Pastor battling cancer encourages people to put faith in God
World of Life Ministries Pastor Carl Cutlip knows it is his faith in God that is getting him through his battle with a brain tumor. He encourages others going through tough times to believe in the power of prayer. Cutlip is pictured here at the church with his wife Kay. Josie Sellers/Beacon
WEST LAFAYETTE – This weekend people will gather together at the fairgrounds for Relay For Life to raise awareness and funds to help fight a scary disease called cancer.
Some of the participants in Relay For Life will come from Word of Life Ministries in West Lafayette, which is led by Pastor Carl Cutlip, who is taking on his own battle with cancer.
“I like to volunteer with Team Alana. This year I was asked to be the one to give the opening ceremony prayer,” said Lori Wright, who attends Word of Life Ministries. “Carl is always on my mind. He is so inspiring to me. Especially since I just got a call that I need more testing because they found a spot in my left breast. Carl has always been the go-to guy when anything was needed. He said there is no one taking his place yet. He and I talked about me doing the prayer and he gave me a pep talk and said he would be praying for me while I pray for everyone.”
Faith in Christ and the power of prayer has helped Cutlip through his battle which began this year.
“I liked to walk after work and I started to notice that my right leg was dragging,” he said. “I kept letting it go and then my right arm started to not feel right. Finally, around Christmas time I took some vacation time and went to the doctor. I thought maybe I had had a stroke. The doctor told me he was pretty sure I had some nerve damage and sent me to Dover for an MRI.”
That MRI revealed that Cutlip had a tumor in his brain and soon after that the Cleveland Clinic confirmed that it was Stage 3 Astrocytic Cancer.
“Honestly, hearing the news didn’t really shock me because I have my faith in God and trust him to get me through this,” Cutlip said. “I believe God’s not done with me.”
He went through 33 radiation and 45 chemotherapy treatments and the radiation doctor told them of the 150 different types of brain tumors there are, the one Cutlip has is the toughest to deal with.
“I just finished them two weeks ago,” Cutlip said. “On May 24 I go back for another MRI to see where we are. We are believing that it’s gone.”
He, however, isn’t worried about that appointment.
“I serve a God who hears and answers prayers,” Cutlip said. “When I was diagnosed, I told the doctors to do what they have to do and God will do the rest.”
Right now he is attending therapy three days a week to try and help get mobility back on his right side and feeling blessed that he never got sick during his treatments or even lost his hair.
“This hasn’t been easy, but I give all the glory to God,” he said.
During his treatments, Cutlip also was able to keep preaching.
“I did the Sunday mornings and nights, but sometimes I had to have my Dad or brother do Wednesdays,” he said. “My hope is that I inspire others (who are struggling) to not stop and to keep going. Bad news isn’t the end of the world. You just have to put your faith in God. I thank God for the doctors and medicine because they help, but it’s God who heals.”
He and his wife Kay also are very thankful for support from family, which includes son Curtis, daughter Angel Miller and 10 grandchildren, and the church congregation.
“Our son Curtis was able to go back and forth to every single appointment with him but one, and just everyone has stepped up to the plate and jumped in and helped,” Kay said.
They also know that people are praying for him from all over the U.S.
“Prayer moves mountains,” Carl said.
josie@coshoctoncountybeacon.com
Category: Faith
