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11 December 2016

Child Overcoming a Malignant Brain Tumor - Testimony by Dineen Miller


Dineen, welcome to Overcoming With God blog.  We appreciate your willingness to share your testimony of overcoming with our readers. 
Thank you for having me! Always happy to share. Testimonies are powerful and encouraging. I love being encouraged by them and also love encouraging others with my own.

Would you tell us about one of the most difficult things in your life you have had to overcome, with God’s help? 
In 2008, our 14-year-old daughter was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor. Things moved very quickly after that—two surgeries, radiation treatments, MRIs, doctor appointments...and a string of miracles that continued to be revealed several years after it all culminated.

Before we even knew what was wrong, God answered in a moment of fervent prayer from a worried mother’s heart, “She’ll be okay.” I was relieved but realized God was telling me this because whatever was coming would be big. And He continued to answer and be very present through all of it.

Amazingly this unfolded after I had developed the story of The Soul Saver, a story about a mismatched couple, Hugh and Lexie Balitmore, who lost their toddler daughter to a malignant brain tumor. In the story, Hugh is a physics professor at Stanford University. In real life, a physics professor at Stanford University designed my daughter’s radiation treatments. It was all very surreal. Trips to Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital and Stanford Hospital also became research for the story I was writing. 

Through this and various challenges sine I learned that God is very complete and multifaceted in His love and provision. His ways are surprising and He always seems to have more than one purpose in what He does. But He always works to bring good out of everything we face. And since then I’ve learned that for every challenge we face, He’s already put a promise and provision in place for us.

What passages in the Bible have been most helpful to you in those times?
Romans 8:28 has been a life long favorite but truly came to life during that time. “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (NIV)

Psalms 91 and 27 are a powerful prayers of protection over ourselves and our family. 1 Peter 5:6-10 is about giving God our worries and trusting Him to restore and make us strong, firm and steadfast.
There are so many promises in the Bible. God’s Word is one big promise revealed in Jesus. I love 1 Cor. 14:1 so much. It follows the love chapter. It’s my ultimate verse to guide me in every thing I do. “Let love be your highest goal.”

How has praying helped you to overcome?
In the beginning of 2014, everything around me looked ideal. Yet inside I completely collapsed. My body rejected a medication I’d been taking for my thyroid, and all the stress of taking care of my daughter, ministry, writing and striving hit me with a powerful punch.

I met with God every morning on my porch with my Bible and my journal. Each day I would start with reading the Scripture the Holy Spirit had shown me to write down the day before and pray it out loud over myself. This is the key to what Romans 12:2 calls the transformed mind. I did this every day for several months. The result was a healed mind and thyroid. I continue to speak the truth and promises of God’s Word out over myself and my family. God spoke the world into existence and Jesus is the Word (John 1). That’s why the Bible says our words are life and death. What are we speaking everyday over ourselves, our family, our friends, even our nation? Praying Scripture is powerful and life giving. Jeremiah 1:9 says that God watches over His Word to perform it. That’s a HUGE promise!

What helped you get through or helped you cope with this difficulty?
Knowing without a doubt that no matter how bad things may look, that doesn't change or diminish God’s goodness and power. Romans 8 where the Holy Spirit sat me for weeks and began to reveal the lies I’d believed and brought me to the freedom we truly have in God’s love. I recommend that chapter a lot. It’s life changing.

Disability friendliness: Is this latest release available in audio format or do you have any other works available on audio?  Do your e-books have audio capability? Do you have any in large print? 
I wish I did have more to offer there. My two nonfiction books, Winning Him Without Words, and Not Alone are available in audio.

In this latest work, do you have any topics useful for bibliotherapy, or therapeutic influence through reading about a disorder or situation?  
The Soul Saver deals with being spiritually mismatched and shows how we stand in faith in these places and learn to love others unconditionally just as Jesus loves us. Many of the keys I wrote about in Winning Him Without Words are shown through the characters in this story. So, if you’re in a spiritually mismatched marriage, I pray this book encourages you and inspires you to pray and hope for more what you can think or imagine for your marriage and your spouse (Eph. 3:20)

Question you’d like to ask readers:
What kind of stories inspire you? What parts of a story stay with you and continue to inspire you in your life?

CFP: MAY GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR WRITING!!! Thank you for sharing with us, Dineen. What a powerful testimony of God's faithfulness!

Thank you! 

Bio:
Dineen Miller is passionate about God’s Word and truth. She’s been featured the Moody Radio Network, Focus on the Family Radio, Dr. James Dobson’s FamilyTalk, FamilyLife Today and INSIGHT on Miracle Channel. Dineen is the coauthor of the award winning book, Winning Him Without Words and Not Alone: Trusting God to Raise Godly Kids in a Spiritually Mismatched Home. She is also the author of the ACFW Carol Award winning book, The Soul Saver. She and her husband love to collect shells and walk the famous white sands of Siesta Key Beach. Visit Dineen online at SpirituallyUnequalMarriage.com and DineenMiller.com.
My Links:
My books: http://dineenmiller.com/books/
Websites:
Facebook page
Twitter:  @dineenmiller
GoodReads author page:  http://www.goodreads.com/dineenmiller  

GIVEAWAY: We're giving away Dineen's ACFW Carol Award winner The Soul Saver and we have a secret Christmas book (from Barbour) we're also giving away during this Barbour-palooza month on OWG blog. Leave a comment to enter.


35 comments:

  1. I've heard Dineen's testimony before and it's always just as powerful! God is good!!! I would love to win a copy of this book. I have a family member who is in a mismatched spiritually marriage and would probably enjoy reading this book. Thanks for the opportunity to win a copy.

    Stories of overcoming are usually inspiring. I probably relate more to ones that might resemble similar instances in my own life.

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    1. Hi Anne! So good to see you here! Most of us know at least one person who is mismatched, whether we realize it or not. I also wrote a nonfiction book called Winning Him Without Words. That's a great resources too.

      I love how God speaks to us through stories. Love seeing how Jesus did it in the Bible. So so good! Hugs!

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  2. It was wonderful to hear her testimony....nice to hear about peop,e overcoming trials in their lives...it is nice to have a chance to win a book that sounds so powerful and needed by a lot if people who try to keep their husbands on the spirt urial track..bless you and your future writings..thanks for a chance to win

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    1. Thank you, Rory! May God fill you to overflowing with His great love! Hugs!

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  3. DINEEN, bless you for being with us on OWG blog and for sharing this inspiring testimony! There is such power in speaking the word of God over our lives and those we love. I have been remiss in doing so as diligently as I should, and I thank you so much for the reminder! Too many times we just accept what the enemy says about our health or whatever issues we face, instead of realizing that God's word is powerful and life-giving!

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    1. Amen, Diana! I'm so glad this inspired you. God is so good. And He is faithful to His Word! Hugs!

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  4. Thank you for this testimony Dineen. A timely reminder that God is in control and has us in His hands. Thank you for the part about speaking God's Word over us. That is something I've not heard of, nor done, and admittedly, my prayer life is sadly lacking....something I really need to change.

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    1. Hi Andrea! My friend, God's Word is your greatest weapon. In the OT, the Israelites would read it out loud. It is a lost practice and is so vital. The Bible says that faith comes by hearing and hearing the Word of God. It's transformational. If you feel ashamed or condemned, Romans 8:1 is your truth. Speak it out and watch the enemy run! LOL! You are a mighty woman of God, Andrea. You have authority and power in Jesus to walk in truth and victory (you are more than a conquerer). Read Romans 8 ands speak whatever truths resonated with your spirit over yourself. Do this constantly and I promise you, your prayer life with rocket like you never imagined! Hugs!

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    2. Thank you Dineen for the encouragement. I have started reading out loud, since I read this.

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    3. Andrea, congrats on winning a copy of The Soul Saver on Dineen A. Miller's post! Blessings!

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  5. Thank you for sharing your testimony...so inspiring. I enjoy books where the main character goes through a spiritual transformation....going from lost to found. Where 'odd couples' help each other to heal or find their faith.
    Thanks for the opportunity to win.
    Merry Christmas and God bless.

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    1. I love those stories too, Debbie. God created us to be overcomer and we love to hear about stories of people overcoming. It brings our spirit to life. The power of testimony—encouragement! Hugging you, my friend!

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  6. DINEEN thank you so much for sharing your testimony!! It's so encouraging to read about the mighty act of our awesome GOD, especially since I'm going through cancer treatments myself.

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    1. My pleasure, Teresa! Thank you for inviting me! Carrie is so precious. I just loved hanging out a bit with her at the conference.

      My friend, I'm so so sorry you are walking this path. God created you to be whole and well. Salvation (sozo) even covers our physical condition! I pray His mighty hand of healing touches you and eradicates every cancer cell in your body. I praying in agreement with Teresa, that she walks in diving health because, Lord, Your Word says that by the stripes of Jesus Christ she was and is healed! She is a daughter of the Most High King and this cancer has to leave now, in the name of Jesus! It is a violation of her birth right in Jesus and cannot plague her anymore. I declare the book of Jesus Christ over her and stand in agreement with her that she is healed, that her treatments are completely successful, and she is cancer free! In the name of Jesus, amen!

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    2. DINEEN, what a beautiful prayer, thank you so much and I stand in complete agreement with every word of it!! I know that GOD has this all under control!!

      One of my favorite scriptures going through this has been 2 Corinthians 12:9 " And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me."

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  7. Thank you Dineen for sharing your testimony. I especially like the part about "speaking God's Word and truth out loud". I had heard that before and have found what I say out loud I remember more and it settles into my heart.
    Blessings, Tina

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    1. Tina, congrats! You are the secret Barbour book giveaway on Dineen's post!

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  8. Thanks for sharing your testimony, Dineen. It is wonderful to hear how the Lord answers our prayers.
    Thanks for the giveaways - they give the opportunity to learn to know new authors.
    bettimace at gmail dot com

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    1. Thank YOU, Betti! Always a joy to share stories of God's goodness. God bless you richly, my friend. :-)

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  9. What a powerful testimony! God indeed is an AWESOME God! And, I love the passage from the book of Romans Verse 28. Even when we feel we are fighting a battle, we are never alone, our God walks with us through every facet! Bless you for sharing your story Dineen!

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  10. That's a powerful testimony! I also believe in praying The Word because the Bible says "In the beginning was The Word, and The Word was with God, and The Word was God". Enjoyed the interview.

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    1. Oh amen, Brenda! Doesn't that just blow you away to think about it? It brings to life how powerful our words are and Scriptures that tell us to speak life, not death. And that life is in the power of the tongue. We are so much more powerful than we know, which comes with great responsibility. Hugging you, my friend. You are on a wonderful journey deeper into God's truth. I pray the spirit of wisdom and knowledge would fill you to know Him even better. In the name of Jesus, amen!

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  11. Praise God for such a powerful testimony. Thank you! Merry Christmas!

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  12. Thank you for this powerful message. I am inspired by stories of hope in times of uncertainty. God is always with us and I am thankful for reminders of this blessing. Merry Christmas!

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    1. Amen, Melissa. Me too. Merry Christmas to you too! Hugs!

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  13. What a powerful story. Thank you so much for sharing. Merry Christmas!

    mauback55 at gmail dot com

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  14. What a wonderful testimony.. gives hope for brother-in-law. thanks for sharing
    PAL dkstevensne AT outlook (DOT) com PAL :)

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    1. Dineen did give a lovely testimony, Deanna! Praying for you BIL! Hugs!

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  15. This is a great testimony. Thank you for sharing it with us. I think that the stories that inspire me the most are where the characters are learning how to forgive. It is such a vital part of our lives to be able to forgive others and let things go.
    debbiewilder (at) comcast (dot) net

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    1. So true, Debora Wilder! Forgiveness is so important! Blessings!

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  16. God is so good and so often much more than we can even fathom, expect or deserve! Thank you for sharing your testimony. Merry Christmas!

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  17. Thank you for sharing this testimony.

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