Healing Testimony

I guess I can start by sharing something very personal with you. Why? Because I want you to know that I will be up front and honest with you on this blog.

In 2002 I was diagnosed with breast cancer. On Palm Sunday this year, I was one of three people asked to give a short healing testimony at my church. I had never done anything like this before, but I finally agreed.

I was ok until everyone clapped when I said I have been cancer-free for five years. The tears started rolling down my cheeks and I had to stop reading a few times to compose myself.

It is certainly something to celebrate! Come over and celebrate with me. Here's the testimony I read:


Writing this testimony of healing was the hardest thing I have ever written. I struggled for weeks trying to find the right words, until I realized that my healing was actually a process.

I was diagnosed with breast cancer in August, 2002. It took two surgeries before I finally heard the words "we got it all," and in that second I knew this to be so. God gave me the assurance that I was healed. I went through chemotherapy and radiation treatments while working full time. When I lost my job in December, I was very thankful. My treatments ended on 2/8/03 and this year I celebrated the five-year mark of being cancer-free.

I decided to celebrate that whole week. I chose the people I wanted to celebrate with and made plans. I got my hair cut and colored. I laughed and cried and received lots of hugs. And then I noticed what was happening to me. I was feeling energy moving; I was thinking in terms of possibilities; I was very thankful; and I was very happy.

A few weeks ago, Pastor Val gave me a letter asking me to give a testimony of a healing I experienced and, of course, I immediately thought of the assurance I received after the surgeries. But at the bottom of the letter she suggested that I talk about my week of celebration. My first reaction was concern. "Why does she want me to talk about celebrating five years cancer free? My healing was my immediately after my surgery."

I didn’t know what to do. I finally talked to Pastor Val. She put it in perspective with a word - movement. I realized that I had not thought of my week as a healing, only as a choice I made to celebrate. But it was in celebration that my spirit was set free. God brought movement into my life again through happiness and celebration. It was one of those "ah-ha" moments.

But then I remembered what my sister said: "Chris, I believe you started healing when you sang on the stage in December." She was right. After years of not singing, my brother-in-law asked my husband and I to sing in his group, "The Wanna-B’s". It was the first successful thing I had done since I had cancer. I gained my confidence and my spirit soared. God healed my spirit through music.

Finally, my husband reminded me that my healing really started a few months after my treatments were completed. My husband was told he had not been getting the right amount of pay since he started working. We received extra money in his pay for three years, which gave me the ability to stay home and recuperate. God’s gift allowed me to relax and begin my healing process.

So all healings are a part of the whole. My healing after my surgery was only the beginning of a healing process, ending with my celebration. It wasn’t until the week of celebration that I was able to move ahead with my life. And now I want to thank and praise God for all He has done.

Christine