Wow, What a Testimony!

This is my blog and my wife does not want my blog to be about her.  Today she enters my blog because what happens to her affects me.  So I will share this story with you from my perspective but I am sure you will want to talk with Amy sometime about her feelings.

Monday, June 23rd was post operation day 6 for me.  Amy gets a call on her cell phone in Tampa from her radiologist saying, we did your mamogram about 10 days ago and we would like to repeat it because we see something suspicious.  Well, we both look at each other and think, isn’t that interesting.  On Thursday, June 26th she traveled back to Vero and repeated the Mamogram.  The next day we come home from Moffitt.  They call us and say, yes there is a spot and we want to do a biopsy.  On July 3rd at 7:30pm we spoke with Amy’s Dr. and found out the spot was malignant.  So, on May 6th my cancer was confirmed and July 3rd Amy’s.  Please check this out and see if we set some kind of record!

We decided to work with Moffitt Cancer Center again.  This past Monday, July 21st we met with an oncologist.  Amy’s cancer is early stage, a small tumor and the prognosis for long term health is very good.  Treatment options require surgery and we will be meeting with Drs. over the next two weeks before a final decision is made.  Please pray with us for wisdom.

The book I have been reading through my recovery has been “A Bend in the Road” by David Jeremiah.  The subtitle is “experiencing God when your world caves in”.  Dr. Jeremiah has always been a favorite for Amy and I to listen to on Christian radio.  His insights are rich.  He wrote the book because in 1994 he was diagnosed with lymphoma cancer.  He had some success in the battle and then the cancer came back in 1998 and in 1999 he was again declared cancer free.  He went through surgery, chemo therapy and stem cell transplants.  “Disruptive moments” is the phrase Dr. Jeremiah uses for thorns in the flesh, cancer, sudden death and other life altering events.  Some things he has found true about disruptive moments: They make us cry out to our Heavenly Father, we are not spared from them as Christians, God gives His full attention to us as we go through them, and certainly God’s goal through all of life is to make us Holy.  One theologian said, we learn more through pain than any other way.  From my own personal experience I would have to say Amen to all of the above.

I feel like you have already heard this from me but it is worth repeating.  Our faith, placed in the God who is revealed in our Scripture, does not allow for things to get out of control.  God started our universe exactly the way He chose and is guiding its course perfectly into eternity.  Nothing surprises Him nor catches Him off guard.  So with that kind of assurance all I need right now is found in Him.  I am taking every step I can to draw closer to Him.  He has the Holy Spirit inside of me drawing me to Him.  I am human and there are moments of craziness but in the big picture, I am quite confident that God is able to guide me through this time of “disruptive moments”.

The title of this blog comes from a story I have been telling to everyone I know.  A few weeks ago our daughter Ashley met with a dear friend she has known since college.  Ashley had previously shared about me and my battle with cancer and this visit she added, “my mom now has cancer too!”  The first words that came from this young woman’s mouth were, “Wow, one day your parents are going to have an awesome testimony”.  Those words strengthened the faith of my daughter, Amy and me. 

How are we doing?  We are believing God and looking forward to testifiying about His greatness!

Al