Ten years ago the Preacher was diagnosed with West Nile Neurological Disease. Five years ago, colon cancer, stage four, followed. This summer marks the point where he will be declared officially in remission. We鈥檙e so grateful.
During the cancer journey, I wrote these words to praying friends:
鈥淧salm 20:7 reads, 鈥淪ome trust in horses, and some in chariots, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.鈥� For the follower of Jesus Christ living with a diagnosis of cancer, that verse could read, (my paraphrase), 鈥淪ome find their hope in distinguished doctors, and some in noted clinics, and others in the power of chemotherapy. But our highest and most certain hope is placed in our all-knowing, all-seeing, all-powerful, always loving God!鈥�
鈥淟iving with West Nile, as patient and caregiver, God has reminded us that he is completely trustworthy. Along the cancer journey too, we trust him to direct. To send wisdom. To provide courage. To send companions. To bring peace in times of distress. To make us willing to be humbled, hurt, and all hollowed out of ourselves, so that we鈥檙e free to know him and be used by him in new and deeper ways. And to do as he sees fit, always for his glory. That last one is our most frequent prayer.
鈥淭his sustains us: God always heals his followers. Not always now. Not always here. But healing always comes, and through various ways. Our Father is creative. Sometimes he uses time, sometimes medicine, sometimes miracles, and sometimes through 鈥渕ovin鈥� us on up鈥� 鈥� but God always heals his kids, one way or another. Our role in cancer and life follows the steps listed in a beloved old hymn. 鈥淭rust and obey, for there鈥檚 no other way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey!鈥�
鈥淚n spite of the unknown and scary possibilities, Rick says that sometimes this feels exciting. 鈥榃hat part of this do you find exciting?鈥� I asked him when he told me that, just now. 鈥楾he whole thing,鈥� he said. 鈥楢nd I can鈥檛 say why I feel it鈥檚 exciting 鈥� I just do.鈥� He doesn鈥檛 always feel well enough to show it, but apparently something鈥檚 bubbling in there!
鈥淢y editor chose the subtitle 鈥極ne Couple鈥檚 Triumph over a Deadly Disease鈥� for our 2009 book, West Nile Diary. I recall I argued with him a bit because, believe me, there were many days during (and since) the outset of our West Nile journey that I wouldn鈥檛 have described as triumphant. Today, I look back and see the road we鈥檝e travelled, and find I can鈥檛 argue: God has indeed brought triumph through that mosquito 鈥� but not ours. His. And that鈥檚 altogether exciting. What鈥檚 beginning to excite me, permeate my tiredness and weakness and concern for my husband, is that we don鈥檛 have to be strong. We can relax and leave that role to Jesus, the only strong one in the room.鈥�
If cancer or any serious illness has invaded your life, you鈥檙e in our prayers.
