Last Updated on June 23, 2018 by OCF Communications

by Karen Fliedner, Managing Editor

When Mike Moyles was diagnosed with cancer in 1999, he says he worked through the usual questions and doubt—why me? what did I do?—but it was the continued struggle through multiple rounds of chemo, radiation, and surgeries that caused him to take a deeper look at the testimony God was preparing him for and led him to ponder Romans 5:3, “…we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us.”

Here are some more insights shared by Mike and his wife, Angie, during their interview with COMMAND. Read the full story here.

Questions for Angie

Mike credits you for his return to faith and rebaptism. What did you say or do that convinced this man of science?

It wasn’t really anything I said or did. He asked me out—four times!—and I simply wouldn’t date him because I knew he was not a committed Christian and didn’t go to church. After being invited to church by his boss, he made some clear changes, and I decided to give him a chance. That first date turned into a second, he recommitted his life to Christ about a year later, and we were married about four years after our first date.

Compare the Michael of now with the Michael before cancer.

Cancer changed his perspective on life. What was important prior quickly took a back seat. Work, money, status, all that was important prior to his diagnosis. Afterwards, it was God, family and eventually fitness. He’s always been determined and that has never changed.

 

Man of faith, man of science on…

…How my cancer was discovered… 

After briefly knocked out by colliding head-first with another basketball player, I awakened unable to move my right arm. A precautionary MRI where the doctors said “we found something” was eventually diagnosed as astrocytoma. Prior to the MRI I never exhibited any tell-tale signs indicating the tumor’s presence: memory issues, mood changes or speech problems.

…Fighting the battles of life… 

Get your priorities straight. Whatever the struggle—aggression, depression, anger, etc.—the answer is the same: faith, family, fitness. Live by them. Every single day, without exception. Never give up.

…Insights for those struggling with the how long and why me questions… 

Forget the “how long do I have” question. Only One knows the answer—God. Some of the best doctors in the world gave me five years to live—seventeen years ago. Don’t focus on how long. Rather, live every single day as if it’s your last. Cancer or not, that might be the case. So maximize every minute. “Why me” is more difficult, but the answer is largely the same: faith, fitness, family. There are explanations—smoking, obesity, malnutrition, other clear links—in some cases. In my case, there’s no explanation. I was in the lowest risk group. But it didn’t matter. The key is to be ready to fight at any time. Be ready, every day, to fight for your life.

…His wife, Angie… 

I saw something in her that was different from many of my friends and other girls I had dated—clearly unique, having a special spark. I now know it was the light of Christ that I’d never seen before. Whatever she had that made her so unique, I wanted to be a part of it. I’m not letting her go. She holds my life together.

…His wife, Angie, part 2… 

I once when forgot to do something for her, and I tried to blamed it on the removed lobe. That only worked the first time—not any longer.

…Walking out on the “termination counselor”…

We were told later that we were the first couple ever to refuse terminating a pregnancy. There weren’t any procedures in place should a couple decide not to terminate an unborn child’s life.

…Cancer and sovereign God…

No question God can heal me. Did God give me cancer? Yes, I believe He did. Romans 8:28 says all things work together for the glory of God. It took a decade and-a-half to reach this place in my life: God will use me in ways I’ll never know. Testimony at church or speaking to a group. During a chemo treatment. My blog. On a podcast. I have to rest in the assurance He will do that—and I may never know the ways. It’s hard to see this truth when you’re chained to a porcelain bowl. But it’s a more powerful testimony to have faith in Him even without being healed.

…Science verses God…

No one told me there were well-reasoned objections to the Christian faith. That’s just something I’ve learned after over two decades of study. It became an intriguing challenge to reconcile my unshakable faith with my firm commitment to science. I’ve been very pleased to find, however, that there is no contradiction. Understood accurately, the two cannot contradict each other. If you see a conflict between what you observe in nature and what you read in Scripture, you’re doing one of those two things incorrectly.

…Suffering…

There is a temptation to think you’re suffering because it’s something you did. Be very careful with tying something to sin. We are not punished for sins; Christ was already punished for our sins. There are consequences for sin, which is totally different.

…Why one gets cancer…

Why me? What did I do? You get all kinds of whacky reasons why cancer happens. People always look for scapegoats to hang them on: too much sun, environmental issues, global warming, what you eat, etc. There don’t have to be any.

…Finishing the Seattle Marathon…

I admit pride played a part—I was too stubborn. But I also thought of the talks I’d given to many cancer survivors, about never giving up and continuing to fight through the very end. How could I go back and face them if I quit in mid-race? Plus, I considered that running had become my way of showing cancer that it hadn’t yet beaten me.