Ever wonder what life is like before, during, and after a miracle?
Our most recent guest on the Ask About My Faith podcast, Rob Gales, is a mentor, executive coach, and cancer survivor whose story of healing will leave you speechless! Keep reading to learn about the faithfulness of Jesus and the power of sharing your story with those around you.
Finding Faith, Finding Love, and Finding Cancer
Prior to knowing Jesus, Rob was a successful business man with a Wall Street career, but his personal and spiritual life was far from thriving. While walking through a divorce and not knowing where to turn, Rob met the Lord in a radical way. A friend of his prayed for him and he encountered God in a tangible, unforgettable way that caused him to surrender his life to Jesus. After giving his life to the Lord, Rob got remarried, entered into the challenge of a blended family, and began to dive deeper into his faith. Years later in 2017, Rob was suddenly diagnosed with an advanced stage, aggressive cancer. His community began praying at the first mention of the diagnosis, even calling for a prayer meeting which lasted 8 hours as 35 friends prayed for Rob’s healing. Despite the support, Rob was confronted by intense fear and found himself struggling with all of the “what if’s” for his intense situation.
See our article: 21 Bible Verses for When Your Feel Anxious or Worried
A few months into treatment, the head of the hospital asked to see him immediately. At this appointment, Rob was shown two very different scans. One scan was from six weeks prior and the other scan was from that morning. In shock, the doctor said:
“There’s a chunkier cancer on this scan, but most of it is missing on the other. I’ve never seen this before.”
Upon receiving this wonderful miracle from the Lord, Rob finished treatment out of honor to the program and began his journey of becoming unafraid to share his faith.
Prayer Becomes Second Nature
Rob became known as the “Miracle Boy” throughout the hospital and he was eager to share his faith and pray for those around him. Whether he was ministering to nurses, praying with other patients, or walking around the hospital simply looking for someone to pray for – Rob began to see the fruit of living his life on mission. Upon a cancer free diagnosis and returning home to Minneapolis, Rob quit his investment banking job and began to meet with men and pour into them as a mentor in their lives.
Related Post: How to Share Your Faith Boldly
Since being healed, Rob is always open to pray for others to receive the healing power of Jesus. Once while leaving a grocery store in Denver, Rob saw a woman in her mid-fifties was working the carts in the lot. Seeing that she was incredibly uncomfortable, Rob’s heart began to break for her and he chose to walk the grocery carts up the hill alongside her. Mid-walk, the employee began to cry about her need to slow down because of the severe pain in her knees. Rob asked if he could pray for her, she said yes, and after Rob said, “Amen,” her knees were pain free. The woman couldn’t stop jumping, rejoicing, and praising Jesus for the miracle He had done!
Mentorship & Faith Conversations
“People are always in different places on their journey.”
After his cancer journey, Rob began to see the value of intentional mentorship. Upon experiencing the fruit of mentorship first hand, Rob saw the need to give his life and career to coaching, mentoring, and encouraging men in our modern world.
He often shares the not-so-glamorous parts of his story, vulnerably sharing his struggle with pride and the choices that consumed his life before making the choice to follow Jesus. As a keynote speaker and executive coach, it’s becoming normal for Rob to see men give their lives to the Lord for this first time or rededicate their lives to Jesus after hearing him speak.
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose - Romans 8:28
Related Post: How to Find Faith in Every Conversation
A Charge to Share Your Story
“When I share with someone, I always expect something to happen!” If we consider our faith stories as seeds, it’s easy to have faith that they will grow and bear much fruit. No matter what your story of salvation, healing, or freedom is, there is always power associated when we share what Jesus has done in our lives. Even if we don’t see change right away, God is faithful to move, water the seed, and shine His light to everyone around us. One of the best ways we can grow in sharing our faith is to meditate on the Bible. When we remember what God has done in the Scriptures, we are better equipped to share about the love of God wherever we go!
Things to Do While You’re Waiting on God
Sometimes if we’re not careful, waiting on God can sound passive. If you’re wondering how to wait on God, look no further. Our team at Ask About My Faith has curated Biblical ideas and practical tools to help you in your season of waiting:
1. Thank God Before the Breakthrough Comes
The power of the words “thank you” will never be fully discovered. While it may sound counterintuitive, it’s actually beneficial to our body, our soul, and our spirit when we thank God in advance while waiting on God to move. Waiting on God isn’t laying back in disbelief, waiting on God is actively engaging our hearts in gratitude, developing expectancy for Him to move!
Want to learn more about the wild power of gratitude? Check out our blog: The Benefits of Gratitude
2. Pray in Secret
“But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” - The Words of Jesus in Matthew 6:6 ESV
Sometimes we struggle to pray when we’re wrestling against hopelessness, sickness, or trials. Thankfully, prayer is simply talking to God. It doesn’t have to be complicated or overwhelming and when we pray, it’s just us and God. When we’re waiting on God, our first response should be to pray. We can practice point one – thanking God before the breakthrough comes – in the place of prayer too!
Curious to learn more about the power of prayer? Check out our Ask About My Faith Resources on Prayer.
3. Pray in Community
And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. - James 5: 15-16 NV
While the Bible encourages us to pray to God in secret, we also see the Bible encourage us to pray in the context of community. Just as we see in Rob Gales’ story, the power of praying with others in our community is paramount. Opening up to your core group of friends and inviting them to pray with you is a helpful way to wait on God effectively.
4. Declare the Promises of God
Hear the wild story of how Brian Zimmer’s daughter was miraculous healed after being declared clinically dead: How to Have Faith in the Fire | Selah’s Story
5. Declare the Promises of God Over Your Life
If you’re feeling frustrated and wondering what to do while waiting on God, declaring the promises of God over your life is an incredible way to bring calm to your heart. Waiting on God doesn’t have to be intense and overwhelming, it can be adventurous, exciting, and full of joy! Declaring the promises of God over your life is as simple as saying Bible verses out loud where God has made a promise.
Print a list of these Bible verses that will remind you of the promises of God and wash your mind in the truth of the Word: Identity Verses
Bible Verses About Waiting on God and Waiting on God’s Timing
Waiting on God’s timing isn’t always the easiest, but thankfully God knew there would be seasons where we’d need to wait on Him. God left us scriptures and Bible verses about waiting on God to help us in our time of need. Here are some of our favorite waiting on God verses to strengthen your faith:
I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord. - Psalm 27: 13-14 NIV
Reading Psalm 27 is an easy way to remain confident while waiting on God. Some scholars believe that this Bible verses about waiting on God was written while David was fleeing from Saul. Even in the face of violence and persecution, David stood firm on the promises of the Lord and thanked God before he saw the breakthrough.
They who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. - Isaiah 40:31 ESV
According to Old Testament scholars, the 40th chapter of Isaiah was written during the Babylonian exile. Even the prophet Isaiah was waiting on God! His words are an encouragement for us to trust God’s timing and wait on God in our own journeys.
The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him. - Lamentations 3:25 ESV
The Book of Lamentations was written during a time of suffering, despair, and hope deferred. The nation of Israel was in desperate need of God. These words still ring true with expectant hope and faith.
Want an easy way to sing your prayers? Listen to the song Wait on You by Elevation Worship.
I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope.
I wait for the Lord more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning. - Psalm 130: 5-6 NIV
Did you know you can pray the Bible and meditate on God’s words towards you? This Bible verse on waiting on God is a great way to pray the Scriptures.
Learn more about Biblical meditation and the value of memorization: How to Practice Christian Meditation
