“I’ve been on both sides of cancer, and God is still good.” 

Tanya Ehlers says these words as sunshine lights up the screen of a Zoom interview. Sitting on a Maryland back patio with her husband, Andy, Tanya herself exudes a ray of hope. She is battling stage four colon cancer.

The Ehlers, both graduates of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, now lead a church plant in Delaware. Andy serves as the lead pastor, while Tanya is the children’s director.

This isn’t Tanya’s first experience with cancer. She has been on the other side as a caregiver to her late husband, Ray, who was also a Southeastern student. The two were only married one year when he was diagnosed with brain cancer. Ray died two years later.

In August 2019, Tanya began experiencing what she thought were minor health issues. She started having a hard time finishing her daily run. 

“I had been very healthy and really had not had any issues regarding my health,” she said.

She went to the doctor, who said she needed to change her diet.

Things changed just a few months later, on Thanksgiving weekend. Intense pain brought her to the emergency room. A doctor scheduled a CT scan for that Friday. 

“I can remember feeling a little dazed due to the medicine, but I’ll never forget a nurse comes over to me,” Tanya said, “ to tell me that they found colon cancer, and it moved to my liver and my lungs.”

“Getting the news was a shock,” Andy recalled. “I can remember having to call a friend over to our house to even fix the little things like a doorknob in our home.”

It was only the beginning of a journey for the Ehlers – one they knew they were going to fight head on. For Tanya, it would be fought with scripture and prayer.

“I can remember the doctor saying this type of cancer looks bad,” said Andy. 

But with the urgency of chemotherapy and clinical trials also came a level of faith the couple embraced.

“God has taught me in this season that He’s always there. Psalm 116:77 has been my go-to verse,” Tanya said.

It’s with this assurance and hope that Andy looks at his wife, knowing she will be alright. 

“I can remember one day outside of the grocery store in our community, laying it at Jesus’ feet,” he said. “Not saying that there haven’t been hard days.”

For the Ehlers, most days now involve long car rides to Baltimore for hospital visits and plenty of family time. As parents of four children, they make sure to make the most of their time, not missing out on their kids’ games and prioritizing serving their local church well. 

“I’m thankful to serve the Lord as the children’s ministry coordinator. Church is important to me,” said Tanya, her voice filled with unexplainable joy. “As thankful as I am for modern medicine, I’ve decided to trust God.”

Tanya has found a gift in the extra time at home that the COVID-19 pandemic brought. 

“I know that COVID has been hard, but I was thankful to be able to spend that time with my kids.” 

Although there is uncertainty about Tanya’s future, Tanya and Andy’s gratitude and trust have anchored them throughout this season. 

(EDITOR’S NOTE – Maina Mwaura is a freelance journalist who lives in Atlanta, Ga., with his wife and daughter. They attend Johnson Ferry Baptist Church.)