Dr, Mike Murphy
January 26, 2025
Often, I am very blessed to be able to talk and pray with others who are facing or going through cancer. But rarely does that find me in the situation I found myself in this past week, speaking to a fifteen year old girl whose life had been devastated by lymphoma. A fifteen year old girl named Courtney, whose words I will now never forget.
Courtney was the niece of a friend of mine, who lives very close. Courtney and her mom had been staying with them, as they were working with a well-known hospital, in the hope they could help with the cancer. But as my friend called me, they had learned that no help could be offered, and Courtney’s life would now soon be measured in days.
With cancer, it is often challenging for me to travel or drive much distance, but being close, I was able to make my way to their house, offering to do what I could to talk and pray with Courtney. As I entered their door, I was quickly aware of just how beautiful a young girl Courtney was, and even more appealing than her beauty, was the overwhelming presence of her smile. By the time I was blessed to be able to meet her, cancer had already made its presence known, now weakening her to the point it was a struggle for her to just get up from her chair. But even as the cancer looked to devastate her, it could not mask her grace, and could not camouflage the draw of her personality.
As I sat to talk with Courtney, she soon began to tell me her story. At fourteen, all of her life was ahead of her. She had just made the freshman cheerleading team at school, and was looking forward to going to her first school dance with her boyfriend. But as Courtney went through everything each day, she began to notice an internal pain that just would not go away, and began to experience a tiredness she just could not seem to get over. One doctor soon had her sent to the next doctor, and one test soon led to another test, until the final test left her in the office of a local oncologist, who sadly let her know that she had cancer.
On that day, Courtney’s life took a sudden change, as school events and slumber parties were soon replaced by doctor's visits and chemo treatments. And with each new treatment came a need for even more treatment, and with each new treatment, the cancer continued to rapidly advance. A seventy percent chance to overcome the cancer soon turned to a thirty percent chance, until that day, it turned to no chance at all.
As I talked to Courtney that day, I soon discovered something about her that was even more appealing than her bubbly personality and her big smile, and that was her love for Christ. At thirteen, she had come to not just read, but desire to understand the words of her Bible for the first time. And with each verse, her love for the Lord grew, and her desire to give her life to Christ soon became a reality. Christ became the center of her life, and with each opportunity, she loved to share a word or two about Him with another.
As she talked to me about her cancer, it was not tears, but a smile that came to her face. A smile that did not leave her in fear of what the days ahead would bring, but a joy and a certainty of the promises that tomorrow would hold. And as she talked about this to me, she spoke words to me that completely overwhelmed me. With a smile she told me, “Even though I know I will never get to go to a school dance, I realize that I will soon be dancing with the One I love most each day. And even though I will never get to cheer at a high school game, I will soon have something even greater to cheer about each day.” And with each word and each smile, it was my own heart that began to melt just a little more.
The more we talked, the more Courtney desired to share a verse of Scripture with me. And soon nothing would stand in the way of that desire, as she was determined to get her Bible. No matter how many times I offered to help, she would not let me, vowed and determined she would place her Bible in her hands for herself. And as I watched this helpless and so very weak girl struggle to take each step, I soon came to realize that the one thing she was not was helpless. As we each step, you could all but watch her lean on Him more. As she opened her Bible, she turned it to 1 Peter 4:10, and read to me, “As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” Finishing the verse, she began to explain the words of the verse to me, telling me that He had led her to read this verse several times, and each time she read it, she was drawn to it more. Telling me how the words of this verse spoke to her, reminding her each day that despite the cancer, she had so much to be thankful to Him for. And the best way she could thank Him, was to continue to find ways each day to serve Him, looking to share His grace with another each opportunity she was given.
As I talked to Courtney a little longer that day, I ended the day by praying with her. And before I left, she motioned me to her, hugging me and thanking me for the time we had spent together that day. As she did, I let her know that I looked forward to being able to talk with her again. But as the words were spoken, she quickly smiled, quietly telling me, “Do not worry, soon we will have plenty of time to share more stories, and talk for an eternity.”
The next day, I soon learned that overnight, Courtney had grown even weaker. And as the following day turned to night, the weakness would come to overtake Courtney, as she would spend the late hours of that night eternally dancing in the arms of her First Love.
In the days since, I have come to realize, it was not me that the Lord sent to talk to Courtney, it was the Lord sending me to Courtney so I could listen to her talk to me. In that way too short time I was given the blessing of being able to speak and pray with her, the Lord has used her words to show me that I stand in front of Him without excuse. My cancer does not, cannot not, and will not prohibit me. It may leave my body weakened more and more each day, and leave me unable to do so many of the things I once took for granted each day. But the cancer does not leave me with a single excuse, as it leaves me realizing just how much I have to be thankful to Him for. And the best way I can show Him my thankfulness, is to continue to make the most of each opportunity He places before me. I may not be able to do the things I once could do in service to Him, but even in my weakening state, I can still look to make the most of each opportunity I am extended in service to Him. Leaving me realizing, cancer may greatly continue to weaken me, but it cannot stand against the strength He brings to me, and the hope and joy that serving Him each day still offers me.
I want so much to offer the biggest and heartfelt of “thank you’s” to Courtney, for truly teaching this “old dog” a new trick. And for spending your “one last dance” making the most of the opportunity to reach out for Him to me.
I pray that each of you are found dancing close with your First Love on a future day!
