Joe's Second Epistle
I use aliases throughout this series to protect the privacy of Joe, his family, and friends.
Today’s update is
brought to you by the Church!
Today is Saturday November 8, 2014. Last
Saturday, my cousin Bob and his wife Cici stopped by. It was an encouragement
to see them. We always enjoy talking to them. Bob always makes me laugh and
raises my spirit. Next time you see Bob ask him to tell you about his dermatologist
appointment. I hurt myself laughing.
I think I missed my first election since being
of voting age. I hope they got it done without me this time! I have moved four
times in the past two weeks, so I am hoping that the campaign donation requests
don’t catch up to me for a while. My sister Martha, who also has been fighting
cancer (Breast Cancer) the past nine months warned me that there would be many
silver linings along the way, perhaps this was one J. Martha has been such an encouragement to me, and
of course now I have so many regrets of not supporting her like I could have because
I was “too busy.” God has such a good sense of humor!
Speaking of God’s humor,
let me tell you some funny stories that happened to me just the other day.
Monday morning, we were prepared to travel to Indy to begin the process of
radiation therapy when Dr. Val called at 7:45 a.m. and told us that he talked
with his partner here in Columbus. The Columbus doc could get me in the same day to start the process. We didn’t have to go
to Indy! Wow! That would save us approximately 3 hrs. a day of severe
discomfort. So, we headed for Columbus hospital for a 1:45pm appointment to do
the initial consultation hoping to get started on Wednesday.
Oh! Back to the funny
part. So I got up, took a shower, and was already out of juice. So instead of
brushing my teeth I decided to Listerine it. We were still living in the RV [since
the new owners of our house had taken possession], and I had this huge bottle
of green Listerine. I reached for it and noticed there was another small bottle
of clear Listerine. Upon inspection, I learn that it is Ultra Clean 3X, more
powerful! I asked Beth if I could use it.
“Sure go ahead. I’m sure
Allie won’t mind”. I took an extra-large swig knowing how bad my breath smells
to me, let alone to some unsuspecting doctor or nurse. Upon gargling, I noticed
a burning sensation unlike any I had ever experienced before. While said liquid
was still in my mouth, I quickly re read the bottle. Yep, Ultra Clean 3X. I held
it in my mouth as long as humanly possible, timing the expulsion so perfectly
between that fine line of killing every conceivable germ in my mouth and
passing out. At this point I begin to see a light of hope at the end of the
tunnel. My thoughts turn to Why don’t
they just use this stuff for chemo? And then to I bet I have the freshest breath on Earth! After a solid one minute
of drooling over the sink, unable to talk, breath or spit I get the bright idea
to use the green bottle. It tastes like candy!
At the hospital, I saw
the doc, and he looked over my charts. At that point, he decided to bump all
his other patients and put me at the front of the line. It was a long afternoon.
I was able to get my first treatment Monday around 5 p.m.
They focused radiation
on my lower back. The x-rays show more issues than you can shake a stick at in
my back. An hour after the treatments, the nausea set in. By 8 p.m. I was vomiting
every 30 minutes. Beth was able to get some meds for it to subside by about 1 a.m.
But not before wrecking my ribs and diaphragm, which is now the source of most
of my pain. It was a very hard start to the week.
Tuesday was new day
bringing new hopes. After a night of hardly any sleep and plenty of time for
prayer about many things, there was clarity for me as to where we should seek
treatment. My good friend Luke had advised me early on, calling it a “no
brainer.” It became crystal clear to me now that we needed to stay in Columbus
for one reason—our church. For the benefit of our family and the benefit of the church. I know that only you who are in a
healthy church will fully understand this. Others will see my decision as
stupid, especially since there are treatment centers that specialize in this
cancer that have average life expectancy results from 1.9 to 5.7 times better
than the average hospital. Indy/Columbus is not one of them.
I asked Beth to begin
working on a place for us to call home. True to form, she began by praying and
reading Scripture because that’s who she is everyday, not just when her husband
is dying of cancer.
God worked mightily and
swiftly. Beth received a call from her good friend Amanda, with whom we used to
go to Church.
Here are the first words
out of her mouth: “Beth, can I help you find a house today?” Who can do this
but God? Amanda has only recently become aware of our situation and certainly
knew nothing of the decision we’d made 30 min earlier. Amanda began working (or,
more accurately, God did) and within two hours she calls Beth back to tell her
that by 8 p.m. that very night we can
move into a house that would be fully furnished with beds, a hospital bed,
recliner, wheel chair, food, appliances, and the necessities to live! Who but
God and His Church?
It turned out that there
was a Christian family we met four years ago that was prompted by God (in the middle of the night) to remove
their beautiful 5 bedroom home from selling it on the market two months ago in
order that they could minister to a family in need. Two months ago! Who but God
and His Church?
Now here is the coolest
part. None of these people go to our church. Do you see? God is not only using
our church (Bible Baptist, a small but faithful body of 125) but three other churches
in our community: Terrace Lake Community Church, Parkside Baptist Church, and the
Reformed Presbyterian Church, to bless us and provide for our needs. I am so
encouraged by the faithfulness of God’s people as they serve in the local church.
I have many friends that claim to be believers and yet do not get connected and
serve in a local Bible-preaching church. I once was that guy about seven years
ago. I could not go through this battle, or life, for that matter, without my church
and church family.
I live to tell you my
story and would love to have an honest discussion on the matter. Dying, I am
learning brings about the boldness about which Christ instructs us in His Word.
And here is the funny part; we are all dying. My window is 5 months to 5 years,
but the reality is that you may beat me
there! So, please engage me. It truly is the only thing that I am living
for, which is to Glorify God and sharing the Gospel.
So, by Tuesday at 8 p.m.,
with the help of dozens of people from four churches, we were ready to move out
of the RV and into the beautiful home! Beth and the kids met at the house and
thanked those moving us in. Tears of joy seeing God’s overwhelming love,
protection and provision flow freely from our family as they witness firsthand
the hands and feet of God working through His Bride the Church. Words cannot
express what my heart feels even now.
Tuesday was also the day
I found out from Allie that the bottle of Ultra Clean 3X Listerine had recently
been swapped out with rubbing alcohol!
Needless to say I had yet another training session with kids.
Wednesday was my best
day this week! Because of the hospital bed and the new home, I was able to get
out of bed without injuring my poor back, and Luke, my good friend and brother
in Christ made the trip from his home in Iowa to pray with me and encourage me
in the Gospel. Who does these sorts of things? I understand friendships. I
understand family but what I am learning is that our brotherhood in Christ is a
bond that lasts an eternity and that eternity has begun in this life for true
believers. I realize as I am writing there is another church that is supporting
us: Luke’s church in Iowa, Oak Hill Baptist.
Some of you don’t go to church because it’s “full of hypocrites.” Most churches
are, at the most, 50% true believers, the rest are wolves in sheep’s clothing. Some
of you have been burned by church people.
One thing I know for certain—there
are no perfect churches because they are all filled with wretched sinners like
me, but there are churches that preach boldly the Word of God and God has much
to say about His church and why you should be serving in one, growing and
living out life with fellow believers in the church. He designed it. He calls
His Church the Bride of Christ. He has instructed us plainly to be part of a
healthy church. Most, if not all, the books in the New Testament were written
to the Church, not to individuals. Engage me on this. Search the scriptures. Your
eternity hangs in the balance.
My body continues to
wear down. I can see it daily. My zeal for God increases daily. Scripture most
days is the only thing that satisfies me and encourages me. When I read Scripture
now it truly comes alive! It jumps from the pages in living color. I see it
Lord, I finally see and understand! Oh how I pray that you will see it, too. That
the God of the universe will save your soul! That the Almighty King of kings
and Lord of lords will save you from your religion of works. That your dead
faith will be brought to Life by Christ, the only one who can save you. I pray
that God will be glorified.
God is good and worthy
of my praise. I thank God daily for this cancer. I pray for Him to use me up
for His name’s sake and when He is done, to take me Home. I pray that that day
comes quickly.
In Christ alone,
Joe
Husband, Father, Friend
and Follower of Christ, Saved by His Matchless Grace and Forgiveness by His
Death on a Cross for a Wretched Sinner as I.
