In His Grip is a weekly e-mail intended to provide inspiration and hope to those fighting cancer.
A ministry of Stronghold Ministry.          Subscribe here.

*If you’re fighting cancer, please write and let us know how we can pray and support you.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.  - 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

The beauty of God’s comfort is that it is transferable! Stronghold Ministry thrives on spreading the comfort we received during my cancer battle. As a non-profit organization, Stronghold relies on donations to operate. So in this edition of In His Grip, we are asking for a favor from you. Our financial supporters are encouraged when they see how the Lord has used us to encourage people fighting cancer. If you are a cancer patient or a caretaker, and have been touched by Stronghold Ministry, we would love to know how. We are putting together a video montage of short comments and pictures from the people we’ve served. We also want to encourage those who do not know us yet to contact Stronghold Ministry for support. But we need your permission to include your comments or image.

Here is how to help us spread His comfort:

1) Send us a brief note describing the impact Stronghold has had in your life.

One or two sentences is the perfect length. Simply share how Stronghold has lifted you. In today’s world, testimonials of third parties are often used to motivate people to action. If you have already sent us comments, you could grant us permission to use portions of anything you’ve already sent.

2) Send us a picture of you and your family.

To add a more personal touch, we prefer to include your image with your comments. You can send us recent pictures, or pictures from before you were diagnosed. If your pictures are not digital, please mail to: Stronghold Ministry PO Box 38478 Dallas, TX  75238. We’re sorry, we will not be able to mail them back, so please send a copy. Perhaps a tech savvy friend could scan and email them for you.

Send your comments and pictures via email to: jfor@mystronghold.org. Thank you so much! We could really use your help.

You Are In His Grip,

Joe & Terri Fornear, Stronghold Ministry

-If you are fighting cancer, please write and let us know how we can pray. We want to be “in your corner.”

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*New Dallas cancer support group starting in September. For details and updates on the group, sign up for our monthly newsletter, the Exchanger, on our website

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In His Grip is a weekly e-mail intended to provide inspiration and hope to those fighting cancer.
A ministry of Stronghold Ministry.          Subscribe here.

*If you’re fighting cancer, please write and let us know how we can pray and support you.

(Third in a series on journeying through desert places in our lives).

O God, when You went forth before Your people, when You marched through the wilderness, Selah. The earth quaked; the heavens also dropped rain at the presence of God; Sinai itself quaked at the presence of God, the God of Israel. You shed abroad a plentiful rain, O God; You confirmed Your inheritance when it was parched. -Psalm 68:7-9

The Lord reigns everywhere; deserts are no match for Him! Psalm 68 is David’s reminder that God was faithful to Israel in the wilderness, so He would be faithful to him, and us as well. In Part 1 of this mini-series, we dispelled the fear of going the wrong direction in the desert. Part 2 focused on God’s ability to march us victoriously; we are not overwhelmed in Him; we are stable and assured, even if our physical body or our circumstances are falling apart.

Another common desert fear:

• Will there be sufficient provisions, like water and food?

In other words, what if I don’t have enough resources to handle my wilderness journey? Desert travelers are often loaded down with worries. “What-if” questions tend to focus on resources.

1) Spiritual Resources – “What if I come to the end of my strength – will I be able to cope?”

2) Material Resources – “Will I/we/they have enough money?”

3) Relational “Resources” – “What will happen if my kids grow up without a mother/father?”

Psalm 68:9 reveals that God “confirms His inheritance when it was parched.” No matter how horrible our conditions, His inheritance, or resources will be sufficient. Don’t let pain, stress, or bad news cause you to panic. Simply rest in Him and trust Him for ALL resources you or your loved one(s) need. He is committed to take care of ANY concerns you have. Twice this passage stresses His “Presence” provides a “rain” or even “plentiful rain.” He provides. During my brutal cancer fight with Stage IV metastatic melanoma, there were several times I feared running out of strength, but my anxiety was  unnecessary. When I needed something, He was there. I’m not saying it was easy to cope; it was really hard. But His presence and inheritance made the journey so much more manageable. Many times, He even made my journey pleasant. Drink the rain.

(Second in a series on journeying through life’s desert places).

O God, when You went forth before Your people, when You marched through the wilderness, Selah. The earth quaked; the heavens also dropped rain at the presence of God; Sinai itself quaked at the presence of God, the God of Israel. You shed abroad a plentiful rain, O God; You confirmed Your inheritance when it was parched. -Psalm 68:7-9

The Lord reigns everywhere, including the desert! Psalm 68 is David’s remembrance that God provides riches for Israel even in the wilderness. Since God was faithful to Israel, He would be faithful to him and us as well!

In Part 1, we dispelled the fear of going the wrong direction in the desert. Especially when the stakes are so high, we want His guidance to be all the more certain. We can rest assured that He is leading. He promises to lead, so no fear (James 1:5-8).

Another common fear in the desert and God’s provision:

• Will the conditions totally overwhelm and overcome me?

In Psalm 68, God “marched through the wilderness.” This march is that of a Victorious King. Paul “saw” this too: “He always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ” (2 Corinthians 2:14). Do you see it? Meditate on these verses. Keep in mind, Paul endured vast stretches of desert places, in the form of cruel persecutions and constant sufferings. He was whipped, beaten, betrayed, stoned and imprisoned. Like Paul, our bodies and emotions may be banged and bruised because of illness or trials. Yet he rose above all of his circumstances. His secret: “I can do all things through Christ, Who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13). We are spiritual beings who overcome through His supernatural strengthening of our spirits. “Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day” (2 Corinthians 4:16). Even if your body is weakening, let Him strengthen your inner person. Ask Him to open your eyes to the reality of His victory in the wilderness. God is our Stronghold.

O God, when You went forth before Your people, when You marched through the wilderness, Selah. The earth quaked; the heavens also dropped rain at the presence of God; Sinai itself quaked at the presence of God, the God of Israel. You shed abroad a plentiful rain, O God; You confirmed Your inheritance when it was parched. -Psalm 68:7-9

Journeying through life’s deserts can be very frightening. Thankfully, the Lord reigns everywhere, including the desert! Psalm 68 is a proclamation that the Lord provides riches in the wilderness, where David found himself in literal and figurative dilemmas. He wrote to comfort himself and his readers: If God was faithful to Israel in the wilderness, He will be faithful to him too. And He will be faithful to us as well!

A common fear in the desert, and God’s provision:

• Will I become lost and disoriented in the desert?

When we are fighting cancer or in some major crisis, we travel high stakes roads. Our decisions seem to make the difference between life and death. So we cry out to God to lead us. We hope we’re making the right decisions. We hope He is guiding. Glory to God that even in the wilderness, He leads. God “goes forth before His people” through the wilderness (Psalm 68:7). In other words, He already is leading us though the harsh conditions! The Hebrew word at the end of verse 7 is “Selah,” which is an inspirational literary device. It means to pause, reflect, wonder and worship. So, Selah!

In the midst of trials, He promises to lead every step and grant us wisdom along the way. “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him” (James 1). Since He is leading, there is no reason to fear any destination! Do not doubt that He is leading you. Don’t let your emotions overrule His word. He is faithful, just trust that He is leading you and don’t fear the desert.

More about God’s desert provisions next time.

We have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves;  we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing;  persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed. -2 Corinthians 4:7-9

“For God, who said, ‘Light shall shine out of darkness,’ is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.”

In His Grip is a weekly e-mail intended to provide inspiration and hope to those fighting cancer.
A ministry of Stronghold Ministry.          Subscribe here.

*If you’re fighting cancer, please write and let us know how we can pray and support you.
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“For by their own sword they did not possess the land, and their own arm did not save them, but Your right hand and Your arm and the light of Your presence, for You favored them. You are my King, O God; Command victories for Jacob. Through You we will push back our adversaries; Through Your name we will trample down those who rise up against us. For I will not trust in my bow, Nor will my sword save me. But You have saved us from our adversaries, And You have put to shame those who hate us. In God we have boasted all day long, And we will give thanks to Your name” (Psalm 44:3-8).

Some days just seem… evil. Days when the messages in my head are so negative. I can’t seem to fight them. I think this is what Paul meant by “the day of evil” (Ephesians 6:13). Days of rejection, inadequacies, confusion. Days when I realize I am so vulnerable, weak and losing my grip. Feeling overwhelmed.

Yet He never said I had to fight my own battles. In fact, He said if I did, I would lose. I cannot truly trust in my bow, my schemes, ideas, medicine, doctors, friends, family; it is Him alone. My cry to Him brings my victory. He comes through as I hide myself in His Word. He is my refuge and protection.

I am going to snuggle up in Your right arm, Your Son, and watch as You show Your glory today.

In His Grip is a weekly e-mail intended to provide inspiration and hope to those fighting cancer.
A ministry of Stronghold Ministry.          Subscribe here.

*If you’re fighting cancer, please write and let us know how we can pray and support you.
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We have highlighted God’s liberating forgiveness and the importance of forgiving others. Yet the person most difficult to forgive might be you. Self-imposed guilt is common as we muddle through life. When coping with life’s upheavals, like cancer, the tendency to be rough on ourselves usually increases. Regrets, disappointments, bad choices, unmet goals, and past sins trouble our souls and wear out our bodies. David wrote of the effects of guilt, “My vitality was drained away as with the fever heat of summer” (Psalm 32:4). When I was in the throes of my battle with cancer, I continually struggled with guilt, real and false, even though I was quite sure the Lord was holding nothing against me. So how do we overcome this self-imposed menace? Three suggestions:

Let’s leave our mistakes, shortcomings and sins behind. Punishing ourselves cannot atone for our sins, only Christ can. So enjoy the exhilarating forgiveness of God, extend it to yourself!

“Every night I make my bed swim, I dissolve my couch with my tears” (Psalm 6:6).

Did God notice David’s tears? Does God care about our tears?

Tears are deep and wholehearted prayers to God. He captures and collects them. He knows the journeys of those who wander in the wilderness and in the enemy territory of cancer. He is noticing and watching and mapping our steps.

“You have taken account of my wanderings; Put my tears in Your bottle. Are they not in Your book?” (Psalm 56:8).

It was many years before God completely consolidated David’s kingdom. In the meantime, David trusted God. Psalm 56 is often called a “trust” psalm. David told himself the truth; God is always worthy of our trust.

“When I am afraid, I will put my trust in You. In God, whose word I praise, In God I have put my trust; I shall not be afraid” (Psalm 56:3-4).

God is always for you, even when you’re wandering in the wilderness. He is definitely for you when you’re fighting for your life. So, like David, say to yourself,

“This I know, that God is for me.” (Psalm 56:9).

In His Grip is a weekly e-mail intended to provide inspiration and hope to those fighting cancer.
A ministry of Stronghold Ministry.          Subscribe here.

*If you’re fighting cancer, please write and let us know how we can pray and support you.
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But this is not how God deals with those who have received the Savior, Jesus Christ! This is the reason Christ came to earth: to TAKE AWAY our sin and punishment so that we could “walk”! Isaiah 53:5-6 puts it like this:

But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities. The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, and by His scourging we are healed. All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way, but the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him.

In the American justice system, Presidents can “pardon” those accused of crimes. They can release criminals from prison, and even clear their records, as if they had never done anything wrong. This is what God does for us in Christ. Both Paul the Apostle and King David were murderers, yet God pardoned them and cleared their records. They rejoiced in the awesome blessing of being released from punishment for their sins. Here are two more powerful promises of His mercy and forgiveness:

I will cleanse them from all their iniquity by which they have sinned against Me, and I will pardon all their iniquities by which they have sinned against Me and by which they have transgressed against Me (Jeremiah 33:8).

Find out more about receiving God’s plan of salvation here.

For verification on this important matter, we consult a letter of Paul the apostle, and a Psalm of King David. These two men were especially anointed by God to speak on His behalf. They both testified that God does not punish us for sins that He has forgiven. In Romans 4:7-8, Paul quotes David’s Psalm 32:1-2, “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds have been forgiven, and whose sins have been covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will not take into account.”

We suspect Paul and David were both relieved to experience God’s gracious forgiveness, because BOTH MEN WERE MURDERERS! As such, they would have been prime candidates for being punished by God through cancer or some other severe punishment. Yet both appear to have lived cancer free lives. Think about it – how blessed we are when the Lord passes over our sin!

Check back next week for more on God’s amazing forgiveness.

In His Grip is a weekly e-mail intended to provide inspiration and hope to those fighting cancer.
A ministry of Stronghold Ministry. Subscribe here.

*If you’re fighting cancer, please write and let us know how we can pray and support you.
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So I have a choice, to hold things against those who have hurt me, or let it go. Here are our motivations to forgive:

1) Imitate Christ in being forgiving.
We can look to Jesus Christ Himself. He set the tone for forgiveness for all time as He hung on the cross and said, “Forgive them Father for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:24). If He could forgive those who crucified Him on that humiliating cross, then we can forgive anyone, for anything.

2) Forgive because we’ve been forgiven.
If Jesus can forgive us, then we can forgive others.“Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you” (Ephesians 4:32).

3) Forgive because we’ve been forgiven so much more by God!
In Matthew 18:23-35, Jesus told a long parable about a guy who was forgiven an outlandish amount of money ($6 billion in our money today), but did not extend that forgiveness to someone who owed him a tiny sum ($10,000). It’s humbling to think how overwhelmingly indebted we are to Christ for forgiving our multitude of sins. It is a small thing to follow Him in forgiving others.

4) We hurt ourselves when we don’t forgive.
Maybe a consequence of unforgiveness will inspire us to forgive. We hurt ourselves when we don’t forgive. Notice in this verse that it is not wrong to be angry, only allowing anger to linger. Let it go, Joe. Let it go. Don’t give the devil a foothold. “Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not give the devil an opportunity” (Ephesians 3:26-27).

In His Grip is a weekly e-mail intended to provide inspiration and hope to those fighting cancer.
A ministry of Stronghold Ministry. Subscribe here.

*If you’re fighting cancer, please write and let us know how we can pray and support you.
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In all their affliction He was afflicted, and the angel of His presence saved them; In His love and in His mercy He redeemed them, and He lifted them and carried them all the days of old.” (Isaiah 63:9)

So according to Isaiah, when you are hurting, He is beside you hurting with you, and carrying you through your trial! After all, the Lord commands us in Romans 12:15, “Weep with those who weep”. Since He doesn’t ask us to care in ways that He doesn’t, it follows that He weeps when we weep. For an example, recall in John 11 when Lazarus died, his sisters, Mary and Martha, were soaked with tears. Jesus knew exactly what He was about to do; He was going to raise Lazarus from the dead. He knew this story would have a happy ending. He knew in just moments that uncontrollable laughter and sheer joy would fill every grief-filled heart. Yet John 11:35 reports, “Jesus wept.” Why in the world would He cry at that moment? Simple answer; He so identifies with our pain that He can’t help hurting when we are hurting.

To go deeper, recall when Paul, then called Saul, was en route AGAIN to persecute Jesus’ followers. Jesus suddenly appeared, blinding Saul and knocking him off his high horse. Jesus then challenged him in a voice that resembled a thunder clap, “Why are you persecuting ME?” The Bible doesn’t say this, but I imagine Saul very sheepishly muttered, “Oops, I messed with the wrong guys, er, Guy.” For another example, remember that Jesus explained at judgment time He would reward or punish us for our decisions on helping the poor, sick and imprisoned. He said that when people visit and help these sufferers, they help and visit HIM.

“Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me” (Matthew 25:40).

Wow, talk about identifying with our suffering. Now we know exactly where God is when we hurt. He is right beside us, feeling our pain and carrying us through every trial! This lightens my load. How about you?

In His Grip is a weekly e-mail intended to provide inspiration and hope to those fighting cancer.
A ministry of Stronghold Ministry. Subscribe here.

*If you’re fighting cancer, please write and let us know how we can pray and support you.

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There is an “aha” moment in the life of every young eagle. The revelation comes at the most opportune time, during the worst crisis of its life, while it is plummeting towards the earth. Forces of gravity yank it faster and faster toward the ground. Utter panic sets in as it desperately scrambles to break its fall. It instinctively tries to lighten itself. As it attempts to push off the two “weights” that have dangled at its side, it discovers their true purpose. The weights catch air, giving the bird lift. It soars; visiting heights it could have never attained, if not for its mortifying freefall to earth. No wonder its mother pushed it out of the nest, catching it before impact over and over, until it learned a central truth of its existence, that those weights are wings.

The greatest crisis in my 50 years of life was an appointment with the ground during my battle with Stage IV metastatic melanoma. He had pushed me out of the nest to learn that my weaknesses are my true strengths. My education continues. He catches me each time I fall; each time I fail to flap. So be patient with yourself and others, until we all grasp a central truth of our existence, those weights are wings that lift us to God.

Paul said his weights were wings in 2 Corinthians 12:9, “Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.”

Isaiah had an aha moment too, though it appears his readers hadn’t yet:

“Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth does not become weary or tired. His understanding is inscrutable. He gives strength to the weary. And to him who lacks might He increases power. Though youths grow weary and tired, and vigorous young men stumble badly, yet those who wait for the LORD will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary” (Isaiah 40:28-31).

What is weighing you down today? Only what can lift you up tomorrow.

In His Grip is a weekly e-mail intended to provide inspiration and hope to those fighting cancer.
A ministry of Stronghold Ministry. Subscribe here.

*If you’re fighting cancer, please write and let us know how we can pray and support you.
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A while back I was working with one of my students, and in the middle of the lesson he said to me, “Ms. Terri, did you know that we are made of more nothing than something?” He proceeded to tell me how science has proven that cells have more empty space, than filled space. More nothing than something. At first I laughed at him, and then I got excited because in Colossians 1:17 it says, “In Him all things hold together.” And in Ephesians 1:23 it says Jesus, “Fills all and is in all.” Made me think maybe there is more of Him in me than me, which opens up all kinds of possibilities.

The invisible is becoming more real; especially since what I see is often overwhelming and out of my control. Talking to an invisible God, Who holds everything together, is a faith walk into the invisible. So, reading Psalm 32:7, I say His words out loud to Him, “You are my hiding place; you preserve me from trouble, and surround me with shouts of deliverance.”

I want to hear His “shouts of deliverance.”
How do I do that?
I have to quiet my heart to hear.

He says they are “shouts.” Listen to these shouts.
*Nails pounded into His hands and feet (delivering me from punishment for my sin).
*Thorns placed on His head (a reminder that He bears the thorns we deal with everyday).
*The vinegar He drank (drinking the comfort He gives in the middle of letting go of all my dreams).
*His tears of blood (bearing the anxieties, worries and fears of future trials). 
*Dragging His own cross (so that we could benefit from His Resurrection Life today).
*Then finally His last shout, “IT IS FINISHED.”

In His Grip is a weekly e-mail intended to provide inspiration and hope to those fighting cancer.
A ministry of Stronghold Ministry.    Subscribe here.
*If you’re fighting cancer, please write and let us know how we can pray and support you.
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During my battle with Stage IV metastatic melanoma, the Lord really used a devotional book, Streams in the Desert, to encourage me and to help me make sense of my sufferings. In one entry, there is a very inspirational quote from a pastor named Charles Spurgeon. The gist of the quote is that His resources are way more than enough to handle any need we have. It is a powerful illustration.

In His Grip is a weekly e-mail intended to provide inspiration and hope to those fighting cancer.
A ministry of Stronghold Ministry.    Subscribe here.
*If you’re fighting cancer, please write and let us know how we can pray and support you.

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You know the saying, “That changed my life.”
Only once in my life was I ever able to say it, the day Jesus came into my heart to live.

Until Joe’s cancer.
That changed my life too… mainly in the area of battling thoughts.
I now have days I am assaulted with fears. I realize my life could change in a day with some unforeseen tragedy. I had thought my life was pretty much under control… but that was before.

I’m having to face God with the real “faith” I have, or don’t have. It has been humbling. But I can cast myself on His abundant grace while I am trying to set my feet on solid ground. His grace is my safe place right now.

I had thought my faith was about trusting Him to answer my prayers, hear my worries and help me be a “good” Christian. Now…
I’m hearing Him say He wants my friendship. He wants to tell me how He is thinking and feeling about stuff.

I think of what was said of Moses in Exodus 33:11, “The LORD used to speak to Moses face to face, just as a man speaks to his friend.” Do I want that type of friendship? I realize it won’t be all about me.
It will mean more listening. It will be His voice I long for — His presence.

There might be long bouts of silence, where He is just with me, with no entertainment, or big mission to accomplish. He might share with me His heart and His perspective on suffering… which makes me wait for His timing to rescue, because He has a bigger plan.

Prayer changes for me… It comes from His point of view, and I know He hears me because He is sharing His heart and I am asking the things that delight Him.

This has changed my life… I have a Friend I’m learning to know and love, because He has loved me first and has chosen me to be His friend.

John 15.13-16: “Greater love has no one than this that one lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you.”

In His Grip is a weekly e-mail intended to provide inspiration and hope to those fighting cancer.
A ministry of Stronghold Ministry.    Subscribe here.
*If you’re fighting cancer, please write and let us know how we can pray and support you.
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In His Grip is a weekly e-mail intended to provide inspiration and hope to those fighting cancer.
A ministry of Stronghold Ministry.    Subscribe here.
*If you’re fighting cancer, please write and let us know how we can pray and support you.

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For twelve years I had stood at a pulpit on Sunday mornings and proclaimed that our significance and value comes primarily from the Lord, and not from what we do. Yes, we can feel good about our performance, but God even loves us when we are unable to produce, and even when we “fail.” This truth was a source of comfort to me, and I had seen it bring freedom to others as well. Then in 2002, Stage IV metastatic melanoma would severely test my grasp on this truth. The cancer and treatments stripped all of my strength. I tried to rise from my “unproductive state” through faith and positive thinking. Yet I was too weak to deliver a sermon. Heck, I couldn’t even get out of bed. I explained to the Lord that this was a colossal waste of time. I was not getting anything done. How could I make a difference lying flat on my back? Ahhh, the teacher needed to practice what he preached. I realized that my lack of productivity bothered me far too much. My identity, sense of self-worth, and self-esteem had become attached to my level of production. I even felt like a burden to my caretakers, to my incredibly supportive wife, Terri, and to my very understanding church. I thought I was wasting their time too. The Lord broke through all of my noise, and reassured me that I was deeply loved by Him, even if I never helped another person again. In an inaudible voice, in a kind of whisper in my spirit, I heard Him say, “You are right in the center of my will right now, and I love you so much.” At first, it was difficult to receive such love with no strings attached, but today I am more liberated from my job and my sense of “success”. Now I know His affirming love for me, even when I’m at my absolute weakest. So if your battles have rendered you helpless, remember your value is not tied to your production. He loves you, right now, more than you can ever imagine. So get busy… simply accepting His amazing love. I am grateful His ways are not our ways, and our suffering is never in vain.

In His Grip,
Joe Fornear, Stronghold Ministry
Toll free – 877-230-7674

-Subscribe here to In His Grip, this weekly devotional newsletter list.

In His Grip is a weekly e-mail intended to provide inspiration and hope to those fighting cancer.
A ministry of Stronghold Ministry.    Subscribe here.
*If you’re fighting cancer, please write and let us know how we can pray and support you.
~~~~~~~~~~~

I have a belief that might make some cringe. Here it is: There were benefits to my battle with cancer. Now before you conclude I’m losing my grip, let’s first remember God’s superior intellect. “My thoughts are not your thoughts, and My ways are not your ways” (Isaiah 55:9). It doesn’t appear that Paul, the suffering apostle, had cancer, but he was definitely acquainted with pain, as 2 Corinthians 11:23-25 makes clear.

… in far more labors, in far more imprisonments, beaten times without number, often in danger of death. Five times I received from the Jews thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent in the deep.

Paul had been physically battered because of his loyalty to God, yet he knew exactly how to cope. One might say he was an expert in pain management. In 2 Corinthians 4:16-18, he stressed a valuable benefit of suffering which helped him get through the horrible treatment he received:

Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day.  For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison,  while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

If physical pain is leveraged correctly, it sets us free from temporal, tangible things, and it redirects us to eternal, unseen things. In other words, the comforts of this life can distract from eternal realities. Let’s face it, this earth is not our final destination. Yet we can become so caught up in earthly niceties, like homes, cars, vacations, experiences and accomplishments. At our core, we are all spiritual beings. But no matter how many times He heals me in this life, my physical body will eventually give way to decay. So why would I invest so much in indulging earthly, physical desires? During the cancer battle, I constantly grieved that I could not play basketball, or go fishing. Though I really enjoyed these activities, I discovered I could live without them. Don’t get me wrong, God delights in giving us good things on this earth, but there is a difference between enjoying things and being distracted by them. Battling cancer helped me grasp that difference better. I have a long way to go, but now I have a firmer grip on an eternal perspective. Let’s not waste our suffering. Let it become a portal for God’s best.

In His Grip,
Joe Fornear, Stronghold Ministry
Toll free – 877-230-7674

-Subscribe here to In His Grip, this weekly devotional newsletter list.

In His Grip is a weekly e-mail intended to provide inspiration and hope to those fighting cancer.
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*If you’re fighting cancer, please write and let us know how we can pray for you and support you.

Many trials are marathons, not sprints. Fighting cancer can be lengthy and extremely draining; it was for me. During the marathon journeys of Elijah the prophet, you might say he was “all over the map,” both physically and emotionally (1 Kings 17-19). He visited many places including Mt. Carmel, Jezreel, Beersheba, Mt. Sinai (Mt. Horeb) and somewhere in an Israeli desert. Emotionally, he “visited” many places as well. From supreme confidence, he moved to sheer panic; from exhilaration, he flopped at utter exhaustion; from incredible boldness, he slinked off to cowardly surrender. No wonder James said in his epistle that Elijah was just like us (James 5:17). The Greek word he used of us and Elijah is a compound word from “like” and “feelings.” In other words, Elijah rode the same emotional roller coaster that we ride today. Yet the Lord “followed” Elijah everywhere he went, to all of these physical and emotional places. At one point, Elijah received supernatural strength from the Lord for a long journey (1 Kings 18:46). God’s strengthening hand was so heavy upon him that he was able to outrun Ahab’s chariot over a distance of 25 miles during a torrential rainstorm! Later, after Elijah had exhausted his own strength running from Jezebel, the Lord gave him food that strengthened him for 40 days and 40 nights in the wilderness! So what is the point for us? James is simply encouraging us that God grants extraordinary answers to prayer. He wants to work great endurance and miraculous energy into our lives. So during the long grind of an up and down battle with cancer, we can continually ask for that supernatural infusion of His mighty strength. God’s strength will meet us at every place we find ourselves.

In His Grip,
Joe Fornear, Stronghold Ministry
Toll free – 877-230-7674

-Subscribe here to In His Grip, this weekly devotional newsletter list.

In His Grip is a weekly e-mail intended to provide inspiration and hope to those fighting cancer.
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*If you’re fighting cancer, please write and let us know how we can pray and support you.

We’ve seen them in grocery stores and restaurants. Chaos is their partner, and tantrums their tool of choice. After observing their interactions for a moment, you suspect they aren’t simply having a bad day. They’re kids caught in a pattern of controlling their parents; some refer to this behavior as bratty. Clearly the parents are to blame for not developing the child’s character to wait, or to do without. Even when the child’s wishes are indulged, he still finds no satisfaction. The ability to wait  graciously is a character issue, and those who possess this quality have discovered the contentment of maturity.

During my battle with cancer, there were times I was in close touch with, one might say, my inner brat. I wanted immediate release from the hospital, so I mercilessly nagged my doctor. I was fed up with dealing with cancer, so I threw myself a pity party.  I expected God to join me, but He was a no show. As we discussed in last week’s, In His Grip, God’s ways are so different from our ways. Again, we tend to think joy comes from prompt removal of pain and hardship, while God knows that patiently persevering through discomfort produces real joy. This is why He makes us wait. This is why He does not fulfill every desire.  This is how He develops supernatural contentment. James describes the progression from trials to maturity, “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials,  knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” So if God hasn’t answered your prayers yet, wait for Him patiently. His way of producing lasting joy is different than ours. By not giving us everything we want, He can give us everything we need.

In His Grip,
Joe Fornear, Stronghold Ministry
Toll free – 877-230-7674

-Subscribe here to In His Grip, this weekly devotional newsletter list.

In His Grip, is a weekly e-mail intended to provide inspiration and hope to those fighting cancer.
Subscribe here.
*If you’re fighting cancer, please write and let us know how we can pray and support you.

In His Grip, is a weekly e-mail intended to provide inspiration and hope to those fighting cancer.
Subscribe here.
*If you’re fighting cancer, please write and let us know how we can pray and support you.

In His Grip, is a weekly e-mail intended to provide inspiration and hope to those fighting cancer.
Subscribe here.
*If you’re fighting cancer, please write and let us know how we can pray and support you.

Blue Christmases happen. I don’t have raw statistics to prove it, but for those battling cancer, the sense of isolation is usually greater during the holiday season. Cancer takes no holidays. It’s impossible to forget the Christmas that I was diagnosed. On the day before Christmas Eve in 2002, I had a biopsy on a large mass under my arm. The surgeon called to give me the results on Christmas Day. He was heading out of town; I was heading down the road with Stage III metastatic melanoma cancer. So much for peace on my little chunk of earth. There were lots of caring family and friends surrounded me, but I still felt alone.

If you haven’t received your Creator’s indwelling Presence, just receive Him right now. Ask Him to forgive your sins through Christ’s death on the cross. Ask Him to come into your life and live inside of you and be your life source. He will truly answer with His Presence. He is not some distant, smug royal, who sits passively indifferent to our situation. He wants to be involved in your life. In fact, He wants to live inside of you and ride everywhere with you!

When you are being flooded with bad news, how does one focus on good things? Let’s be honest, sometimes in our lives, the “good news” of Christmas is totally overshadowed by personal news feeds. Perhaps an employer gave you a pink slip, or a potential employer said no. Maybe you received a news flash that a relationship is going deep south. Is your doctor continually giving reports of serious new problems? How do you stay positive in these cases? I can’t say that I’ve mastered this ability, since I’ve been known to wig out because of a traffic jam. I do confidently proclaim, however, that in my own life and in the lives of many others, I have seen the power of God lift a spirit, even in the bleakest circumstances. You see, God is not just a nice idea, HE IS A LIVING GOD! He delights to show up when we are at the bottom. He allows humbling trials and chronic weaknesses to show us how strong He can be on our behalf. Consider and take Him up on these offers:

1) He promises a “peace that surpasses all understanding” in Philippians 4:7. What does that mean? This is the type of peace where you marvel at how in the world someone can be so calm. But this peace is not of this world, it is supernaturally provided.

2) He offers in Ephesians 3:9, that we can know or experience a “love which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.” This means the love of God will literally saturate every fiber of our being. We can actually be filled with warm, uplifting love, not just intellectually aware of the fact that He loves us.

3) And joy, that elusive joy. Everyone wants it. God provides it free. Jesus said in John 15:11,  “These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.” This joy is not only from God, it is His joy. I don’t think God gets down in the dumps. I’ll take His joy any day.

This Christmas, no matter what circumstances you are in, look for His supernaturally supplied resources. The gift of Jesus Christ at Christmas keeps on giving. That is always good news, all year round. My sincerest prayers and thoughts go out to all of those who are in crisis during this Christmas season. We are thinking about you! You are not alone.

This may be surprising, but it is common for cancer survivors to struggle with depression after being declared cancer free. Now you might wonder, “They had their prayers answered, so what could possibly be the problem?” Many people expect survivors to be all chirpy. In the last three decades, the number of cancer survivors in the United States has tripled and is growing by 2% each year. In 2004, there were an estimated 10.7 million cancer survivors, representing 3.5% of the United States population. But oncologists and psychologists are only now becoming aware that mild to moderate depression in survivors is common.

Drawing from my own experience and also other warriors we’ve encountered, I’d like to offer reasons happiness can elude the survivor. Then I’d like to suggest some biblical pointers on how to handle these post-war blues.

1) Fear. Immediately after being declared cancer free, the thought that the cancer could recur is never far from consciousness. Fear lies in wait and rears up at the first sign of a new or old pain.

2) Adrenaline letdown. For many, there is a sort of post-traumatic stress syndrome after their cancer battle. Returning to “civilian life” is not as easy as one might think.  Many patients literally fought for their life. They were all jacked up and on guard constantly. After the battle, it is truly difficult to relax, and recovery takes time.

3) Literal battle scars. Surgeries, chemo and radiation all take their toll and leave a mark. The potential list of scars is lengthy: neuropathy from chemo (painful tingling of nerves in fingers and toes and feet), burns from radiation, loss of limb function, weight gain and lasting medication side effects. Withdrawal from mood altering pain management drugs can be another factor in being down. For privacy reasons, some scars may never be shared by survivors, such as issues pertaining to sexual matters.

4) Figurative battle scars. Battle fatigue is often rampant for survivors. Chemo and other drugs depress the immune and nervous systems, it is no wonder they also depress the emotions. The grieving of lost time and opportunities with loved ones is very common. Pain-filled flashback memories can haunt the survivor at first. Often sadness due to continued or new tensions in relationships impacts the survivor as well. Normalizing relationships is never easy.

5) Purposelessness. The survivor often is paralyzed by big picture questions, “What does this all mean? How should I live now?” Life after cancer can prove so mundane, empty, boring and vacant. Priorities now must be realigned back to normal, and the survivor is often uncertain as to how to define “the new normal.”

6) Support system changes. Often supporters move on, leaving the survivor to process the aftermath of cancer  on their own. I really needed to talk, but I soon realized that not everyone wanted to listen. Expectations from work, spouse and life often return like a flood, making it clear to the survivor that the kid gloves are off. He or she must pull it together and look to contribute fully again.

So what advice does the Bible give?

1) Pray and Trust. The Bible says to cast our anxiety on the Lord (1 Peter 5:17). Jesus said we can’t add even one day to our lives, so we should trust Him completely with our longevity.

2) Number your days. Moses said, “Teach us to number our days, that we may present to You a heart of wisdom” (Psalm 90:12). Moses suggests we make each day count for God. Following the Lord on a daily, even a moment by moment basis, is wise living advice for all. The martyred missionary, Jim Elliot, once said, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep, to gain what he can never lose.”

3) Talk or write it out. Find a support group or some other survivors and talk it over. One of the most healing steps for me was to write a book. Many people journal and write prayers to the Lord. These activities can help to make sense of the entire experience. Reading other’s stories still helps me today. If you are a survivor, write us and I will send you my book – My Stronghold, maybe it will help you.

4) Practice the Presence of God. There is no one who can heal our hurts and memories like the Lord. He can “restore the years the locusts have eaten” (Joel 2:25). In other words, He can make up for our losses and lost time. I think the best way He does this is by making each moment special with Him and others. So the Lord, who was our Stronghold in the midst of the storm, can continually hold us up and heal us as we live out full lives for Him.

The “new normal” for the survivor and all of us should be living moment by moment in dependence and closeness to the Lord. Every moment is sacred, whether we are doing some good deed or raking leaves. That is the sheer excitement of walking with Christ. We get to live each day with Him and through Him!

It may seem foolish to cut back vine branches to produce more and better grapes. Yet pruning is a centuries old practice of vinedressers. Sometimes after pruning, grapes don’t return in force for two full years.

In the same way, the Lord allows “counterproductive” cutbacks in our lives. It could be a job loss, health issue or a struggle in a relationship. With pruning, situations may vary, but pain is usually involved. So we tell Him, “Lord, You don’t understand; I could be so much more productive if You would only change this circumstance… today!” I’m glad He doesn’t take orders like some genie in a bottle. He really is better at being God.

We may conclude trials signify He is angry with us. Yet Jesus stated just the opposite. The reason He prunes those who bear some fruit is to enable them to produce more. In His words:

John 15:1-2 -  “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit.”

So what does He accomplish with pruning? In short, dependence.

John 15:4-5 -  “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.”

The Lord is obviously not impressed with our self-generated attempts to serve Him. Unattended vine branches can have rapid, but mostly worthless growth, yielding few and low quality grapes. In the same way, apart from Him, our relentless activity is worthless, producing no genuine spiritual fruit. Unless we consciously depend on the life of Christ within to produce fruit, we can do “nothing.” Wait, nothing? Nothing of value. He is dogmatic on this matter of source. So, are we living off His life, or our own paltry human strength?

First things first though; we can’t depend upon the life of Christ, if He is not inside us. Maybe someone reading needs to take that first step of receiving Christ into your life. He enters in by invitation, as He says in John 1:12-13, “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.” More on receiving Christ here.

So we might tie together the concepts of pruning and dependence in this way: He allows hardships to bring us to the end of our own strength, and to encourage us to draw resources from  Him. This explains why we find ourselves helpless to change frustrating circumstances, because it is only in our weakness and desperation that we switch over to Christ as the source of life. So don’t fight the trials, whatever they may be. Sure,  ask Him to remove them, but realize they are not senseless. They teach us to abide in Christ, and we only discover the fullness of life through Him. This is true: I heard it from the grape vine.

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB(c).

I’ve had some blogger’s block recently. I think I’ve been resisting writing on a topic I’m “supposed” to discuss, but I’d rather avoid. I am not afraid of controversy. I’ll mix it up when necessary, but just mentioning this issue may be painful to some who are suffering. You’ll understand what I mean.

First, some background. After one of my blog entries, “Getting What you Deserve,” I received a comment that basically said some doctors and a pastor were researching the connection between cancer and bitterness. The “evidence” presented was that bitterness  almost always caused cancer in certain areas of the body, all directly related to the target of the person’s bitterness. Normally I would write off such a quacky and cruel notion, but I recently encountered this concept again in another variation, so I feel compelled to address it here. I’ll stick with God’s “research.” It’s conveniently packaged in the Bible.

Let’s start with Job (his story is found in the book of Job in the Old Testament). Though his life was examined with great scrutiny by demons and the Divine, the Lord declared him righteous. So why then did Job soon find himself battling a severe skin condition that covered him with painful boils? It’s undeniable – Job’s poor health had no connection with bitterness or secret sin. For days his friends displayed mock compassion by sitting silently with him, ostensibly to “earn the right” to rip him to pieces. They ultimately revealed their judgmental hearts by accusing him of secret sins. They begged him to open his eyes. God was surely punishing him for something. In the end, God rebuked those “friends” for their uninformed cruelty. Job’s story should forever cause us to withhold spoken or unspoken accusations on the roots of others suffering. Yet there’s more…

Judgmental thinking about the exact roots of sickness was pervasive in Jesus’ day as well. The gospel of John reveals how Jesus corrected this tendency to view suffering as retribution.

John 9:1-3  – As He passed by, He saw a man blind from birth. And His disciples asked Him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he would be born blind?” Jesus answered, “It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was so that the works of God might be displayed in him.

Amazingly, this question was not posed by a pagan crowd or the judgmental Pharisees, but by Jesus’ loyal followers. This shows how deeply ingrained this teaching was in the minds of even the “spiritual” folks. To them, blindness was a direct punishment for sin – case closed. The only question was whose sin was being punished. Since this man had been blind from birth, the disciples wondered if perhaps one could sin in the womb. If pre-birth sin was ruled out, they reasoned the man’s parents must have sinned and were being punished. Jesus turns the whole argument on its head by stating that this blindness was not a punishment at all, but rather an opportunity for God to show off His glory. More still…

The apostle, Paul, had a serious eye condition that apparently necessitated seeking treatment in Galatia.  Bible students might believe Paul traveled there to plant a church, but that was not at all Paul’s initial intent.

Galatians 4:13-15 – But you know that it was because of a bodily illness that I preached the gospel to you the first time; and that which was a trial to you in my bodily condition you did not despise or loathe, but you received me as an angel of God, as Christ Jesus Himself.  Where then is that sense of blessing you had? For I bear you witness that, if possible, you would have plucked out your eyes and given them to me.

Fortunately for the Galatians, they did not assume Paul’s illness was a punishment for sin. Had they judged and resisted him, they would have missed their opportunity to embrace Paul and his eternal message of the grace and love of Jesus Christ. There’s more, but for another blog post.

I am a huge fan of letting go of bitterness, and turning from secret sin. We should always examine our lives and deal with sin, whether we’re sick or healthy. But please beware of linking other people’s sickness to their sin. God has demonstrated that He uses sickness to forge relationships and to show off His glory! Leave judgments to Him. If God’s policy was to punish all sin with sickness, we’d all live in a hospital!

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB(c).

Among the rewards for winning the Tour de France or The Masters, are coveted articles of clothing – the yellow jersey and the green jacket. Cyclists and golfers invest enormous time, money and effort into winning these prizes. Dallas Cowboy, Duane Thomas, put winning in perspective after Super Bowl VI. When asked what it was like to win the “ultimate” game, he said, “If it’s the ultimate [game], how come they’re playing it again next year?” Duane was right, earthly rewards eventually lose their impact. Man’s accolades will give way to God’s eternal approval. There are two eternal rewards that deserve our time, money and effort and both are symbolic articles of clothing. The first is free:

1) Get a free white robe as soon as you enter heaven*. This white robe symbolizes the complete removal of our sin.  We can be forgiven only through faith in the work of the Lamb, Jesus Christ. Through His sacrificial death on the cross He paid the penalty for our sin. So accept and receive Him as your personal Savior, and He will cleanse you, and gladly welcome you into heaven.

Revelation 7:9-10 – After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands; and they cry out with a loud voice, saying, “Salvation to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.”

2) Get the crown of life for faithfully enduring suffering for the sake of Jesus Christ. During tough times, it is easy to drift away from God. We lose interest because He seems distant or powerless to change our circumstances. Our disillusionment can even cause us to sin. Our trials can lead us to a deeper relationship with Him and He will reward us for remaining faithful.

James 1:12  – “Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.”

Hang in there if you are suffering – it will all make perfect sense when the crown is placed on your head. If you haven’t picked up your free white robe, what in this world are you waiting for?

*Click here for more info on how to get to heaven.

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB(c).

Have you ever seen a news article about a state government wanting to notify citizens of  millions of dollars of unclaimed money? Supposedly, money is often left behind in bank accounts, escrows and insurance policies, etc. While trying to find out how much unclaimed money is on the table for this article (over $32 billion), I ran across a nationwide search engine, so I punched in my last name. No lost treasure for me, but quickly found seven relatives and a couple friends listed. I was amazed to learn that 1 in 8 U. S. adults have unclaimed property.

I wonder how many unclaimed blessings are being left on the table. Only the Lord could calculate that number, but it must be astronomical. Probably the most unused blessing in my life is comfort. The Lord continues to chip away at my insistence to tough it out alone. For the last twelve years, the Lord’s classroom for me has been dealing with chronic pain including a tail bone broken in two places, Stage IV metastatic melanoma (maybe in a different category but it still hurt), an extruded back disc and  Eagle’s Syndrome – twice. I know there are a lot of us out there who can use more comfort for many different reasons. The good news is there is a fountain of comfort that we can claim.

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 -  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction…

How do we tap into this comfort?

Missing something?

1) Realize the purpose of troubles is to discover more of God. Suffering can be hard, but it is never in vain when we turn to Him. Peter wrote that the testing of our faith has a very beneficial outcome.

1 Peter 1:8 -  Though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory.

2) He went to a lot of trouble to identify with our struggles. God’s comfort is there for the taking and He really can relate. One reason the Father sent His Son to become a man was to assure us that He can identify with our sorrow and grief. In chapters 4 & 5 of Hebrews, the author tells us that Jesus understands weakness and what it is like to suffer. In the midst of Isaiah’s description of Jesus’ sufferings on the cross that lead to His death, He emphasizes this was not Jesus’ first encounter with pain.

Isaiah 53:3 – A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.

3) Don’t be inconsolable. We may not really want to be comforted. We may be angry about our circumstances. We can hold a “comfort strike,” as if we can manipulate Him into giving us a circumstantial break. We only punish ourselves with this attitude. We need to soften up and allow Him to comfort us.

4) The amount of comfort He provides matches the amount of our suffering. We may be tempted to fear that the suffering we experience is too much to handle, especially if we are going through a traumatic illness or relationship troubles. The Lord is equal to any task, so press Him for a full measure of comfort. He welcomes our boldness.

2 Corinthians 1:5 - For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ.

5) Don’t get caught up in false comfort’s. The world and the devil want to trap us into seeking comfort in all the wrong places. The list of alternatives is infinite because anything can be a substitute for the Lord. The usual suspects are drugs, alcohol, materialism and sex outside of a man-woman marriage. But any practice can be a substitute for the Lord if we make it our primary source of encouragement. So be careful out there, and guard your heat, because we are easily addicted to alternatives.

Don’t leave His unclaimed blessings on the table. You won’t have to search very far to find them.

If you are going through cancer - contact us at Stronghold Ministry and let us know so we can pray for you and comfort you.

*Scripture quotations taken from the NASB(c).

At some point during the TV show, Extreme Makeover, Homeowner Edition, my wife, Terri, will look over at me and ask, “Are you crying?” No! Must be something in my eye. I honestly think it is difficult not to cry. The show typically highlights the rough living conditions of a selfless individual who takes care of the sick, infirmed or bereaved, while simultaneously caring for their own large families. So the cast and volunteers tear down the old home and build a customized mansion for the grateful family. If that doesn’t tug at your heartstrings, then… go watch your Simpsons. There is one recurring scene in the show, however, that always makes me cringe. The bullhorn guy, Ty, explains that the reason the family is getting this royal treatment is because they deserve it.

Attitudes haven’t changed much in two thousand years. Jesus’ disciples informed Him that a Roman centurion, whose slave was very ill, deserved to be healed (Luke 7:1-10). The man had evidently been kind to Israel by building their house of worship — in the Temple Edition of Extreme Makeover. When Jesus wanted to visit the slave at his home, the centurion refused because he was “unworthy”. So Jesus healed his slave from a distance and marveled aloud at his faith, “I have not seen such great faith even in all of Israel.” Apparently, great faith entails a humility that we don’t deserve anything from God. We don’t deserve that He should enter our homes, let alone bless us there or give us a new one! I don’t want to treat the Lord like He is my cosmic bell hop. I need to learn that God “owes” me absolutely nothing. In fact, because of my countless sins, all I really deserve is eternal punishment. Are you getting what you deserve in life? Hope not.

The other day, I received a question so common, I want to talk about it here. From our website’s contact form at www.mystronghold.org/Contact.html: “How can u deal with the depression that this illness causes?” I assume this was in reference to my battle with Stage IV metastatic melanoma, which the questioner was battling as well. Yet  depression is common with any cancer.

So based on watching other patients and dealing with my own depression during my cancer fight, here is my advice:

1) Give yourself a break.
Many cancer patients, myself included, beat themselves up for feeling down, which only makes them feel worse. But my goodness,  cancer causes such high stress levels. When we consider all the elements of battling cancer, we find a perfect storm for depression. There are chain reaction struggles that actually cycle. First the pain; then pain pills; then constipation from the pain pills; then enemas for the constipation; then hemorrhoids from the enemas; then pain from the roids; then back to square one. And chemo is an emotional depth charge – the vomiting; hair falling out; losing too much weight; looking at the ashen, emaciated face in the mirror. No wonder we get depressed!  It is natural to feel very sad. If you don’t feel sad when battling cancer, I would say that is a sign of emotional unhealthiness.

2) Find an anti-depressant that works for you.
In general, I am not real big on anti-depressant drugs. But since I was  taking drugs that suppressed and depressed my entire being to treat the cancer, I decided not to hesitate in taking something chemical to counter this side effect. The drug which worked best for me was ativan, also called lorazepam. Keep searching with your doctor until you find one that works well for you. Not all oncologists routinely probes for cancer related depression. So especially if you are coping well on the outside with your depression, you will probably need to ask for a prescription.

3) Turn to the Lord and open up all your feelings to Him.
I have noticed when reading the patriarch, Job, and the authors of the Psalms, including King David,  that they often had symptoms of what we might call clinical depression – sleeplessness; constant tears; wanting to die; total hopelessness. They didn’t bury how they felt, they let it out, and faced the emotions squarely with God. He loves to show Himself in the midst of our pain and struggles. Your tendency might be to turn or drift away from Him in this turmoil, but actively turn towards Him instead, even if you feel angry. He can handle your negative emotions, and He already knows your thoughts anyway. Be sure to ask Him for a response, and then listen – He speaks in many different ways.

4) Talk to people who understand and ask for support.
Find a support group, phone partner or a crisis counselor or call us at Stronghold Ministry (Call toll free – 877-230-7674). Depression can make us feel so isolated and alone, but you will be surprised how effectively others can help lighten your load. Don’t be too proud to ask for help. If someone really encouraged you, don’t hesitate to ask for a repeat connection. If you think someone’s presence would help you, risk letting them know, even if they haven’t had cancer. “Could you come sit with me and talk? I would really enjoy hanging out with you during this time.” Or, ask someone to read to you. Don’t sit and pout that someone you need hasn’t come on their own. ASK FOR HELP.

5) Make sense of your struggle.
To help make sense of your sufferings and get an eternal perspective on their purpose, I strongly recommend a book called, “Streams in the Desert”. This book helped me see God’s higher purposes in our suffering. He is not a masochist in the sky, delighting in our suffering; nor is He ignoring our plight. He is  good – all of the time. This book has helped me and many others, so pick up a copy. You can get it on Amazon, or on our website – click here.

Sometimes in action movies, the lead character experiences such pain and obstacles, you wonder how he could possibly survive. Yet, you know he will, because he is the lead character. The movie, Deep Blue Sea, about killer sharks, is unusual, as story lines go. Just as Samuel Jackson’s character was giving “the speech”, providing everyone hope against incredible odds, he was swallowed by a shark. Granted, Samuel was not the movie’s only key character, but to me, the scene is one of the most shocking movie moments.

On Friday of that first Holy Week, I imagine Jesus’ followers felt similarly shocked, stunned and hopeless. By Sunday, history’s lead character had overcome His own death in the ultimate plot twist. In the great drama of God coming to earth, you didn’t think death would prevail, did you? Fortunately for us, a central reason He died and rose was to extend the Resurrection benefit to those who follow Him. This is some really great news and cause for great rejoicing on Easter and every day.

1 Thessalonians 4:14 – For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus.*

No matter how bleak things get, and even if the ultimate bad break occurs, remember the drama is not over until the credits roll on that final Resurrection Day. Then we will receive sickness free bodies, and be reunited with our loves ones and our Lord. The sequel is all about wonderful bliss, eternal bliss. So Happy Resurrection Day!

*Scripture quotation taken from the NASB(c).

We have a friend whose battling cancer right now. She and her husband had an experience with their dog which was full of symbolic meaning for me. Recently, her husband was giving instructions to the dog, but it refused to listen. It ran onto the street directly into the path of an oncoming car. The dog was pretty banged up in the collision, but managed to get up and start walking. When his master tried to reach down and scoop it up to nurse it back to health, it bit down on his hand and then limped off. The dog continued to ignore its master’s calls and ran away to hide. Amazingly, a couple of days later, they found the dog and began giving it the care it needed. All along, the dog’s master only had its well being in mind, but it thought differently. When you see this self-destructive behavior played out in a dog’s life, the folly seems so clear. But doesn’t this mirror us when we go it alone apart from God? We disobey, run away and reject His help.

Sometimes we want to run away from God

Just like Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, we can be deceived to believe that God is not totally good. That for some reason, He is withholding life’s finest blessings. And, when we encounter pain, which is often self-induced, we tend to bite the hand that is reaching to restore us. Today, remember this when you are tempted to drift away: God is really good, all the time. He has your best in mind!

Jesus said, “How often I wanted to gather your children together, just as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not have it! (Luke 13:34).

Scripture quotation taken from the NASB(c).

You’re driving to an important meeting and suddenly police reroute you onto some crowded backstreet. You cuss. C’mon, God heard you. Well… He’s heard me. I admit, I like predictability, a lot. I don’t like curve balls. But my wife and I were thrown a bender with the fire that broke out at our home during the first Stronghold Ministry tea (More about the fire in our Stronghold Ministry March newsletter). It was a small attic fire from a recessed light fixture overheating. No one got hurt, but water and fire fighting techniques totaled the kitchen. Now we are living in a hotel with our dog.

As with road detours, handling life detours is all about attitude. For now I am positive and flexible with this inconvenience. But I have been through tough times with me before and I can really whine. So I ask for your prayers for a rapid return home and chirpiness for me.

Upside: We get a new kitchen. I would probably be more excited about this if I were in there more.

The best upside: At the rescheduled tea, hopefully more people will hear the good news of God’s amazing ability to hold us up in crisis. When the fire broke out, our speaker, Chris Forbes, was sharing how helpless she and her family felt after the spread of her cancer. I felt helpless while watching  firemen whack away at our ceiling and walls and flooding the kitchen. But these events go to our core message at Stronghold: though we are out of control, He is in control. Still, I sometimes find myself wishing this truth could be embraced more academically and less experientially, if you know what I mean. Can’t I just sign an affidavit? “I really do agree that God is in control even when it seems like He is not. Signed, Joe.” Lesson mastered. But no, this lesson must be lived deeply.

Millions of people feel helpless about their cancer or crisis. Would they, would I, turn to the Lord as much without trials which bring me “to the end of myself”? My strength and wisdom fail and His begins. “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). So life, fire away, just try to get me there on time.

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB(c).

“You’re going to beat this.” That’s right, lose that line for good, especially with later stage warriors. It is a bold claim and easy to spout.  It exudes confidence, reinforces optimism and instills inspiration. So how could saying it possibly be a mistake? Unfortunately, it places the burden of ultimate victory squarely on the patient. They desperately want to be healed. They are probably doing more than you realize to get well, but having complete responsibility to get well can be overwhelming. And keep this in mind, no matter how tough your patient appears, most are much weaker than they let on. How do I know this? They tell me this in private and I often felt that way myself during my own battle. I hear it all the time; very few people grasp what the patient is going through.

Lance Armstrong seems to be the epitome of the triumph of the human spirit but living strong has its limits. Consider what his longtime coach and confidante Chris Carmichael said in an interview with USA Today:

“People believe that Lance is a tough guy: He beat cancer, he willed it away. They think he left this Earth and is invincible. That’s far from the truth. He has the same mortality as anyone else. He dealt with cancer the same way as anyone else. I saw him scared and fearful, with all the human emotions associated with that intense experience.”  (USA TODAY – 5/22/2002).

To really love someone in the midst of crisis we should follow Paul’s advice and “Weep with those who weep” (Romans 12:15). And, “To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak” (1 Corinthians 9:22). We tend to want to lift strugglers out of weakness with just a turn of a phrase. It rarely works that way. People need to feel unconditionally accepted, understood and supported, especially in a crisis. They need to look to the Lord more than to themselves.  If they have permission to be weak around you, ironically then they will be able to draw upon your strength and the Lord’s. “With the Lord’s help, you will beat this.”

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB(c).

Play along a moment and imagine you’re selected to be “God For A Day.” You’ll be granted absolute power for 24 hours. What will you do? Would you order up a luxury item or two (million) for yourself, friends and family? During their day, I think most people would eventually perform what they consider the ultimate act of good will – to remove suffering from the earth. No more poverty, disease, or bad guys. So why doesn’t God act in such a manner? He has the capabilities!

Some would argue He doesn’t actually have the ability to make such changes. Yet how could the One who called this complex universe into existence with just His Word be powerless to make comparatively lesser changes? Other people believe God is not good or compassionate after all. They reason, “If I were God, I would have done something about this mess long ago. What is He waiting for?”

In time, He will clean it all up, but for now there are more important matters than gifts and pleasures.  To God, we are like children, really small children with a bent towards self-centeredness. To Him, we are like the kid laying on the floor in the store kicking and wailing because he can’t have the candy or the toy. Now a wise parent knows that indulging such a child’s whims would render him very bratty. Our “grown-up” understanding about our real needs can be as deficient as the toddler who throws his tantrums.

While I am a big fan of God’s gifts,  suffering can have a high benefit in our lives. Denying a kid candy protects his health. Strict rationing of toys helps him realize he can be happy without them. God knows He risks our misunderstanding. We don’t tend to appreciate His discipline. Nor do we instinctively rejoice when He allows us to be mistreated or really sick. Yet an intense bout with adversity can open our eyes to life’s ultimate realities and help us shed our preoccupation with small things. I often connect with cancer patients about how God gained our undivided attention after our diagnoses. In the Bible a man named Job had the right attitude in the midst of his agonizing personal tragedy and illness:

“Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity?” (Job 2:10).

“Naked I came from my mother’s womb, And naked I shall return there. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name of the LORD” (Job 1:21).

“I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear; But now my eye sees You” (Job 4:25).

Ultimately, Job overcame his trials not because of God’s gifts, which had all been stripped away, but by God’s presence. He never goes away. Job realized God was worth loving all the time, regardless of his circumstances. We can have the very best any time, any place, any where – all because we can have Him, our Stronghold.

As for me, I’ll pass on being God for a day. There’s enough problems in the world.

Lord, help us trust your management of our lives. Teach us how to fight and when to rest. Most of all teach us to embrace the fact that You are God and empower us to trust You and Your goodness, even when we are hurting.

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB(c).

Sometimes people ask if my life has really changed after being healed from what doctors believed was a terminal case of Stage IV metastatic melanoma cancer. They wonder if experiencing such a miracle rendered me a deeper and more focused person. Well in some ways . . . wait… what was the question again? To be certain, I learned some powerful lessons about Who He is and how He works, but they must be reapplied daily. Five years on, my life is very much back to normal, all too normal, complete with all those pesky distractions and irritations we all face. So I must find new mercies and grace every morning. He created all of us to live our lives with Him as companions.  Like Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden, He wants us close, and He pursues us when we hide from Him. He is the Best Friend one could ask for. And whether circumstances are pleasing or irritating, He is always good and worthy of our heart’s adoration and the object of our greatest affections.

What He did for us yesterday always leaves a mark, but He is a God of the present – a living God. So cling to the lessons of old and make new memories with Him as He performs in us anew – everyday. What is He doing in you . . . right now?

Psalm 105:3-5 - Glory in His holy name; Let the heart of those who seek the LORD be glad. Seek the LORD and His strength; Seek His face continually. Remember His wonders which He has done, His marvels and the judgments uttered by His mouth.

Lord, we ask for a dependent heart, a thankful heart and a great desire to make You the object of our highest affections, more than money, people or even comfort.

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB(c).

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Did you know there is an entire book of the Bible in which the name of God cannot be located? That’s right, God is never mentioned even once in the book of Esther. Why would such a book be included in the Bible? I believe He is trying to tell us that His work is often behind the scenes, even during apparently devastating setbacks. Do you see the hand of God in the setbacks of your life? I admit, sometimes it is very hard for me to “locate” Him when I am in pain. Honestly sometimes I have a hard time finding Him when I am simply inconvenienced, like with a flat tire. Esther’s story was difficult from the beginning. She was orphaned and then made part of the Medo-Persian king’s harem by force. Her Jewish nationality was about to be made public which for her meant certain death, since the Jews of her time were being systematically slaughtered. On the surface, God seemed absent, but was He? Esther’s guardian Mordecai told her, “Perhaps you have been raised up for such a time as this.” Mordecai was right. God used her connection to the King to save not only her skin, but the entire Jewish race. When God wants to show Himself and display His glory, He often begins in the midst of a crisis.

For millions of people the crisis through which God wants to reveals Himself is cancer. On the surface, being diagnosed may seem to be the mother of all setbacks. How can a loving, compassionate God be part of a cancer story? Though He may seem absent in our pain, He is always working behind the scenes toward a higher purpose. I have come to view my own encounter with cancer as having a higher purpose.  I think God raised me up, or rather laid me low, to help others understand who He is in the midst of their major life crisis. Cancer can be such a wake-up call. It makes us pause to consider all the questions we may have been taking for granted.

God certainly used cancer to get my attention. In September of 2002, I discovered a lump under my arm. I was misdiagnosed for a time and the cancer, which was Stage IV (stage four) metastatic melanoma, almost killed me. Despite several surgeries and chemo, the cancer still spread to 13 different sites, including my lung, kidney, stomach and pancreas. My doctor gave me just days to live and told the nurses to keep me comfortable. At the last minute, the Lord miraculously turned it all around and I have been cancer free for over five years. I learned many lessons along the way which I feel compelled to share. I resigned after 18 years of pastoring to work full time with a new ministry to those living with cancer and other life crises. I named the ministry Stronghold Ministry because during my crisis the Lord comforted me that though I was losing my grip, He had a strong hold on me. I have witnessed many people in crisis feel guilty that they feel so weak. I did. In this blog I will be writing about this and other lessons I gleaned from the experience. So stop in again soon. For more on what the Lord did for me, go to my website of the new ministry at www.mystronghold.org. 

Psalm 59:17 – O my strength, I will sing praises to You; For God is my stronghold, the God who shows me lovingkindness.

 Lord, I ask that You would show us our setbacks in a whole new light, Your light.

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB.

I would like for this blog to be a two way street. So please feel free to leave a comment if you feel so led.