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Beyond the Big C. Hope in the face of death
The book chronicles Jeremy's extraordinary relationship with cancer and, more than anything, his extraordinary relationship with the person who promises life beyond the prognosis... a life lived in the light of Christ's death on the cross means there is hope for the future no matter what
- GenresChristianFaithNonfiction
72 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2019
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35 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
November 18, 2019
Jeremy Marshall, a Christian faced with terminal cancer, gently and honestly leads the reader through his story tackling all the fears, doubts and emotions that he faces. He shows that God answers all these questions in Jesus Christ and thereby gives real hope in the face of death. The simplicity and directness of the book enable it to be given to people in this situation.
June 18, 2025
It seems appropriate to have read this book, written by a fine Christian man who is living with incurable cancer, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Jeremy speaks from his own experience, clearly and honestly facing up to some questions we all ask at times, and perhaps especially in these strange days we find ourselves in.
He is blisteringly honest about the fact that Christian faith isn't a simple anaesthetic against the pain of life: "I want to be very open that I am afraid, sometimes very afraid. This is despite having a strong Christian faith. In fact, I would say that the dominant emotion I have felt since being diagnosed is fear. Fear of dying and, in particular, fear of the process leading up to death."
Our Christian faith doesn't offer trite and easy answers to all of life's problems, and "asking God questions is very much encouraged in the Bible. God meets us in our doubts and perplexities…God allows suffering to happen for reasons that I don't fully understand. But I believe there are some reasons that can be helpful…Perhaps the most important answer I've found, as I think things through, is that I am part of a much bigger story. God is infinitely big and has eternal purposes which he is working out. I, like most of us, have a big ego and I tend to think it’s all about me. I am convinced that God has allowed cancer to happen to me for his own reasons which I don’t understand at the moment. But I am also convinced that when I meet God face to face, everything will fall into place and I will see how he used me (and all his children) for his own glory. That's why trusting God is the key quality that I need when faced with fear."
He also makes a great related point in talking about the problem of pain, pointing out that, "God's answer to suffering and pain is not theological truths, useful though they can be, but the humanity, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This means that, if we are Christ's, we are never alone…As we face death as Christians we can say, very boldly, with God's help, 'In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.'" I think that's a really helpful and insightful comment, as we often rush to try and find explanations. Similarly, non-believers often lob the fact of pain and suffering at us like a hand grenade, asking how it can be consistent with the Christian idea of a good God. In reality, of course, we can’t fully explain the why and certainly not in every instance. What we can do is point to the who, to the one who meets us in our pain and suffering and who promises to put all things right. The heart of Christianity is not a philosophy or a body of theological dogma (important as both of those things are), but a person.
That is also where Jeremy ends, clearly pointing us to the only source of true hope, for this life or the future: "God’s ultimate 'treatment' is not a philosophy or theology or morality – but a person. When nothing else makes sense, and nothing else is left, Jesus is there and he will hold us fast: if we will only trust in him…Coming to faith in Jesus is not about being good, or being religious, or understanding theological systems. It's certainly not about gaining insight into 'how to understand suffering'. As the widow of Nain found in her grief and sadness, it's about realising that we need help, that we need to meet God face to face, know him personally, and have a relationship with him."
This is a brilliant little book, intensely moving, bittersweet, and ultimately hope-filled.
He is blisteringly honest about the fact that Christian faith isn't a simple anaesthetic against the pain of life: "I want to be very open that I am afraid, sometimes very afraid. This is despite having a strong Christian faith. In fact, I would say that the dominant emotion I have felt since being diagnosed is fear. Fear of dying and, in particular, fear of the process leading up to death."
Our Christian faith doesn't offer trite and easy answers to all of life's problems, and "asking God questions is very much encouraged in the Bible. God meets us in our doubts and perplexities…God allows suffering to happen for reasons that I don't fully understand. But I believe there are some reasons that can be helpful…Perhaps the most important answer I've found, as I think things through, is that I am part of a much bigger story. God is infinitely big and has eternal purposes which he is working out. I, like most of us, have a big ego and I tend to think it’s all about me. I am convinced that God has allowed cancer to happen to me for his own reasons which I don’t understand at the moment. But I am also convinced that when I meet God face to face, everything will fall into place and I will see how he used me (and all his children) for his own glory. That's why trusting God is the key quality that I need when faced with fear."
He also makes a great related point in talking about the problem of pain, pointing out that, "God's answer to suffering and pain is not theological truths, useful though they can be, but the humanity, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This means that, if we are Christ's, we are never alone…As we face death as Christians we can say, very boldly, with God's help, 'In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.'" I think that's a really helpful and insightful comment, as we often rush to try and find explanations. Similarly, non-believers often lob the fact of pain and suffering at us like a hand grenade, asking how it can be consistent with the Christian idea of a good God. In reality, of course, we can’t fully explain the why and certainly not in every instance. What we can do is point to the who, to the one who meets us in our pain and suffering and who promises to put all things right. The heart of Christianity is not a philosophy or a body of theological dogma (important as both of those things are), but a person.
That is also where Jeremy ends, clearly pointing us to the only source of true hope, for this life or the future: "God’s ultimate 'treatment' is not a philosophy or theology or morality – but a person. When nothing else makes sense, and nothing else is left, Jesus is there and he will hold us fast: if we will only trust in him…Coming to faith in Jesus is not about being good, or being religious, or understanding theological systems. It's certainly not about gaining insight into 'how to understand suffering'. As the widow of Nain found in her grief and sadness, it's about realising that we need help, that we need to meet God face to face, know him personally, and have a relationship with him."
This is a brilliant little book, intensely moving, bittersweet, and ultimately hope-filled.
July 23, 2021
In this short book, Jeremy Marshall shares the story of his journey with cancer, and how he finds his ongoing hope in Jesus. It's refreshingly honest, and he doesn't downplay the impact of his diagnoses. "I have doubts and I am often afraid. There is nothing exceptional about me and I am very far from being a model for others." And this honesty highlights the greatness of "the heavenly physician", Jesus Christ, and the hope he offers. The whole thing is very readable, with short sections that feel like a chat over coffee, as he intermingles personal testimony with Bible reflection and contemporary comment.
This is a good book to get a few copies of to give away. For people outside the church, it's a pointer to the encouragements Jesus offers in the face of difficult diagnoses - although the directness of its contents means it's more something to give as part of an ongoing conversation, rather than just a gift from a distance. And for Christians who have received some bad medical news, it's a wonderful reminder that they don't need to be the perfect patient. Instead, they can trust Jesus to stick with them through the ups and downs, and carry them safely through death into eternal life.
This is a good book to get a few copies of to give away. For people outside the church, it's a pointer to the encouragements Jesus offers in the face of difficult diagnoses - although the directness of its contents means it's more something to give as part of an ongoing conversation, rather than just a gift from a distance. And for Christians who have received some bad medical news, it's a wonderful reminder that they don't need to be the perfect patient. Instead, they can trust Jesus to stick with them through the ups and downs, and carry them safely through death into eternal life.
May 3, 2020
Jeremy Marshall came to my church to do a talk around the time that his book was published, and unfortunately I wasn't able to attend, so I was glad I was able to pick up a copy of his book.
The book opens by talking about how he got diagnosed with cancer in 2013; the cancer was cured, but in 2015, he was diagnosed with several inoperable tumours, and was given 18 months to give. As I write this, he is (to my knowledge) still alive.
Reading this book now, during a coronvirus pandemic, feels strangely appropriate, as he explains how faith in Jesus has stopped him from fearing death, and at the end he uses the example of Job, that being a Christian won't make you immune from physical suffering, and how nobody knows God's plan, just that everything happens for a reason.
This is more of a book for people looking into the Christian faith, but I found it very enouraging and would definitely recommend to others.
The book opens by talking about how he got diagnosed with cancer in 2013; the cancer was cured, but in 2015, he was diagnosed with several inoperable tumours, and was given 18 months to give. As I write this, he is (to my knowledge) still alive.
Reading this book now, during a coronvirus pandemic, feels strangely appropriate, as he explains how faith in Jesus has stopped him from fearing death, and at the end he uses the example of Job, that being a Christian won't make you immune from physical suffering, and how nobody knows God's plan, just that everything happens for a reason.
This is more of a book for people looking into the Christian faith, but I found it very enouraging and would definitely recommend to others.
September 19, 2020
Jeremy has terminal cancer and this short book is a description of how his faith helps him know that there is life beyond the grave.
It's written in a fairly unstructured way. Sections don't obviously flow from one another to build towards an inexorable conclusion. It's a bit like sitting with Jeremy in the pub and having a good chat with lots of digressions!
Yet just when I thought it was all a bit jumbled, Jeremy wraps things together with his 'Stagecoach' analogy quite beautifully. And one can't help but be touched by his sincerity, and (although he would deny it) his bravery and his earnestness.
Jeremy comes across as a thoughtful man who conveys well his relationship with God in an utterly non-pretentious way.
I found the book immensely helpful.
It's written in a fairly unstructured way. Sections don't obviously flow from one another to build towards an inexorable conclusion. It's a bit like sitting with Jeremy in the pub and having a good chat with lots of digressions!
Yet just when I thought it was all a bit jumbled, Jeremy wraps things together with his 'Stagecoach' analogy quite beautifully. And one can't help but be touched by his sincerity, and (although he would deny it) his bravery and his earnestness.
Jeremy comes across as a thoughtful man who conveys well his relationship with God in an utterly non-pretentious way.
I found the book immensely helpful.
July 31, 2024
I can't even begin to imagine going through cancer. As I'm coming from a background where it's been more of a distant impact, I hoped to gain a bit more understanding particularly from a Christian perspective. It has been written in a down-to-earth way. Jeremy confronts the realities but also with light-hearted moments making the most of every chance to bring laughter in his life. The greatest impact of course was reading how Jesus changes everything, how he sees cancer and more than that life and its big questions on suffering.
Overall, it has been very easy to read, as he takes you on a journey from diagnosis to his fears to confronting the big questions in life to the heart of it all - Jesus.
Overall, it has been very easy to read, as he takes you on a journey from diagnosis to his fears to confronting the big questions in life to the heart of it all - Jesus.
November 18, 2019
Really enjoyed this short book. Very quick and easy to read but wonderfully helpful and challenging. Great both for Christians and for those who are interested to know more. Clear focus on the Lord Jesus and well illustrated and applied throughout.
November 30, 2019
This is a brutally honest and beautifully hopeful look at life with terminal cancer.
A helpful book to give to folk with cancer or supporting loved ones with cancer.
A helpful book to give to folk with cancer or supporting loved ones with cancer.
December 18, 2019
A courageous and personal story of living with cancer and how Jesus gives hope in the face if death.
June 3, 2020
Short. Bittersweet. To the point
Read
June 29, 2020O
September 30, 2021
Great message of hope in the midst of adversity! PRAISE the Lord for your grace!
August 23, 2022
Page turner.
Pages 36-37 articulate the hope we have in Christ so wonderfully!
Pages 36-37 articulate the hope we have in Christ so wonderfully!
November 26, 2025
This book is a short, readable evangelistic work intended to share with someone who has cancer. I could also see it being useful for Christians to read who have been diagnosed with cancer, but it's primary use is to speak of the hope a person can have in Christ in the face of this nasty disease. Marshall speaks "from the inside" as it were so it gives the book weight.
September 7, 2022
An interesting look at one man's view of living with Cancer.
Being a Christian gave him much to hang on to during the time he was under its control, and he gives insight to some passages that he used to keep himself moving forward, rather than getting stuck in the rut of feeling miserable.
It's certainly an interesting view on living and coping with the 'Big C'...
Being a Christian gave him much to hang on to during the time he was under its control, and he gives insight to some passages that he used to keep himself moving forward, rather than getting stuck in the rut of feeling miserable.
It's certainly an interesting view on living and coping with the 'Big C'...
March 18, 2025
You cannot really write about something unless you have experienced it and that is true for my review of this book Beyond the Big C by Jeremy Marshall.
Just 76 pages in total but it contains so much truth that I felt like shouting from every page "that's the way I felt!".
Jeremy takes you through from his initial diagnosis of finding a lump on his ribs in 2012, to surgery and radiotherapy then 3 years later finding more tumours in different parts of his body.
Jeremy writes with such honesty and reflection as second time around he was told it was terminal. His emotions, feelings, thoughts and expression of faith are so very real and I found this not comforting as such but just so incredibly honest. Throughout the book you get this incredible awareness of his faith in view of his diagnosis. I found it all so much like my own story - from telling people or not wanting to say anything, from trying to convey to people my thoughts and feelings about the diagnosis and even in reflection after surgery wondering what would happen next. There is this overriding awareness that someday he would die but then we all are going to die, it is just for some of us it might be sooner than we think possible or want it to be. Having an awareness of life ending soon makes your priorities change and you do have time to reflect on what is important or rather who is important because throughout this book Jeremy demonstrates how his faith in Christ gives him hope. At the end of the day that is all that really matters - one day we will meet Christ face to face.
You see there is one person who faced death and lived to speak about it - that is Jesus. If we want to know what death will be like, how the resurrected body will be then we can ask him. Having God's presence in our lives going through such an experience really makes a massive difference - there is a peace and calm in your life that only you as the sufferer can know. It is hard for those watching on as they really do not have a concept of the thoughts that go through your mind at each stage of the journey and it is for those people we fear the most, not ourselves.
I read this book prior to my own lung cancer diagnosis and then read it again 1 year after surgery so my perspective changed at each reading. From watching my own mother die with cancer, then cousins from both my family and my husbands to actually having cancer does change your perspectives and I think deepened my faith - I would thoroughly recommend this book!
Just 76 pages in total but it contains so much truth that I felt like shouting from every page "that's the way I felt!".
Jeremy takes you through from his initial diagnosis of finding a lump on his ribs in 2012, to surgery and radiotherapy then 3 years later finding more tumours in different parts of his body.
Jeremy writes with such honesty and reflection as second time around he was told it was terminal. His emotions, feelings, thoughts and expression of faith are so very real and I found this not comforting as such but just so incredibly honest. Throughout the book you get this incredible awareness of his faith in view of his diagnosis. I found it all so much like my own story - from telling people or not wanting to say anything, from trying to convey to people my thoughts and feelings about the diagnosis and even in reflection after surgery wondering what would happen next. There is this overriding awareness that someday he would die but then we all are going to die, it is just for some of us it might be sooner than we think possible or want it to be. Having an awareness of life ending soon makes your priorities change and you do have time to reflect on what is important or rather who is important because throughout this book Jeremy demonstrates how his faith in Christ gives him hope. At the end of the day that is all that really matters - one day we will meet Christ face to face.
You see there is one person who faced death and lived to speak about it - that is Jesus. If we want to know what death will be like, how the resurrected body will be then we can ask him. Having God's presence in our lives going through such an experience really makes a massive difference - there is a peace and calm in your life that only you as the sufferer can know. It is hard for those watching on as they really do not have a concept of the thoughts that go through your mind at each stage of the journey and it is for those people we fear the most, not ourselves.
I read this book prior to my own lung cancer diagnosis and then read it again 1 year after surgery so my perspective changed at each reading. From watching my own mother die with cancer, then cousins from both my family and my husbands to actually having cancer does change your perspectives and I think deepened my faith - I would thoroughly recommend this book!
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews