– Joe Fornear
Physical pain is a 900-pound gorilla, dominating cancer battles, hijacking focus, and draining hope. 
Yet the link between physical pain and emotional misery can be broken! Surely, if the Lord allows us to go through it, He’ll certainly help us get through it. He never promised pain-free living, but He freely guarantees massive help to cope.
Our spiritual and emotional parts are definitely “joined at the hip” with our physical bodies. During my battle with Stage IV metastatic melanoma, I was consistently at #10 on the smiley-face pain chart, especially due to tumors on both the head and tail of my pancreas. Yet the good news is our bodies do not define us, dictate our value, or hold absolute sway over our mood!
Consider two keys to overcoming pain’s grip:
1) Supernatural strength – My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. – Psalm 73:26
This Psalm was written by Asaph, King David’s Choir Director. He experienced failing flesh and failing emotions. The Hebrew word here for “fail” means, “come to an end.” So Asaph was physically and emotionally exhausted – his strength was gone. Have you ever felt that depleted? Yet his heart was “strengthened” by God. This word means to literally be made strong like a rock!
2) Daily renewal of supernatural strength – Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. – 2 Corinthians 4:16
Paul has a similar emphasis as Asaph – the soul and spirit don’t HAVE to follow the body into exhaustion or despair! His strength is the key, especially if we tap into it on a daily basis!
People say the human spirit is capable of amazing feats, but the human spirit strengthened daily by God’s Holy Spirit can endure and overcome much more! Supernatural coping power brings incredible relief not accessible when we do-it-ourself. So ask Him daily – even moment-by-moment – for a fresh filling of His strength. Maybe you have never talked or prayed to God but you want and need to start now. A great first step is to invite Him into your life – more here.
New Book by Terri Fornear
Terri Fornear has published her caretaker side of the story of the Fornear cancer battle. Abiding Through the Shadows, A Caretaker’s Struggle with God’s Goodness, is not about her courage and strength, but rather how God met her at her weakest points. She pulls back the curtain to transparently reveal her false concepts of God, which created extra turbulence during that hard time. She shares how the Lord graciously and gently walked her through it all, setting her free from lies about Him.
If you are, or have been, a caretaker of a cancer patient or someone who is in crisis, we believe you will benefit from this book! Stronghold Ministry has joined with Terri and I to offer this book to you free. Simply reply to this email with your full name and address and we’ll send it to you. If you insist, you can make a donation to Stronghold Ministry here. Or you can purchase the book here.
Here is an excerpt from Terri’s book. After learning Joe had been misdiagnosed as not having cancer for months, she was obviously upset and concerned, but she also saw through the lie about God which she needed to replace with the truth:
Mind Renewal
Lie: Man’s mistakes have more power than God and prevent Him from working.
Truth: Romans 8:28: And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him have been called according to his purpose.
We invite you to acquire this book and abide in our tremendously good God together with Terri.
