Where does Faith fit in here?

I am 42 and I started my relationship with the Lord around 25. My faith has always been strong, but as with every relationship, it tends to go up and down at times through all of these years. The diagnosis and continuing treatment for BC has stepped up my faith a MAJOR notch. It hasn't made me believe more or anything, I have always known He is a healer and Deliverer and will never leave me. I have always known He didn't cause this to happen, but it was allowed for whatever reason, and I need to make it count as far as making my life and the lives of others better. I so appreciate the prayers of others more than they will ever know!!

Cathie

I began my journey in faith through a 12 step program 4 years ago. I have not attended a church since 1990 and do not consider myself a religious person. However, I believe strongly in the power of prayer. There was a study (as told in Deepak Chopra's book-How to know God) about a double blind study in which 1/2 heart patients were prayed for and 1/2 were not. No one knew who was being prayed for the the people who prayed did not know who they were praying for. The group who was prayed for fared better. I also find that prayer centers my mind and helps to rid me of my fear and anger and other negative emotions. I then able to make positive choices and stick to my commitments to be more positive.

I am far from perfect. I still get angry, frustrated, depressed, full of self-pity and even jealous. But when I have had enough of those negative feelings, I pray for release and it usually happens. I have also been taught to help others which helps me feel good about myself.

God is a hard topic for me. I believe in something, just not sure what it is. I do know that somehow when praying, I access a strength that I do not have at that moment. That strength allows me to get through the tough times. I also rely on people for my strength sometimes as well. That is why I stay on this site.

Even before I believed in prayer, I appreciated the prayers of others (sometimes). I knew it meant they cared.

Debbie 

I do appreciate the prayers of others even though I don't believe.  I feel that people who tell me they are praying for me are doing what they think is best to help and that their hearts are in the right place. 

I do have a deep faith and have for a long time.  Did cancer change how I worship Him?  Yes.  I have found that cancer pretty much changed all facets of my life.  My son, my husband, my friends and myself.  I know that when I was diagnosed, I didn't worry about how it would all turn out because this world is temporary.  I was concerned that my Father would find me praising Him in the midst of the battle.  That somehow this battle could be turned into a testament of my Christian faith to those around me.

Have I had questioning moments?  Again, yes.  When I felt physically weak, I became like an angry child and sometimes lashed out at the folks who love me most.  When I've had a couple of recent health scares, I had real fears and forgot to walk forward on faith.  When I was diagnosed, my beautiful friend got me through the dark hours when she was in the middle of fighting her own battle with stage IV ovarian cancer.  There have been moments that I have questioned Him that I am getting well and her health is rapidly declining.  My faith is not perfect. 

I do pray every day and appreciate every prayer said on my behalf.  Even when I'm upset about my dear friend's worsening health, I continue to pray unceasingly and try to just trust that someday, I will understand...  Hebrews 11:1

I have not always been faithful. It came more with maturity and my understanding of how my faith makes me feel. I had a kind of epiphany. My mother-in-law had much to do with that. she was a very devout Catholic and very strong in her faith. She was dying of pancreatic cancer and her first thoughts after her dx were to console her family and assure all of us, her children as well as their spouses, that she would be fine and we had all made her proud caring for our families and she was at peace. She died 8 weeks after her dx quietly and with no pain. Ever since then I trust that God is always there for me and always provides. If I didn't have that faith I don't know what would become of me. I appreciate all the thoughts and prayer of friends and relatives, and believe the they benefit the prayer as well as the one for whom they pray. 

I have always loved God and tried to do his will.  There have been rough patches when I was younger that made life so awful that i questioned my faith, stuff like my husband leaving me for a younger woman, leaving me with a baby and a 3 year old, no job training, never lived by myself. So I made mistakes.  Since the BC my faith is much stronger and little things don't bother me as much I figure to save my strength for the bigger things.  I know there is life after death and it will be full of joy.  My life now is full of joy even when hardships happen.