One morning when I got up, I felt an unbearable pain in my right breast. Then I went to the town hospital for an examination after breakfast. After an ultrasound check, the doctor said somewhat nervously, “The ultrasound check shows that your right breast has two hard lumps. They don’t move and appear very hard, but benign ones will move around when being touched. It seems that your illness is difficult to cure. But I’m not sure whether you have cancer. The equipment at this hospital is backward, so I suggest you go to some big hospitals for re-examinations.” Hearing this, my heart was instantly shocked and I thought, “Is it really breast cancer? If so, what should I do?” I didn’t dare continue down that line of thinking. I felt very flustered and frightened, weakly walking out of the doctor’s office with heavy footsteps.

While in the car on the way home, my body went limp. I thought of a woman in our village who had breast cancer, and although her family spent a lot of money on her treatment, she still died in the end.

And then I thought of myself. Because I’m unable to have children, my husband beat me or scolded me all day long, not to mention giving me some money to cure my illness. Moreover, I had no children. If I really had cancer, then I would undoubtedly meet my death. The more I thought about it, the more afraid and lonelier I became, and my tears flowed freely. I called out continuously in my heart, “Lord! I don’t know what disease I have. I’m very scared. I’m still young and don’t want to die. May You have mercy on me and heal my illness.” After praying, my heart calmed down a little.

After I returned home, my husband knew my condition but didn’t agree to give me money to go to a big hospital for an examination, so I could only take some painkillers. Afterward, my breast was so swollen that it would hurt even when I walked. As my nephew couldn’t bear for me to be tormented, he took me to Beijing to see the doctor. After the examinations given to me by the specialist, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. The doctor said to my nephew seriously, “Her condition is very serious. She should be admitted to the hospital for treatment and undergo an operation straight away.” When I knew the result, it felt like I had been struck by a lightning bolt and I felt my life was almost over. Looking fixedly at the ceiling and tears streaming uncontrollably from my eyes, I thought to myself, “Now many women have breast cancer. Even though they undergo operations and are tormented, the odds of recovery are very slim low.” Thinking this, I felt heartrending pain, and helplessness and despair were taking over my heart….

Not more than a few days after I was hospitalized, my nephew almost spent all the money he had with him. I thought, “There is no end to the treatment fees for cancer. The money is just a drop in the bucket. But I have no other family members to rely on, much less do I want to be a burden to my nephew.” The more I thought about this the more isolated I became. Then I said to my nephew in tears, “Binbin, let’s go back home. After scraping up enough money I’ll come again to undergo an operation.” Looking at me sadly, he felt he had no choice and agreed with me.

While I was on the train on the way home, my mood worsened and my heart felt depressed and heavy. I thought, “This probably is the last time my nephew takes me to see the doctor.” When I thought about the fact that my condition would become serious and I would be facing death, I called out to the Lord tearfully, “Lord! I feel very distressed. I’m suffering from cancer and I don’t know how long I will live for. Now I don’t have money for treatment. Lord, You are the powerful Lord. I’m willing to rely on You and fully entrust my illness to You. May You have mercy on me….” When I returned home, my husband treated me with coldness and even didn’t ask me for the test result. In my pain, all I could do was constantly pray to the Lord, and only then could my heart feel comfort.
One day, I saw the Bible say, “And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years, And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse, When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched His garment. For she said, If I may touch but His clothes, I shall be whole. And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of that plague” (Mark 5:25–29). Seeing these verses, I felt my heart brighten. I thought, “That’s right. The woman, who had an issue of blood for twelve years, spent all of her savings and failed to get her illness treated, but when touching the Lord’s garment, she recovered. This was because of her faith in the Lord. Then it’s not difficult for God to cure my illness.” Through this woman, I saw how mighty the Lord was, and I felt my faith in the Lord was too small. Then I thought of how the Lord resurrected Lazarus, who had been dead for four days and whose corpse had begun to smell. I understood our lives are all held in God’s hands and that whether I live or die is also dictated and arranged by God. With this in my mind, my heavy heart felt a little bit of relief, as if I relieved myself of a burden. I knelt before the Lord to pray, “O Lord, through Your curing the woman who had an issue of blood for twelve years, I see Your power. In the past, although I’ve believed in You, I’ve had no true understanding of Your great power, nor have I had true belief. Lord, I am willing to confess and repent to You. Whether I will live or die, I’m willing to fully commit my illness to Your hands. Amen!”

Afterward, I was determined to hand my illness and everything over to God’s control, and whether my sickness would be cured, I was willing to obey God’s arrangements and believed that everything is in God’s hands. When I thought like this, my heart became filled with faith for the Lord. And I was no longer like I had been before, when I always lived in pain and sorrow, waiting for the approach of death. Instead, I prayed to the Lord every day, read the Bible, attended gatherings, and preached the gospel. And My brothers and sisters also prayed for me. I was willing to offer my short life up for the Lord’s work.

After some time had gone by, unknowingly my breast did not hurt so bad, my mood slowly improved and a long-lost smile emerged on my face.  When I completely gave myself to the Lord, He really wiped away my tears, my body didn’t feel as painful, my sorrowful heart became happy, and I had more faith to face my disease.

Almost without realizing it, half a year passed. One day, my niece, who came back and knew my condition, insisted on taking me to the county People’s Hospital for an examination. I couldn’t change her mind, so I agreed with her. After a check-up, the doctor said, “You don’t have breast cancer, just mastitis. After menopause this symptom will disappear.” Hearing the doctor’s words, I was so excited that my heart leapt into my throat. My niece grabbed my arm emotionally and said, “Auntie, you are not ill. It’s truly a miracle.” I said, “This is the Lord’s great power.” I kept thanking the Lord in my heart! I knew the Lord had graced me and had cured my incurable disease. The Lord is really too almighty! It was the Lord who had given me a second chance at life.

One day, some neighbors, who came over to my place to visit and saw me working, said smiling, “In our village, there were four people your own age who had cancer. They spent all savings to cure their illness, and not long after died one by one. However, you had cancer earlier than they did, and neither took medicine nor received treatment, but you actually miraculously recovered. Now you have a good complexion and aren’t at all like someone who was sick. You’re so lucky.”

Hearing this, I smiled and said, “Thank the Lord! It was the Lord who cured my disease and bestowed a second life on me.”
After this experience, my faith in the Lord increased, and I was more willing to hand the rest of my life over to the Lord, obey His control, and follow Him throughout my life.