A special celebration of cancer remission.
by Lydia E. Harris
Lord, you’ve been our refuge from generation to generation (Psalm 90:1, ISV).
Thirty relatives crowded into my niece’s home for our family prayer time. The adults sat in the living room, and the children perched on the stairway nearby.
Every few months for many years, our extended family of siblings, children, and grandchildren had gathered to pray. But this was a special occasion to thank God for the stable health of six family members who had battled cancer. Adding up the years since the diagnoses, we now celebrate a total of fifty years of cancer remission — precious years of life given by God. My heart warmed with gratitude as three generations, aged three to seventy-five, united to pray.
We began by singing praise songs to God. The children requested their favorites, including “Jesus Loves Me” and “Awesome God.” When our three-year-old grandson suggested “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star,” we sang it as well. After all, God made the starry host.
We also sang hymns, including a family favorite, “Great Is Thy Faithfulness.” Tears rolled down my face as I remembered my oncologist’s words “You have incurable cancer.”
“Will I be dead in six months?” I asked.
“I don’t think so,” he said. “But I don’t know if you’ll get hit by a car.”
“Good,” I replied, “because we’re expecting a grandchild in six months, and I want to be here for my grandkids.”
And now I was. Two grandchildren, born since that dreadful diagnosis, were among those rejoicing in God’s goodness.
After singing praises, we thanked God for answered prayers. Short prayers, one after another, popped like popcorn as we voiced our gratitude. The children prayed simple, sincere prayers like “Thank You for my brother and sister.” And some of the cancer-free adults thanked God for added years of life.
I glanced at the framed Bible verses hanging nearby on my niece’s wall — the verses God gave her when she began her cancer journey:
He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many (2 Corinthians 1:10, 11).
Here we sat, the “many” who had prayed, thanking God that He had heard and delivered. I wasn’t the only one with misty eyes.
After our time of praise and thanksgiving, we split into groups to pray for requests gathered beforehand: wisdom and guidance in making decisions, health issues, help transitioning into retirement, friends who needed to know Jesus, and more.
As the prayer time ended, we sensed it had been a holy time. One grandmother who had traveled a distance said, “It was pretty awesome to hear all the grandkids pray and see they felt at ease and knew what to pray about.”
And a mom said, “I really like that our kids are growing up in an extended family that prays.” As we parted with hugs and smiles, I knew God was smiling too.
After I sent an update about our gathering to out-of-state relatives, one niece replied, “I wish we could have been there.” She added, “My friends are envious of our large praying family and yearn for the same.”
If you also desire a praying family, remember Jesus’ words: “Truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them” (Matthew 18:19, 20).
A family prayer time can begin with just a few. Twenty years ago, God nudged my husband and me to start one. We already had the required quota of two. We invited family members to join us, and they came when they could. And some prayed simultaneously in other cities.
In the beginning, we felt awkward praying aloud together. Using a four-step prayer format (praise, confession, thanksgiving, and intercession) added structure to our prayer times, and short, conversational prayers helped us feel more comfortable. Soon our prayers flowed naturally as we agreed together.
Over the years, God has heard many united prayers, and He has showered us with spiritual, physical, emotional, and material blessings. But not all prayers have been answered as we hoped, and the outcome of some remains unclear. Yet while we wait, God continues to give us courage, grace, and peace.
Prayer is the best gift we can give our families. As we gather, our families can become powerhouses of prayer, blessing future generations in ways we can’t imagine.
Editor’s note: Now sixteen years later, Lydia again faces treatment for cancer. She values your prayers for healing.
