I know some beautiful people....

Today's post will not be about me.  It will be about having faith when you are in a battle.  Listen to these words from Steve Kline as he shares from his heart some things he has learned during his wife's cancer treatments.  Dawn is still living with cancer today, over 6 years now, and still has a cheerful attitude and faith that she will be healed.  I think you will find this testimony from her husband very inspiring...

Steve Kline - 11/15/09:
 

"While I was thinking about the last four years of Dawn's battle with cancer and not receiving the answer we wanted - divine healing - the Holy Spirit really made three things stand out: 1) we've had to settle in our minds that God is in control; 2) our attitude is critical; and 3) God wants to change our thinking.

Dawn has done everything the Bible says to do to receive healing. She has asked God, thanked God, been anointed by the elders of the church, memorized the Word so that it is in her heart, put her name in the scriptures, had an untold number of people pray for her, forgiven others, and seen all kinds of doctors in different countries. Despite all of this effort and doing the .right. thing Dawn still has not been completely physically healed.  There have been many times when we have asked why, what is He doing, why won't He heal Dawn, when will He heal her and so on. During this battle I've come to the conclusion that the answer to any of these questions is that God is in control. Years ago Dawn and I were really struggling in our marriage. During that time I received my first true revelation of scripture, where the words were more than just words on a page, from the Holy Spirit. The scripture was Romans 8:28 . .And we know all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.. I have settled in my mind that no matter what happens in my life it is going to work together for my good. I know only God can do this because He.s the only one that has known me throughout all of eternity. It.s a choice we have to make. It.s as simple (and difficult) as choosing to go with God or choosing to go on our own. How we deal with the circumstances of life hinges entirely on that decision.

The Bible says that God has given us a joy that the world can't take away and that we have the strength of Christ. As I have watched my wife go through her battle I.ve seen the truths of those two scriptures play out in her life. Not only has the right attitude helped her build her faith but it has impacted the faith of others too. For a while Dawn was receiving treatment at a hospital in Mexico. I went with her for a week (her mom and best friend had been with her previously). At this hospital everyone had to eat in the cafeteria unless they were completely bed ridden. During our first lunch a woman walked across the room to Dawn and said that Dawn had a beautiful smile and that Dawn's smile was a blessing to her. The woman said that Dawn.s smile was a blessing because she could see that Dawn still had joy. This memory will always stay with me and brings tears to my eyes this day because it reminds how my wife's smile is the Holy Spirit working through her. And, it shows that our testimony doesn't come from what we say but how we live out the Word in our lives. Christians and non-Christians have to deal with the same issues of life but it.s how we handle those issues that separates the two groups. Dawn's been receiving chemo treatments for almost two years now, but she doesn't let these treatments hinder any aspect of her life. This summer we were riding our bikes 10 miles at a time and she has started watching two small children. While so many that have gone through the same circumstances see their physical health deteriorate you can't any effect of the treatments on Dawn. She truly has the strength of Christ. She's gone through the fire but there is no smell of smoke on her.

In John 12 Jesus tells us that He has come to draw all things to Him. I believe every situation or circumstance in our lives comes about so that Christ can draw us closer to Him. But, to be drawn closer to Him we have to change some of the ways that we think. The Bible tells us that we meet renew our minds and not be conformed to this world. It tells us to meditate on the Word day and night. It tells us to think about things that are holy and righteous and the things that are above.  Since Dawn was diagnosed I've been praying (even begging) God to give Dawn supernatural healing. I wanted Him to miraculously heal her so that she could walk into the doctor's office and have some tests done that showed her cancer free. Then, the doctors, my parents, and other family members would have to recognize God's healing power and that He is real.  But, while we were at the hospital in Mexico (which was a Christian hospital) the doctor that owned it was giving a talk about various new treatments they were studying. After the talk he asked if there were any questions. One person asked the doctor if he had ever witnessed a supernatural healing. The doctor asked the patient what she meant by supernatural healing and the patient described something similar to what I wanted to see happen with Dawn. The doctor said he believed that can happen but that he hadn't personally witnessed it. But, he had witnessed a man whose bones and body were so riddled with cancer that he should have been dead or at best bedridden. But, despite what doctors thought this man should be the man was able to walk in and out of the hospital and enjoy a quality of life others thought impossible. The doctor said he considered that a supernatural healing.  In that moment God began to change my thinking. And, over the next couple of years of seeing my wife LIVE despite the circumstances of her life God has completely changed my thinking. Supernatural healing is and can be a miraculous taking away of disease and

sickness. But, in a way, that.s the simple thing for God to do and sometimes defeats the purpose of why Jesus came - to draw all things to Him. God has changed my thinking to understand that it is more miraculous, more supernatural (if there is such a thing) to have cancer cells in your body but to live as if they are not there. That requires true faith and application of the Word in your life. God has shown me that is more miraculous than divine healing. And, Dawn.s living with joy and strength despite the circumstances has touched more people than a divine healing would have. Some would have dismissed the divine healing as the cancer just going away or the treatments healing her. But, there is no denying the source of her joy and strength despite the struggles when so many others have become discouraged and lost hope."