Missy does a wonderful, unique job expressing our situation in words so I will do my best to follow in her footsteps. I just wanted to express how much we appreciate your visits, messages, calls, texts, emails and most importantly prayers as we walk this journey. Our pastor preached a timely message on Sunday from Philippians 4 focusing on worry and anxiety but most importantly joy. Philippians 4 instructs us to "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!" So glad God inspired the Apostle Paul to include the word "always" in that verse. I rejoice today in how God has blessed and worked out so many details over the last few weeks to get me to this point that I am typing out this message from home only 48 hours after being wheeled back to the operating room. How amazing is our God, I rejoice in him.
I read a great article months ago from a pastor in California, Dave Hall, who is battling cancer and what God is teaching him. The link follows if you care to pass it along to someone you know that might need it--
Briefly, Pastor Hall writes in point 4, "I believe cancer entered my life by the sovereign will of God. It was not a random accident. I take great comfort in trusting he permitted my cancer to achieve some deeper, eternal purpose. God will use broken things of this sin-cursed world to accomplish his will for my good and His glory."
Amen to those words!! I will admit that cancer is a beast and is not a pleasant adversary. It will punch you in the face over and over again and you have to get back up ready for the next punch. It is a spiritual battle also as the enemy wishes to use it to discourage and remove the joy of the Lord from my life. Thus, I would encourage you personally that if you know a family member, friend or even a distant contact who is in a battle with cancer to reach out to them by a visit, a phone call, email, text or any other avenue and encourage them in the battle and ask how you can specifically pray for them. Be the hands and feet of Christ.
We covet your continual prayers as we face the unknown future of my cancer battle.
Praising Him in the storm, Greg
