Letter from our friend Chris Pitt
UPDATE: Chris died at 2.45pm on Tuesday, 27th April 2010. There will be a Thanksgiving service at Holy Trinity Platt at 1.30pm on Friday, 7th May. All are most welcome.
8th April 2010
Dear Friends,
I wanted to write to you all again at this time because I have just received the news that the treatment of my leukaemia is no longer working and the doctors tell me I have only a short time left, so the emphasis is on managing my symptoms and making me comfortable.
I want to thank the church for all your prayers and support throughout my life and particularly during my illness. I would ask you to continue to pray for me – God is still great and He can do amazing things in my life, even in this short time. Specifically, please pray for my family (that they will know the comfort of God’s love), the doctors (that they will make wise decisions) and me, that my witness and my actual death will proclaim the gospel and bring glory to God.
Please be assured and encouraged that I still believe everything that I wrote in my letter last summer and, whilst my situation is very sad, I remain emotionally and spiritually strong, in the certain knowledge that I am going to be with the Lord. I know that God is good and sovereign over all things and what’s happening to me doesn’t change that. Although from our perspective it may seem like my life has been cut short, the reality is that God’s timing is perfect and He has appointed my days (Psalm 139:16).
I have had a lot of time to reflect and, looking back, I can see how God prepared me for the path ahead. During my illness I have experienced many blessings and many good things have come out of this time, including meeting new – now close – friends and learning the reality of the peace of God, which passes all understanding (Philippians 4:7).
I made a number of plans for my life but God, in His sovereignty, took me in a different direction. His plan is perfect and so, although being ill has been hard at times and I may not fully understand what is going on and why, I know God is in complete control and His purposes will be achieved.
None of us knows what tomorrow holds, so it is important that we make sure we know we are in a right relationship with God; we must make our calling and election sure (2 Pet 1:3-10)
On a personal note, I would ask you to continue to lovingly support my family.
My greatest comfort at this time is the knowledge that I don’t have to do anything to earn acceptance with God. My salvation is a gift from Him, who has done everything for me. He has saved me by grace through faith in the Lord Jesus, who lived the life I couldn’t live, died the death I should have died, rose again and is alive today (Ephesians 2:1-10).
I am secure in the knowledge that He will take me to be with Him for all eternity. I trust that one day I will see you again and we will live forever with the Lord.
Yours in Christ,
Chris Pitt
(Ephesians 1:3-14)
Apr 12, 2010
Yes Yes mate, course I’ll pray for you man, is there anything else I can do for ya? let me know. You can also reach me on 07825048184
inabit magicalpitto
Apr 13, 2010
I was deeply touched by your letter and have asked members of Ivy Manchester Church to also pray for you and your family at this time. Take heart. Love. xx
Apr 13, 2010
“God is not haphazard. He planned you with great precision, custom made, one of a kind, to exact specifications. God already knows what is going to happen to you so you can trust Him to bring good out of it. You are not an accident and nothing accidental is going to happen to you.”
The above are some words I found jotted in a journal – not sure where they came from.
To a small degree I understand how you feel, its amazing to have that peace of God which does surpass all understanding.
I’m currently on the liver transplant list but as you say we know how we feel its our families and friends that find it harder looking on.
I’m not working so have plenty of time during the day to pray. Chris I’m glad our paths crossed at HMEC and we will meet again whether it be here or in heaven when there will be no pain or suffering.
I pray God continues to bless you
with my love Denise Lamberth
Apr 13, 2010
Your life has challenged me more than you will ever know Chris.
Bless you x Jo
Apr 13, 2010
I have no words to express what effect reading your letter has done to my heart. Your a special and amazing young man, may the love of God continue to comfort you and this family. All things are possible with god! xxx
Apr 13, 2010
Undoubtedly this has brought God’s glory and it can not be denied that what has happened has brought a lot of other people close to God. It is hard to understand at times why God chooses you, but be assured, as hard as it is living what the doctors believe to be your last few weeks, heaven will be amazing. No more pain, sadness, injustice, death, sickness, suffering. And we will see you again one day and be with you for eternity with our Lord.
Love always xxx
Apr 13, 2010
Chris you won’t know me but we are both friends of katies and I have leukaemia also. Your story is extremely inspiring and your optimistic outlook on the time you’ve had is so brave, it really puts into perspective what I’ve taken for granted. I wish you the best for the time you have left, may our prayers be with your family.
Apr 13, 2010
God has used you in many ways, to touch many people, Chris. Your story is such a testimony to how we should behave in our lives- and in our death. God bless you and be with you, and continue to fill your every desire in each passing moment. He has told us that our lives are like vapors in the wind, but our souls… they shall go on, thanks to Him, and the love He shared allowing Himself to be nailed to a cross. I will see you in heaven, and until then I will pray for you and your loved ones.
In His grip,
Katy
Apr 14, 2010
Our love and prayers are with you and your family Chris. We don’t know why this has happened but God had a purpose for your life and when you go to be with the Lord, that has been fulfilled.
Im doing a 22 mile swim to raise money for The Christie after being inspired by Chris. If you are interested in finding out more you can look on the facebook group ‘Katie swims 22 miles for Leukaemia’ and you can ask me anything on there!
If you would like to sponsor me for this challenge, please visit http://www.justgiving.com/Katie-Bailey Thanks, x
Apr 14, 2010
Hey mate, just wanted to say that whatever happens you’ve left a great legacy behind. You’ve certainly left your mark on everyone around you and your life has been a great example to follow.
Big Love
Danny Challis
Apr 16, 2010
Chris
I don’t know you, but reading your letters has made me want to know your God.
Thank you.
Apr 19, 2010
I don’t have words to express what I’m feeling,just that I admire you’re strenght and faith…for me you are an angel put on this earth to wake us all!!!
God gaves us this address like a summer camp to see if we are up to it and then we go back…I’ve been there and a light told me to stay on this Camp for a while like you I believe,like you i fight ,like you I love,like you I had a cancer…You know what? With you I stand !With you I’ll be forever and ever!
I’m Tom’s friend and your guardian!!!
Bless u are already,warrior you’ll be!
Apr 24, 2010
It’s been the most wonderful privilege to be your friend. I thank God so much for bringing you into my life and for all that we have shared together. But most importantly, I thank God that in His mercy He saved us both, so I know that this is not the end of our friendship, it’s just a temporary separation.
I look forward all the more to the day when we will be reunited in the Lord’s presence to enjoy Him and adore Him forevermore.
Death is the last enemy and Jesus has defeated it. In Christ we are victorious.
Thank you for being my wonderful friend, I will miss you.
All my love,
Becky xxx
Apr 27, 2010
Seeing you go today Chris – breaks my my heart, but I believe in the promise of Romans 8:28 that all things together work for the good of those who believe in him! Unforunately, I was never like all the privilge ones who actually got to meet the great man himself, but I was able to write to Chris and pray for him reguarly! The letter you sent me Chris – is going to stay with me for ever.
I’m going to miss you loads -but I know I’m going to see you in heaven! I can’t wait to see you Chris, and I thank God so much that Jesus Chris defeated death on the cross, and so we have nothing to fear.
Your a true inspiration to me, you have touched my heart in so many ways. Seeing you go today just before your 20th birthday- has made me see, that as you said in your letter, you never lived the life that Jesus lived, and so I’m going to live your life and my life in one! I’m going to try to make up for your life, by telling loads of people about Jesus, and just praying that God would save many many people.
I love you Chris – God bless you, and cant wait to see you in heaven.
George
Apr 28, 2010
Hi Chris,
I have great sympathy for you and the situation you find yourself in. I have even greater empathy for those you are leaving behind as I lost both my parents to cancer.
However I believe you are delusional.
While you and others may well think I am disrespectful I only seek open and honest discussion.
My first question is how do you know there is even a God, let alone one who even knows of your existence? Assuming there is a God, how do you know the Christian God is the right on? Maybe somewhere along the line the people writing the Bible you like to quote lied, and, like a snowball rolling down a mountain, it got bigger and bigger over time.
My final question is, does life ever after appeal to you? Frankly I can’t stand the thought of it. My personal belief, for which I have no proof, is that, like all matter and energy, the parts that make up our bodies and souls are broken up and reused by other life and systems in the universe. I like the simple elegant nature of this idea and how we can see it happening all around us ever day.
I hope you are kept comfortable and you, and any others, see this not as an attack but as an opportunity for discussion.
Lucas
May 03, 2010
This is an amazing and touching testimony – a real challenge and inspiration to all of us – and shows the power of God in the life of Chris.
In light of this I’d like to try to answer Lucas’ questions:
Before even exploring religion, the natural order and beauty of the visible world (such as the awesomeness of unspoiled scenery, the intricacy of newborn babies) suggests to many the existence of some kind of creating-being, and it is only logical that a creator knows what he/she/it has created (and that he/she/it also loves this creation – we know this from our human experience of making/producing things). People also experience God speaking and acting in their lives, guiding, comforting and strengthening, and Christians experience this more and more through the Bible, as they get to know more of Jesus, God’s son, who said “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father” (John 14 verse 9).
Jesus is a true historical figure – he really existed – and C S Lewis says we have to decide whether we think he was telling the truth or whether he was a lunatic. The books of the Bible have been around for a long time in the same form (modern versions are translated from old Hebrew & Greek versions, rather than being “updated” from the last translation). Scholars estimate Mark’s gospel – one of the eyewitness accounts of Jesus’ life – to have been written ~64AD, which is pretty close to the time Jesus was actually around (and therefore more reliable – if it was nonsense people would have been around who remembered and would presumably have suppressed it). The Old Testament has been around much longer – Jews around the time of Jesus (including Jesus himself) read it – and there are lots of references in it which point to the coming of a Saviour/Messiah figure, a descendent of King David. These prophecies (throughout Psalms, books of the prophets etc. – a quick internet search will bring up many) are fulfilled in Jesus, whom we know from the New Testament accounts came from the line of David (see genealogies in Matthew 1 and Luke 3), who suffered and was rejected (see any of the gospel accounts!) etc.
To answer your final question – life as we know it would be pretty awful if we had to endure it for eternity – but this isn’t the life that Jesus promises. Revelation 21 (for example) tells us of the new heaven and new earth that God will create – and how much better this new life will be than the life we know now! “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” (verses 3-4) And this amazing new and everlasting life is available to everyone as soon as we accept Jesus.