The following is the personal story of how a woman facing breast cancer, Mary Ligertwood, found this out for herself!

"I'm sorry to tell you but you've got cancer!" These are the words that nightmares are made of; the thing everyone dreads to hear, so why was I joking with the consultant doctor about having to put my house in order? I just couldn't believe that I was seriously ill. I felt well. I looked well.

I'd gone to my local doctor for a simple check up and he'd immediately referred me to the consultant. The consultant had me rushed into the hospital within three days for a biopsy of a swollen lymph gland. Now just a week later here I was back in his office to hear the results.

His words were very direct, "I'm sorry to tell you but you have cancer. I would estimate that you have a year or so to live." I smiled at him and he droned on about the next series of tests he would do. My thoughts, though, were in altogether different realm. I'll explain...

I am a Christian. In 1962, when I was twenty four years old, I entrusted my whole life to Jesus. Receiving Jesus into my life was a startling encounter for me. It changed my whole outlook on life. Now, at this time of crisis, I wanted to hear what Jesus had to say to me.

The moment I got home, I reached for my Bible. I said, "Well, Lord, what do YOU say about this?" I opened my Bible and it opened on a verse I knew well. It said,

Whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.

Mark 11:24 - NKJV

As I read, the Lord spoke in my heart. He said, "You can believe the consultant and spend the next 12 months waiting to die or you can believe the Words which I speak to you - they are spirit and they are life!" I decided that I stood a better chance believing God than believing the consultant.

No matter what might come, I decided then and there I would trust God for my life. I would trust and wait for God's outcome.

You can so easily swallow what the doctor says. We believe him as though he was the ultimate authority on our health. As a result, the whole of our lives can be effected by what he says.

My sister-in-law was told - with all the symptoms she had - it would take ten years for her to come through the menopause. She lived the whole of that ten years waiting for the day when she would be well again and she only believed she was well when the ten years were up!

I learnt a lesson from that; no matter how good the doctor is, he is not God. Medically, the doctor may be correct but there is also a Higher Authority whose prognosis we need to hear.

After the initial findings I had two more minor operations. These were to remove sections of my breast for biopsy. After this I had x-rays, bone tests, scans, mammograms - the tests seemed endless. On the basis of these tests I was told I had a cancerous tumour in my left kidney as big as an orange and the whole of my left breast and lymph glands surrounding the breast were full of cancerous cells.

I then had two major operations. One to remove my kidney and the other to remove my left breast and the lymph glands. So in five months I had five operations and this was followed by a further month and a half of radiotherapy.

Amazingly, I can honestly say - completely contrary to natural expectation - they were wonderful months. My heart was at peace. I knew the life of God. I believed in that life. I received it and it was mine.

God's presence was so very real to me during those months. Day by day I felt He was so close and He spoke to me more clearly than I had ever known before. The Bible became a living book to me - the words I read were like God speaking directly to me.

My church, my family and my friends were all praying for me to get better. They all wanted a miracle. There was no sudden "miracle cure" but the whole thing was a miracle - it was a miracle in the way the Lord held me steady and unwavering in my faith. I could have been dying from cancer but God had taken away my fear. He had replaced it with an amazing peace and a real joy welling up from my heart.

Perhaps you are facing a crisis in your life at this moment. Have you considered talking to Jesus about it? Maybe you've never prayed before but He will listen the moment you do. He is longing for you to open your heart to Him and allow Him to come into your life. He is bigger than any problem and able to meet any and every need you have. Why not give Him a chance today?

Mary Ligertwood

Note: Mary's last operation was in 1989. She has remained free of cancer to this day. In 1998 she had a complete breast reconstruction.

Mary received Jesus and entrusted her life to Him by praying a simple salvation prayer like this one. You can pray it too:

"Heavenly Father, I accept your Son Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. I invite Jesus to come into my heart and life. I believe that Jesus is alive today because You, Father, raised Him from the dead. I accept Him and with Him I accept life - eternal life, the life of God. I now receive my privilege of becoming your child, I renounce citizenship of the kingdom of darkness and receive citizenship of the kingdom of your Son. In Jesus' Name, I pray. Amen."

Have you now prayed the prayer above to receive salvation? If so, let us know. We'd love to hear from you. You can let us know via the Contact page.