{"id":1965,"date":"2018-02-15T20:56:50","date_gmt":"2018-02-15T20:56:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/gso\/?p=1965"},"modified":"2018-02-15T20:56:50","modified_gmt":"2018-02-15T20:56:50","slug":"day-everything-changed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/gso\/2018\/02\/15\/day-everything-changed\/","title":{"rendered":"The Day that Everything Changed"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Jason<\/a>

Jason and Chloe Cook<\/p><\/div>\n

Preachers, myself included, have no problem boldly declaring the promise from the Lord that nothing is final until He calls it final. After completing The Diaper Run, a notably difficult and taxing motorcycle ride with Mission: M25 Director Gary Burd, I was ready to come home and rest. Forty-seven hours of riding on a motorcycle had completely wiped me out both physically and mentally. However, when I arrived home, my wife opened the conversation with, \u201cWe need to talk.\u201d Paralyzed with fear, I focused my eyes and listened intently for what was to come next. \u201cJason,\u201d she said, \u201cI have cancer again.\u201d In that moment, my heart sank and I began to contemplate what I was hearing. I had just spent the last eight days riding across the nation to combat the atrocity of abortion, and this-this is how God responds. She went on to say that because this was the third time these cells have shown up in her body, she was left with two options: more chemo or a hysterectomy.<\/p>\n

Chloe and I have been married for 12 years, and in that time, we have tried twice, in between two bouts of cancer, to conceive a child. Two miscarriages and six years later, the very thought of children got us choked up, and made the tears roll down our faces. The images of the things I would never be able to do clouded my mind anytime there was a kid\u2019s event. Frustration would ensue whenever a seemingly bad parent would conceive so easily. However, despite those emotions, I still continued to have dreams and visions of Chloe and I holding our children. One day, though, I thought, \u201cadoption will be our answer.\u201d However, too much money, mounds of paperwork, and ever-looming red tape closed that door. Still, I kept on dreaming and hoping for what I could not see. Without showing Chloe, I had written a promise God had given me in my Bible. This year on my birthday, the Lord showed me three things that I knew without a shadow of a doubt would be miracles, including a child. In His Fatherly-nature, He finished His promises to me with, \u201cHappy birthday, Jason.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fast-forward to the present and now we are faced with our third round of cancer. We just knew that this was the nail in the coffin of our dreams. However, with the faith of Job and the grit of Paul the Apostle, my wife and I agreed, together, that we would stand in faith. Our dreams of having a baby may be over, but at least we have each other. The Sunday following the Diaper Run, I was tasked with telling my congregation that we were in the battle with cancer again, and they agreed with us to worship God despite the news. In our minds and hearts, we had committed to the idea that we would enjoy our lives together, reproduce as many spiritual children as we could, and finish our race well as we were commissioned to do. However, I am thankful to report that there is a \u201cbut\u201d to this story, and when you are in God, we know that everything can change in a single day!<\/p>\n

Following the Diaper Run, Chloe attended the women\u2019s conference hosted by our South Carolina Conference (SCIPHC) Women\u2019s Ministry. A minister, Mrs. Jamie Massey, preached and laid hands on some of the women there, among those women was my wife, Chloe. Rev. Massey prayed over my wife and believed that God would not only heal her from the cancer, but allow Chloe to conceive. While our faith was stirred by these events, we were still certain of one thing–Chloe\u2019s chemotherapy would begin in October. We had been down this road before–hair loss, sickness, weight loss, immune system struggles, and so much more. However, in the face of it all, we believed God.<\/p>\n

Every person has a day they cannot forget, and for me, that day is October 19, 2017– the day that everything changed! While I was getting ready for a Discipleship Ministries Board meeting for the South Carolina Conference, Chloe called to let me know that she was going to begin her treatment that day. I can still remember feeling so heartbroken and frustrated, and I shared this with the team who began to call on heaven with me. After the meeting, I tried to call Chloe and she would not answer the phone. She did, however, text me and explain that everything was OK and that she would see me later at home. So, knowing my wife would probably need a good meal, I headed home to make her favorite meal–spaghetti! This particular night, though, she took forever getting home. Growing increasingly agitated, I called and fussed because her noodles were going to be rubbery, and it caused me to recall the last time I made spaghetti. Picture it: Playdough. \u00a0Chloe reassured me by saying, \u201cJason, I\u2019m coming!\u201d When she finally got home, she had two gift bags in her hands. In my mind, I am thinking, \u201cOK, Chloe has lost it on the chemo today. Gifts for me? I\u2019m supposed to be taking care of her!\u201d<\/p>\n

Handing me the first bag, I opened it to discover a pair of red Converse shoes in kid\u2019s size! I said, \u201cWhat in the world are these for?\u201d She then told me to open the other bag, and of course,\"Picture<\/a> I obliged, and came to find three positive pregnancy strips, and one bloodwork confirmation saying that she was five weeks pregnant! As I began to cry, I said, \u201cWhat about the cancer?\u201d To which Chloe replied, \u201cthat\u2019s all on hold \u2013 at least until this baby is born.\u201d Since her cancer was in the very early stages, the birth has the possibility of completely taking care of the cancerous cells. The cancer cannot progress because the baby is taking all the nutrients. In the worst-case scenario, minimal treatment will be required to eradicate what is left. What a mighty God we serve!<\/p>\n

Miss Alice Holland Cook will be born on or around June 20, 2018. Nine months almost to the day of the women\u2019s conference. November 5, 2017, we took the opportunity to tell our church family, and I do not know when I have seen such a praise erupt. These past 21 weeks has made every \u201cno\u201d from the doctors, every cancer treatment, every frustration, every mile on a Harley standing for life worth it. In 18 more weeks, I will hold my dream; the impossible made possible. To the person out there who has given up, I hope my story encourages you. He did it for me and He can do it for you; hold on!<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

By Jason Cook*<\/strong><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

*Jason and Chloe Cook are Lead Pastors of The Refuge in Conway, SC. They are expecting their first child, a daughter, on June 20, 2018.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"excerpt","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1967,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","episode_type":"","audio_file":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","filesize_raw":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,284],"tags":[510,39,527,323,322,528],"class_list":{"0":"post-1965","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-general","8":"category-phpp","9":"tag-510","10":"tag-february","11":"tag-jason-cook","12":"tag-people-of-promise","13":"tag-place-of-hope","14":"tag-testimony","15":"entry"},"title_es":"El d\u00eda en que todo cambi\u00f3","content_es":"Los predicadores, incluy\u00e9ndome a m\u00ed mismo, no tienen problemas para declarar con valent\u00eda la promesa del Se\u00f1or de que nada es definitivo hasta que lo llame final. Despu\u00e9s de completar The Diaper Run, un viaje en motocicleta especialmente dif\u00edcil y agotador con Mission: M25 Director Gary Burd, estaba listo para volver a casa y descansar. Cuarenta y siete horas de viaje en una motocicleta me hab\u00edan aniquilado tanto f\u00edsica como mentalmente. Sin embargo, cuando llegu\u00e9 a casa, mi esposa abri\u00f3 la conversaci\u00f3n con "Necesitamos hablar". Paralizada por el miedo, enfoqu\u00e9 mis ojos y escuch\u00e9 atentamente lo que vendr\u00eda despu\u00e9s. "Jason", dijo, "tengo c\u00e1ncer otra vez". En ese momento, mi coraz\u00f3n se hundi\u00f3 y comenc\u00e9 a pensar en lo que estaba escuchando. Acabo de pasar los \u00faltimos ocho d\u00edas cabalgando por toda la naci\u00f3n para combatir la atrocidad del aborto, y as\u00ed es como responde Dios. Ella continu\u00f3 diciendo que debido a que esta era la tercera vez que estas c\u00e9lulas aparec\u00edan en su cuerpo, se qued\u00f3 con dos opciones: m\u00e1s quimioterapia o una histerectom\u00eda. Chloe y yo hemos estado casados \u200b\u200bdurante 12 a\u00f1os, y en ese momento, hemos intentado dos veces, entre dos episodios de c\u00e1ncer, concebir un hijo. Dos abortos involuntarios y seis a\u00f1os m\u00e1s tarde, la mera idea de los ni\u00f1os nos ahogaba y hac\u00eda llorar las l\u00e1grimas. Las im\u00e1genes de las cosas que nunca podr\u00eda hacer nublaban mi mente cada vez que hab\u00eda un evento infantil. La frustraci\u00f3n se producir\u00eda cada vez que un padre aparentemente malo concebir\u00eda tan f\u00e1cilmente. Sin embargo, a pesar de esas emociones, todav\u00eda segu\u00ed teniendo sue\u00f1os y visiones de Chloe y yo sosteniendo a nuestros hijos. Un d\u00eda, sin embargo, pens\u00e9, "la adopci\u00f3n ser\u00e1 nuestra respuesta". Sin embargo, demasiado dinero, montones de papeleo y una burocracia inminente cerraron esa puerta. A\u00fan as\u00ed, segu\u00ed so\u00f1ando y esperando lo que no pod\u00eda ver. Sin mostrarle a Chloe, hab\u00eda escrito una promesa que Dios me hab\u00eda dado en mi Biblia. Este a\u00f1o, en mi cumplea\u00f1os, el Se\u00f1or me mostr\u00f3 tres cosas que sab\u00eda sin ninguna duda ser\u00edan milagros, incluido un ni\u00f1o. En Su naturaleza paternal, \u00c9l termin\u00f3 sus promesas con "Feliz cumplea\u00f1os, Jason". Avancemos r\u00e1pido hasta el presente y ahora nos enfrentamos a nuestra tercera ronda de c\u00e1ncer. Simplemente sab\u00edamos que este era el clavo en el ata\u00fad de nuestros sue\u00f1os. Sin embargo, con la fe de Job y la determinaci\u00f3n del Ap\u00f3stol Pablo, mi esposa y yo estuvimos de acuerdo, juntos, en que mantendr\u00edamos nuestra fe. Nuestros sue\u00f1os de tener un beb\u00e9 pueden haber terminado, pero al menos nos tenemos el uno al otro. El domingo siguiente al Diaper Run, me encargaron de decirle a mi congregaci\u00f3n que est\u00e1bamos en la batalla contra el c\u00e1ncer nuevamente, y acordaron con nosotros adorar a Dios a pesar de las noticias. En nuestras mentes y corazones, nos hab\u00edamos comprometido con la idea de que disfrutar\u00edamos de nuestras vidas juntas, reproducir\u00edamos tantos ni\u00f1os espirituales como pudi\u00e9ramos y terminar\u00edamos bien nuestra carrera como nos encargaron. Sin embargo, estoy agradecido de informar que hay un "pero" en esta historia, y cuando est\u00e1s en Dios, \u00a1sabemos que todo puede cambiar en un solo d\u00eda! Despu\u00e9s del Diaper Run, Chloe asisti\u00f3 a la conferencia de mujeres organizada por nuestro Ministerio de Mujeres de la Conferencia de Carolina del Sur (SCIPHC). Un ministro, la Sra. Jamie Massey, predic\u00f3 y puso las manos sobre algunas de las mujeres all\u00ed, entre esas mujeres estaba mi esposa, Chloe. El reverendo Massey or\u00f3 por mi esposa y crey\u00f3 que Dios no solo la sanar\u00eda del c\u00e1ncer, sino que le permitir\u00eda a Chloe concebir. Si bien nuestra fe fue conmovida por estos eventos, todav\u00eda est\u00e1bamos seguros de una cosa: la quimioterapia de Chloe comenzar\u00eda en octubre. Hab\u00edamos pasado por este camino antes: p\u00e9rdida de cabello, enfermedad, p\u00e9rdida de peso, problemas del sistema inmune y mucho m\u00e1s. Sin embargo, frente a todo, cre\u00edmos a Dios. Cada persona tiene un d\u00eda que no puede olvidar, y para m\u00ed, ese d\u00eda es el 19 de octubre de 2017, \u00a1el d\u00eda en que todo cambi\u00f3! Mientras me estaba preparando para una reuni\u00f3n de la Junta de Ministerios de Discipulado para la Conferencia de Carolina del Sur, Chloe me llam\u00f3 para avisarme que iba a comenzar su tratamiento ese d\u00eda. Todav\u00eda recuerdo haberme sentido tan desconsolado y frustrado, y compart\u00ed esto con el equipo que comenz\u00f3 a invocar el cielo conmigo. Despu\u00e9s de la reuni\u00f3n, trat\u00e9 de llamar a Chloe y ella no respondi\u00f3 el tel\u00e9fono. Sin embargo, s\u00ed me envi\u00f3 un mensaje de texto y me explic\u00f3 que todo estaba bien y que me ver\u00eda m\u00e1s tarde en casa. Entonces, sabiendo que mi esposa probablemente necesitar\u00eda una buena comida, me dirig\u00ed a casa para preparar su comida favorita: \u00a1espaguetis! Sin embargo, esta noche en particular, se tom\u00f3 una eternidad para llegar a casa. Cada vez m\u00e1s agitado, llam\u00e9 y preocup\u00e9 porque sus fideos iban a ser gomosos, y me hizo recordar la \u00faltima vez que hice spaghetti. Imag\u00ednatelo: Plastilina. Chloe me tranquiliz\u00f3 diciendo: "\u00a1Jason, ya voy!" Cuando finalmente lleg\u00f3 a casa, ten\u00eda dos bolsas de regalo en sus manos. En mi mente, estoy pensando, "OK, Chloe lo ha perdido en la quimioterapia hoy. Regalos para mi? \u00a1Se supone que debo cuidarla! "\u00a1Al darme la primera bolsa, la abr\u00ed para descubrir un par de zapatos Converse rojos en tama\u00f1o para ni\u00f1os! Le dije: "\u00bfPara qu\u00e9 demonios son estos?" Luego me dijo que abriera la otra bolsa, y por supuesto, \"Imagen<\/a> \u00a1Lo obligu\u00e9 y encontr\u00e9 tres tiras de embarazo positivas y una confirmaci\u00f3n de sangre que dec\u00eda que estaba embarazada de cinco semanas! Cuando comenc\u00e9 a llorar, dije: "\u00bfQu\u00e9 pasa con el c\u00e1ncer?" A lo que Chloe respondi\u00f3: "eso es todo en espera, al menos hasta que nazca este beb\u00e9". Dado que su c\u00e1ncer estaba en las primeras etapas, el nacimiento tiene el posibilidad de cuidar por completo las c\u00e9lulas cancerosas. El c\u00e1ncer no puede progresar porque el beb\u00e9 est\u00e1 tomando todos los nutrientes. En el peor de los casos, se requerir\u00e1 un tratamiento m\u00ednimo para erradicar lo que queda. \u00a1Qu\u00e9 Dios tan poderoso servimos! La se\u00f1orita Alice Holland Cook nacer\u00e1 alrededor del 20 de junio de 2018. Nueve meses casi hasta el d\u00eda de la conferencia de mujeres. El 5 de noviembre de 2017, aprovechamos la oportunidad para contarle a nuestra familia de la iglesia, y no s\u00e9 cu\u00e1ndo he visto tal alabanza estallar. Estas \u00faltimas 21 semanas han hecho que cada "no" de los m\u00e9dicos, cada tratamiento contra el c\u00e1ncer, cada frustraci\u00f3n, cada milla en una Harley de por vida valga la pena. En 18 semanas m\u00e1s, tendr\u00e9 mi sue\u00f1o; lo imposible hecho posible. Para la persona que se ha dado por vencida, espero que mi historia te anime. \u00c9l lo hizo por m\u00ed y puede hacerlo por ti; \u00a1Espere! Por Jason Cook *<\/strong> * Jason y Chloe Cook son pastores principales de The Refuge en Conway, SC. Esperan a su primer hijo, una hija, el 20 de junio de 2018.","author_name":"","jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/gso\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2018\/02\/AB67A136-A93D-40D8-9861-B250C9101DD9-e1518726543220.jpeg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pb62Bx-vH","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/gso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1965","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/gso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/gso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/gso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/gso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1965"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/gso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1965\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/gso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1967"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/gso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1965"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/gso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1965"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/iphc.org\/gso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1965"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}