Our Journey

As a pastor, I know ministry involves providing support and help to people as they endure the difficult events in life. This includes illnesses. Serving people in churches since 1987, a wide variety of illnesses and injuries came to those I ministered to. Also, as a volunteer EMT since 1991, in the setting of an ambulance, I joined in the actual battle against physical problems if for only a few minutes of time.

With October’s arrival, it is the month of the year we focus on one of those illnesses, breast cancer. This is my wife Nancy’s and our family’s story.

In the fall of 2017, Nancy had her annual mammogram. Due to the history of her mom having breast cancer in the mid-1980s, and her sister having breast cancer also, Nancy was under scrutiny to keep her from the same problem. After the routine testing was done, her Physician Assistant told her “something was not quite right” in an area she noticed. Nancy agreed to go to Windsong in Hamburg for enhanced mammography. We both thought little would come of it, but making extra certain is fine.

In January 2018 when the phone call came, and the message was that it is probably stage 1 breast cancer, the concern and path for the year was set. Next came more tests and biopsies, surgery, radiation treatments, and then the beginning of 5 years of estrogen blocking drugs and close monitoring.

We had to tell our 2 children, one living in Florida and the other at college in Pennsylvania. Our daughter in Florida was expecting our first grandchild, and he would arrive early, on the morning of Nancy’s cancer surgery. While in the waiting room for Nancy to be prepared for surgery, I got the text that he had been born. I saw Nancy before they took her into surgery and told her she was a grandmother. It is amazing how life can be filled with utter joy and deep concerns in the very same moment.

We experienced the encouraging words of the Lord in the Bible, our prayers and the prayers others prayed for us, and the love of Christ through the Holy Spirit were as sufficient for us as they had been for those we had ministered to in past years. The test of our faith is not only to determine what the scriptures say is true and declare that to others, but to also see our faith strong when we are in trials ourselves.

The gospel centers on Jesus providing forgiveness through His suffering for us on the cross, to those who believe. We have enough sin we commit to need to experience His love and forgiveness. The Bible also shows Jesus cared for the earthly needs of people. Jesus healed countless numbers, wept with the sorrowing, and loved everyone who came to Him searching for truth and answers regardless of the messes in their lives. Those of us who believe, are blessed with the same Jesus in our troubled chapters of life.

When we were facing breast cancer and needed the Lord’s help, He never let us down. Now, over 8 years later we are thankful to God there has been no recurrence of cancer. Nancy still has other physical needs she trusts daily in the Lord to help with, and He is faithful. As a closing challenge she stresses the need for self-exams but not as a substitute for mammograms as scheduled. It would have been a longer time before a physical exam would have exposed what the mammogram did. By then the cancer would have advanced in size and seriousness. Please take the time to have any scheduled tests your doctor orders.

Also, spiritually if you don’t have a personal relationship with God through Jesus for troubles here, and a place in Heaven when this life is over, please consider the love of Christ who opens His arms to receive whoever will believe by faith and call upon Him.

Pastor Charlie was raised in eastern NY close to the Vermont border. While at Cairn University near Philadelphia he met and married Nancy. He returned to eastern NY with Nancy and served as pastor of 2 rural churches in that area. In 2013 he accepted the position of pastor at West Portland Baptist Church in Westfield. He also continues in EMS as an EMT-CC with Portland Fire Department.