Protected from breast cancer

October 15, 2007

By Victoria Gillispie

In July 2006, I discovered a lump in my breast during my monthly self-examination. I was devastated at first and thought I would ignore it and check it the next month. But when I told my husband, he had me schedule an appointment with my doctor.

The doctor confirmed the lump and scheduled a mammogram. The results from the mammogram called for an ultrasound, which showed a mass in three places. I was scheduled for a biopsy.

When I came out of the ultrasound room, I broke down and cried on my husband’s shoulder. But I pulled myself together and said, “God, You’re bigger than this. I am going to live to see my three daughters graduate from high school and college, and I’ll be at their weddings.”

I started quoting Jeremiah 29:11 — “ ‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future’ ” (NIV) — and at that moment I felt the peace of God flood my heart.

I needed people to pray! Our church had been in revival since April. I went to that night’s service. Before leading the song “The Battle Belongs to the Lord,” I told the church what was going on in my life and that I was choosing to believe the report of the Lord.

For the next two weeks I received so many notes and phone calls of encouragement. The ladies of the church regularly came up and prayed with me. Repeatedly in my spirit I sensed God saying, “Trust me.” I believed God would intervene in a way that glory would be brought to His name and the miraculous would take place.

Two days after my biopsy, the doctor called and said she didn’t like the results. She scheduled me to see the surgeon the next week. I clung to my faith in my God.

When the surgeon examined me, the lump was gone. Even I couldn’t find it. The surgeon told us the report from the biopsy came back benign.

There is a God in heaven who loves us, cares about us, and wants to do great things in us and through us.

Victoria Gillispie and her husband, Brian, pastor New Life Assembly of God in Broadway, Va.