My guest today is Author and Counselor Karen Tripp. I met her in St Louis in June at the International Christian Retailers Show. We caught lunch together by serendipity! BE SURE to leave a comment, an answer to my question! Karen has offered to send an autographed copy of her book, GOD IS BIGGER THAN YOU CANCER!

Here’s Karen:

“In writing God is Bigger Than Your Cancer, God led me to many amazing stories of people drawing closer to Christ through their cancer struggle. Christina’s strength and bravery take my breath away.

“At age 35, with three daughters under the age of 5, my husband Stephen and I were told I had breast cancer. Following a lumpectomy, the preliminary reports said the cancer was gone. Four months later, we found out I was pregnant with our fourth child.

The doctor told me two days later that I was never cancer-free. An unseen final report had said the cancer was still there. For the health of our child, chemotherapy, radiation or a mastectomy was not an option — neither was an abortion. Yet at 16 weeks pregnant, the tumor in my breast had grown so large, I had no choice. I had to begin chemotherapy.

Now I’m wondering if I heard God wrong when I first refused chemotherapy or when I decided not to abort my child. Despite my doubts and confusion, at 32 weeks we were miraculously blessed with a beautifully healthy son, Alex.

After ten months of coping with a mastectomy and radiation, I prepared for my last reconstructive surgery. In my pre-surgical blood work-up, they discovered I was pregnant again. Stephen and I were in total disbelief. From day one I worried about the effects of my earlier chemo treatments on this child. In quiet moments I found myself asking God to take this child. My doubts and confusion were back.

At 5 months pregnant, I woke up one morning with excruciating pain across the top of my back. My cancer had returned – this time to my bones. With that news, I just crumbled inside. I was told, with an abortion and aggressive chemotherapy, I might live 2 years.

Even though Stephen knew he could soon become a single father with 4 children, he felt adamantly against an abortion. I was frightened and felt God had left me. I pleaded and begged God to take this child so I wouldn’t have to. I wanted action, and I wanted it now. I even called an abortion clinic at one point. I thought if I could just take that pill, people would think I miscarried. But then Jesus spoke to me. “The devil wanted your son Alex, just like he wants the one in your womb.” I sobbed, knowing it was true.

I knew later it really was Jesus who spoke to me, because He totally changed my heart. Thoughts of abortion were gone. I lived each remaining day of the pregnancy with complete joy that I was pregnant.

After our healthy son Austin was delivered prematurely, my cancer battle continued. The cancer had spread. My head knew that God was in control, but I worried and acted like it all depended on me.

I finally understood that God doesn’t wait for us to do the right thing so He can make His will happen. God’s will is supreme, with or without us. We need to seek His will, but He doesn’t need us to complete His plans.
God can take everything, even our mistakes, and use them for His will. We don’t have to walk a perfect walk. When we really get it in our heart and in our head that God’s in charge, it takes the pressure off of us.

Alex is now 4 and Austin is 2. My doctors said I was supposed to be dead over a year ago. I’m not cancer-free and I’m trying to make the best decisions I can. It’s easier now because I have given control to God. I know He can use me, even in the midst of my mistakes.” Summarized from God is Bigger Than Your Cancer.
http://Godisbiggerthan.com

5. http://ktripp.com/blog

6. Christina’s rest of the story is at http://Godisbiggerthan.com/cancer-rest-of-the-stories/

Lyn here: That story puts all my “troubles” into perspective. How about you? What would you say to Christine?