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Debbie in Waxhaw
[Updated November, 2006] In 1997 Debbie was diagnosed with cancer. We made the decision to stay in North Carolina in our house in Waxhaw for her treatments, which included agressive chemotherapy and radiation and hormone treatments. This, of course, meant that we could no longer serve in Mexico, and it was very difficult to leave that place where our heart still remains today. Debbie taught our children school at home and finally graduated the youngest, Noelle, in 2002. I was able to fill some very needed roles at the JAARS Center in IT Administration from 1998-2004. We moved back to E. Tennessee in July of 2005, where Debbie helps in the care of her mother. She has had opportunities to teach while in Tennessee and is now preparing to begin studies towards a degree in Biblical Studies on line at Southern Evangelical Seminary in Charlotte, NC.
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From Debbie to you
I want to share a little of my testimony with you. I have been thinking about the fact that the Lord has given me 12 birthdays since I was diagnosed with cancer. I had surgery just before my birthday 12 years ago. The oncologist told me I had a 33% chance of disease free survival 5 years from diagnosis, but with chemo and radiation that would go up to 65%. However, the Lord reminded me that my days were ordained by Him before I was born (Ps. 139:16; Job 14:5), so the oncologist's statistics didn't really mean anything to me; I was in His hands.
God began to show me that "this thing" was from Him for His purposes, that it was for His glory and my good, that it was for the good of others, that His grace is always sufficient, that He loved me enough to work in my life this way, and that there is joy in trials when I submit to Him and allow Him to work in my life to transform me. I was learning to be content, to be thankful, to be still and wait on Him, to trust, to be used to minisiter to others, to find perfect peace in Him instead of fear from the enemy, not to doubt His leading after asking for it, and to humbly ask for the prayers of the saints.
I thought I'd never be the same again, BUT when my physical strength began to increase, I soon began to struggle in these areas again. I realized that the lessons the Lord had been teaching me were life-long lessons that are never "fully learned" in this life, but always require acting in faith as new trials come my way.
God gave me a verse 12 years ago, Psalm 118:17-18: "I shall not die, but live, and tell of the works of the Lord. The Lord has disciplined me severly, but He has not given me over to death." At that time I didn't know if He was telling me I would live a few more seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, or years, but I knew He had more to accomplish in and through me. He has allowed me over these last 12 years to be used of Him in teaching, ministering, raising my family, seeing two of my children married, spending time with the love of my life, caring for my parents, and telling of His great and awesome works in everything: that He is always good, that He is Creator, Sustainer, Redeemer, Soon-Coming King, Provider, and so much more.
As long as I'm in this body, I will by His grace be growing through trials that I may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. And as long as I have life, I will by His grace be telling of the works of the Lord. What a mighty God we serve - all glory be to Him!
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