The Winter Faith Newsletter by Andrew Frazier
The Winter Faith Newsletter by Andrew Frazier
Courage and Cancer
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Courage and Cancer

The Winter Faith Newsletter - July 1, 2021
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I have cancer. It’s very treatable. I will be courageous. I will survive.

The cancer was found on my appendix, which was removed last week. Thankfully, the cancer is low-grade and very treatable. This type of cancer is very rare. Of course, I would get one of the rarest cancers, because I am an enneagram 4 and I have to be so different. I have to undergo more surgery and chemotherapy in about six weeks at the Duke Cancer Center. Dr. Dan Blazer III is my Oncologist, who is an expert in this cancer treatment. Dr. Blazer is rare.

I felt shock, sadness, and fear when I first received my diagnosis. Follow me on my CaringBridge page for all medical details.

I reminded of the words of C.S. Lewis in his book A Grief Observed, “No one ever told me grief felt so much like fear.” Lewis wrote those words in a journal after his wife died. He published the journal under a false name, N.W. Clerk, because he was afraid people would judge him for his honest words. He was rare.

I also assume it’s rare for my surgeon to be my friend from 3rd grade elementary school, Dr. Linda Youngwirth. I had not seen Linda in over 20 years and we live 1,000 miles away from our very small school in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Yet, we both ended up in the same room this week. Dr. Youngwirth had to deliver the harsh reality to us. My team of doctors includes: Dr. Linda Youngwirth, Dr. Dan McKearney, and Dr. Erica McKearney. My team of doctors are rare. They are rare for their ability to interweave medical knowledge and compassion. I am unsure how I can pay them back in full? Should I offer them free spiritual counseling for life?

This week was rare. The past week has been the most scary, sad, exhausting, painful, and joyous week of my life. I feel loved in a powerful way by my wife, parents, sister, children, and the my faith community.

So many friends have sent me their support through meaningful books, favorite songs, tasty ice cream, homemade snickerdoodle cookies, bottles of Gatorade, prayers, Dad jokes, encouraging texts, kind emails, sweet cards, short but meaningful phone calls, and funny tweets.

I am so thankful for all of them.

One symbol of God is a lion. A lion does not know fear. A lion is the king of the jungle. Our God is a lion. Our God will fight cancer with us and eventually kill cancer like a lion its prey. Lions might get bloody and bruised during a fight but they always are the ones standing upright at the end of the battle. God is brave. I am brave. You are brave, too.

So may we all live with bravery this week. May we all live like a lion as we fight the battle of good vs evil. May we all keep doing good, even when we are exhausted.

Artwork by Scott Erikson.

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The Winter Faith Newsletter by Andrew Frazier
The Winter Faith Newsletter by Andrew Frazier
spiritual and emotional encouragement for winter seasons of faith
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