There is no fear in love;
but perfect love casts out fear.
We love because He first loved us.
1 John 4:18-19 NIV
God can do anything, far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams!
Ephesians 3:20 MSG
We all yearn with hope to sail throughout life upon gentle waters, with a refreshing breeze blowing on beautiful sunny days. However, we all face storms in our journey of life, and sometimes it might feel like the waves are going to tip over our boat in the area of finances, relationships, or health. The challenge is how we respond and how we will live when we face those storms in life.
We began an unexpected adventure together when Marcia was diagnosed on February 14, 2012, with inoperable advanced stage IV metastatic malignant adenocarcinoma (non-small cell cancer) of the lung that started with a large mass in the right lung with spreading satellite lesions, including metastatic brain tumors. The tumors grew outside the lung into the liner around the heart and surrounded the vena cava. Without treatment, the doctors thought it was likely that Marcia could only have one to two months to live. The diagnostic news was a bit bizarre when Marcia had been so healthy, never smoking, no family history of cancer, and always working in a clean environment all these years as a practicing gastroenterologist. This was not exactly how we expected to celebrate Valentine’s Day.
Our journey together in this adventure of life was a beautiful one as we faced the storms of life while living in the goodness and faithfulness of God whose love is always perfect. That adventure together has been a lifetime journey which began long before cancer diagnosis. We have experienced the perfect love of a good, good FatherGod that has deeply transformed our hearts and lives. As a result, we chose to celebrate life and life more abundantly. We become intentional in deeply loving others and valuing other people as something to be cherished in this journey of life. We decided to live, laugh and love – all the while worshipping an amazingly good God who continued to lavish His perfect love upon us.
Marcia fought well the good fight of faith. She was a hero who contended for the greater glory, believing God could do far more than we asked or thought (Eph 3:20). Yes, we contended and expected a different outcome. Marcia was a living miracle in the battle against cancer, defying the odds of battling Stage IV cancer where 50% of patients die within 8 months and only 1% survive five years. We believe that God heals through: (1) creating an amazing body designed to heal itself, especially with living healthy lifestyles; (2) giving the medical community knowledge of treatments, medicines and technological breakthroughs; and (3) supernaturally healing through the power of prayer. We know the best days are ahead in being able to more effectively destroy cancer here on earth.
In many ways, these last six years have been some of the richest ones in our journey together. We lived life to the fullest adventure possible, experienced the incredible love and Presence of God who was always near, and we intentionally sowed unconditional love into precious relationships, realizing that people are the greatest gift on earth. Over the last six years, we journaled this adventure in God’s goodness and faithfulness while facing the storms of life. We have compiled these chronicles of God’s love into a draft book, “Perfect Love.” If you are interested in reading more about our intimate journey, let us know below.
Introduction to the draft book “Perfect Love”
Please click below to view the Introduction and Table of Contents to the draft book “Perfect Love.”
Perfect Love: Facing the storms of life while living in God’s Goodness and Faithfulness
By Drs. David and Marcia Skjaerlund
A personal journey of faith, love and trust
Perfect Love – Introduction and Table of Contents
The Journey is the Destination
Please click below to read one of the chapters from the book, Perfect Love, reminding us about the importance of life’s journey.
The Journey is the Destination
Appendix A – Personalized Healing Promises
Please click below to read biblical scriptures regarding healing and health.
Personalized Healing Scriptures
Appendix B – Summary of Cancer Treatments
Please click below to review a general summary of cancer treatments
REQUEST A PERSONAL COPY
If you would like to review a draft copy of “Perfect Love,” please fill out the following information below and submit. Someone will be in contact with you following receipt of your request.
Climbing Life’s Mountains
Please enjoy a video of a younger David Skjaerlund sharing a personal journey with an executive leadership group about the heart level challenge of climbing life’s mountains and the important role that God, family and friends play in living those adventures in life.
Pursuing Your Dreams
Please enjoy a video of a younger David Skjaerlund encouraging an executive leadership group to pursue their dreams, no matter how difficult or despite what other people might say. One person can make a difference in changing the world around them.