from dying – but his eyesight was gone – forever. Yet John persisted in his deep faith by telling everyone he knew that God was not finished with him and his vision would be fully restored. His friends proceeded to tell him that his kind of faith was useless and the sooner he could accept his blindness the better off he would be.
Many months dragged on and there was no sign of John’s vision ever returning. But John knew that without faith there is no pleasing God. So, he continued in believing, praying and waiting…waiting. And his friends kept persisting in telling him what a sad waste of time it was in believing in something so impossible.
But seven months later, as one morning John was standing in his bathroom, he happened to look up and in the mirror, he could see his face. His vision had returned! I never got to meet John personally but just hearing his testimony from his mother was all I needed to stay in awe of such faith. Virginia told me her son is quite the prayer warrior. Yes, indeed!
Godwin you said:
I could not have said that in any way better.
So, Godwin, I’m so glad you are here on Testimony Share, your many comments have kept me inspired to say the least! I can only wish you the best my dear brother in Christ.
Hello Emory,
I just typed in a whole page full of text and mistakenly erased the whole thing! Well, let me start over, hoping I can remember all that I wrote, as I’m on a timeline for today.
As you mentioned the pivotal point came with my realization from – Hebrews 11:6 – there is no pleasing God without faith. It’s Impossible To Please Him Without Faith! I’m so glad that is one of your favorite scriptures as well. That’s why when I first became a Christian, I realized I had to cling to Him. When you’re clinging, you are clutching, holding on for dear life. There is no letting go!
So, with my praying throughout each day – the clinging – and with faith and patience I knew in my heart of hearts that I would be healed. So, as you mentioned this was not an instantaneous healing but one that seemed to manifest as my faith grew. Yes! God works on His own timetable and not ours. Many Christians can and do easily forget that.
That’s why you asked me if I think believers grow weary and some give up on their prayers when then could persist and wait for gradual results? Yes, absolutely! God is teaching us the fine fruits of patience backed by faith and with self-control. Remember the nine fruits of the Spirit – Galatians 5:22 – “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faith, patience and self-control”. The last three fruits – faith, patience and self-control – have proven to be the most challenging for me! As I would image for most Christians as well. How about you?
As for the way I approached my diet, I simply had no other choice but to start eating right since I refused to take the chemotherapy as a quick cure-all. Eating poor food choices loaded with additives, preservatives, high fructose syrup etc. was what made me sick with prostate cancer in the first place. So, I realized that, yes, it was my duty to eat correctly, it was God’s duty to heal me while I was proving to Him I was being more responsible with eating the more wholesome foods. As you stated God made our bodies to function correctly on the right fuel. That’s why I now go to Whole Foods for the right fuel. As a food company they are committed to having so many good tasting food choices that are healthy now. Your food IS your medicine!
You said you’re now becoming a bit of a nutritionist yourself. Well, that’s a good thing! It left you up late at night looking at food labels? Did you find any listing of HFCS – high fructose corn syrup, artificial colors, or synthetic food dyes, monosodium glutamate (MSG), nitrates and nitrites, artificial sweeteners etc? Many people who cut artificial sweeteners out of their diets report the improvement of many health problems including migraines, depression, IBS, weight gain. Artificial sweeteners are chemically synthesized substances that are used instead of sucrose (table sugar) to sweeten foods and beverages. The main thing to watch out for is the HFCS – it’s used most often in a lot of fast foods. Just some handy info to keep in mind.
So Emory, I thank you dearly for posting all of my testimonies, it’s deeply appreciated. Your ongoing work with Testimony Share is such a vital part of the plan God has for your life!
Stay clinging in Christ!
Hi Luke,
I think that when we step forward in faith while clinging to Him and ask and believe God for things we need, it presents an opportunity for the Holy Spirit to develop that fruit that you mentioned. Some Christians might not even ask but we’re told to “let your requests be made known to God.” in Philippians 4:6.
I really like this statement as well:
So true.
I did not find any HFCS in any food when I looked. Probably just instinctively kept it out of my cupboard due to enjoying healthier food in recent years. I’ll probably go to Costco and Whole Foods today 🙂 Man, I used to eat so much junk food and wondered why I could never lose weight. I do use organic Stevia as coffee sweetener instead of sugar or other artificial sweeteners. Not sure if you have an opinion on that?
Always appreciate your testimonies and comments and I know that our heavenly Father has more for your to tell to encourage others. God bless you bro.
Emory,
I’m so glad to know you’re now enjoying healthier food. I was just at Whole Foods this morning, the clerks there tease me because I’m there all the time! And Costco is another good place to shop as well.
As for the Stevia, that’s a very good question. According to Nourishing Gurus: Yes, Stevia is safe – as long as it’s PURE, then stevia is perfectly safe, The healthiest stevia is pure, unprocessed, and contains no additives. But the other artificial sweetners that mimic Stevia are to be avoided: Truvia, PureVia, & Stevia in the Raw. They are not pure at all and can be deleterious to your well-being.
So I’m like you Emory, I use pure organic Stevia for coffee when I drink it, but only about 2-3 times per week, otherwise I drink green tea. And do you use creamer in your coffee? A little half/half is not bad when used in moderation. But I found for me it’s even better to use either oat milk or almond milk instead, and it is sooo good!
Well I hope it’s ok to share my nutritional info here, I’ve become obsessed with it! Think of it this way there now could be a new subdivision of Testimony Share, let’s call it Dietary Share. How about that? 🙂
Thank you, Luke, for that “Dietary Share” 🙂
I have been using organic Stevia from Costco with ingredients stevia and organic can sugar. I am not sure what the difference in this and pure Stevia is. I do add creamer to coffee, usually half and half of some sort. Besides coffee, I love almond milk and use almond meal instead of flour. Oat milk I have not tried yet but want to.
Emory,
So you are now using Costco’s Stevia with ingredients of stevia with organic cane sugar? That’s good. As there are so many different combos of stevia that has refined white sugars added. They are refined not organic. But organic cane sugar is actually good for you since it has antioxidants etc. And there are other health benefits in choosing cane sugar over refined sugars. The Ayurveda and Unani systems of medicine use it to treat various ailments. Just keep in mind that even organic cane sugar is still sugar, so it’s best not to overindulge. And you will be perfectly fine.
You also mentioned using almond meal instead of all-purpose flour? That’s great too, it shows the healthy detail you’re putting into your cooking – there’s so much you can do with almonds. Well I love how you’ve become a serious nutritionist. Yippee!
Hey Luke, that’s good to know and yes, I’m using the Costco Stevia with ingredients of stevia with organic cane sugar. And yes, I’m amazed at almonds, and I’ve been discovering walnuts and pecans lately also. I’m more like a novice up and coming nutritionist, though 🙂
Hey Emory,
I do have a question for you, whatever happened to Pietergabriel? I remember reading his testimony a few years ago. It still stands out in my mind for all the physical pain he endured until he was eventually healed. As I continue to read thru some of the older testimonies, I still see his name under so many comments he left. I was trying to find his original testimony to it read again but doing a search by his name does not pull it up. Can you help me find it? Thanks!
Hi Luke,
Pietergabriel first posted back in 2013 and pops in now and then to comment. He’s a great friend of the site and his story has some similarities to yours now that you mention it. Here’s his testimony:
https://testimonyshare.com/pietergabriel/
I hope we hear from him this year.
Hey Emory,
I just noticed you changed the title heading to Holistic Cancer Healing in The Name of Jesus – I love that! It now has a much better feel to it. I think everything we do should be about Jesus – keeping our daily focus on Him.
As I’ve mentioned before, it’s the clinging to Christ. Also, the word craving came to my mind, as another way of clinging, from the perspective of desire and longing. That came about when I recently overheard the song “Constant Craving” with these lyrics:
Those lyrics have a much deeper impact if you think about Christ as your constant craving, “A great magnet that pulls all souls towards truth” – “Be it thick or thin, always someone marches brave, here beneath my skin”.
I hope you find inspiration in all of that as much as I do!
Yes, you noticed 🙂 I went back and looked at the title and realized it didn’t work. Feel free to make any suggestions in the future about stuff like this btw.
“A great magnet that pulls all souls toward truth” reminds me of John 6:44: