Chris O'Rourke was slated to be California's biggest surfer back in the 1970's. Every surfer was jealous of this talented, hot headed young man who lead the idea of localism at his home beach of Windandsea. But tragedy struck in the form of cancer, Hodgkin's disease, when Chris was only 18. Brew Brigg's, a close friend of Chris', had recently come to know Christ as his Lord and saviour, and shared all he knew with Chris. 

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 Jan and Mike

Transcribed from Testimony tape.  

By Pam Whitley 

I always like to start out by making sure everyone knows that I'm one of those GRITS girls....Girls Raised In The South…and I am telling you that for a reason. Even though I've lost most of my accent, and believe me I have, because when I first moved to Oklahoma, people would say things like “let me hear you say so and so again. Then they'd practically roll in the floor laughing when I said whatever.  So even though I've lost most of my accent, I still use different terms for things than some of my Oklahoma friends do.  For example, they go out and start their cars; I crank mine. They go to the grocery store and find a parking place, I find a park. They go into the grocery store and get a shopping cart; I get a buggy!  By the way, just for my own information, how many of you get a buggy? 

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The Shadow of Pain

            Shadows are always there.  The shadow of pain is like your shadow.  Sometimes it is small and hard to find and then at other times it is a giant as tall as a tree.  It is a constant companion that accompanies you.  If you go fast it is just as fast.  If you go slow it is slow.  When you stop it stops.  It matches you.  When you are in the deepest valley your shadow is there.  When at the heights of the highest mountain it is there also. 

            I never thought that the pain would shadow you.  I would expect the pain would be there when I am low and downcast.  I would expect it on birthdays, holidays, and death days.  But not on the good days.  The happy days.  The fun days.  The shadow is always there.

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To the Sufferers

            Sufferers suffer.  Suffering can be anything that causes pain.  Hurting. Ache.  Pain.  It can be physical or emotional or mental.  The physical is just that physical.  Back and neck pain is physical.  Emotional is unseen but is the pain of the heart.  The feelings that are deep.  They go to the core.  It could be self inflicted by feeding an emotional heartache or it could be inflicted by others or by circumstance.  And the mental by pain of memories, pain of thought.  Bad experiences of yesterday that is present today and steals away tomorrow.  Although each is different they are all three connected.  The physical is tied to the emotional and the mental, just as the mental and the emotional is tied to the physical.  Each area affects the other.  It could be by others or it could be self inflicted.  Self inflicted could be by bad choices that were made and the consequences that come with it.  Whether self inflicted or not, suffering is suffering. 

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James Matthew Greenleaf

IMPACT

From James' webpage written by his mother:

Sun Jul 9 10:42:26 CST 2000

On July 9, 1995 God blessed our lives with our precious James. I can still see the very moment James came into this world. The very moment the doctors put our sweet baby into my arms, my eyes saw such beauty. I'll never forget how he looked into my eyes for the longest time purring like a kitten. From the very moment the doctors put James into my arms we held on as tight as we could and never let go.

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by Rachel Barkey

On March 4, 2009, Rachel had an opportunity to share about her hope in the midst of terminal cancer. What began as a small talk to her church women’s group became an event attended by over 600 women and was an experience that left many with a desire to discover more about Rachel’s journey and faith.

See the video or listen to the audio of Rachel's talk

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by Dave Dravecky

Millions know Dave Dravecky as the ball player who came back to play in the majors after undergoing surgery for cancer in his pitching arm. Recurring cancer led to the amputation of his left arm and shoulder. His wife Jan experienced clinical depression; many friends they counted upon withdrew. You’ll listen intently as Dave shares triumphantly how God strengthened him and his family as they walked through some dark valleys of despair.

 

At

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