An Open Thank You Letter to John Piper

(Two times in my life, God has used the words of founder of Desiring God Ministries, John Piper, in a monumental way. I am so thankful for men and women of God who obey God’s call to teach truth, never knowing the impact they may have on others. I wrote this thank you letter to John Piper earlier this year hoping that maybe in the wide world of cyberspace my words would reach him. And they did. But even if they hadn’t made it to his computer screen, I still would be forever thankful. And I am reminded as I reread these words of thankfulness, of how loving, caring and deserving of my devotion my Savior is. Hopefully reading this very personal experience of mine will encourage you as well.)

Dear Mr. Piper,

It is 1997.


I have no idea who you are. Just a name and a photo. A middle-aged man who is going to teach me about Jesus while I enjoy some Texas sunshine and my break from college classes. 
I am 21 years old, and I just hopped into a van with six of my friends to drive 17 hours from Ames, Iowa to Austin, Texas for the Passion ’97 Conference.

img_20160506_142022But God uses you for more than I anticipate, and after your Friday evening message, I do something I’ve never done before.

I call my dad at midnight and tell him I love him.

Like many people, I did not grow up in an overly affectionate family. The “I love yous” were experienced through action, but the words were not spoken.

This night they are. This night, January 3, 1997.

Fast forward two decades.

It is 2016.

I am barely 40, and I’ve been diagnosed with breast cancer.

The fear, the uncertainty, the dread are overwhelming. I don’t doubt my Savior, but I do doubt my ability to make it through this big ugly thing.

It’s the evening of February 23, and my husband (Corey) and I are sitting at the dining table.

Surgery is in two days.

A music video is playing on Corey’s laptop. Shane and Shane singing words that remind me of the richness of trusting Jesus when he takes me to hard places.

And then you begin to speak over the music.

Directly to me.

Or rather, God speaks directly to me through you.

“When your mom dies, when your kid dies, when you’ve got cancer at 40, when a car careens into the sidewalk and takes her out, don’t say, “That’s meaningless!” It’s not. It’s working for you an eternal weight of glory. Therefore. Therefore do not lose heart, but take these truths and day by day focus on them. Preach them to yourself every morning. Get alone with God and preach his word into your mind until your heart sings with confidence that you are new and cared for.”

I am weeping. My head is in Corey’s lap, and I am weeping.

His arms keep me from falling to the hardwood floor while he shakes from weeping with me.

img_20160225_081724664

It is a holy moment.

This thing in front of us is hard, but it is not meaningless.

And while we fight, we go deeper. Over the next few months, we fight through the hard stuff. The scary stuff. The painful stuff.

We feel sadness so intensely. We have joy so impossibly. We love each other so immeasurably. We trust Jesus so wholly.

We are coming out on the other side now. And your words have been proven true.

 “Every millisecond of your misery in the path of obedience is producing a peculiar glory you will get because of that.”

A peculiar glory.
I believe it.

Mr. Piper, youimg_20160428_174806316 spoke necessary truth into my 21-year-old heart so many years ago, and then you showed up with truth again just when I needed it at 40. I’m tasting it right here in this broken body of mine. Tremendous blessings that are a direct result of walking through the pain. But I have a feeling the full extent of that glory will not be realized until the day I fall, whole and healed, into Jesus’ arms.

And for that I want to say thank you.

Sincerely,

Kim Harms

(Here’s a link to the song that spoke to me – Though You Slay Me)

Kim Harms

Kim Harms is a writer and speaker who is represented by Literary Agent Karen Neumair of Credo Communications. She is under contract with Familius Publishing for her first book, tentatively titled Life Reconstructed. Harms has a degree in English: Literary Studies from Iowa State University and was a regular contributor at the former Today's Christian Woman. She underwent a bilateral mastectomy and reconstruction surgeries in 2016 after being diagnosed with breast cancer and writes about her Life Reconstructed at kimharms.net. Central Iowa is home, and she lives there with her husband Corey and their 3 ever-growing man-children.

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4 comments

  1. Kim, I can barely write for the tears clouding my vision. Your story…His story through you…is powerful beyond words. We also love John Piper’s teaching. In fact, our granddaughter is named after him (Piper)! Thank you for sharing this today. I’m having a few family struggles myself and this helped tremendously. Blessings to you and yours…

    1. Thank you Cathy. Piper has an amazing way of helping me understand hard things. As I type this I am sitting beside a pool in Florida watching my boys play. It’s our family “celebrate life” trip after a very hard year. I think I’ll be fighting tears a lot this week as I am reminded of how much Jesus loves me.

  2. Kim, wow! I love this post. It’s so heartfelt. John Piper’s ministry and words have also touched me…ministered to me. “A peculiar glory.” I like that. Thanks for sharing a bit more of your story with us in such a riveting article.

    1. Thanks Karen. I love the way God uses others so specifically to lead me straight to him. I’ve seen it a lot this year as I’ve been hyper-sensitive to my need for him and his work in my life. Our family is spending Thanksgiving week in Florida celebrating life and healing.

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