ChristCentral International Apostolic Team member Andy Robinson recently shared the news of him being diagnosed with cancer of the colon at the beginning of January 2023. Andy shares this news in this short update video which we would encourage you to watch. Whilst God is obviously sovereign over all of this, let’s join together to pray for Andy’s complete healing, whether by medical or miraculous means. If you want to know more or receive updates from Andy, please visit his website at andyrobinson.org.uk  

Update Video




Transcript

Hi there, thanks for tuning in. You're probably watching this video because you've heard that I've been diagnosed with bowel cancer and I just wanted to share with you what's been happening with me and give you an update on how I'm doing so you can understand the lens that I'm looking at this through so you can join me and pray.  

I'm sure that this has come as somewhat of a shock to many of you, and for that I'm really sorry. The hardest thing about all of this has been telling people, because I know it might be upsetting for them.  

I want you to know that God is good, he is always good, and during this time I've known his peace that passes understanding, the peace that in many ways defies understanding. You see, I've learned that peace is not the absence of worry, anxiety or fear, or even sickness, but the presence of a person and that person is Jesus.  

He is the Prince of Peace and over these last few weeks I can honestly say that I have known and continue to know his overwhelming presence and as a result of that, I know the peace that he brings.  

You see, I know that He is good, He is always good, He is always faithful, He is always trustworthy and He is always true and this evil disease, that has invaded my body does not come from God, because he can't give me what he doesn't have.  

He is good and he promises that he has plans for me, plans to prosper me and not to harm me and this disease comes from the pit of hell and I will not attribute to God what I know to be, the work of the Devil. I won't own it either, you'll never hear me say my cancer. This is, it's got nothing to do with me and I will not own it and it certainly, isn't from God because, He is good.  

People have asked me do I have faith for my healing and my answer is this, if faith is the assurance of things hoped for and not yet seen. Then no, I don't have that kind of assurance that I'll be healed right now.  

But I do have an assurance that He is good that He is faithful, that He is trustworthy and true, and I can rely on Him. I have no doubt about that, I have full, assurance that He is good and that He will do good to me. I have faith to pray for my healing, I have faith to believe for my healing, and I have faith to battle and declare my healing, but my assurance is in Him. My assurance is in the healer Himself, not in my healing, although I pray earnestly, that I will be healed.  

This story really began on the 4th of January 2023, when I had a scheduled colonoscopy following some tests at the end of 2022. During that colonoscopy I was able to see the live feed from the camera and I know, why would you look, but you just can't help yourself, but it was apparent even to me that something did not look right.  

Following the procedure, Hazel and I waited in a side room for the doctor and I said to Hazel, prepare yourself for bad news because what I saw on the screen did not look good. When the doctor did come in, he confirmed my suspicions, telling us that I had two growths close together in the early part of my colon, and that he strongly suspected it was cancer. He had taken biopsies and they were sending them off to the lab and wanted me to get a CT scan before the multidisciplinary team or MDT meeting the following week so they could review all of my results and determine what my next steps would be.  

The next day I went to work and I told the eldership team here at Lifespring and we prayed together and whilst there were lots of prayers, I distinctly remember three things. The first was that my CT scan would be arranged quickly and that all of my results would be given quickly and that everything would be available at the earliest possible times for each of the meetings of the MDT. The other two things were for a peace that passes understanding and an overwhelming sense of the presence of God, minute by minute, hour by hour, day by day.  

As we finished praying, my phone rang and it was the hospital inviting me for a CT scan. The very next day and God was answering our prayers real time and revealing himself to be good. Just moments after our prayers!  

It was almost as if he knew what we needed before we'd even asked. The CT scan happened and the results as well as the results of the biopsy and everything else made it in time for the very next MDT meeting early the following week. Just five days after the colonoscopy, it really couldn't have happened any quicker, and so after that the specialist nurse called me to say that the biopsy confirmed bowel cancer and that my surgery date had been booked for the 16th of February and that they would be removing part of the colon where the two cancerous growths were. She confirmed I'd also be seeing my consultant face to face for the first time the following week.  

However, in the meantime they wanted me to go and get a pet CT scan, which is kind of like 3D imaging of your inside because they noticed what looked like a cyst on my lung and they wanted to investigate that as well.  

Needless to say, the telephone call for that appointment came the very next day with a very quick time scale for the scan to happen, and this meant that the results would be in before my consultants meeting, which meant we would have the fullest possible picture when we met.  

When Hazel and I did meet him, he explained the procedure of the surgery, saying that I'd be in hospital for a week and then at home for a further, three or more weeks. As I recuperated from what would be a major operation.  

He was very confident of the operation and was speaking of a cure. He said we will try keyhole surgery, but if in the moment we have to open you up we will, in which case you will have a 6 inch scar above your belly button. However, he said when you're cured in six months, you won't care that you've got a big scar on your tummy. He then explained that I would have a course of chemotherapy, just to be sure that the surgery had been successful, but also because it now appeared that the spot on my lung was in fact cancer, albeit very small, and there was now what appeared to be a very small spot on my liver as well, for which he was ordering an MRI.  

This did come as a bit of a shock, more so for Hazel, but as I said to her on the way out of the hospital, the problem has just got bigger in our eyes, but it's no bigger to God! Yesterday when we were believing God for my healing, he already knew what was going on in my body and if He could be trusted yesterday, then He could be trusted. Today, if we knew Him to be good yesterday, then we can trust Him to be good today and we can be sure He will be good again tomorrow. He is, after all, the same yesterday, today and forever.  

Now, this past Wednesday the 1st of February 23, Hazel I met with the consultant again and they've now changed the strategy and they will be giving me three months of chemo first to deal with the spot on the liver and the lung and then they can proceed with surgery on the bowel some time after that, which I calculate to be around May time.  

I have an appointment on the oncology ward in Crawley on Tuesday morning, where I hope to understand what type of chemo I'll be having, what strength it will be, and yes to ask that big question of will my hair fall out.  

Now I appreciate that for many of you this may have come as a bit of a shock, but I want you to know that God is good that he is faithful and trustworthy and true, and we can rely on him even when things are going really badly wrong.  

There is still a lot that is uncertain, still much that is unknown, I still have many questions that remain unanswered, but what is certain and unchanging is His goodness, His grace, His mercy and His faithfulness and His truth. They never change.  

You know, we prayed as elders for the speed of care, for His presence and His peace, and He answered us. I'm experiencing His presence hour by hour, day by day, week by week, and I'm knowing His peace, that peace that defies understanding, and I pray that you'll experience that too.  

Now, that's not to say that I don't ever wobble or that on occasion my mind doesn't have some darker thoughts. It does, but when I feel that happening, I worship and I focus on His goodness. I did worry that, I'd find it hard to sleep, but this gift of peace from God has allowed me to go to bed early and sleep with no problem.  

The challenge, in my mind, often happens in the morning when your kind of half awake and half asleep, and then my mind seems more likely to disappear down some dark rabbit holes. So because I've slept so well, I just get up and I read my Bible, I worship and pray and His peace returns.  

You know there's a massive fear in the world around what they call the Big C. But the big C that is on the inside of me is greater than cancer. Christ in me the hope of glory, greater is Christ in me than He that is in the world. My big C is bigger than that Big C.  

Now I realise that this news may bring up emotions for many of you who have either experienced cancer or who are experiencing it now or have been deeply affected because of a loved one has had cancer or something similar, and my encouragement to you is don't suffer alone. Don't try and deal with this alone speak to the leaders of your church or a trusted friend, but find a safe place to share how you're feeling and seek the presence and peace of God together with them.  

For me, having the most amazing wife to walk this out with, a loving family to talk to, a team of elders and leaders here at Lifespring to share the weight of this with me and the Christ Central Apostolic team around the world praying for me has been a massive strength and support and now I'm choosing to tell you my church, family and my friends because I want you to know all of this so you can join me in praying for my complete healing, whether that's miraculously or surgically.  

For me, surgery is not a second class. God has given us amazing medical know how and incredible doctors and nurses who administer the grace of God through medicine. I know God wants me to be well and whatever method He chooses to make that happen, I'm OK with.  

It's my well-being and my physical restoration that I'm praying for. I know God wants me to be well and I would love it if you'd join me in praying for my wellness however, God chooses to bring that about.  

Now, if you want to know more and get updates on my progress, please. If you're part of Lifespring, come to our Sunday night prayer meetings where I'll give regular updates and we'll pray for me as well as others who are sick or alternatively sign up for my prayer letter at andyrobinson.org.uk.  

So, thanks for watching, and may God bless you and keep you, cause his face to shine upon you and give you the peace that He's given me.