LIUBA-STORY

The power of GOD's word  

Liuba was a young Russian woman serving a life sentence for murder. Suffering from HIV, she felt that her life had lost all meaning. At the height of her despair, she was preparing to commit suicide when it occurred to her to make one last appeal to heaven. She had been given a Bible and said to GOD: ‘If you still love me after all I've done, answer me!’

Liuba opened the Bible: ‘I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners’ (Matthew 9:13) said the first text, striking Liuba like lightning. ‘Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow’ (Isaiah 1:18), confirmed the second. The third text spoke of the criminal crucified next to Jesus: ‘We are here justly, for we are receiving what our deeds deserve, but this man has done nothing wrong.’ And he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom. Jesus said to him, 'Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:41-43).

Overwhelmed by the word of GOD, moved by His Love, Liuba converted that day. She became a witness to CHRIST within her prison walls. Under her influence, this grim place gradually transformed: the wild shouting ceased, and there were no more fights between criminals. Sometimes the prisoners even sang hymns.

The power of forgiveness: ‘If you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you’ (Matthew 6:14-15); But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be sons of your Father which is in heaven: for he makes his sun rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous (Matthew 5:44-45).

When she became too ill to remain in prison, Liuba was taken to hospital. I was able to visit her and share a beautiful moment of Christian fellowship with her. We read a passage from the Gospel together. She was very weak.

‒ This is probably the end of my life,’ she said to me.

‒ If that were the case, what would you want to say to GOD?’

‒ I would like to forgive my mother who abandoned me, my father whom I never knew, my sister who stole everything from me and rejected me, the man I killed because he wanted to murder me after raping me, all the men who cheated on me, those who took my child away from me...

And the long litany of pain and forgiveness continued, like the confession of a world of misery and horror... It became clear to me that it was not so much the “criminal” who needed forgiveness – GOD had forgiven her – but many others... and it was she who found the strength to forgive, in a beautiful act of love towards all those who had hurt her.

A few days later, some Christian women went to visit Liuba, but the Lord Jesus had taken her to heaven. They met with the head doctor, who told them, ‘I have never seen a patient like Liuba: she radiated kindness.’

Pierre D (Source: La Bonne Semence, 2014)

WITH GOD WE'LL DO GREAT THINGS

 My story with a frightening illness!  

I had a feeling that 2019 would be a turning point in my life, but I didn't imagine it would be an illness.

It all started in January: I had spent a week at my son's house. I began to feel diffuse pain in my pelvis and back, fatigue and other symptoms. I didn't think it was anything serious, so I wasn't worried. Then, as the pain continued to increase, I made an appointment with my doctor at the end of the first trimester. Routine tests were carried out, but the results were negative. The doctor then sent me for a CT scan. After reading the results, the radiologist immediately booked me in for an ultrasound scan a few days later and, without telling me why, asked me to see a gynaecological surgeon as soon as possible.

Here we are at the end of April: the obstacle course has begun!

I meet with the surgeon who, after examining me, informs me that he will need to perform a biopsy. This takes place on May 7th followed by an MRI scan on May 20th. Up until this point, I still don't understand what is happening, except that it is serious. The only thing that concerns me is relieving the pain, which is getting worse and worse.

On May 25th, I will meet again with the surgeon, who has received the biopsy results and MRI findings.

"You have advanced cervical cancer. The lymph nodes are affected, as well as two other organs. We cannot operate; it would be too risky. I don't want to give you false hope," he told me.

The verdict is in!... I leave his office crying... I'm 57.

After leaving the clinic, I phoned my mum to tell her the news. Then I do the shopping I'd planned to do in this area, while holding back my tears. As I walked, my thoughts raced: how would I tell the people around me? (I was afraid of being confronted with self-pity, which could be fatal to my faith). Is there a sin that I haven't confessed to the Lord Jesus? Why is God allowing this? Am I going to die?

Then I think of Jesus who said to Peter: "Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and went wherever you wanted; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will gird you and take you wherever you do not want to go". (John 21:18) I don't know where I'm going, but I have to keep moving. The situation is completely out of my control. One thing's for sure: I have to choose how I'm going to move forward! I want to see the Lord Jesus in all his beauty, even in this trial. I also think of Daniel's friends who replied to the king: "Behold, our God whom we serve can deliver us from the fiery furnace, and will deliver us from your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods, nor worship the golden image which you have set up. (Daniel 3:17-18) Clearly I must not allow despair to take hold and overcome my faith.

When I got home, after hugging my mum tightly and crying with her, I went up to my room and started talking to the Lord Jesus. Then I sent a message to the pastor to tell him. As soon as he received it, he called me back. He was shocked, but he told me that it's in adversity that you can see the glory of God! That's so true. I explained to him that I didn't want anyone to feel sorry for me and that, at first, not many people should know about it. He prayed for me.

On 18 June, I was admitted to hospital for a lumbo-aortic lymphadenectomy (lymph node removal) and the fitting of an implantable chamber that would be used to inject chemotherapy. I was off work for a month, but this was extended to a year and a half.

I then met the oncologist who set up my treatment: chemotherapy, radiotherapy and then brachytherapy at the Gustave Roussy Institute.

In the meantime, I'm finding it increasingly difficult to manage the pain, which has been going on for months, day and night. It will only disappear after a few sessions of radiotherapy. A sister of mine, a pharmacist, gave me some good advice on combining painkillers and avoiding overdosing.

From then on, my career was punctuated by numerous MRIs, PET scans, CT scans, medical visits, analyses, etc.

I began chemotherapy with cisplatin (a product that is highly toxic to the kidneys) and, at the same time, radiotherapy in July. Cortisone injections were also added to limit the side effects. This will last until August.

In mid-September, after a 15-day break, I was sent to the Gustave Roussy Institute in Villejuif for brachytherapy. This took place over 5 days and 4 nights, during which I was absolutely unable to get out of bed: everything had been planned to adapt my diet. Apart from the medical, paramedical and maintenance staff - who visit every half hour, day and night, when the machine is not beaming - there are no visits. Given the distance and the time available, I preferred to ask my family not to be disturbed.

At the end of September 2019, the treatment was completed. Regular check-ups lasted until 2025, when I saw the surgeon again to have the implantable chamber removed.

I have chosen to talk briefly about the illness and its treatment, because behind these lines lies a more important path of life in victory: it bears witness to GOD's Love for me and for the world.

As I said above, I had to take a stand and decide how I was going to live through this period, whatever the outcome. The first step was to check whether anything was interfering with my relationship with God.

The first few days were difficult: I wanted to stay in life, but the pain, which I found increasingly difficult to relieve, reminded me that there was a problem. It made me think negative thoughts. I had to fight: this battle was spiritual.

Did I trust God?

If it was God's choice to take me back at that moment, was I ready?

Did I accept?

I told God that I would accept death as long as I was with Him. From that day on, I was able to experience this period differently.

My body was breaking down inside, my strength was diminishing with the chemotherapy injections, I had side effects from the treatments... but I had peace. I continued to attend church meetings almost to the end and, despite the immense fatigue caused by the chemotherapy, I put all my heart and all my strength into praising God. My life as a child of God had not stopped. The Lord always gave me the ability.

When I didn't feel like praying or had the strength to do so, God was there, in my heart, with his word that encouraged and strengthened me: it always came at just the right moment. I felt supported. My mum and the loved ones in my congregation prayed for me, asked about me, gave me practical help, came to sing praises at home; the young people visited me.

The medical staff I met were always very kind and the taxi ambulance, which took me to Gustave Roussy twice, was also a great help.

When I came across other sick people being cared for, I felt deeply privileged to be able to walk through the valley of the shadow of death without fear of any harm, because Jesus Christ was with me (Psalm 23:4), unlike those who had no hope.

It is painful to see that the solution exists, but that the world rejects it and prefers to remain in suffering.

Many put their trust solely in treatments. But these offered no guarantees: if the blood test was poor, the patient had to go home and wait to see if the next session could take place. And sometimes the disease recurred or spread. So these people lived with a veritable sword of Damocles hanging over their heads.

I had the opportunity to bear witness to Jesus Christ to many people throughout this period: surgeons, oncologists, patients, doctors ...

Some might say:

"Where is God's Love in all this?"

"If your God loves you, why did he allow this illness?"

"If He is all-powerful, He could have healed you!"

I saw His Love everywhere - and I can't describe it all, because that would take too long.

My God allowed me to walk on high, to enter into a dimension of faith, into His dimension. I have experienced that when we abandon ourselves into His hands, we can go through anything, because He takes over within us. He made me experience His presence at every moment (2 Corinthians 4:8), He gave me joy and peace in spite of everything. I was able to live through this illness without suffering from it. If He had healed me without treatment - because, in the end, it's always God who heals (Psalm 103:3) - that would have been wonderful. But I wouldn't have experienced this victory over myself, or met all the people to whom I was able to testify about the real solution to evil: Jesus Christ (John 3:16-17).

This ordeal has brought me closer to God.

You could still argue by saying:

"The treatments destroyed parts of you." 

Imagine if God had allowed me to experience what most men fear most - and to do it without being destroyed. My God is sovereign and infinitely wise (1 Corinthians 1:25). I have certainly suffered losses in my flesh, proof that man, within his limits, cannot produce anything perfect. Only the Creator embodies perfection. But in exchange, I have gained precious spiritual treasures. Our bodies, doomed to corruption, fade with time... but our spirits are destined for eternity (Matthew 6:19-20).

God loves us and He has opened His arms of love for you too, who are reading these lines, through Jesus Christ. Don't miss out on such a great salvation.

Mireille

OVER 2000 YEARS AGO : mark 5:21-34

 The woman who had been suffering from blood loss for 12 years, mark5:21-34

Jesus returned to the other side of the sea in the boat, where a large crowd gathered round him. He was standing by the sea.

When one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus, saw him, he fell at his feet and prayed earnestly, "My little daughter is at the end of the world; come and lay your hands on her, that she may be saved and live.

Jesus went with him. A great crowd followed him and pressed on.

Now, there was a woman who had been suffering from blood loss for twelve years. She had suffered a great deal at the hands of several doctors, had spent all she had, and had not felt any relief, but rather had got worse.

When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment. For she said, "If I can only touch his clothes, I will be made well.

Immediately the loss of blood stopped, and she felt in her body that she was cured of her illness.

Immediately Jesus knew in himself that power had gone out of him; and turning in the midst of the crowd, he said, "Who touched my clothes? His disciples said to him, "You see the crowd pressing you, and you say, 'Who touched me? And he looked round to see the woman who had done this.

The woman, afraid and trembling, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and told him the whole truth. 

But Jesus said to her, "Daughter, your faith has saved you; go in peace and be healed of your sickness.