This transcript comes from the notes Blaine speaks from, so a few words may differ slightly from the recording.

Opening

Good morning, and welcome back to another episode of our Never Alone Faith Over Cancer podcast. Hi, I'm Blaine Millet, your host, and thank you so much for taking the time to join us today... I really appreciate it.

Today, I want to share something that's been on my mind and in my heart for quite a while. And after listening to all of our guests' stories over the past several months, it also happens to be something every single one of our guests has talked about in one way or another. It's a topic I feel everyone who is going through a cancer journey, in remission, or caring for someone with cancer needs more than ever these days.

That topic...is PRAYER.

Besides hearing all the stories from our guests over the past several months, there is something else that got me thinking about it. Over the past few weeks, prayer requests have been coming in through our website from people I've never met and from places I've never been. People who found our podcast somehow, and then took a step that I know isn't easy. They asked someone to pray for them. I pray over every single one, and when people tell us it's okay, I share them with some of the individuals on our Timberlake Church prayer team. I have to tell you... It's very humbling. It's very impactful and one of the biggest honors I've had since creating this Never Alone Faith Over Cancer ministry.

So, I want to be upfront and share today's key message. When you pray, be bold and ask boldly. Time and time again, I've seen it bring more hope, more encouragement, and more peace in any situation. It doesn’t mean we always get what we want; we’ll talk about that a little later, but it does mean that you are asking for exactly what you want and need. That is important…very important. And God teaches us throughout the Bible to be bold in our faith. Prayer is a critical part of our faith and God wants us to ask Him boldly for what we need.

You might think of this as a two-part series. Because the next episode is going to talk about how we need to also thank deeply. These work hand in hand. We need to offer up bold prayers, and at the same time, we need to be thanking God deeply. They go together. So please listen to the next episode as well, since it will tie both of these together for you. 

And here's what asking boldly means. No small prayers. Prayers for what we really want, not what we think he wants us to say. But there is a second part of this that is equally important…don’t pray alone! Whenever possible, pray with someone else.

And there is one word that ties both of these together…ACTIONS. Praying boldly and praying with others are both ACTIONS... things we actually have to do. I hear from people all the time that they aren't doing these two actions in their journey. But I can tell you with 100% certainty, because I've seen it over and over again, that when we do, we get a deeper faith, more hope, more encouragement, and more peace.

And here's the part I want you to hear more than anything else today. Praying boldly has nothing to do with your personality, and it isn't something just for pastors and prayer warriors. It's what God Himself tells us to do. He tells us this in Hebrews chapter 4, verse 16... "So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most." He tells us to come boldly, not timidly. Not apologetically. Boldly. God is inviting our bold prayers. And by the time we're done today, I hope you'll be asking yourself the same question I've asked myself many times... if God tells us to come boldly, why aren't we?

So let me talk about this in light of where you might be today. Maybe you're someone who already prays every day. Or maybe you haven't really prayed in a long time. Or maybe you're not even sure you know how, or whether He's listening. Regardless of where you are right now, I'm just thankful and glad you're here because this episode is exactly for you.

Ask Boldly - My Story

To help illustrate this for you, let me share some details from my own story. If you've listened to Part Two of my story... and if you haven’t, I would encourage you to go back and listen to it... you know about Dr. Lin and the phone call I got at night while shopping at Costco. While that was incredibly impactful to me and many others, let me take you back to what happened before that phone call, because I think it's the part most people miss and ties in to exactly what we are talking about today.

In January of 2017, I had just found out I had a tumor the size of a tennis ball in my bladder. My wife, Lorrie, and I wanted Dr. Lin at UW Medical Center to be my doctor and to do the surgery... but his first opening wasn't until mid-May, and this was early January. Five months away. With a tumor of that size, five months felt like five years.

So Lorrie's dad, Frank, went to the prayer team at his church, Lakeside Christian Church in Kirkland, and let their prayer team know about our situation. And here's the part I want you to notice. He didn't just ask them to pray for me in general. He asked them to pray for two very specific things. Pray for Blaine's health... and pray that he gets in to see Dr. Lin quickly.

That's not a timid or lazy ask. That's a bold ask for bold prayer. That's asking for something that, on paper, didn’t look like it was going to happen.

And then, a woman on their prayer team named Katia... someone I had never met... called me out of the blue. She knew a doctor in another hospital. Her involvement led to me getting an appointment in two days- that's right, two days- that nobody could get. And while that meeting was with another doctor, he happened to know Dr. Lin. That led to him contacting Dr. Lin and ultimately to my phone call from Dr. Lin while I was standing in the vegetable section at Costco. A call that told me a surgery had just been canceled... and the slot was mine.

Now, let me pause here for a minute before I go on, because I want to be really careful and clear and make sure you are hearing what I'm trying to say. What I'm not telling you is that if you pray the right words, you get the right answer. That's not my message, and that's not how it works. I'll come back to this in a few minutes. Here's what I want you to hear and take away from this story. Lorrie and I asked her dad. Her dad asked his prayer team, boldly and specifically. And Katia boldly picked up the phone and called someone she knew. Bold asking, all the way down the line... and Jesus answered in a way none of us could have arranged. Not Lorrie, not her dad, not Katia, not me. Jesus is the one who answered all of these prayers in a way we couldn’t have imagined. He answered them in a way that was even better than what we were asking. He answered the bold prayers in bold ways…his own way.

And you know what? Jesus Himself told a story about exactly this kind of bold asking. In Luke chapter 11, a man goes to his friend's house at midnight and knocks on the door, asking to borrow some bread. The door's already locked. The family's in bed. And Jesus says, "I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you need." Shameless audacity! Jesus said that. And then He tells us what to do with it... "So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you."

When I sat down with Dan Green for his story, I said something to him that I totally believe to be true. I said, "If we're not bold in prayer, why are we praying? He asks us to be bold, not tiptoe along... because He already knows what's going on."

So let me stop for just a minute and ask you something. What are you asking Jesus for right now? Is it the real thing... or a smaller, safer version of it? What are YOU asking for right now? What did you ask for yesterday, or the day before? Was it what you really wanted or some softer, cleaned up version you thought he would rather hear? This is critically important because not only can He handle the real thing, he wants the real thing. He's been waiting for you to bring what you truly want to Him. To ask him as boldly as you can.

The Witnesses

And this isn't just my perspective. I've watched this happen over and over again with our guests on this podcast and countless other conversations I have had over the years.

For example, remember my friend David Carpenter and his recent story? When his doctor told him his odds of survival were under fourteen percent, he and his wife Gretchen didn't go to Google first. They didn't make a spreadsheet. They didn’t do all the typical things many of us might think about doing. Nope. David told me... "So we just prayed about it. We said, well, we CAN beat it, fourteen. We CAN beat that." I love that. Don’t you? They looked at the hardest number of their lives and took it straight to Jesus. And they asked boldly. If you haven't had the opportunity to hear David's story yet, I strongly encourage you to go back and listen to: David's Story, Part One... At Least We Know What 3:16 Is.

And then there's my friend Dan Green. If you have had the opportunity to listen to Part One of his story, you might remember when Dan and his wife were just pulling onto a freeway on-ramp, headed home, when their daughter called. Their ten-year-old grandson was about to go into surgery, and he wanted them to pray for him first. So they didn't just say something small, nor did they wait until it was more convenient. Nope, they pulled over, right there, on the on-ramp, and prayed. And Dan told his grandson God was going to be with him. Think about that for a minute. A scared little boy, and the first thing he asks for is prayer. That's a bold ask. And Dan and his wife took it to Jesus right then and there.

So maybe you’re asking, why am I bringing up the stories of David and Dan? Because neither one of them was trying to be a prayer superstar in that moment. Dan even tells us, in Part Four of his story, "To be honest with you, I don't really consider myself a prayer warrior." They were just ordinary people who knew what they needed to do, pray boldly, and to do it RIGHT NOW.

That's the key to what a bold prayer really is. It isn't fancy words. It isn’t something polished and planned. It's knowing what you ultimately want and stopping right where you are and asking for it. The big kahuna…the ultimate goal you want to have. Ask for it. But let me add something else into what being bold is all about. It is also asking for the little things along the way that make a difference. You can ask for healing, that's bold. But also ask to not feel sick after chemo, to get home safely, to get sleep tonight, or anything else you truly want right then, right now. That's a bold prayer too. The key is to stop, pray, and don’t mess around…simply ask directly for what you really want in whatever words come to you at that moment. Just ask Jesus right then and directly. That’s being bold.

And if David and Dan could do it on the worst day of their lives, I’m confident you can absolutely do it today, right where you are, regardless of your current situation.

Why We Pray Small

So here's a question that I think about often. If God tells us to come boldly... why do so many of us pray small? Personally, I think it comes down to a few things... and I know, because I've done every one of them.

Sometimes we pray small because we don't want to be disappointed. If I don't ask for much, I can't be let down, right?

Sometimes we feel like we don't deserve to ask. Who am I to ask God for something that big?

And sometimes we think asking boldly means we don't trust Him... like if we really had faith, we'd just accept whatever comes and not ask for anything at all.

And sometimes... we just ask for help. "Lord, help me through this. Lord, guide me." And those are good prayers. I've prayed them more times than I can count. But too often we stop right there... because asking for what we actually want feels like too much.

I talked about this with Brittany Plourde in Part Three of her story. I told her, "I think our job is to pray boldly... God tells us in the Bible, be bold and ask for what you want. Why would we ask for something less than complete cure?" And Brittany said something I've never forgotten. She said we do it because "we've decided that He either can't or won't." Wow. Think about that. When we pray small, we've already answered the prayer for Him... before we ever gave Him the chance. And who are we to be making that kind of decision? Isn't that God's job to decide what he will or won't do?

And the Bible puts it even more bluntly. James chapter 4, verse 2... "You do not have because you do not ask God." That's it. Sometimes the only thing missing is that we never asked.

What God Tells Us to Do

So let me give you some comforting news about all of this. Jesus Himself has already answered every one of those questions for us. The night before the cross, in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus asked His Father, boldly and honestly, if there was any other way. He said, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me." He asked for exactly what He wanted. And then, in the very same breath, He said, "Yet not as I will, but as you will."

Did you catch that? He asked boldly... and He trusted the will of the Father completely. Both. At the same time. Asking boldly isn't a lack of faith. It's exactly what a child does with a father he trusts.

And the Apostle John tells us exactly how those two fit together. First John chapter 5, verses 14 and 15... "This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us... whatever we ask... we know that we have what we asked of him."

Ask anything... according to His will. That's the whole thing, right there. We bring Him the bold request. He brings His perfect will. You don't have to figure out His will before you're allowed to ask. You ask boldly... and you trust Him to answer according to His will, which is always better than ours.

Brittany lives this every single day. She told me her prayer is, first and foremost, for a miraculous healing. She said, "we need to not limit ourselves to asking big things... So I'm asking big things." And then, every time she takes her medicine, she prays, "may this do exactly what you want it to do in my body, and no more and no less." Did you catch that? A bold ask and complete trust... in the very same breath. Just like Jesus in the garden.

Now I need to be honest with you about something, because it really matters. Not every bold prayer gets the answer we ask for. I've prayed prayers that weren't answered the way I wanted, and I'm guessing you have too. If that's where you are right now... you didn't pray wrong, and you didn't pray with too little faith.

I believe this with all my heart... faith absolutely, positively wins out over cancer, regardless of the outcome. Faith doesn't guarantee the outcome. It makes the journey so much better, and so much easier to carry. So keep praying, boldly, and keep asking Jesus for exactly what you want. And then rest in this... His plan is bigger than ours, and He has never once let go of you. Because, as we like to say around here, we are NEVER ALONE.

It's important to always remember who we're talking to. Hebrews doesn't call it the throne of our impatient God, or our disappointed God. It calls it "the throne of our gracious God." So if you're wondering, who am I to ask? You don't come because you've earned it. You come because He invited you. So let us come boldly.

Don't Pray Alone

Now I want to address the second part I mentioned at the beginning... asking others to pray for you.

I'll be honest... before cancer, my prayer life was on an as-needed basis. I'd pray when I needed something. I was lukewarm, and I knew it.

But I'm so glad other people didn't wait for me to ask. Lorrie has been our family's prayer warrior for as long as I can remember... she was praying for me long before I was praying much for myself. Her dad went to his prayer team. And a woman named Katia, a complete stranger, prayed for me... and then she picked up the phone. Strangers praying for strangers. That's what the body of Christ looks like.

And Lorrie didn't stop there. After my first surgery, Dr. Lin told us he wasn't sure he could save my bladder. It all came down to one question... had the cancer gone into the muscle wall? So Lorrie did what Lorrie does. She rallied people from our church and others and many of our friends to pray for exactly that... that the cancer had not reached the muscle wall, and that I could keep my bladder. Not "Lord, help us through this." She asked specifically for what we wanted. Bold. And I'll never forget Dr. Lin telling us, right there in the room... it hadn't reached the muscle wall. I was going to keep my bladder.

And I've watched the same thing happen with the different guests we’ve had on our podcast. Doug DeFouw told me that the first time he had cancer, he didn't reach out to anyone for prayer. The second time, he did. And he said, "There are moments when you just are down... But the prayers would help lift me up." And my friend Edison... when he got to the point where he knew he needed a lot of people praying for him, he asked. He asked our cancer group at Timberlake, and we prayed for him every single day.

And Jesus Himself makes a powerful promise about this. In Matthew chapter 18, verse 20, He says, "For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them." Did you catch that? When we pray together, Jesus promises He's right there in the middle of it with us. Every single time.

Here's the thing about letting other people pray for you. It does something for them, too. When you share what you're carrying, you give them a chance to carry it with you... and when the answer comes, they get to see Jesus at work right along with you. You're not being a burden. You're letting them be part of your story.

So who could you ask this week? A friend, someone at church, a family member... maybe someone in your cancer group, or even me. You don't have to tell them everything. Just tell them one thing they can pray for. And make it specific. And make it bold.

And if you don't have anyone right now... or you just don't want to ask anyone you know... I want you to know we're here for you. Go to our website and click on our tab called Prayer. Your request comes straight to me, and I will pray for you. And if you tell us it's okay, I'll share it with our prayer team, so even more people are praying for you... and I'd really encourage you to do that, because there's power in more people praying. But if you'd rather keep it just between us, that's okay too. Either way, we'll never post it or share it anywhere unless you ask us to.

What Bold Prayer Does for You

So let me tell you what happens when you actually do this. Because this isn't just something nice to know. It changes how you feel. Today.

When you finally say the real thing out loud to Jesus... the thing you've been carrying around in your chest for weeks... the weight starts to come off. It doesn't mean the cancer's gone. But you're not carrying it by yourself anymore. You've handed it to the One who can actually do something about it.

And when other people are praying with you, you can feel it. Just like Doug said. While Lorrie and our churches were praying about my bladder, I was lying in a hospital bed... and I had a peace about it that I still can't fully explain. That's what happens when you're carried in prayer.

Your whole attitude starts to change. The fear starts to lose its grip. You go from "what if" to "He's got this." You stop bracing for the worst... and you start watching for what Jesus is going to do next.

And look at what that same verse in Hebrews promises, right there at the end. When we come boldly... "There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most." Mercy. Grace. Help, right when you need it most. That's what's waiting for you on the other side of a bold prayer.

So let me say it one more time, because it's that important. Bold prayer is an action. You have to actually do it. And when you do, you get a deeper faith... and more hope, more encouragement, and more peace. Without the action, you can't get there. With it... you get all of it.

The Challenge

So as I close out this episode with you, let me give you two simple things to try this week. Nothing complicated.

First... ask boldly. Write down the one thing you most want to ask Jesus for right now. The real thing, not the safe version. And then pray it... out loud, if you can. And don't apologize for asking. He told you to come boldly. And while you're at it, ask Him for one little thing every day, too. A good night's sleep. A good day after treatment. Getting home safely. Big and small... ask for both.

Second... don't pray alone. Ask one person to pray for that one thing with you. Or send it to us through our website. Either way, let someone carry it with you.

If you do those two things, I believe you'll find what I found, and what so many of our guests found. More hope. More encouragement. More peace. And a stronger faith.

And one more thing. Think about who you know who's carrying something heavy right now…and it doesn't have to be cancer. You probably just thought of someone, didn't you? Please send them this episode... and then ask them one simple question. "How can I pray for you?" You might be the bold prayer they've been waiting for.

Closing

So the main message I want to leave with you today is this... ask boldly. Ask Jesus for exactly what you need, big and small, and let others pray with you and for you.

And remember... this isn't my idea. It's His. "So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God." He's not waiting for you to get the words right. He's waiting for you to come.

And if you don't have a relationship with Jesus yet... or if yours has grown stale or weak, or you're just plain angry with Him right now... prayer is an excellent place to start. You don't need fancy words. And you don't have to be fearless, either. Doug said it best... "it's not a bad thing to pray because you're afraid... because God's listening to you." Just talk to Him, like you'd talk to a friend sitting right next to you. And I would encourage you to visit our Accepting Jesus page on our website. It's the most important page we have.

And please join me for our next episode, Part Two, where we'll talk about the second half... thanking deeply. I believe it's one of the most powerful things you can do for your attitude and your peace... and I can't wait to share it with you.

Remember... wherever you are on your journey today, you are NEVER ALONE. Never. Just turn your head 90 degrees... and Jesus is right there beside you, listening to every word.

Thank you so much for spending this time with me today... I really appreciate it. I hope I was able to inspire you to pray boldly and ask others to pray for you as well. Thank you again, and I hope you have an incredible rest of your day. Until next time, may God bless you.