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If Love Could Heal
Leigh Ramsey
“Brother, if love could heal, you’d be healed right this second.”
Those words of encouragement and blessing, spoken by Pastor Rob Futral to Roosevelt Greenwood,
inspired the title of the book, If Love Could Heal. In the book, Mr. Greenwood, of Madison, Mississippi,
and his wife, Shay, share how their family survived a battle with stage four cancer.
In the summer of 2016, Mr. and Mrs.
Greenwood decided to go to the gym together.
After a round of weightlifting, Roosevelt noticed
a pain in his leg. Many methods were used to try
and help Roosevelt get some relief, but the pain
would not go away. His chiropractor suggested
that he get an MRI. Shay dropped Roosevelt off
for the procedure, while she left to teach a Bible
study, not realizing the gravity of the news she’d
soon be receiving.
Everyone assumed Roosevelt would hear that
he had a slipped disc or needed back surgery.
When she returned from the Bible study, the
doctor told Mrs. Greenwood, “Shay, Roosevelt
has cancer.” Specifically, prostate cancer.
Shay shared that busy days of being a
stay-at-home mom, homeschooling her children,
being an entrepreneur, and running her husband
to multiple appointments in search of answers
about the pain in his leg, had made her grow
weary. But this diagnosis of stage 4 metastatic
prostate cancer made that melt away. She had
been reading Fervent, by Priscilla Shirer. The book
prepared Mrs. Greenwood for her reaction to the
diagnosis. She immediately began to pray. Her
prayers included thankfulness for what God was
going to do through this trial. She was confident
God would use it for His glory and for the
family’s good, despite the horrible circumstances.
Mr. and Mrs. Greenwood knew they needed
to tell their five children. Bria, Chandler, Noah,
Jacob, and Adam, came to the hospital and were
given the news of their father’s diagnosis. The
children wanted to tell their friends. Roosevelt
and Shay were very open to people knowing,
because they knew that meant people would be
praying. Shay spoke about how important that
mindset was for helping them to persevere. “So
many people isolate themselves, when they get
a cancer diagnosis,” Shay continued. “I cannot
tell you how many messages we have received
over the past three years from people who aren’t
being open with anyone about what’s going on.”
Hometown MADISON • 17