Disillusioned with God? Never believed in God? Walked away from God? Couldn’t care less about God? Think everything about God is fairy tales? Stubborn as a mule about your beliefs? Pause and reflect on my experience today.
My faith is rock solid.
Why wouldn’t it be? I was miraculously (according to one of my brilliant surgeons) healed of cancer as a young boy.
Cancer survivor
My parents were told I had a few months to live unless they were prepared to allow some radical treatment. They agreed and, for a few months I received 2.5 times the adult dose of radiation treatment. It’s a long story.
I am retired now, so lived to share the story.
Then a few years ago my thyroid was removed. I awoke from the operation to news from my surgeon that the first signs of cancer had been removed.
Let’s cut to the chase.
After I retired from the teaching profession, I wondered how I would spend my retirement years.
Listening to the voice
On my daily walk, I felt a still small voice telling me to write a book to encourage Christian educators.
So, I duly obeyed, found a US publisher and, five years later, five books later, I had an amazing experience today.
My books can be bought via Amazon and other online stores, but I have a few copies of my books which I sell only in New Zealand where I live.
All the books promote the spirit of mentoring, with hundreds of proven tips and strategies to reach out and encourage others; to be a non-judgmental, empathetic cheerleader in their lives.
These books are a tribute to all those who reached out and walked alongside me, put up with my nonsense, and refused to quit on me as a confused teenage cancer survivor.
Prayer power?
Each day I pray that God will help me to sell the books to people He has earmarked to receive them here in New Zealand.
When I was praying this morning there was a ‘ping’ sound in my ear. My mobile phone is linked to my hearing-aid.
After praying, I checked my emails. Melaniee in Napier (New Zealand) had ordered a copy of my latest book.
Prayer answered!
I headed up to the post office and posted the book, before informing the purchaser that the book was on its way.
A short time later I received this email from Melanie:
“Thank you for the speedy shipment. I am very much looking forward to reading your book. It might sound strange to you but I woke up this morning with your name on my mind after having a dream about teen issues. I have recently started helping out at our church with the intermediate aged kids and had many times sent up SOS prayers to God about how to connect with them. I have never before heard of you so God literally put your name on my mind, it must be His answer to my prayer 🙂 Thank you again.”
I have never enjoyed such an experience, and am fairly confident that even the most ardent atheist will struggle to explain this. And that’s okay, too, as we all have free choice with regard to our faith walk.
God’s message to me
There are two reasons why this experience is important in my faith walk:
- It’s confirmation that God has been telling me to write these books and I have been obedient.
- It’s a reminder that He hears and responds to every prayer in His way and in His time, and I must keep my focus on Him alone.
My hope and prayer are that this experience will be a word of encouragement to anyone who is struggling on their faith walk, or believes there is no God, or that God doesn’t answer prayers, or that God doesn’t answer ‘your’ prayers.
He listens and hears every prayer, and answers in His way and in His time.
This story is proof of that, so please feel free to share it!
A God of surprises.
I can’t explain why there is so much pain and suffering in the world.
I can’t explain why I was healed of cancer as a young boy, and others are not physically healed from cancer.
My faith in God is rock solid. He loves me ‘warts and all,’ even though He probably thinks I am a slow learner.
Don’t give up on God, because He never gives up on you.
I proudly follow Jesus. It’s a two-way relationship.
Onwards and upwards!
