Thank You, God, for Cancer: How Cancer Brought Me Back to Life

By Myriam Pereda

About the Book
Published posthumously by his wife, Thank You, God, for Cancer is a poignant and inspiring memoir of one man’s experience finding meaning, comfort, and joy with his terminal cancer diagnosis. A devoted man of the cloth, Reverend Oscar Pereda decided to go against his doctor’s wishes and face cancer in his own way: by trusting God’s plan and surrounding himself with his loving family. Over the course of his journey, Rev. Pereda goes through a radical transformation, from being desperate and fearful to having a deep gratitude for God and His Grace.

About the Author
Myriam Pereda was born in Asunción, Paraguay. She and her husband were leaders of all the Nazarene Churches in Paraguay, South America, and North Carolina. The entire family later moved to the United States, where she exercised pastoral ministry and counseling. Her long career of more than thirty years of ministry has opened doors for her to travel sharing the gospel and discover cultures of other countries. She currently resides in North Carolina and is completing her master’s degree.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dorrance Publishing Company
• Release date: Mar 31, 2023
• ISBN: 9798885277884

Book preview

Pereda_Title_Page.eps

The contents of this work, including, but not limited to, the accuracy of events, people, and places depicted; opinions expressed; permission to use previously published materials included; and any advice given or actions advocated are solely the responsibility of the author, who assumes all liability for said work and indemnifies the publisher against any claims stemming from publication of the work.

All Rights Reserved

Copyright © 2023 by Myriam Pereda

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted, downloaded, distributed, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, including photocopying and recording, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented without permission in writing from the publisher.

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eISBN: 979-8-8852-7788-4

Rev. Pereda wishes to dedicate this book as follows:

To God, who has enabled me to face this disease with courage and faith.

To my wife, who has stayed by my side, who has made it possible for you to hold this book in your hands.

To my children who have loved and understood me.

And to my fellow servants of God and friends.

God is not indebted to anyone. But everything you did for me, was a deposit into God’s storehouse, for when you have need of it.

I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

Philippians 4:13 (NIV)

Introduction

This short book is based on our experience with the most fearful illness – Cancer.

As Christians we mainly are attach to some wrong ideas about suffering and dead, until we find ourselves confronting the worst battle.  

The purpose of this book is to encourage you to keep your faith up even during the most painful moment of your life to fulfill your purpose until the end.

 I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. However, if the pain makes us walk away from Him, His Grace is sufficient once we accept his love. Romans 8:35-39

Thank to all have helped us during the transition, and thanks to everyone who contributed to write this book.

— Myriam Pereda

Author

Prologue

Pastor Oscar Pereda has been a tireless trekker in the journey of life, devoting himself to his faith, to service, and to obedience to God. His greatest gratification has been the proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit led him away from his native country, and through him reached foreign, fertile territories to sow the blessed seed of the gospel. Rev. Pereda’s life exemplified that God’s love knows no boundaries. He dedicated and consecrated his every breath to this holy purpose to which the Eternal calls (Rom. 11:29).

In this experiential book, Rev. Pereda takes us by the hand to lead us through his experience, to witness his faith in the face of a sudden death sentence. He describes his experience from two perspectives. The first is the fragile human nature, which experiences fear, anguish, restlessness, confusion, and loss. The second is the spiritual nature: faith in a sovereign God with the infinite capability to transform all human lament and fear into peace and humble submission, in the light of the hope of glory (Col. 1:27).

By reading this book, you will enter with its author into the grim reality of his cancer diagnosis and its resounding effects on his relationships with his wife, Myriam, and their children. You will come to understand the obstacles he fought against from the beginning of his battle with the disease. Ultimately, you will see his radical transformation from a state of desperation to one of total gratitude to God! (I Thess. 5:18) This transformation is why this book is entitled Thank You, God, for Cancer.

Part I

One Day Less

The woman’s eyes blazed with fury. The screams she hurdled at the nurse carried all the way to the entrance of the hospital. Her bitterness repelled the people who could help her. Every other person in earshot sought to occupy themselves with something else. But I couldn’t tune her out. There was work of another kind that needed doing.

I approached her cautiously, with the intention of helping her. With each step, I said a short prayer, asking God to help me serve her as He would. This intimidating woman would not be the exception: God was giving me an opportunity, once again, to minister to a soul in need.

In this hospital they don’t know how to treat a sick person! she spat out. With a few other, especially pungent insults from her arsenal of vocabulary she spun around in her wheelchair toward the exit, nearly leaving skid marks. The nurse stepped aside to keep from being bowled over. An apology would have been a lot to ask of someone who at the time was out of herself. At the hospital we face angry people every day, and most of the time we can quickly diffuse situations like these.

Ma’am, let me help you, I offered.

She ignored me and continued hurling her insults at all the staff. With a gentle spirit, I grasped the handles of the wheelchair and wheeled her out.

Every time I come here, I get bad news, she complained to me. I go from treatment to treatment without positive results. I’m tired of this life.

The Bible states that soft words appease quarrels. So, despite my discomfort at her belligerent behavior, I remained calm, while she continued to blaspheme. As I helped her into her vehicle, I said, Ma’am, let me ask you a question: Why are you so angry?

I’m dying. I have cancer in my lungs, and I don’t know what to do. There was anger in her words but fear in her eyes.

We are all going to die, I told her. We all have an expiration date. Every day that passes, I am dying too.

Really? She seemed taken aback. Do you also have cancer?

No, I don’t have cancer, I replied.

She turned her head to look at me quizzically. You speak as if you were a pastor.

I am a pastor.

The woman’s cheeks flushed. And here I am, cursing a blue streak...

Don’t worry about that, I said. The important thing is, are you ready to die?

These words confronted her with her present reality, pierced her heart, and shook her mind. They weren’t easy words to hear, but they were necessary. God was, through me, preparing her for her near future.

I didn’t realize that in that moment, God was preparing me too. For inside me, the same monster this woman fought was already growing.

Chapter 1

When You Least Expected

The departure of the year 2019 was met with fireworks, smooches, cheers, and Auld Lang Syne. 2020 brought great expectations. Economic security was in the forecast—it was the time to make long-term investments. Oh, if we had only known…

The new year taught us that there are plans that are far from God’s will. 2020 redefined success. A new title or new certificate on the wall was not important. Buying a larger house and setting sales records were goals that were put on the back burner.

We discovered that we had forgotten what is really important: God, family, and the gift that is life.

March 10 was the start of it for us. The COVID-19 virus had begun to take possession of our planet, and within a week had paralyzed it completely. Our invisible enemy had, at that point, already claimed thousands of lives, and could not be defeated with weapons or political strategies. We felt defenseless.

On March 10, our son Cristian, his wife Yanira, and their sons Cristian and Dani were on their way out the door with suitcases in hand, ready for the first leg of their long-awaited flight to Paraguay, when the pandemic slammed that door in their faces.

The ringing of the phone woke us up. It was