My Journey With Cancer, Part 45 By David Maddox
Part of the journey with cancer is to be changed over time such that you begin to expect and literally to the extent possible ignore the days when the side effects hit. There are obviously physical issues that don’t go away, but you have the choice of allowing them total domination over your life or to serve merely as an anticipated interruption. When the message came in from our friends Judd & Katie Spencer to come and spend a week with us as they and their kids enjoy Spring Training we were faced with that. The week that they selected was last week – a chemo infusion week. They would be here while I still was receiving chemo and for the toughest days of the side effects after. Interestingly there was never a doubt – we told them to come anyway as they had for the past five years or so. Judd is a young Pastor from Virginia and this is his time to rest – be refreshed – be encouraged – and for he and Katie to spend quality uninterrupted family time with their kids. It was and continues to be a wonderful time together with some of the interruptions, but God is good. Saturday night we watched “War Room” together – what a treat. Yesterday we had our own church service at the house and Katie gave me a prayer shawl she had made as she shared prayers she had been praying for me with tears. Judd anointed me with oil and prayed for healing and enablement. Such love comes only from the Lord through His people. I will never understand why someone would not want to be a Christian and share in this love.
Last week was chemo infusion week and over it my weight because of the large amount of liquids put in my body went from a high of around 190 to a low thus far of 167. When it ended my blood pressure was under 100 at times during the process it was over 140. It is a little crazy during those day – they end and the mouth sores come and food doesn’t taste good etc. But fortunately that is a series of events that takes days not weeks and so it will soon end – and as of today I have three weeks before chemo begins again (Praise the Lord). So much to look forward to – ministry opportunities – time with Janet and friends – get to go back to church etc. Three weeks can seem like a year to a cancer patient. The chemo side effects thus far are about as usual – not fun, but not a big deal after getting use to them. God is good. You recognize that could change at any moment like with our friend Ron for whom everything turned negative and he died in two weeks. But the fear is gone because the Lord is present and you just enjoy the love of those He has placed in your life and the privilege of still being able to serve Him.
There was some excitement this week on the book front. That project began in 2007 and sometimes it seems as if it has all been a dream, but it isn’t. It has become a trilogy – all edited after working on it for most of last year between cancer treatments. Now the first volume (“The Curtain – It Begins” ©) will be out in October. This week I got to see the cover design we agreed on as it is being sent out for comment by other authors. The publishing team seems to really understand the purpose of the book and to have “caught the vision”. It was so exciting to see what this first volume will look like and to imagine what God can do with this if it is within His will. I will include more information on the book in future Updates – its purpose – and what it is intended to open people’s eyes to – as we get closer to the publishing date. I would appreciate your prayers for the people to whom the book is now being presented – the sales effort which is beginning with the major book distributors – and most importantly for Spiritual eyes to be opened among those who will ultimately read the book – that the Biblical truths in the book will pierce any hard heart and reveal God in a way that person can know Him and how we must relate to the Lord Jesus.
Spiritually this week God has impressed me with the wonder of His power and authority. He seems to be asking “why are you anxious about America and its future. Don’t you believe that it is in My hands and I will be faithful to my Word even when man isn’t.” This morning again in my readings through the Bible I came across Proverbs 21:1 – “The king’s heart is like the channels of water in the hand of the Lord; He turns it whatever way He wishes” – whether that is to allow evil so that God may being judgment OR revival and repentance so that He can restore the land. Whatever it is – He controls and I need to spend more time in prayer and less time grieving over a nation that has turned away from God. Only He can change that.
This flowed right into what I has seen last week in the Crusade for Life which He showed means taking Jesus to a world that does not know Him for Jesus is life (John 14:6). But it is more than taking Jesus – it also requires a fight as the promise land is in the hand of our enemy – not flesh and blood but Satan and his servants (Ephesians 6:12). In that fight we are given divine weapons by which we can overcome – if we will only stand and fight (2 Corinthians 10:3-6). Those weapons are identified in Ephesians 6 as prayer and the Word of God. This week the emphasis has been on prayer – standing with God against Satan’s schemes to “kill and steal and destroy” (John 10:10). Understanding the reality that if we will “submit . . . to God” we can “resist the devil and he will flee from you” (James 4:7). It is time to stop losing and win – to stand and fight – to draw near and submit to God – to resist the devil and send him away. To free those in bondage (slaves) to sin. Join in the Crusade of Life by sharing the love of Jesus and standing against Satan. More later.
Love you – thanks for your partnership on the journey.
About David Maddox – After a legal career in both Texas and Arizona that spanned over 40 years as a civil litigator, God called David to leave his law practice and work full time as Discipleship Director for Time to Revive. That call is really the fruit of decades of prayer for revival and teaching God’s Word, writing discipleship materials and seeking to make disciples. David married Janet Whitehead in 1976 and they minister together from their Phoenix home. God has blessed them with four children and thus far seven grandchildren.