Our First Sunday back at COOK

We have been attending Church of Our King (COOK)since 2002 after we returned from furlough. It has been our home church since then.

While we were in China, we did not have a chance to attend any worship services. Although Doug and I had daily times of prayer and worship, there is something dynamic about group worship. Today, I looked forward to seeing all our friends and to worship together. I was not disappointed. The worship was wonderful and I felt the Lord's presence from the very start.

Doug and I were given some time to share our testimonies of what the Lord has done for us while we were in China. This is what I had to say:

“How can we understand the road we travel? It is the Lord who directs our steps.” Prov. 20:24

I read this scripture after my mastectomy in Jan. 2008. The challenge of cancer has led me through many roads, side streets, detours and dead ends. Some roads were rough and difficult to travel and others were smooth and easy. As I have said before, during the last 2 years I always seemed to travel between death’s door and a miracle. My only comfort is knowing that it is the Lord who has been directing my steps. He has been with me and has never left me. I know that many times when my strength was gone, he carried me through.

Last month, the road led us to Guangzhou, China. Finally knowing the severity of my situation in direct, cold medical terms was very sobering. I was depressed after knowing the results of my pet scan but after many tears, I realized that the Lord is just setting up the scenario for a miracle.

I decided to put my diagnosis at the back of my head and plunged into my treatments. I had 2 cryosurgeries, 2 local chemotherapies and one comprehensive immunotherapy for cancer which intends to boost my immune system to fight off the metastasis --- all in 5 weeks. I had so many needle pricks, some of which were very painful. I have a high threshold for pain (I gave birth to 4 children lamaze style with no anesthesia!) but I began to have some kind of phobia for it. Inspite of the pain, I would always think: this is a small price to pay to see Amanda’s children. And it really is.

When you battle cancer, you choose who would be your companion: fear or faith. And its never an easy decision even if you have been a Christian for so long. Fear can overpower you and render you helpless and hopeless. Sometimes, it seems easy to give in to fear. But faith is what pleases the Father: Faith in what he has spoken and faith to believe that it will come to pass. It is not faith that I can generate in myself. It is faith that comes from allowing the Lord Jesus to live his life in me.

(A few months ago, I watched a movie that made an impact in my life, "Faith like Potatoes." A statement in the movie has become meaningful to me: the condition for a great miracle is not difficulty but impossibility. The Bible says: Nothing is impossible for God. I am still waiting for that miracle.)

I just want to thank all of you for joining your faith with ours during this journey and especially during the last 5 weeks. Thanks so much for your generous giving at such a short notice. Thanks for those who checked on the kids and treated them to meals or cooked meals for them. I heard that they ate very well while we were away! Thanks for your prayers and emails that encouraged Doug and I while we were in China.

The journey hasn’t ended yet. I will be returning to Guangzhou mid-April for a month to finish the last 2 cycles of chemo. Please pray that during this 1 month of rest, my inflamed lymph nodes will start to soften or grow smaller or disappear. Otherwise, they may have to give me stronger chemo meds for the last 2 cycles.

Thanks so much for the love you have shown in various practical ways to us as a family. We wouldn't have made it without your love and prayers!