In 2001 I was preparing to come to Japan as a continued term missionary after graduating from seminary. While all of that was going on, my dad was fighting a battle for his life. On my parents' wedding anniversary, my dad's doctor made an appointment for him to see a specialist who diagnosed my dad with cancer. He had surgery and we learned all kinds of new vocabulary. Then we spent six weeks going to the radiation center every day for a 5 minute radiation treatment. I am glad that I was there and able to be part of the helping staff at home. (He kept teaching university students through all of that!)
Now I am so grateful for every minute we get to spend together, knowing what a gift from God they are. He has a different perspective on life now. He also has new way of relating to people going through similar situations. God has blessed my family.
Last week my friends' five year old daughter had a tumor removed. They finally received the pathology results. It sounded so familiar. They removed the entire tumor, which was cancerous, but it had spread to the margins and so radiation will be necessary. How do you explain to a five year old little girl that her fight has just begun? What do you say to the little brother and sister? How do Mom and Dad keep their faith and marriage strong?
God is a God who heals. He has plans. He is in control. We know all of these things. But when it is you, your family, in the midst of such struggles... praise God for friends and family world-wide who hold you up to Jesus. Sometimes your own prayers are stuck in your heart. So, you cling to the prayers others are praying on your behalf. Resting in the love and care of our God who sees and knows all, our God who loves and cares more than we can or even can imagine. He is there, in the midst of it all.
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