Well I launched my new winter/spring preaching series on James last week. James is the NT books that explains the tests that God gives us to prove our faith is true and strengthens our faith! One of the things i said to the congregation during my introduction message is "hold on to your seat God has a way for bringing trials and tests to make us apply what we are learning." Now to be honest that admonition was for the church and not for me. Being a pastor is plenty enough of a trial and test. However on the Wednesday following that statement my doctor called to tell me a CAT scan that I had on Monday has revealed enlarged lymphnodes near my bronchitube and that in his words "we need to sort this out."
He immediately had me cancel my long awaited trip to Japan and vietnam. I started hearing words like lymphoma, tumor, hodgkin's and leukemea....unbelieveble! I have to tell you, I am so glad i had already studied ahead to know how I ought to respond. I have to tell you a peace that is incomprehensible came over Kris and I. God gave me a phrase... "either healing or heaven....i win with both!" We met with the doctor on Thursday, and he set out a course of action. Blood tests followed and appointments to a pulminary specialist was today. And i preached...
I have to say that I had a new power in the pulpit -- talking about suffering and trials with the reality of a potential life threatening health issue looming brings a new authenicity to one's preaching. The elders and many other in our church have started a whole new level of praying for me -- as I have for myself. I have one guy in the church who committed to fast and pray until today and the specialist.
God is giving me comfort daily....not answers but comfort. Who is in church last week - the chief pathologist of Lancaster. He didn't give me any answers but said that he would personally look at my biopsy-- wow! Then Monday a long time - boyhood friend told me his wife deals with this kind of cancer if it is cancer -- "gather up the reports and fax it to us -- she will look them over!" What a blessing! Then my dear friend Pastor Les Ayars tells me that he has had a similar problem -- the disease that they think it is for 35 plus years!! AWesome!!
Well went to Dr. Duke and he said that "if he was a betting man, he thinks it is Sarcoidosis, the inflammation and enlargiig of the lungs lymph nodes. Not fatal but a bother. He is scheduling a biopsy to confirm it....put me on some inhaler to help calm things down. My blood work was perfect -- thank you Lord. Now we wait!
"Consider it all JOY brethren went we encounter various trials!" Only the Lord knows what I have -- I am still not out of the woods, knowing conclusively what I have. But it doesn't matter -- I have the Lord and he is demonstrating each day that he is the one walking me through this trial. I only pray that as I face this test, I will be faithful and trust the Lord for my personal endurance and to inspire and encourage those in my congregation who are facing some very difficult trials.