Surrounded By A Cloud of Witnesses

“Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” - Hebrews 12: 1-2

I am grateful for the “cloud of witnesses” that surround me in my struggle with cancer… That there are countless men and women who have gone before me and have modeled faith in their suffering. So here are a few that have taught me and encouraged me through their lives to keep fixing my eyes on Jesus.

Paul. Whipped, beaten, stoned, and shipwrecked. The one that stands out the most to me as I was recovering from surgery was Paul’s stoning. It was so bad, that those who stoned him thought he was dead and dragged him outside the city walls. And yet he gets up and returns to the city. I thought some about how long it would have taken for his body to recover – with no medication, hospital, or skilled doctor. And he wrote most of the New Testament.

Corrie Ten Boom. She hid Jews in her home during the Holocaust until they were caught and sent to the concentration camp. We all know a bit about the horrors of those camps and yet she remained faithful. She authored “The Hiding Place,” where she tells her story.

John Piper. Pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church who was diagnosed with prostate cancer a few years ago. Continued in ministry to his church during that time and wrote “Don’t Waste Your Cancer” during that time.

These are just a few who have challenged my perspective and have helped me to trust God in this process. Who are some of your heros?