Dad--Letter 1 and 2

Yesterday, 02/17/2010, my beautiful wife of many, many years, was diagnosed with colon cancer. Like all of us whom God has blessed with good health for so long, I never thought I’d hear the dreaded “c” word pertain to me or someone in my immediate family. It was a bit like being kicked in the stomach by a bull. It is almost surreal and you just want to wake up to a normal day and go play a normal sorry game of golf. But it’s there, and it’s real, and it’s inescapable.

The ride home was difficult, to say the least. I think it’s the only time we both had a hard time choking the tears back and it was difficult to talk about. But talk we did. The diagnosis was not totally unexpected, and we had both prayed that the Lord would keep us from fear if the news was bad. He honored that prayer. Though there was shock, there was no fear or dread. By the time we got home we were getting our emotions back in order and already getting phone calls from friends who were already praying for us. We talked to each other, talked to God and talked to friends, and , believe it or not, we were feeling good and excited to go to our Celebrate Recovery (a Scriptural based recovery program for hurts, habits & hang up that we are ministry leads) meeting and share with them. I’ve attached the message she sent to her sisters this morning which is almost word for word the message she shared last night. All I can say is that I have an awesome wife who has an awesome God.

This morning, I can honestly say that we are doing great. We both slept well last night and woke up feeling blessed, optimistic, and ready for the journey …… wherever it leads. This is not the power of positive thinking. We both realize there will be tough days ahead at best and that the outcome may not be what we hope and pray for. But we have two prayers besides healing ….. that the Lord will keep us from the greatest enemy, fear; and most of all that Jesus Christ will be honored as we go through this.

Yesterday morning, before we went to the procedure, I did my morning devotion in a little thing called, Dailey Bread. The scripture was from Isaiah 43. Verses 1 & 2 kept sticking out at me, but I did not want to hear it. I wanted more to hear something like Isa 53:5b, “…by His stripes we are healed.” But after the diagnosis, these verses have become my life verses.
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by your name;
You are mine. (emphasis mine)
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you.
When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned…”

That was written to Israel, but it’s meant for us as well. As we take the journey through the rising waters and the fire, these are great promises. Jesus Christ is our strength, and He will be with us through this… no matter how it turns out. He knows us and calls us by our name. Why be afraid?
rks


02/19/2010
This is the second full day after the diagnosis. The Lord has been very gracious with encouragement, both from Himself and from friends, even from Beijing. But the two enemies, discouragement and fear, are lurking out there. It’s like they’re hiding behind a tree, patiently waiting their opportunity to pounce. I see their evil heads poking out occasionally. But as long as they see Jesus, not only beside me, but in me; they know they have no power. The Daily Bread for this morning was James 1:1-11. “…count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.” That’s a verse I’ve read hundreds of times, even memorized; but it has new meaning this morning. I guess that’s what is meant by “the living Word”. In the devotion, Bill Crowder said, “…Life’s most profound lesions cannot be observed, they must be experienced.” We have an amazing God.
rks