That week in August 2002 was one that changed my view on life, forever. I spent that week in the hospital, had one more surgery to insert a port, started chemo, and lost almost 15 pounds. I went home and did all of my chemo (4 months worth) outpatient…those weeks were hard. I lost all of my hair, couldn’t go to school, and wandered in the beginning of December if I’d be able to do 2 more months of chemo that they thought I might have to do. I remember decorating the Christmas tree that year, thankful to be alive, thankful for family, and thankful for the start of radiation!
I did a month and a half of radiation and finished all treatments by March of 2003. By all accounts, I was in remission, the storm had passed, and life went on. Unfortunately, that meant that I went back to living a life of sin. Cancer had affected my life but Christ hadn’t yet impacted my heart.
I finished my senior year of high school and went off to college. I lived a life of complete sin, searching for satisfaction in places that were anything but satisfying. Looking back, it was almost a complete slap in the face to have survived cancer just to turn around and live so wrecklessly…how foolish.
I moved back home in December of 2004 and started attending the local community college. I did really well in school and had a part time job, while still living a life of sin. In July of 2005 I met Q on the internet. We talked for a few weeks, as it took me a while to even give him a chance, and in August Hurricane Katrina hit. At that time, Q was going to school in Mobile, AL and needed to evacuate. He decided to escape to North Carolina and stayed with my family and I for a week…the rest was history.
Q was already in the ministry, I wasn’t saved, and God began to work on my heart through him. We talked every night about the bible and I fought the lifestyle until October of 2006.
While at a revival at my home church, God literally caused my heart to change. As I stood up to walk the aisle and accept Christ as my Savior that night, I knew the “floating” feeling I felt was “of God”. And from that moment on, God changed my life.
I am not who I used to be. I have been crucified with Christ, it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives within me, the life I now live, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me (Galatians 2:20).
I am forever grateful for cancer, as I believe that God began to stir my heart, even then. But, most importantly, I’m grateful for the love of Christ and the heart change that only He can cause.
I am a new creation…saved for greater purposes beyond myself.
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WOW- Thank you for sharing about what God did in your life. What a testimony of God’s goodness even when we don’t deserve it- daily for me! Thank you for the encouragement. As a cancer survivor myself…speaks to my heart.
beautiful. God is so good. this makes the title of your blog even more fitting!
Hey, here is my testimony from our blog… 🙂 http://arethesekidsallyours.blogspot.com/2009_07_01_archive.html
Christie – there is NO God like Jehovah!
PRAISING HIM for the ways He saves each of us!
Praising Him that we are a NEW creation!
Praising Him for working so deeply in your heart that you are who you are now in HIM!
Love you and glad to know you!
Jill
Thanks so much for sharing this. Thanks for your openness and for letting God use you. What an awesome God we serve!
This is incredible…I am so proud of you for being so real. There are so many that think that their life is just “too far gone” to be saved & that Christians are & have always been perfect people. Your testimony to God’s redemption will have such a profound impact on so many that are under the impression that “they (meaning Christian people) would not understand”.
Love you!! :o)
What an amazing testimony Christie! I loved how real you put it all out there and didn’t hold ANYTHING back. Thank you God for healing you from cancer at such a tender age. On a side note, I didn’t accept Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior until I was 40:)
Thank you Christie and what a beautiful person you are! God is good ALL THE TIME.
Love you :o) Mom
“I am forever grateful for cancer” – something I never thought I would hear someone say. He works all things for good 🙂
What an amazing testimony! God had plans for you and didn’t let cancer win over your body. I’m just like yourself, grew up with the awareness of God but not knowing Him for myself. I’m so happy that we know Him now, and continue to learn more of His way.
I found my way to your blog from Katy this morning and I’ve been reading your story from the beginning!
I too am a Hodgkin’s survivor – I was diagnosed just after my 14th birthday. I was stage 3 and had nearly a year and a half of chemo. My last treatment was 19 years ago!!
…okay I’ve still got another 4 months to read…