Thank you for being here. In this very first episode, I want to invite you to listen to our podcast for one simple reason: no one should have to face cancer alone. But before we go further, let me tell you honestly why I started Never Alone Faith Over Cancer — and why I believe it might be exactly what you need for your own journey.
IT STARTED WITH A CANCER SUPPORT GROUP
About a year ago, my church — Timberlake Church in Redmond, Washington — asked if I would restart their cancer support group. I had walked my own cancer road nine years earlier, so they thought I might be able to help. After a lot of thought and even more prayer, I said yes. We started small, the way most groups do. Because it meets online, people can join from anywhere — which matters deeply when your immune system is compromised, when you live too far away, or when you simply don't feel up to sitting in a room.
THE QUESTION THAT WOULDN'T LEAVE ME ALONE
Here's what started bothering me. Roughly 92% of us are touched by cancer in some way — either we've faced it ourselves or we love someone who has. So why were so few people finding their way to a group like ours? Even at my own church, where nearly 3,000 people attend, only a handful had joined. And when I widened the lens to everyone beyond our walls, it truly unsettled me. Meanwhile, the people in our group are extraordinary — men and women who share openly, pray for one another, and grow in their faith together. I wanted more people to have that. In fact, I knew for certain that anyone who joined would leave with more hope, encouragement, and peace.
THE GIFTS GOD HAD ALREADY GIVEN ME
So one night, while I was praying about all of this, I could feel the Holy Spirit stretching my thinking. Why should any of this stop at the Eastside of Washington? Why not reach people across the country — even across the world? As I sat with that question, He pointed me to something I'd overlooked: the gifts He had already placed in my hands. Scripture puts it plainly.
"Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms."
1 Peter 4:10 NIV
He'd given me the skill to build a website. There was a voice, too — over a thousand speeches across my career — made for a podcast where I could share not only my story, but yours, because your stories carry the greatest power of all. A love of writing became the blog. And when my wife Lorrie and I joined the prayer team at church, He opened the door to an entire prayer section on the site. Piece by piece, like a puzzle coming together, He had been preparing me for this all along.
HOW DO YOU SAY NOT TO GOD?
How do you say no when He lays it out that clearly? You don't. At least, I couldn't. So I started building late last year, pushed through the holidays (and, I'll admit, a Seahawks Super Bowl run), and spent this past month filling the site with content for anyone facing cancer right now, walking through remission, or years past it — and for the caregivers who love them, too.
WHY YOU SHOULD LISTEN TO OUR PODCAST
So let me answer it head-on. Why listen to our podcast? Because this site — and everything on it — exists for one person: you. Not for me. My honest barometer for every episode is simple: "Is this something I would have found helpful in my own journey with cancer?" If the answer is no, it doesn't go here. There are plenty of cancer sites, and plenty of faith sites. However, there are very few that link the two together — that put Jesus right in the middle of your journey. That's what we do here, and it's what you'll find every time you listen to our podcast.
In the next episode — "What You're Going to Get and Why" — I'll share how the name came about, what makes this site different, and how I decide what belongs here. Here's your hint: it's all about you and your stories.
So thank you for listening to how Never Alone Faith Over Cancer began. And no matter where you are or what you're facing on your journey — with cancer or in life — please remember this: you are NEVER ALONE. Jesus is always with you. Always.
All the glory goes to God.