Have you ever had a prayer answered?
Just 2 weeks ago, I met my doctor to discuss the MRI result and wether I will continue the current treatment.
Me and Tobias were nervous, because lately,
I wasn’t feeling good physically. I was hoping I would be fit enough to travel to Barcelona to meet my best friends (who flew over from Hongkong and Singapore to see me).
Then, when we sat down face to face with the doctor, she straightforwardly said everything is stable. Tobias and I were overwhelmed with happiness, and couldn’t hide our tears.
So, last week, I met Ashlee and Kayan in Barcelona and we had a wonderful time together. I was feeling energetic and even managed to walk more than 10k steps everyday with them exploring the city.
My prayer and your prayer for me were answered!
::: IT IS BASED ON EVIDENCE
On our flight to Barcelona, I asked my scientist husband, Tobias, about what science actually is.
He explained me that science is based on fact or evidence, not opinion or preferences.
The process of science is designed to challenge ideas through research.
It aims for measurable results through testing and analysis.
However, science is never absolute, always open for contradicting evidence.
These past weeks, I was looking deeper about what is prayer. I learned that like science, prayer is also based on evidence. This is the evidence: Jesus is the risen benevolent loving King and the Bible is true.
The difference is that the evidence in Christianity is absolute without contradiction. Jesus is never changing for the ever changing culture. This gave me confident hope.
I mentioned many times before that since I was diagnosed with late stage DIPG with a grim prognosis, I became very conscious about time. So, for me it’s a waste of time to pray and doubt God at the same time.
::: IT IS COMPLEX
In the past I felt that Christianity had failed me because many my prayers remained unanswered. Things I wanted didn’t happen. In fact, sometimes the exact opposite happened. God watched my best friend die from cancer in her 20s; God did not help me in my relationships; God did not help me in my business, and so on. That time, I felt frustrated, dejected, and confused over prayer. Truly heartbroken and helpless.
I was thinking maybe there was something I did wrong, and I started to compare myself with others who got lucky. This even made things worse.
Then, I let this disappointment in God fester and eat away at my faith in Him, until I find myself bereft of belief.
That time, I thought of prayer as a tool for crisis management, but it is actually far more complex than merely asking for something and receiving it.
Prayer is a communion with the Almighty, a reminder that I’m not God, a reminder that the Holy Spirit is aiding and carrying my faith and my cross.
It’s like adding fuel to the fire that is already burning. So when you and I are doing great, we need prayers more than any other time, and when you and I are not doing great, we also need prayers more than any other time. We always need prayers.
::: IT BRINGS MIRACLES
3 years ago this month, I was at the lowest point of my life. I had lost track with my life, I ran away from reality and drowned in depression.
Just when I was about to give up, God sent me Tobias.
And 3 months later, the DIPG monster started showing symptoms in me. But, I wasn’t alone, Tobias was by my side.
God knew what I needed before DIPG appeared.
He is able to do more than I can ask or imagine.
These 3 years, I experienced so many answered prayers/miracles in my life, which I shared with you in most of my stories.
And I realized that the greatest miracle ever happen to me is not in an answered prayer, but in my transformed heart.
Christ in me, my savior, the hope of glory.
::: TRUST IN GOD’S CHARACTER
Wendy, a good friend of mine in Jakarta, is a beautiful bright woman in her 30s. She’s living a healthy life, never drinking and never smoking. Last year, when she sought cure for her long time cough, she was diagnosed with late stage lung cancer, which already spread to her brain. I am praying often for her. Yesterday, I received a message that she’s having seizures again.
Not only Wendy, I prayed for many DIPG warriors, for healing, but it didn’t happen, instead one by one passed away. My prayers have gone unanswered. It’s a hard pill to swallow.
I felt angry, I was crying and complaining to God. I don’t know the answer why God allowed this to happen. But nevertheless, I will never stop praying, because I trust not in the outcome of prayer, but I trust in the character and wisdom of God.
These 3 years, I have had several different experiences in which I sensed God’s answer within my heart. There’s no doubt in my heart and my mind that prayer makes a difference in our life.
::: IT’S A PRIVILEGE AND A CHALLENGE
Back to Tobias’ explanation about what is science. He told me that most scientists don’t get rich. The motivation to be a scientist is not money, but often scientists are intrinsically motivated by curiosity, by working together with clever people and by the possibility to discover something meaningful for mankind.
Impressive! Although, I was thinking that ‘something meaningful for mankind’ doesn’t always have to be noble, for example weapon to destroy humanity, etc. things to satisfy human’ selfish desires.
Then my mind went back to my own thoughts about prayer again.
I felt excited to meet Ashlee and Kayan soon!
We regularly meet on video conference to pray not only for ourselves, but also for others and society.
It’s a challenge for us to be a witness of His love, and it’s a privilege for us to pray for other people,
cos’ we know that they are also the beloved of the Creator of God.
I pray not only for my and your so-and-so circumstances, but also for wisdom and revelation, so that whatever circumstances are in our lives, it becomes an opportunity for us to draw closer to Jesus, and to know Him better.
Jesus Christ is not only “God for us,” He is also “God with us”.
::: PRAYERS OF HOPE
The object of my faith is in the risen Christ.
I understand the power in His resurrection is not the power to underwrite our dreams to the stars, but the power to take the most tragic human beings, and through an encounter with Jesus turns them into life.
That’s why I truly believe that although physical death is a tragedy and an enemy, but it doesn’t get the last word, because Jesus rose from the dead. That power which exerted to raise Jesus, somehow is going to manifest itself for me one day, too. He is the source of my hope.
Friends, you actually do have a hope,
that the circumstances of your life,
that the present state of your addiction,
that the broken state of your relationship,
that the poor prognosis of your disease,
doesn’t get to determine the meaning of your life.
Do you believe that God has the power to reverse those death moments in your life into something new?
Let’s pray.
Love,
Titien
(To be continued to PART-2)
“Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying.”
Romans 12:12 NLT
“One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up.”
Luke 18:1 NLT
““You fathers—if your children ask for a fish, do you give them a snake instead? Or if they ask for an egg, do you give them a scorpion? Of course not! So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.””
Luke 11:11-13 NLT“
::: UPDATE ABOUT ME
2 Years 5 Months Post Biopsy
Midline Pontine Glioblastoma/DIPG Grade IV
On September 25th, I got the MRI result that the tumor is stable. So I continued with treatment and received the 16th round Avastin chemo.
On Wednesday, October 9th, I received the 17th round Avastin.
I will get the 18th round Avastin on October 23rd.
My symptoms are pretty much the same. Amazingly in Barcelona I managed to walk more than 10k steps everyday for 5 days in a row.
Please go to My Medical History for more details.
Thanks for keeping me in your prayers 🙏
Beautiful writing and beautiful photos!!!
What an amazing trip to Barcelona! Beautiful writing and beautiful photos!!!
Thanks Joyce ❤️ 🤗