The following is a series of excerpts from chapter 7 of Journeys with the Cancer Conqueror: Mobilizing Mind & Spirit, by Greg Anderson, 1999, Andrews McMeel Publishing, Kansas City, Missouri, previously published under the title: The Cancer Conqueror (1988). Emphasis is added with bold print to draw attention to cancer conqueror traits. Much of the summary is quoted directly from the book, but I also add editorial comments along the way that reflect my own personal convictions, Scriptural support of ideas expressed, as well as research from other resources. These are indicated by italicized print. Portions in blue print that are NOT italicized are direct quotes from another source other than the Bible.
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As the weeks passed, the man put to use what he had learned on his journeys with the Cancer Conqueror. And guess what happened? He became a Cancer Conqueror! It happened not just because the man talked like a Cancer Conqueror but because he had learned a better way to live. And as the weeks built into months, he realized that it was not simply that he had learned new skills & knowledge but that he implemented what he had learned. This was a better life. Cancer really was a signal to change. New freedom was his! Love, joy, & peace were real to him!
At the end of the 1st year, the man looked back to the day when he 1st met the Cancer Conqueror. Since that time he had changed so much. His beliefs about cancer were radically different. He had some fundamental issues he hadn’t even recognized before the cancer. And choosing to live had given him a freedom of spirit previously unimaginable.
The man was thrilled to understand for the 1st time in his life that he was the one in control. But it was a spiritual control, one unlike most people sought, for certainly the man was not the ultimate power. Nor was he immune to all the problems life offered. Rather, the man had now developed a new power over himself, a power within, that allowed him to choose how to respond to the events of life. Daily he aligned himself with God’s will, recognizing this was his complete source of power & control. This was living! This was conquering cancer!
(I am in control of the choices I make & my responses to all that happens, but God is in control of my life & the outcome of my choices. I’m comfortable with that, since I know God only wants what is best for me. This journey is rich with opportunities for my relationship with Him to grow deeper & stronger, as it has when I have walked through other challenging experiences in life. He is stretching my faith & deepening my dependence on Him. Over & over again He demonstrates His faithfulness &love. Through my relationship with God & the power of the Holy Spirit, I am able to respond to the many challenges & to make choices as we seek God’s will through prayer & searching Scripture. We are also blessed with many faithful prayer warriors who follow my progress, through my blogs & monthly email prayer requests. These are a wonderful comfort & encouragement. The supportive, encouraging emails I receive in response are always cause for celebration! It is with great joy that I send personal responses to each email I receive; it increases my joy as I compose them. This makes it so easy to give the glory to God for the victories that are won! Apart from God, it would not be possible to experience such physical, emotional & spiritual victories!
Greg Anderson, in his book Cancer: 50 Essential Things to Do, states: “The real triumph over cancer is realized in the nurturing of personal spiritual growth.” I would specify Christian spiritual growth, to be sure your faith & trust is founded in the one & only true God of the universe with the power to effect our lives & to offer lasting hope & peace.
He continues, “Some people say, I’ll settle for a cure. Just get my life back to normal.’ Don’t settle for that! You don’t want things to get back to normal. After your experience with cancer, things will never be the same again. You want a new & better life. That life comes in the form of a new spiritual walk [in Christ].
“Cancer has pounded you with a million hammer blows. But you have the last word as to how those blows will shape you. William James, the distinguished psychologist & philosopher, declared that his generation’s most important discovery was that human beings, by changing their inner attitudes of mind, could change the outer aspects of their lives.
“The hammer blows of cancer can be used to change our inner states of spirit. By making personal spiritual growth our aim, the most important discovery will be to use the experience of cancer to shape us into wonderfully different people. Indeed, cancer can reshape our attitudes, soften our spirits, & transform our lives.”
Have you found this to be true in your experience so far? I sure have. Change is always within your control.
I’ve made this statement before, & I’ll say it again. Having cancer is one of the best things that has ever happened to me! I could not have said this the first year, but I have changed my perspective along the way. I can now see that I am much richer for taking this journey! Praise God! I could not say this if I had taken this journey without God. I’ve made a determined effort to get my priorities straight, & I will admit to shortcomings as well as successes. With God’s help, I will continue to make progress, despite the obstacles I face due to brain injury issues. Because I have learned so much about cancer & nutrition, I have a strong desire to share this information with others. God has opened many doors to make it possible for this to happen. The aspects I wish I could sprinkle liberally on, or hand out as gifts to, passive & discouraged cancer patients & people with other spiritual, emotional & physical problems are hope, a sense of God’s peace, resolve, determination, belief that they are worthy of God’s everlasting unconditional love, ability to trust God at all times, etc. However, the response-ability is in their hands; these are not things I’m able to give them. They must come from within. I pray they will learn them, experience them & eventually embrace them, as they grow in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
In high school I was a cheerleader. When I first learned about spiritual gifts, I wanted to know what my spiritual gift/gifts is/are. I learned that God gives us spiritual gifts to enable us to fulfill God’s calling/mission for our lives. In general, Ephesians 4:1b tells us, “I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.” I see myself as a spiritual cheerleader. God has used me to cheer people along in their faith walk. The specific areas where I have served have changed, but the purpose is always the same – cheer them on – encourage them. Of course, I also end up sharing ideas & information in the process. As you may have noticed from this project & from several of my blogs, as well as the way in which I report test results & relate information learned from my oncologists, I am always careful to inform my audience. This is the teacher part of my character. This plays a role in achieving my purpose for God as well.
To be true to my calling, I couldn’t complete this project without including this next segment. My fighting spirit & resolve to live is couched in knowing God is not finished with me yet! That’s what He told me when I asked Him why I survived the near-fatal auto accident, in 1999. When I learned that I had cancer, He told me it wasn’t a death sentence; so, I assume He still isn’t done with me yet. That means I am to continue to carry out His purpose.
After the auto accident I went to college & earned a bachelor’s degree. With that, I was hired as an adjunct faculty member at Penn College. It was a tremendous victory to complete this degree, with an upper brain stem injury. To then stand in front of a classroom of students & teach & to encourage students was yet another victory. Was this fulfilling God’s purpose? Perhaps.
Then I was diagnosed with breast cancer. The doors of opportunity that are open to me today do fulfill my God-given purpose. I pray you know what your God-given purpose is; if not, I pray that you will discover it. Review your life. What have you done that brings fulfillment & satisfaction? Can you see that you fulfill a common purpose in each of these circumstances? Many years ago I did something similar to what Rick Warren proposes, in his 40-day devotional book The Purpose Driven Life; he asks his readers to write a life purpose statement. This purpose statement is based on 5 MUSTS, & he asks 5 questions that are the basis for writing a life purpose statement. A purpose statement then gives us a basis for making day-to-day choices, for setting goals, for making plans, and it provides a reason to keep on keeping on in the face of adversity. This is exactly what the exercise, which I did many years ago, has provided for me! It is the reason I look to God for help & strength to take every step of my journey. Every step we take in life can be taken with Jesus right beside us. When we are too weary, the load is too heavy, He carries us & the load!
The Purpose Driven Life’s last day’s devotion is titled "Living with Purpose.” It brings the book to a close, & asks the reader to summarize the lessons of the other 39 days by writing a “life purpose statement.”He states that “living on purpose is the only way to REALLY live. Everything else is just existing.”I agree. He explains the purpose of a life purpose statement – it “summarizes God’s purposes for your life, points the direction of your life, defines ‘success’ for you, clarifies your roles, etc." Of course, he elaborates on each of these points. Then he goes on to ask “Life’s Five Greatest Questions,” & to offer discussion about each one, to aid the reader in determining what he or she might write in his or her life purpose statement.
Warren says, “There are many ‘good’ things you can do with your life, but God’s purposes are the 5 essentials you MUST do. Unfortunately, it’s easy to get distracted & forget what is most important. It’s easy to drift away from what matters most & slowly get off course. To prevent this, you should develop a purpose statement for your life & then review it regularly,” Cancer can be either a distraction or the cause for us to stop & reconsider our priorities. The 5 questions are based on the 5 MUSTS. I’ll summarize them for you.
1. “What will be the CENTER of my life? . . . Who are you going to live for? What are you going to build your life around? You can center your life around your career, your family, a sport or hobby, money, having fun, or many other activities. These are all good things, but they don’t belong at the center of your life. None is strong enough to hold you together when life starts breaking apart. You need an unshakable center.
“. . . [W]hatever is at the center of your life is your god. . .
2. “What will be the CHARACTER of my life? . . . What kind of person will you be? God is far more interested in what you ARE than what you DO. Remember, you will take your character into eternity, but not your career. Make a list of the character qualities you want to work on & develop in your life.
“Don’t get discouraged & give up when you stumble. It takes a lifetime to build Christ-like character. Paul told Timothy [4:16b], ‘Keep a firm grasp on both your character & your teaching. Don’t be diverted. Just keep at it (The Message).’
3. “What will be the CONTRIBUTION of my life? This is the question of SERVICE. . . Knowing your combination of Spiritual gifts, Heart, Abilities, Personality, & Experiences (SHAPE), what would be your best role in the family of God? How can you make a difference?. . .
“While you are shaped to serve others, even Jesus didn’t meet the needs of EVERYONE while on earth. YOU HAVE TO CHOOSE WHOM YOU CAN BEST HELP, BASED ON YOUR SHAPE [emphasis added] . . .”
4. “What will be the COMMUNICATION of my life? This is the question of your MISSION to unbelievers. Your mission statement is a part of your life purpose statement. It should include your commitment to share your testimony & the Good News with others. You should also list the LIFE LESSONS & GODLY PASSIONS YOU FEEL GOD HAS GIVEN YOU TO SHARE WITH THE WORLD [emphasis added]. As you grow in Christ, God may give you a special target group of people to focus on reaching. Be sure to add this to your statement. . .
“Of course, our lives must support & validate the message we communicate. Before most unbelievers accept the Bible as credible they want to know that WE are credible. That is why the Bible says, ’Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.’”
5. “What will be the COMMUNITY of my life? . . . How will you demonstrate your commitment to other believers & connection to the family of God? . . .
. . . “Focus on God’s purposes for your life, not on your plans, since that’s what will last forever.” Proverbs 19:21 says, “Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.” All of our plans & goals should support our eternal purposes. In 1 Thessalonians 2:4b it says, “We are not trying to please men but God, who tests our hearts.” In 2 Chronicles we read, “The eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.”
Warren encourages readers by saying, “When fulfilling your purposes seems tough, don’t give in to discouragement. Remember your reward, which will last forever. The Bible says, ‘For your light & momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all [2 Corinthians 2:14].’”
For me, this journey provides a wealth of opportunities to serve God & to fulfill my purpose by serving others [see emphasis added in questions 3 & 4]. All of my writing is born out of my desire to fulfill God’s purpose for my life. Although I don’t know who will read what I post on my blog site, God does, & I trust the results to Him.
I love having the opportunity to help others in one-on-one situations, by phone, or via email, to be their spiritual cheerleader & teacher. It is very rewarding to have God use me in this way. It is so satisfying to be able to share hope, comfort, encouragement, friendship, direction, answers to questions, helpful information, resources, & good advice. It’s amazing when I recognize changes are taking place in their lives that are evident in their conversations or correspondence. It’s so exciting! It goes beyond the satisfaction of checking off completed tasks from a to-do list or even meeting long-term goals. The satisfaction comes from knowing I’ve had the opportunity to make a spiritual difference in someone’s life, today, tomorrow, & for eternity.)
The man began sharing his journey with newly diagnosed patients. It was most encouraging to see people change their beliefs, resolve emotional conflicts, then choose to live. The man made himself more & more available for these times of sharing. Cancer had taught him some valuable lessons. He was becoming a student of life, & at the same time he was becoming a teacher of living. He greatly enjoyed helping others learn to help themselves.
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About the author
Greg Anderson is the author of 12 books.
To introduce Chapter 1, I described Greg’s wake-up call, in 1984. After his surgeon told him he had 30 days to live, he was stunned. One moment he was in tears, the next he was enraged. He thought it was all a mistake; he was convinced his tests had been confused with another patient’s. He was filled with fear & self-pity.
He says, “One afternoon I yelled out in anger, ‘Oh God, what can I do?”
“That question was the right query. And it was answered. No, God didn’t part the clouds & speak; I remain a committed skeptic regarding such claims. But figuratively, the clouds were parted & God communicated. It was a non-verbal communication. I had the distinct impression that my task was to search for survivors. I became aware that I needed to find people who were ‘supposed’ to die but had lived. And once I found them, I was to learn from their experience.”
Contacting survivors across North America, he conducted interviews with patients who were “supposed to die” but had lived. His question: Were there common characteristics of survivorship he could apply to his own search?
You know the answer to the question, since you’ve seen the list. Anderson found healing in the combination of body, mind, & spirit – the power of intentional lifestyle choices coupled with conventional medical care.
In 1985, he started the Cancer Conquerors Foundation, the predecessor of Cancer Recovery Foundation of America, a nonprofit educational & support organization whose mission is to educate, empower, & encourage cancer patients regarding the full spectrum of treatment & recovery options. This organization provides training & support for implementing body-mind-spirit wellness strategies.
Today, the Foundation has been renamed the Foundation for Cancer Research & Wellness. Anderson’s work emphasizes the integration of mental, emotional, & spiritual aspects of healing with traditional medical care.
The website address for the Foundation is – http://www.cancerrecovery.org/site/PageServer?pagename=adult_homepage
On this site you can find LOTS of helpful information, & you can sign up to receive daily devotionals. They are very short but quite meaningful. I enjoy reading them.
Twice a week a conference-call support group is available for folks who sign up, by phone or email. This support group is moderated by a staff pastor.
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This book was published as a 25th Anniversary edition, in 2009, but the title was changed to The Cancer Conqueror: An Incredible Journey to Wellness. It was re-printed to celebrate Greg Anderson’s silver anniversary of being cancer-free!! This is available on the Foundation for Cancer Recover & Wellness web site & on Amazon.
Another version is The Cancer Conqueror with Bible Study Guide (2005). This edition includes two additional sections. The first is a 62-page Bible study guide organized into a 7-week study called "Cancer and the Greatest Healing Promises from the Bible." The second section is called "How to Organize and Lead a Cancer Support Group." It offers practical and tested suggestions to begin a group that offers real support to those in the cancer journey.
It is my sincere hope that current cancer patients & cancer survivors, who have read these blogs, will be inspired to become Cancer Conquers. I also pray that you will be as excited as I am to share these journeys with other cancer patients, survivors & care-givers.
When I first read this book, I was like a race horse in the starting gate, chomping at the bit. I couldn’t wait to share these principles with other cancer patients!!! I was already employing several of the strategies & was certain they work! Then I stopped myself when I realized that race horses are “driven,” not called. Oops! I needed to slow down.
I’d had my ups & downs, in terms of helping others. Through prayer, I was able to be more effective, but I knew I needed to learn more about how to approach helping others. I was communicating information, but I was not always connecting with the individuals. MOST, but not all, of my difficulty is due to my brain injury. With God’s help, I’m learning; He’s helping me to overcome my weaknesses. Praise God! He is slowly molding me into a vessel that he can use more effectively. It’s very exciting when I see Him working through my life to encourage others! I look forward to more opportunities to continue helping other cancer patients, as well as people with other health issues!
Although I have ideas for other things, I feel called to do, I will not run ahead & just do them; I will wait for God’s timing; so, I know He has prepared me for the task.
It is my vision to see a support group (or perhaps several) that is (are) led by Cancer Conquerors who share this vision: taking current cancer patients & newly-diagnosed cancer patients on the journeys of this book to help them to become Cancer Conquerors.
I feel called to present these ideas & to share the lessons I’ve learned on my journeys, as it fits with God’s purpose for my life. Although this project has been VERY time intensive, I am grateful for all that I have gained by completing it. It’s very interesting to put my thoughts, while reading this book, in writing! It has served to imprint the strategies on my brain more clearly, to organize my thoughts, & to help me put into words my personal convictions, passions, & commentary. I’ve also been able to insert Scripture where I feel it is appropriate & to add some reflective thoughts at those points. In addition, I’ve been able to support several aspects that I thought were a little weak, with other research resources. This is wonderful advance mental preparation for me, & it provides me with a wealth of information from which to work, in terms of helping other cancer patients. Interestingly, I have found that there are emotional, psychological, & spiritual aspects of these strategies that apply to other health issues, as well. Therefore, they are very valuable when counseling people who are struggling with these aspects of other health issues. Completing this project has helped to better prepare me to share these concepts with others in a more natural way, without having to pick up the book & read it to them or hand it to them & tell them to read it. Praise God!! In fact, I’m not sure I would ask someone to merely read it, unless I also had the opportunity to discuss the strategies with them or to put a copy of these summaries with a copy of the book. In fact, my personal copy has notes & scripture references in the margins of it, in addition to the things I've highlighted in the book.
I’m praying that these summaries, with the added commentary, scripture & additional resources, will plant the seeds of my vision so that it will become a reality. I would love to see a support group of Cancer Conquerors mentoring cancer patients, to become Cancer Conquerors. I know these support groups exist in other communities. It would be AWESOME to have a group right here, where I live. How about you? Would you like to have a Cancer Conqueror support group in your community?
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