Thoughts on surgery day

2 Corinthians 4:17-18 (ESV)

17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

Today is the day that I had surgery following the suspicious nature of my post thyroid cancer follow up. None of us like to hear the word “cancer” when getting a report from the doctor. After hearing the possibility, I dove into God’s word for the comfort that I needed.  Here are some thoughts God gave me.

Cancer is so limited...it cannot cripple love. It cannot shatter hope. It cannot corrode faith. It cannot destroy peace. It cannot kill friendship. It cannot suppress memories. It cannot invade the soul. It cannot steal eternal life. It cannot conquer the spirit.

I love those words. They beautifully reflect the truth found in God's Word. Paul, facing physical challenges, could say with confidence, "We ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure" (2 Corinthians 4:7). The apostle, like you or someone you know, experienced suffering as an ever-present companion. Yet he chose to "fix his gaze on things that cannot be seen".

Paul's faith and confidence flowed from the treasure within him - God's transforming power - and the future that awaited him - eternity with Jesus. He knew that when this life was over he would be forever in God's presence, where there will be "no more death or sorrow or crying or pain" (Revelation 21:4).

When suffering comes, we can pour out our hearts to. He is with us in our pain. We can worship Him when He chooses to heal and when He chooses not to heal. But no limited thing like disease or suffering can ever separate us from His love. An ultimate healing, as Christian composer Wayne Watson puts it, lies just ahead. Today, fix your eyes on what can't be seen - what an awesome, breathtaking view!

Dear Lord, we thank You that You are in control of everything. Give us the strength to look ahead knowing that the view is awesome. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

Do you love your neighbor as yourself?

Luke 10:27  (ESV)

And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.”

In March 1992, Jeff and Kristi Leeland of Seattle, Washington found out that their baby boy Michael had cancer and needed a bone marrow transplant. Little Michael's older sister Amy was a perfect match, but the cost of the operation was $200,000 and Michael needed to have the transplant done within 90 days to live. To make things worse, Jeff's insurance, at the junior high where he taught, did not cover the procedure.

Fellow teacher Joe Kennedy told his class about Mr. Leeland's situation. Dameon, a seventh grade boy who walked with a limp and struggled in special education classes, heard about little Michael and visited the Leeland home.

"Mr. Leeland, don't make a big deal out of this. If your baby's in trouble, I want to help out."

Dameon, the kid others teased, reached out his hand and stuffed 12 five-dollar bills into Jeff's hand. It was Dameon's life savings.

Word got out about "Dameon's gift." Some kids organized a walk-a-thon. Others contacted a local newspaper. Others held a car wash. Soon, the kids' wave of compassion poured out across Seattle. By late May, area TV stations picked up the story. The response from the news stories was overwhelming. Only four weeks after Dameon's gift of $60, the Michael Leeland Fund totaled over $220,000.

Michael got the marrow transplant. He lived. Dameon, the boy who gave sacrificially so another could live, accepted Jesus Christ as his Savior after becoming close with Michael's family. Having struggled for years with physical problems of his own, Dameon died from complications after he got an infection in one of his legs.

Michael Leeland lives on to tell Dameon's story, the unlikely hero, who gave his all to save the life of another and in the process, he received life everlasting.

Do you love your neighbor as yourself?

Dear Lord, help us to not sin against our neighbor and seek to love them as You would have us to love them. In the Name of Jesus, Amen. 

Good news Bad news

Galatians 1:3-5  (ESV)

3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, 4 who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, 5 to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

I read a story that has good news and bad news.

Although that expression is often a fact of life for many of us, for Stacie Crimm it was a definite reality.

The bad news was Crimm had been told she couldn't have children.

That is why at the age of 41 she was surprised to find out she was pregnant with the child she had always wanted. You see there was bad news and good news ...

and bad news.

That came when, a few months into her pregnancy, Crimm was told she had cancer of the neck and head. For her there was a choice. Either she could have the treatment that would save her life and end her unborn child's life, or she could try to carry her child and forfeit her chance for a long life.

She opted to forego the treatment and give her child a chance for life.

Stacie Crimm died on September 11th. Before she did, from a hospital bed, she had the opportunity of holding her tiny, baby girl -- Dottie Mae.

No matter what you may or may not have done in this lady's place, the truth is this: one person died so another might live.

This, of course, is the story of our Savior. As St. Paul said, we have grace and peace because -- according to God's will and promise -- Jesus gave Himself as the ransom price to save us from our sins and deliver us from a whole wealth of worldly evils.

Sacrificing your child for someone else is probably not what you would have done, but it is the course our Lord took so that we might be saved.

Now I don't know as Dottie Mae grows up how she will feel about that which her mother has done. I pray that as you grow in your faith that you may become ever more appreciative of the gift of life, which is yours because Jesus Christ died so you might live.

Dear Lord, today we want to show our "appreciation" and "thanksgiving" for what You have done for each one of us.  Help us take the time to share Your great love with those that are in our path today. In the Name, of Jesus, Amen.

Will you consider going back home to Him?

Luke 15:17 (ESV)

 “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father's hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger!

A family in Texas was facing unimaginable odds. Mom was expecting a baby in two weeks, but dad was dying. The year before he had been diagnosed with colon cancer, and although surgery and chemotherapy were considered successful, ten months later he began experiencing a breathing problems, and two months after that, he was so sick that he was admitted to the hospital and diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis. The cause? More than likely, the very chemotherapy that had saved his life.

Thirteen days later, the news grew even grimmer. His condition was fatal, he had only five to six days left to live. His baby wasn’t due for another two weeks. He would never get to see his baby girl.

Dad had only one wish, a wish so dear to him that it touched mom’s heart: “I’d like to see my baby”.

Mom requested to have her baby induced two weeks early, and the procedure was scheduled. Dad and mom lay next to each other during the delivery, dad in one bed, mom in another. As soon as the baby girl was born, she was placed in her father’s arms. He wept as he held her, and the next forty-five minutes must have been the most special in his life. But then exhaustion stepped in, and he had to relinquish his baby.

Due to his weakened condition, dad was only able to hold the baby twice over the next two days, and then, only for a few minutes each time. Sadly, when the tiny baby was just two days old, dad slipped peacefully into a coma and passed away two days later.

There was another father who was dying to see his child. In this case, his child had wandered away from home with his part of his inheritance. Dad had no idea where his son was, but he walked up the hill daily to scan the horizon. “Maybe today will be the day when I will see my son again!” He never gave up to this ardent wish, and year in and year out, he scanned the horizon for this prodigal son.

After spending all his money on wild living, he found himself feeding pigs, longing to be able to eat even the pods these pigs were eating.

“I will set out and go back to my father . . .” (Luke 15:18a) He is my father after all! “. . . And say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. . .” (Luke 15:18b) I truly have missed the mark! I thought I had it all in control. Look at me now: feeder of pigs! What kind of control did I truly ever have? My waywardness was truly a rebellion against my dad and his reign.

Wow! Have we ever realized that ourselves?

“I am no longer worthy to be called your son . . . ” (Luke 15:19a)

None of us truly are! Even our meager sacrifices are insignificant compared to what Jesus did for us on the cross!

“. . . Make me like one of your hired men.” (Luke 15:19b)

Even if I could be just a fly on the wall in my Father’s kingdom, I would be truly completely satisfied!

Sooner or later we all realize this fact: We may imagine that we are in total control, but our controlling nature is really a rebellion against the authority of our Father in heaven! We are either a Christian who gives all authority to God, or we are wasting our time performing our weekly pew-warming activities.

We cannot just accept Jesus as our Savior without accepting Him as our Master (Lord) as well. Just like we can’t drive a car without gasoline (or other technical advances in this aspect)! The “it’s MY car!” philosophy will not help keep the vehicle moving. We have to accept the fact that it can only function with gas.

What can we expect, when we give ourselves, just as we are, with all our imperfections, over to the will of God?

“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.” (Luke 15:20b)

There was a great celebration right then and there! The only thing this wayward son had ever done right was to simply go home! Going home means we accept the sovereignty of our Father. We understand that He truly cares for us, despite what our opinions may have been during our wilder days.

Let’s remember that this same son had turned his back on his dad in favor of wild living, a living that was diametrically opposed to his father’s wishes. However Dad never opposed him. Opposing would only have made matters worse. Instead Dad kept on praying for his wayward son to come back home. And after years of patient waiting, His prayers were, indeed, answered.

Your loving Heavenly Father is also scanning the horizon from His hill, looking for you. His only wish is for you to come back home and hold you in His arms.

How much does He love you? So much that He was willing to die for you on a cross.

Will you consider going back home to Him?

Dear Lord, thank You for dying for us. We thank You that even when we stray You are there looking for us to come back. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Wealth and Power vs Relationship

Ecclesiastes 2:26 (NIV)

To the person who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

Prior to his death from cancer at age 40 in March 1991, Republican campaign manager Lee Atwater was one of the most admired and hated men in American politics. His greatest accomplishment was guiding Vice President George Bush to a comeback victory over Democratic nominee Michael Dukakis in 1988. Bush's comeback was partially the result of Atwater's skillful use of "attack" television commercials directed at Dukakis' record as governor of Massachusetts.

But soon after his cancer was detected in the summer of 1990, Lee became a Christian. He said: "I've found Jesus Christ - It's that simple. He's made a difference, and I'm glad I've found Him while there's still time." Atwater spent much of his remaining life publicly apologizing for his attacks.

Reflecting on the past, Atwater said: "The eighties were about acquiring: wealth, power, and prestige. I know. I acquired more wealth and power and prestige than most. But you can acquire all you want and still feel empty." He continued: "It took a deadly illness to put me eye to eye with that truth, but it is a truth that the country, caught up in its ruthless ambitions and moral decay, can learn on my dime."

Wealth and power disappear quickly. But our relationship with the Lord lasts throughout eternity.

Dear Lord, we want to give our selfish ambition over to You. Help us seek to know You more intimately each and every day. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

By His Wounds We Are Healed.

1 Peter 2:24 (NIV)

“He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.”

About 400 AD, Augustine, during his pastoral ministry, came to know a woman in Carthage named Innocentia. A devout woman and highly regarded, she tragically discovered that she had breast cancer. A physician told her the disease was incurable. She could opt for amputation and possibly prolong her life a little, or she could follow the advice of Hippocrates and do nothing. Either way, death would not be put off for long.

Augustine reports: Dismayed by this diagnosis, "She turned for help to God alone, in prayer." In a dream, Innocentia was told to wait at the baptistery for the first woman who came out after being baptized, and to ask this woman to make the sign of the cross over the cancerous breast. Innocentia did as she was told, and she was completely cured.

When she told her doctor what had happened, he responded with a contemptuous tone, "I thought you would reveal some great discovery to me!" Then, seeing her horrified look, he backpedaled, saying, "What great thing was it for Christ to heal a cancer? He raised a man who had been dead for four days."

Through Christ's wounds, we are healed from the death sentence of sin.

Dear Lord, we give thanks to You for Your sacrifice for our sins. We thank You for given Your life on the cruel cross for each of us. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

God Can Use Everything.

Romans 8:28 (NIV)

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Regina (Regi) Langworthy was a teen-age bride, and a mother by her eighteenth birthday. At 19, she had already divorced, and by age 21, she had been diagnosed with cervical cancer. "What a start on life!" she says. Regi loved children and had wanted more. But it was not to be. The next several years were difficult as she worked at low-paying jobs and endured several surgeries. But her love for her little boy kept her going.

Then, things began to look more hopeful. Regi celebrated her 30th birthday cancer-free. And soon after, "I met the most wonderful man, and we married two years later," she says. "John Copenhaver had never been married, and had no children, and he knew that we would be unable to have any." It was a sorrow for both of them, but they accepted the situation.

Shortly after the wedding, Regi's brother became terminally ill, so Regi, John and her son moved to Florida to help support the family. By the time Regi's brother died, they had put down roots in the area, and decided to stay. Because Regi loved children so much, she opened a home-based day care for kids from newborn age to five years old, who were already in temporary protective custody. "Their parents were usually in drug and alcohol rehab," says Regi. "A lot of the time, abuse was also involved. It was both wonderful and heartbreaking to work with these children. The hardest part was releasing them to go back to abusive families. Many would return to protective services again and again."

Regi's day care business grew quickly. Along with her talent and love for these children, she was also open around the clock! ("From being a single mom, I realized that there were times when you have to work nights, and I usually had four steady "over-nighters.") A woman came in to assist in the early afternoons, and John helped in the evenings. "Our weekend outings always included one or more children too," Regi says. "But we didn't mind. We were very attached to all of them."

One morning Regi was asked to go to a shelter and observe a ten-month-old, born addicted to crack and thus developmentally handicapped. "Ivan cried all the time," Regi says. "But there was something in his eyes when he looked at me." Yes, she told the social workers. Although she had never taken a foster child, she would take Ivan. And over the next several months, Ivan learned that there was no need to cry. In his new home, there was love in abundance.

After several months, Ivan was allowed regular visits with his biological mother. But he always returned dirty-and again, crying. How could Regi stand by and watch Ivan's hard-won gains evaporate? God had always been with her as she cared for these special children, but now she prayed even harder that, in some way, this little boy would be saved. And soon her prayers were heard. Ivan's mother returned to drugs, and decided that since the courts would no doubt take him away from her eventually, she would rather give custody to Regi and John instead. "After much paperwork, he became our son!"

During this time, a female family member had left her eleven-month-old girl with Regi, "just temporarily." "Brandi was a chubby little girl who sat and looked through sad eyes, not talking or making any sounds," Regi recalls. Unbelievably, Brandi was eventually freed for adoption too, and she became their daughter!

Today Ivan is almost seventeen, a very normal young man, active in sports and on the honor roll. Brandi is almost sixteen, gets good grades, enjoys sports and is beautiful, says her proud mom. Both have known from the beginning about their backgrounds. All they really needed, says Regi, was security and love.

Regi still battles health problems, but as she looks back, she wouldn't change anything, not even her cancer. "I honestly believe that God knew there would be two babies who would need us as their parents, and He led us to them," she says. "Had I not been sick, I probably would have had a much different life. In its own way, the cancer was actually a blessing."

And in her own way, Regi lived by faith--and has made the world a better place.

Dear Lord, we thank You for the circumstances we go through in our life. We thank You that You can use them to make us into the person that You want us to be. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Lucky Lady and "Lucky" the Dog

2 Corinthians 4:7 (New International Version)

But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.

Mary and her husband Jim had a dog, Lucky. Lucky was a real character. Whenever Mary and Jim had company come for a weekend visit they would warn their friends to not leave their luggage open because Lucky would help himself to whatever struck his fancy. Inevitably someone would forget and something would come up missing. Mary or Jim would go to Lucky's toy box in the basement and there the treasure would be, amid all of Lucky's favorite toys. Lucky always stashed his finds in his toy box and he was very particular that his toys stay in the box.

It happened that Mary found out she had breast cancer. Something told her she was going to die of this disease...she was just sure it was fatal. She scheduled the double mastectomy, fear riding her shoulders. The night before she was to go to the hospital she cuddled with Lucky.

A thought struck her...what would happen to Lucky? Although the three year old dog liked Jim he was Mary's dog through and through. If I die Lucky will be abandoned, Mary thought. He won't understand that I didn't want to leave him. The thought made her sadder than thinking of her own death.

The double mastectomy was harder on Mary than her doctors had anticipated and Mary was hospitalized for over two weeks. Jim took Lucky for his evening walk faithfully, but the dog just drooped, whining and miserable. But finally the day came for Mary to leave the hospital. When she arrived home Mary was so exhausted she couldn't even make it up the steps to her bedroom. Jim made his wife comfortable on the couch and left her to nap.

Lucky stood watching Mary but he didn't come to her when she called. It made Mary sad but sleep soon overcame her and she dozed. When Mary woke for a second she couldn't understand what was wrong. She couldn't move her head and her body felt heavy and hot.

Panic soon gave way to laughter though when Mary realized the problem....she was covered, literally blanketed in every treasure Lucky owned! While she had slept the sorrowing dog had made trip after trip to the basement and back bringing his beloved mistress his favorite things in life. He had covered her with his love. Mary forgot about dying. Instead, she and Lucky began living again, walking further and further together every night.

It's been 12 years now, and Mary is still cancer-free. Lucky? He still steals treasures and stashes them in his toy box, but Mary remains his greatest treasure.

Dear Lord We thank You for making us each a treasure. We pray that those we come in contact with today we would treat them as the treasure that You have made them. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

God Can Use Cancer.

Romans 12:1-2 (New International Version)

 1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Doug and Margaret Nichols have faced their share of obstacles. After surgery for colon cancer in April 1993, Doug sat across from his doctor and listened in disbelief. "I'm sorry, Doug," said the doctor nervously, "but you do have a 30 percent chance of recovery."

"You mean I have a 70 percent chance of dying?" Asked Doug, with a grin.

"I wouldn't put it that way," said a surprised doctor. "But my best estimate is that you have about three months to live."

"Well, let me tell you something, Doc," said Nichols. "Whatever happens, I have a 100 percent chance of going to heaven."

One year later radiation and chemo treatments had left Doug's body wracked with pain. Though he kept his humor well-oiled, both Doug and Margaret knew the end might be near. But their world was not the only one collapsing. Nightly news reports from Rwanda indicated that civil war had spiraled out of control and more than a million people had been slaughtered many by their own neighbors and trusted friends. The carnage was beyond belief. Terrified Rwandans by the thousands had fled across the border into Zaire and crowded into filthy, ill-equipped refugee camps, where diseases such as cholera found a ready home. People were dying everywhere-50,000 in three days alone in the little town of Goma. As Margaret and Doug read the terrible accounts and saw the images on TV, their hearts were broken. But what could one couple do?

"I knew I was going to die," Doug told me, "but I wanted to do something before leaving this earth. I just wanted to hold some of those children in my arms and try to offer hope."

Soon Doug found himself traveling with a team of doctors and nurses through the heart of Rwanda, with no idea of the adventure that lay ahead.

A Rwandan Christian leader whom Doug had worked with before had hired 300 refugees as stretcher bearers to bury the daily masses of dead and transport the sick so doctors could do their best. One day the leader approached Doug with an expression of deep concern. "Mr. Nichols," he said, "we have a problem."

"What is it?" Doug asked.

"I was given only so much money to hire these people, and now they want to go on strike."

"What? In the middle of all this death arid destruction these men want to go on strike?"

"They want more money."

"But we have no more money," Doug informed him "We've spent everything. If they don't work, thousands will die."

His friend shrugged his shoulders. "They're not going to work. They want more money."

"Well, can I talk to them?"

"It won't do any good. They're angry. Who knows what they'll do?"

Finally Doug's friend agreed. Walking over to an old burned-out school building, Doug climbed the steps wondering what on earth he could say. Three hundred angry men surrounded the Rwandan who would act as interpreter. "Mr. Nichols wants to say something," he called above the clamor as Doug desperately searched for words that would get through to them.

"I can't possibly understand the pain you've experienced," Doug began, "and now, seeing your wives and children dying from cholera, I can never understand how that feels. Maybe you want more money for food and water and medical supplies for your families. I've never been in that position either. Nothing tragic has ever happened in my life that compares to what you've suffered. The only thing that's ever happened to me is that I've got cancer."

He was about to go on when the interpreter stopped. "Excuse me," he said, "did you say cancer?"

"Yes."

"And you came over here? Did your doctor say you could come?"

"He told me that if I came to Africa I'd probably be dead in three days."

"Your doctor told you that and you still came? What did you come for? And what if you die?"

"I'm here because God led us to come and do something for these people in His name," Doug told him. "I'm no hero. If I die, just bury me out in that field where you bury everybody else."

To Doug's utter amazement the man began to weep. Then, with tears flowing down his face, he turned back to the workers and began to preach. "This man has cancer," he told the crowd, which suddenly grew very quiet. In Rwanda, cancer is an automatic death sentence. "He came over here willing to die for our people," the interpreter continued, "and we're going on strike just to get a little bit more money? We should be ashamed!"

Suddenly men on all sides began falling to their knees in tears. Doug had no idea what was going on because no one had bothered to translate. To his great embarrassment, one fellow crawled over and threw his arms around Doug's legs. Dumbfounded, Doug watched as people stood to their feet, walked over to their stretchers, and went quietly back to work.

Later, as the interpreter recounted the whole story, Doug thought to himself, what did I do? Nothing. It wasn't my ability to care for the sick. It wasn't my ability to organize. All I did was get cancer. But God used that very weakness to move the hearts of people. Because they went back to work, thousands of lives were saved, and many heard the good news of Jesus Christ.

So many of us are discouraged by weakness, we feel that God could never use us; we have nothing to offer. We can simply obey God and do what He calls us to do-whether we feel we have the ability to do the job or not. Sickness and weakness-those things we think God cannot use-are many times the exact things God uses to glorify His name.

Dear Lord we pray that we would not be discouraged by our weaknesses. We pray that we would look at them as opportunities to do Your work. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.