Robert E Rasmussen.com

For my third example, I return to our difficult trip from Kenya and my wife’s cancer diagnosis. Before I do, allow me two caveats: One, I apologize that this section is depressing. These are hard stories, as are burial seasons. Two, I do not want my personal stories to give you the impression that my wife was burdensome. On the contrary, my marriage to Lyn was the best thing to happen to me. She was fun, adventurous, godly, loyal, and a deeply spiritual woman of God. Many times she held me up and kept me going through the difficulties. How I thank God for her!

In our shared burial-like experience following leukemia, we encountered many emotions – loss, confinement, waiting, grief, confusion and doubt. To be quite honest, I struggled to understand why God allowed this terrible disease to afflict my wife when it was she who had sacrificed more than me to go to Africa. To me, it was an adventure, unknown but much anticipated. For Lyn it was unknown and scary. She sacrificed to leave beloved family and friends behind for an undetermined number of years. So when, after ten years, Lyn was afflicted, I was broken and questioning the goodness of God. I could not stomach trite advice about faith and sovereignty. We merely trudged through the mud, one sludgy step at a time, for months which turned into years.

I am glad to say that through the chemo and bone marrow transplant and the years of recovery and regaining strength, Lyn and I had fellowship together with Christ in a precious way. With her example of amazing faith, and the encouragement of some brothers, I was enabled to hang on the God and abide in Christ. I did not curse God, even though I did not understand Him. Lyn and I experienced solitude, listening to God, transition and eventually hope. We reaffirmed daily and often hourly, our surrender and sacrifice. Because we had been at death’s portal, we had given up everything. We were holding nothing back from God. Our abiding together with Christ made our leukemia saga one of our most precious memories. In fact, the burial season following cancer gave birth to the truths presented in the book. For that I am truly grateful.

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