THIS IS NOT AN ILLNESS UNTO DEATH

3/27/25 

This post is an honor to our friends Mike and Trudie, who have walked through the fire of affliction for 32+ years. We know them through S.D.F.D. I look at their courage in humble adoration and know the love they show to all who come into their presence as a completed work of the Holy Spirit. They are amazing. Here is their story. 

From Mike: “For whatever reason God has chosen us to bear in our bodies sufferings for His glory. From now on let no one trouble me, for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus. Galatians 6:17.  

It’s where I have lived for 32 years with Jesus as my constant companion.  He’s given me His attitude about the cancer and walked me through the tough times. Carried me through the unbearable times of pain as a witness to all who watched the many surgeries and treatments.  What a ride on the path many others have travelled as well. 

Cancer at one time was ‘The road less traveled’.  Not anymore.  My travels began in 1993 when I noticed my facial left side was not functioning properly.  Drooling being the most noticeable symptom.  For the next 5 years and 10 excruciating times I found myself in the ER of various hospitals in the San Diego area.  No one could determine why the pain and paralysis. 

Finally, in 1998 a neurosurgeon looked at me for 5 minutes and declared: “You have a tumor in your parotid area.”  After seeing another neurosurgeon who would do the surgery, I was told the facial nerve which the tumor had wrapped around, was effectively dead.  No movement on left side.  

In a 9-hr. surgery, with many friends and pastors praying in the waiting room, the surgeons had taken a nerve from my right foot to my right thigh and implanted it in my face to replace the damaged nerve hoping to restore some movement in the left face. 

At that time, I consulted with a radiation oncologist as to the plan for dealing with the remaining cancer along my jaw and lower skull area.  His advice was to have radiation for 7 weeks 7 days a week to finish the job.  His statement was this: “you’ll lose the teeth on the left side, hearing in the left ear, and possibly sight in my left eye.  And there’s a 20% chance the cancer will return!”  Not the news I wanted to hear.  I simply told him ‘No, thank you.’     

To backtrack a bit, while at church, my pastor was backing out of his parking space, stopped his car.  He got out and pointed at me and said: “Mike, the Lord wants you to know this is not an illness unto death.”  'Ok by me', I thought.  So that was the thought in my mind as the radiation doc was telling me his “uplifting “story on the next stage in my recovery.      

When Jesus heard that, He said, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” John 11:4.  

At that same time Trudie was seeing an OMD for back pain for her.  Dr. Chen told me he could wipe out the cancer with herbs and diet.  So, for the next year I boiled a bag of herbs once a day.  Also, he put me a Macro biotic diet, basically 800-1000 calories per day.  Ate 6 times/day, slept like a baby, had energy to continue to do my job as a fireman, and lost 30 lbs. in 3 months.  Gods’ herbs are there for us all in the right hands.  So much more I could tell you about the way my body responded to this eating regime but not wanting to overwhelm anyone, I’ll move on.    

Realizing the need to reduce the stress in my life, I retired from the SDFD.  Again, in Gods providence, I believe He allowed this to happen for my good.  And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28. 

Trudie and I moved to Montana.  A man or woman won’t always know or better yet, understand God's leading hand.  However, our desires have to be able to come under the power of His leading. 

We’ve been here almost 26 years now.  In that time, I had 3 years of good health, without the benefit of my organic diet/herbs which we could not afford.  We endured two surgeries to remove tumors each year after the move.  

We started Cyberknife treatments for the reoccurring.  Pinpoint radiation was the new therapy without the horrible effects of broad-spectrum radiation of the past.  The only two surgeries I’ve undergone since then were done in 2016/2018.  These were so very much Gods work to identify the exact area via scans.  

But the biggest miracle came in the form of my surgeon removing the left ear twice in finding the cancer spread over the covering of the brain and he was able to remove it; beyond anything he’d envisioned.  

No matter how many tumors or how to deal with them, I’m confident in my trust and reliance upon Gods guidance throughout the rest of my life here in Montana and on this planet.    

Praise must also go to my wife Trudie for being my encouragement through her own ups and downs with this disease as she has done for 32 years out of our 42-year marriage.  She’s an amazing woman whom my gracious Father has blessed me with these many years.  

Always remember the lessons of walking with the Lord through any physical or spiritual trial He allows.  Trust and obey, for there is no other way to be joyful in Jesus. Blessings to all. Mike.”

We can be afflicted for many reasons: our sin, the enemy, because we are human, for righteousness’ sake. One just has to read the book of Job to know the many reasons for affliction. It’s our human nature to want to understand why we are afflicted.

I believe the Holy Spirit wants us to ask and understand the root of the affliction. That way we can deal with it with His help. I also know that there are times when we will be surprised by His answer, but nonetheless God wants us to be Overcomers.

And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. Revelation 12:11.

It is my honor to host Mike and Trudie’s story on Gods website. I know his affliction is for the glory of God. There will be those that go through the fire on this earth that will be glorified. I believe Mike and Trudie are of those.

And if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. Romans 8:17.

And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. Romans 8:30.

We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Thessalonians 1:12.