When his cancer returned a year ago, retired pastor Gordon Schleicher asked God for help, and God provided supportive helpers whom he could rely on to listen and yet give it to him straight.
J. GORDON SCHLEICHER
Retired Pastor, Michigan Conference
Help! I need somebody,
Help! Not just anybody,
Help! You know I need someone,
Help!
Don’t those words bring back memories of the Beatles song “Help!” Primarily written by John Lennon in 1965, that song was Lennon’s genuine cry for help when he struggled with the pressures of fame and the band’s hectic lifestyle.
In an interview in 1980, Lennon said: “When ‘Help’ came out in ’65 . . . . I was fat and depressed and I was crying out for help. . . . The Beatles thing had just gone beyond comprehension.”
I felt like that a year ago when my cancer returned. The cancer was eating up my red blood cells faster than my body could make new ones, and I was feeling weaker by the day. My oncologist warned me that, with my compromised immune system, being around other people, attending church, and going out food shopping, I risked my body not being able to fight off illness. I needed help.
Yes, my doctors had my back medically, but I needed more help.
And now my life has changed in oh so many ways,
My independence seems to vanish in the haze, . . .
I know that I just need you like I’ve never done before.
My recurring lymphoma meant I might have to live the rest of my life in this condition. I needed God to help me find a way to get through this.
That answer came to me when I read a resource flyer in the cancer center waiting room. It listed support groups covering all sorts of cancer. Because my medication prevented me from safely driving out of town or being among people where I might catch a cold or another illness, that type of support wasn’t going to work.
Then, I ran into a couple who had helped me through an earlier difficulty. Surgical removal of a small skin cancer on my face required follow-up radiation, which rendered me unable to taste food, except sugar, for six weeks. I had to add sugar to meats and vegetables to enjoy any meal. Ugh! During that time, this couple brought me a gift bag of sweet goodies every week. They sensed what I was going through, and that helped me.
I then had the idea to build myself a group of helpers. I asked a pastor friend if he would meet with me weekly to help support me spiritually. I followed up with a person I admired for her wellness activities, and she happened to be a nurse. Along with the couple my wife and I played board games and ate out with, I had a group of four helpers.
The five of us met for coffee and dessert, and I paid the bill. They listened to my longings, my frustrations, my highs, and my lows. We ended each gathering with prayer, even though only two attended weekly worship. But I knew they cared about me, and between meetings, they sent me helpful suggestions and encouraging emails.
I needed these helpers. In addition to chemotherapy this past year, I went through recovery from hammertoe and double hernia surgeries. My blood numbers are stable now — not where they should be, but not worrisome. With the help of my support group, I have kept up positive wellness activities, worship, social engagement, and regular prayer.
When I asked for help, God provided the help in the form of supportive helpers who have become those whom I can rely on to listen and yet give it to me straight.
When you find what you are facing overwhelming, seek support. Don’t do it alone. Connect with those who can encourage you to live your best life spiritually, healthfully, and joyfully.
I’d like to think that the lyrics to “Help” were a prayer and that a loving God showed John Lennon where help could be found. God did that for me and can lead you to the helpers you need.
Last Updated on April 28, 2025