Video One: Matt Chandler's Testimony With Brain Cancer

There are so many incredible stories out there about triumph through trial in God's grace, and how our merciful God brings such sweet redemption even to the most horrific of circumstances.  Anyone that knows me would tell you that I absolutely love to hear people's stories.  I could listen to firsthand stories from people for days, and of course, ask loads of questions!  There is just something so human, so real, so trusting, so authentic, so transparent, and so beautiful about hearing someone's story.  While I understand there is indeed so much evil in this world, there is also an incredible amount of God's beauty.

One of the most important lessons I learned in the first few months of my own cancer diagnosis was that I simply could not take my eyes off of God.  I needed to trust Him and cling to Him in every second, and in that, came abundant relief.  My relief did not come from reassurance of doctors (i.e. "you'll be fine" or "at least you are not stage four"), but the relief came from knowing God is sovereign.  My trial was to accomplish a greater purpose, and by trusting Him, I became less worried about the horrors of cancer.  In other words, if I let my worry and distress take over my mind, then the only thing I will see is horrific, fearful circumstance - and all it's unanticipated side effects - that lay before me. I would not see God, or His glory or His beauty.

Thankfully, our God is a God who specializes in taking our most horrifying, shameful, dirty, guilt ridden, sinful, failure, discouraging, terrible, unthinkable circumstances and past - and then when we seek Him, He uses it by turning it into something more beautiful, more glorious, more incredible, more loving, more kind, so much bigger than we could ever hope to imagine for His glory.  Simply to let us know He is our Father who loves us more than life itself.

I've decided to start a bit of a series on this blog.  A collection of short videos that have influenced me throughout this journey of life, and I will try to update more frequently for those of you following at home.  Below is entry number one:  Matt Chandler's Testimony With Brain Cancer.

Matt Chandler is a pastor of The Village Church in Dallas, Texas.  A younger guy, married, has children.  On Thanksgiving Day in 2009, Matt Chandler's life changed forever.  This is a 25 minute clip of his story, through his bald head tracing with scars from surgery, he shares how our greatest trials often come as our greatest opportunities.  Truly incredible to see God's hand at work in the life of this young man, his family, his church, and in the lives of so many who hear his story.



Or if you prefer the YouTube link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRY-m6YhW0Y