No one has a guarantee of tomorrow. We can have the assurance that whether we live or die we are the Lords. Jesus has already conquered death. He arose victorious over death.

When you face your own mortality you want to live life to the fullest. Get rid of the nonessentials and focus on the important and simple things in life. Live for eternity. Enjoy God’s beautiful creation. Cherish time with family. Peace fills your heart when you focus on God and stay in tune with the spiritual. Make sure you have peace with God. “We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1).

Second – CHERISH FAMILY AND FRIENDS. I thank God for the family members and friends that supported, encourage, and prayed for me. Loving relationships help release healing into our bodies. Perhaps you have relationships that need mending. Forgiveness opens a channel for healing and health. (Matthew 5:23; 6:12, 14; Job 42:10) Some find it easier to suffer as a victim rather than forgive, love, accept, and receive inner peace.

Third – HUMOR IS A POWERFUL MEDICINE. “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine” (Proverbs 17:22). The more good belly laughs you have the healthier you’ll be. For believers there is this powerful dimension, “The joy of the Lord is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10).

Fourth – I LEARNED MORE COMPASSION AND HUMILITY. I now have more empathy for those who are sick and in pain. Some people tend to ignore those with life threatening diseases. Jesus reached out and touched the diseased and distressed. I didn’t realize how vain I was until all of my hair fell out. I was devastated as I looked at myself in the mirror. I looked like Uncle Fester of “The Addam’s Family”. It helped me immensely when my wife told me that I looked like Kojak. I learned somewhat of the stares people sometimes give the odd looking. Now I try to see the person on the inside of people. That’s who God sees.

Fifth – TAKE CARE OF YOUR BODY. Practicing good nutrition and exercise goes a long way in preventing and healing disease. To deliberately abuse or put things in your body that are harmful is foolish and sin. I continued to walk and stayed as active as possible.

Sixth – BELIEVE IN THE GOD OF MIRACLES. Faith and prayer were vital to my recovery and healing. Put your faith in action. For me a large part of the battle was in the mind. Faith and prayer helped combat negative thoughts of doubt, fear, and bad news. As I spent much time meditating on God’s Word, my mind was renewed, my spirit and body transformed. (Romans 12:1-1) Meditate on positive healing scriptures. When pain and nausea overwhelmed me, prayer brought peace and strength. The prayers of others under girded me and increased my faith and health. Healing warmth flowed through my body as friends laid hands on me and prayed. (James 5:15-16)

Seventh – THROUGH CHRIST JESUS WE CAN BE MORE THAN A CONQUEROR. God has a purpose for every cancer survivor. I want to make the remainder of my life count for the glory of God and the benefit of others. Life is too short to waste or live for oneself.

Perhaps you have not faced cancer. But there is a more sinister cancer afflicting multitudes of people. The cancer of self, resentment, un-forgiveness, anger, and sin is destroying many. There is a cure – the Lord Jesus. Isaiah prophesied of him, “But he was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him and by His stripes we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5).

When you look to Jesus you can be more than a survivor. “Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us and gave His life for us” (Romans 8:37).

Paul said, “To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord’ (II Corinthians 5:8). You can have that assurance and live your life as more than a conqueror.
A - Admit you have sinned. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23)

B - Believe in Jesus. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

C - Confess and leave your sin. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)