Janet’s Testimony
Jeremy Allard, Pastor at the Sheldon
In December of 1995, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. For the next 9 months I went through surgeries, chemotherapy and then 5 weeks of radiation. Was it easy? NO! Not at all! But through it all, I was drawn closer to my heavenly Father through prayer, His word, family, friends and my Church family. They gave me encouragement and lifted me up in prayer. I felt His divine presence with me and my family every step of the way. Through each needle poke, surgery and treatment, I felt that I was being held in his loving arms. I felt safe, secure and very Loved. In reading His word, I was drawn many times to (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18) "Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." You may think that is a strange scripture for me to hold on to in such a difficult time, but now I realize that God was preparing me for more difficult times to come.
You see, my younger sister Jean was diagnosed with breast cancer a year before I was. She decided to have the tumor removed and to have no further treatment. However, when she saw how well I got through my treatments, she decided to seek further treatment. Unfortunately, by then, it was too late for her; the cancer had spread to her brain and her lungs. The doctor gave her just months to live. This news was much harder on me than going through the cancer and treatments myself. But Jean never gave up; she went through as many treatments as her body could handle. Toward the end...she was bedridden. I would spend every week day afternoon with her from 2:00 until her husband, Kent, got home from work. That was such a special time that I was allowed to spend with her. I would never trade that time for anything. Jean had a very strong faith in God. We would share Scripture, prayer, her hopes, and her dreams.
One day when I arrived, she was sleeping. I didn’t want to disturb her sleep, so I sat next to her bed, prayed and read the bible quietly. Suddenly, she woke up and spoke with such excitement that it startled me and I jumped. After we were done laughing at my fright, she told me of the dream she just had. Jean loved horses. She loved riding them and since she couldn't even walk at that time, her dream was of riding her horse at a full run though a meadow of green grass and wild flowers, feeling the warm sun shining on her wind blown face and a freedom she never felt before, with a perfect, new body. She said, I think that is what Heaven is going to be like. It will be perfect, without worry, without pain, without sadness, without guilt, and without sin! It will be carefree, joyous freedom, and we will be singing praises to our Heavenly, Holy Father. How Beautiful!!! It wasn't long after that she went home to be with the Lord. Even though I knew where she would be spending eternity, I still grieved her passing. I missed her dearly, it took a couple of years before I could even talk about her without tears and feeling the void she left in my heart.
Life went on with its peaks and valley's, but for the most part, it was nice and even. Then on January 4th of 2009, Kevin passed out in Sheena's arms while I lay in bed with the flu. “Mom Help!” Sheena called out, “Dad fainted and I can't hold him by myself.” I ran to her aid, helped her set him down on the floor and ran to the kitchen sink, where I threw up several times. I called Jeremy to help Sheena take him to the hospital, and then I went back to throwing up. Jeremy got to our home very fast and off they went to the hospital, while I went back to bed.
I was in a daze, barely holding on to reality, when Sheena called me with the bad news, “Dad has brain tumors and they want to remove them as soon as possible.” All I could say was..”WHAT DID YOU SAY?” Sheena replied...”Yes, he has Brain tumors and I'm staying here with daddy,...Mom are you okay?” I told her I was OK and that she needed to stay with her Dad. While that was going on, Jeremy started a prayer chain for Kevin and I. I just got off the phone with Sheena, when Nicky called and convinced me to let her take me to the same hospital for dehydration from the flu. I was so thankful for her offer to help, but I didn't want to make a mess in Nicky's van. Fortunately we made it to the hospital without a mess. While I was getting pumped with fluids, Sheena was going between first and third floors of the hospital to check on her parents. Poor child! She told us never to do that to her again, not fair for an only child.
The next day the doctor showed me Kevin's MRI, revealing the large brain tumors. He looked me straight in the eyes and said with such seriousness, “from this day forward, your life will never be the same.”
He was right! Our life will never be the same. Is that a bad thing? NO, just different. Does this story have a happy ending? I think so! I can say with joy and confidence that it does. Our Faith has carried us through this season in our lives. Each and every day He fills us with His Love, hope, joy, peace, courage, confidence and strength. He has opened our eyes to His miracles and we give Him praise and thanksgiving for that gift. You have all played a part in this miracle. Jeremy and the elders came over before Kevin's surgery; they laid their hands on him and prayed over him. All of you, our church family, our family, our friends and our acquaintances lifted us up in prayer and have continued to pray for us. Prayer is powerful and effective.
My prayer for each one of you is that as you meet the trials of life, they would compel you to be drawn closer in your relationship with Jesus Christ and that your faith would be strengthened and you would be filled with a burning desire to share the reason for your hope with everyone around you.
In closing (1 John 3:1) - "How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!"
This is why we have the assurance and hope in all that we go through, because we are his children! That means that He loves and cares for us and we are heirs of His kingdom in heaven. His plan from the beginning was to provide a way for all of us to become his children. That is why He sent His Son Jesus Christ to be the perfect sacrifice for our sin. Jesus took the sin and sickness of the world on His shoulders that we might be saved. What a gift, what a blessing, a privilege, and, yes, a responsibility to be called children of God!
