A Huge Cast – Barbara Parker


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Practically everyone had left the theater but we remained, waiting impatiently in the dark, for the name of our friend to scroll across the screen as the credits rolled on and on and on…and on. He had worked as a grip on this major film and was now a personal friend of the big-name star, receiving frequent invitations to visit his home in Malibu for a meal or to just “hang out.” We were impressed! Finally, there it was, after what seemed like hundreds of other names had gone by, and we yelled and clapped and hugged our hero.

These days I have an increased awareness of the number of people and the amount of behind-the-scenes work that it takes to produce a movie because my son is a video editor. He can easily spend hours and hours working on even a short, thirty-second commercial to make it all come together; and he’s just one of many who’ve invested similar amounts of time on the project already—writers, producers, directors, camera and lighting people, actors, and office staff to name a few—pre-production, production, post-production—no wonder the credits seems to go on forever.

As I prepared this morning to go for a follow-up mammogram, it occurred to me that my encounter with breast cancer involved a cast of characters that is probably as large as those involved in even a blockbuster movie such as The Ten Commandments, Star Wars, or The Lord of the Rings. My doctors alone include internist, breast center radiologist, surgeon, oncologist and radiation oncologist. Add to that an unknown number of other radiologists, pathologists and anesthesiologists, each of whom has an office staff that includes reception, billing, nurses, technicians, etc. Then there’s the staff at the breast center and the hospital—from the nurses in admitting, surgery and recovery to the housekeepers who make sure all is done in a clean and safe environment. Throw in the researchers, producers and retailers of all of the medications, equipment and supplies and there’s a cast of probably not just hundreds, but thousands, that have come together to assist me in eliminating that tiny little malignancy that had the potential to cause my death if left untreated.

Then I started to count up all of the other physicians I depend on. Let’s see—there’s the dermatologist, the gastroenterologist, the cardiologist, the ophthalmologist, the gynecologist and the dentist; not to mention past encounters with orthopedists, podiatrists, urologists, otolaryngologists, pulmonologists, and chiropractors. It’s clear that the days of one family doctor who does it all are long gone; and the very idea of a friendly old country doctor like Doc Baker on Little House on the Prairie seems like a fairy tale.

So when—as just happened today when I scheduled my next mammogram—I am asked, “Who’s your doctor?” I have to reply, “Which one do you want?” I wonder how they’d react if I answered from my heart, “My primary care physician is God,” because that is the real truth. He is the one who made me, the one who created my inmost being; [who] knit me together in my mother’s womb (Psalm 139:13). He is truly the greatest physician of all. From beginning to end—Genesis to Revelation—scriptures record promises, prayers and praises in regard to healing:

Then Abraham prayed to God, and God healed Abimelech, his wife and his slave girls so they could have children again. (Genesis 20:17)

See now that I myself am He! There is no god besides me. I put to death and I bring to life, I have wounded and I will heal, and no one can deliver out of my hand. (Deuteronomy 32:39)

Be merciful to me, LORD, for I am faint; O LORD, heal me, for my bones are in agony. (Psalm 6:2)

O LORD my God, I called to you for help and you healed me. (Psalm 30:2)

Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits—who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases. (Psalm 103:2-4)

But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings. And you will go out and leap like calves released from the stall. (Malachi 4:2)

…and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. (Mark 1:34a)

“Aeneas,” Peter said to him, “Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and take care of your mat.” Immediately Aeneas got up. (Acts 9:34)

Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. (James 5:16)

He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. (1 Peter 2:24)
On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. (Revelation 22:2)

Interestingly, whatever God does—healing included—he cannot be defined or put into a box made up of our expectations. His way of doing things continually varies. As referenced above, Abraham and Peter prayed and people were healed—that happens now too for God’s word hasn’t changed; and according to James 15:5, a prayer offered in faith will make a sick person get well. At times, Jesus simply spoke and healing occurred instantly; but he also did such unusual things as spitting in the dirt, placing the mud on the eyes of a blind man and telling him to go wash it off—and the guy received his sight. Additionally, there are references throughout the Bible regarding preventative health care (i.e. the dietary and sanitation requirements given to the Israelites in the desert), the use of doctors (Luke was a physician), and remedies for ailments (1Timothy 5:23 tells us that Paul encouraged Timothy to, “Stop drinking only water, and use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses.”)

Today, while there appears to be a dramatic increase in the number of miraculous and instant healings, it doesn’t happen every time. Did I ask the LORD to remove the cancer? Oh yes! Did others pray for my healing? Again, yes! Did it occur in the way I desired? No. In my case, God chose to use his amazing cast of characters to accomplish my healing. How I thank him for the love and support of my family; for the prayers of my friends; for the wisdom, knowledge and skill of my doctors; for the compassion and help of so many of my nurses; for the effectiveness of the medications; but above all, for the hand of God himself, fulfilling his promise 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)



The majority of these prayers are included in our book Generational Prayers – 2022 Edition, which is available in paperback and eBook formats. Visit this page for details.

Come Up Higher and the Exploring Heavenly Places book series provide biblical explanations of our prayers. Visit our bookstore for more information.


These prayers are not a quick fix. Instead, they are starting points as you work out your freedom in Christ. Be ready to adjust these prayers as you and those you pray with listen to the Holy Spirit.

Permission is given to print this prayer in its entirety provided that no changes are made. In addition, please reference Aslan’s Place and aslansplace.com on all reproductions. This prayer may not be reproduced in publications without written consent from Aslan’s Place.



About Barbara Parker

Barbara Parker, the founder of Standing in Faith Ministries, endeavors to serve others by sharing the faith lessons God has taught her through the everyday trials of life. She is a wife, a mother, and a grandmother; and she worked for many years as a registered nurse and as a real estate broker. A survivor of breast cancer and several other major illnesses, Barbara holds the unshakable belief that God is big enough for any problem that life throws at you. It is this faith that enabled her when she worked as a hospice nurse, providing comfort to the dying and their loved ones. It is this faith that she writes and speaks about. Barbara graduated from the Los Angeles County Hospital School of Nursing and holds a BS in Health Science (Summa Cum Laude) from Chapman University, a Certificate in Fundraising from Loyola Marymount University, and a Certificate in Grant Writing from the Grantsmanship Center of Los Angeles. A Christian since childhood, she pretty-much grew up in church and has served in a variety of ministry roles including music, teaching, administration and counseling. She completed several post-graduate-level courses in Theology, trained as a church counselor at Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, CA, and completed a variety of schools and workshops with Aslan’s Place and other ministries. Barbara is a prayer minister endorsed by Aslan’s Place, where she often participates as a team member in ministry across the USA and abroad. She participates in a network of home churches, worshiping and developing relationships in a small group setting. Barbara is the author/editor/publisher of Pug Parables, I’m Still Standing and Richard’s Story which are available at Barbara's Store. She also has a DVD series, Unraveling the Mystery of Dream Interpretation, available at Aslan's Place. Barbara speaks to groups of any size, sharing her testimony and teaching others how to stand in faith. She is passionate about the fact that Christians can overcome every difficult circumstance through an intimate relationship with God in all three of his persons; Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Barbara can be reached through her website www.standinginfaith.org