April 6th, 2005
I continue to be amazed at the number of people who are praying for me. I've never even met many of the people praying for me. I know that several of you rely on these updates to know how to pray specifically for my needs and the needs of my family. Thank you for checking back often, even though the updates don't get posted as often as they should. I am especially touched to hear about children who are praying for me. Even to hear my own children praying for me is extremely touching and brings tears to my eyes. They are very precious to me, and I want nothing more than for God to answer their prayers. The prayer of a child is so innocent and full of faith. But I've been thinking about my children's prayers, and I might suggest one small change. Usually, all three of my children pray for me at each mealtime and in their bedtime prayers. And although their prayers vary in length, they almost always include, 'Help Daddy to get better.' Kaylee even adds, 'Thank you that he already is getting better.' Now, I'm not trying to critique my children's prayers or suggest that they need to pray differently. But I was thinking about their prayers for me, and I had an idea. What if, instead of praying for me to get BETTER, they, and everyone, started praying for me to get BEST? I know it isn't proper grammar, but you get the idea. First comes good, then comes better, and then best. I want to be at the top of this list, BEST. Better is nice, but best is best. And what is the best for me? In general terms, it is to be in the center of God's will. Several aspects of God's will are the same for everyone. For example, He wants everyone to repent and be saved (2 Peter 3:9). But some aspects of His will for my life are different from His will for your life. The best for me may not be an exact match with His best for you. I believe that His best for me today includes living with a brain tumor. Tomorrow, His best may include a total healing. I believe that this is the essence of faith: trusting God, no matter what He allows to enter my life. Often we think of faith only as expecting God to do what we want Him to do. For Jesus, God's best involved dying on the cross for our sins. Jesus prayed to be spared from the sacrifice, but also demonstrated faith by submitting his to his Father's will. He humbled himself and obeyed. He knew that God's will was the BEST, so He died on the cross. By doing so, he took the worst upon Himself, and now offers me the best: forgiveness of sin and the promise of eternal life in Heaven. Can you, along with me, accept God's will even if it's challenging to endure? Do you believe that He can bring about His best for you through difficult circumstances? You know that life is not always easy, but have you found that some of the greatest blessings come from enduring through trials? These are hard lessons to learn, but they spring from the perfect love of my Heavenly Father. Trust Him! Dear Jesus, please help this daddy get BEST! Physically, I'm doing well. I've been exercising daily, and it feels great. I'm taking my chemo pills with no adverse side effects. My next MRI will be in early May. My eyesight in my right eye remains the most difficult symptom to endure. I struggled with my balance for several weeks, but it seems that God took care of that this week. I've been able to walk up and down stairs without holding the railings, and I've also been able to stand on one foot without feeling like I'll tip over. In my mind, these are significant positive steps. Please join me in praising God for His continued care and healing. Thank you for praying!