We all have a story….this is Cindy’s Story

Meet Cindy Harris—a woman known for her hugs, her contagious joy, and her unshakable trust in God. After hearing the words no one wants to hear, Cindy chose to face cancer with courage, purpose, and faith.

Written by Grow Teamer, Justeen Hill (Interviewed conducted 5/28/2026)

“Wait! How will I know you?,” I asked as I was setting up a chat with Cindy Harris for the first time.

“I’ll be in a hat cuz I have no hair,” she said unashamedly.

Ok then.  I’ll look for a lady in a hat.  A spitfire in a hat at that…

Excuse the double negatives, but no one should not know a woman named Cindy Harris aka “Grandma Cindy”.  I figured that out from the moment she met me and hugged me.  Me–a non-hugger.  And she thought nothing of it.

Cindy is a fighter.  She’s a motivator. She’s a lover of people.  She’s a lover of God.  I could stop there, but let me share more about her life…her story.  This is Cindy’s Story–in part.

She and her significant other, Scott, were long-time attendees of another church where they met weekly at our High Street location.  The news hit her hard one Sunday when her pastor announced the quick closure of the church at that location.  The good news shared was that another church would be relocating on High Street.  (Hope City Church)

It was Scott’s urging that they give the new church a try.  “I’m not going!” Cindy declared.  But finally softened and said, “I’ll go one Sunday and that’s it!”  

She looked across the table at me and said, almost defiantly, “I went one Sunday and I fell in love with Q!”  And that was 10 years ago…and she followed the declaration with a smile.

Cindy’s grandmother brought her to church faithfully as a little girl and she almost speaks of regret for not having an “ah-ha!” moment when she got saved, but her trust is completely in the Lord.  Her faith is unwavering.  Regardless of not having that “one moment in time” when many believers share their salvation experiences…

Cindy speaks adoringly of her children, her grandchildren, and even great grandchildren ... .in fact, she interrupted our little get together to take an incoming call from her great grandson…promising she would be at his ballgame later…

Cindy’s journey–like most of our journeys–contains loss.  One of the most significant losses was when her father died a few years ago.  Cindy’s eyes glazed over when recalling the time she said “goodbye” to him. She remembers asking God,”How do I get through this life without my dad?”  Her dad was the head of the family.  The patriarch.  The fixer of everything. Her comfort and joy.  And then the realization came that her earthly father was a representative of her Heavenly Father.  And her Heavenly Father was going nowhere.  She had Him.  She had God.  And He would be enough.

Along her faith journey came a diagnosis that none of us hopes to hear.  Cindy was no exception.  It was in 2000 when she was told she had breast cancer. She was told she had 2-5 years.  I asked her, “Do you remember how you felt when given that news?”  She said, without hesitation, “I said ‘watch me!’”  

Her children watched her.  Her grandchildren watched her.  And the Lord was with her.

Cindy fought the fight and while she did, she kept active at Hope City. In the Welcome Center.  As a greeter.  In Kid’s City.  As a prayer warrior.  Even fought valiantly with political organizations like the National Breast Cancer Coalition, visiting D.C. for eight years to help get major bills passed in the area of cancer research and women’s health care.  She sat with biologists and scientists who were instrumental in the ongoing quest for cancer’s cure.

And then the cancer came back. In her brain. Her liver. Her spine. Her hips. Her sternum. Her bones.

The mood shifted when she shared this, pointing to her body parts that contained the god-awful disease.  

But then she softly said, “What do I have to be afraid of? It’s a win-win situation.  If I stay, I stay.  If I go, I go to Heaven.  I have no fear of death.”  (For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. Philippians 1:21.)

Wow.  Just wow.

She went on to tell me how she works and comforts others who have been given a similar diagnosis.  When worry sets in with those she’s befriending (or anger or fear or despair), she’ll tell them, “You are telling God you don’t believe what He told you.”

“You need to trust…faith is good, but trust is everything,” Cindy said unwaveringly.

What more could I ask her?  Nothing more.  Because before me was not only a woman of faith.  She was a woman of trust.  

Trusting the plan.  Trusting the promises.  Trusting the timing.  Trusting God.

Oh, may I be like Cindy Harris. Oh, may we all be…

“This is my story
This is my song
Praising my Savior
All the day long..."

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