Update on my cancer journey
Christian struggles with his Burden, the Bible in hand.
For my friends who follow my blog, here's my update (this is not news I wanted to hear but it is my current condition):
- I am now 3½ months post surgery and recovery has been progressing well.
- On Monday, I received the news that cancer has spread beyond the prostate. How far and wide? Unknown! But prostate cancer spreads to one's bones.
- This is going to be a battle!
- What's ahead:
- Bone scan on 6/21
- MRI on 6/24
- Another PSA test the first week of July
- Then back to the urologist for results on 7/14
- Then???
Someone asked me this week, "How does it feel to have cancer?"
So far I feel just the same. No symptoms!
Am I afraid? So far I am at peace. I'm not the most spiritual person and I am certainly no giant of the faith, but so far I am just trusting the Lord and every day enjoying "the gift" of that day (Today is the present)!
Today, Kathee (wife), Nancy (my sister) and I studied Genesis 15. These are the first 2 verses of that chapter from the NIV:
After this, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision:
“Do not be afraid, Abram.
I am your shield,
your very great reward.”
But Abram said, “Sovereign Lord, what can you give me since I remain childless ...
The NIV is a bit different than the ESV, NASB, or KJV/NKJV, but I believe the italicized / underlined words of "shield" and "Sovereign" accurately convey the thrust of these verses.
About the word "journey" - this is what it is and what it will be - a journey! Not a journey that I would have chosen, but the path that has been chosen for me by my Sovereign Lord. My faith journey of the past 46 years (I trusted Him as Lord and Savior in November 1969 - I did then what Abram did in Genesis 15:6, "Abram believed the Lord, and He credited it to him as righteousness."), has not always been easy! For example I suffered a broken neck and paralysis in 1987! But the Sovereign Lord has always been faithful, even when many times Jim was not faithful! And the Lord has never disappointed me!
The image above (source) is John Bunyan's Christian on his journey from his hometown, the "City of Destruction" ("this world"), to the "Celestial City" ("that which is to come": Heaven). This is my journey!
Today I was thinking / praying about what I will most love about reaching that city:
- To meet and bow before my Lord who died for my sin!
- To be freed from my aging, diseased, crippled body
- To be delivered from this wicked, violent world
Thanks for the update. The Lord continue to give you His abounding grace. Scott Bashoor
ReplyDeleteLet's pray that God will be glorified in your infirmity. I'M PRAYING God will heal you.
ReplyDeleteJim. We've never met (as afar as I know) but I've appreciated your spirit from afar and the interactions we've had. I pray that the Lord would sustain, encourage you and your family, and that His marvelous grace would be manifest in your life.
ReplyDeleteI agree with my buddy Stephen here....I have always appreciated your spirit and our interaction. I so appreciate your transparent faith walk through all of this. Thank you for sharing - this is an important ministry to others who will walk similar paths. Praying for God's grace and healing....Straight Ahead! Joel Tetreau
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