Hank Hanegraaff, president of the Christian Research Institute and host of the Bible Answer Man broadcast, offers an update on his sister Jobje, who is battling pancreatic cancer. While undergoing her 27th cycle of chemotherapy, Jobje writes, “I continue to reflect on God’s immense blessings that He continually pours over me on this journey. O how merciful and gracious He is! It is with such gratitude that I thank Him for His compassion upon me, especially in this Lenten season. We so easily skip to a ‘Happy Easter,’ forgetting that ‘Jesus walked this lonesome valley. He had to walk it by Himself. Nobody else could walk it for Him. He did it—all by Himself,’ for me and you. Even for me, His oh so undeserving child. This song came to me in the wee morning hours. On that awful, ‘awe-full’ Good Friday, how would I have reacted? Would I have been one of those in that crowd to watch in horror or worship? Would I be crying, singing, and praying for Him, my Jesus? Or would I be as one of those curious bystanders, doubting, spitting, mocking, scoffing, rejecting? Oh, I am so ashamed for the pain I have personally in my life caused Him, to die such a horrific death. Yesterday, as we drove to the Cancer Center again, as always, I get a little anxious the last couple miles. You never know what will happen when all the labs are drawn, analyzed, and interpreted. But once again God’s grace poured down upon me; for as we neared the cancer center, the sun shone brightly, in such a way as I never noticed before. I saw all the crosses on the downtown churches, the Greek Orthodox Church, St. Andrews Cathedral, and many of the other churches, each with their crosses on the their tall spires surrounding the St. Mary’s Hospital complex. Symbolically they were all beckoning to me via their bright sun-lit crosses that I should be at peace, and to trust. But the best cross shining and beckoning to me, coaxing me into the doors of the Lack’s Cancer Center again, was the brightly sun-lit cross on the domed roof of the upstairs cancer center chapel. It was like a symbol of God’s care, like a canopy spreading to all who entered, including to me. Powerfully and vividly it was reminding me of all He has done for me. It was reminding me to trust, to walk this very lonely road myself, certainly not like He did, but to walk in this journey to His Cross, even through death, and then to Him….I was reminded to be more diligent in contemplating His Atonement these forty days of Lent, to hypothetically walk with Him in His sufferings, to pray more, and to be reminded of His great love for me. I have put on my custom-made spiritual shoes again and continue to walk one step at a time. Sometimes, though, I slog through deep sucking puddles of quicksand that spiritually bog me down in despair, and which give me the feeling of being so alone on this difficult journey. But then God sends His angels to walk with me, even for people like my dear loving husband, a supportive family, and friends. He encourages me with cards in the mail in His exact timing. He even grants me the assurances of people still willing to pray for me on this journey. Thank you!!! Oh, a ‘Forever Easter’ in Heaven! I look forward to that day! In His cross I glory, Jobje 🦋 🌷”