Trusting God

No More Cat-Scans!

/ pastorpete51 / 16 Comments 
I will bless the Lord at all times. His praise shall continually be in my mouth. 
Psalm 34:1 KJV

Our appointment last week was almost exactly six years to the day since Nancy’s cancer surgery. The prognosis back then for stage three ovarian cancer was not great, and as her chemo treatments began the following month, we knew we were sailing in uncharted waters. But day by day, as we walked together through the long years of changes and challenges God has been with us. That afternoon as we sat in the doctor’s office, we were hopeful but still nervous as we waited for his report. What would those numbers from the latest blood work be? What would he say? Then the door opened, the doctor walked in exchanged pleasantries, and then asked. “So how are you feeling? Any pain here? Any changes since our last visit?” He poked, prodded and listened to Nancy’s heartbeat and breathing with his stethoscope, then sitting down and pulling up the results of her tests on his computer, he spun it around for us to see. “You see, you have been staying in the normal range all this time (five years), he said pointing to a graph. “Sometimes they are a little up, sometimes down. Your Cat-scan back in December looked normal. You’re doing great!” Then he gave Nancy a reassuring smile, and we both breathed a giant sigh of relief. Though he had told us the very words we had prayed for and longed to hear, it was still so unreal.

Then I asked, “So when will she have to come back for the next Cat-scan?”

Looking back at me as if I hadn’t understood, the doctor shook his head, still smiling. “No – no more Cat-scans. Why should she get all that radiation over and over again when everything is normal. We’ll just keep an eye on the blood work and take it from there.” Now, six years since her surgery, after five months of chemotherapy, dozens of tests, images of all sorts it all came down to one phrase: “No more Cat-scans!” We both held back tears that afternoon as we walked out of the office, thankful for the goodness of God that has carried us through. Then as we stopped to check out at the desk, I saw that the lady at the checkout had put up a little sign that said, “Stressed spelled backwards is desserts!” After six years of stress, that has drawn us both closer to Jesus and closer to one another, we certainly were ready for desserts and understood a little of what David meant when he said, “I will bless the Lord at all times.” Some of our times had been good, some bad and a few, even downright terrifying. But through every moment, God has been with us. Of course, not every journey ends with the earthly results we hope for, and not every prognosis is rosy, but we have learned through every situation, that we can trust the Lord. He is faithful and kind, and our lives are in His hands. He knows what is to come and we trust Him because of all He has brought us through. “His praise shall continually be in my mouth!”

When I Am Afraid

/ pastorpete51 / 12 Comments 
Whenever I am afraid I will trust in you. In God whose word I praise. in God I trust. 
I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me? 
Psalm 56:3 NIV

Joe was on the board of elders of the small country church we attended, and when the pastor left, Joe was invited to fill that role. Joe had been a steel worker, and didn’t think of himself as a “real pastor” so he asked that we simply call him “Brother Joe.”  In spite of his humble start, Joe knew his Bible well, loved people and trusted God. His statements often included observations from his days of working on the towers, and my favorite was “Any man who tells you he is not afraid is a liar!” I think King David would have not only liked Brother Joe but would have whole heartedly agreed with that statement. When David wrote today’s verse, he had just been captured by the people from the city if Gath. In case that name doesn’t ring a bell, it was the home town of the giant he had killed, named Goliath. Probably in that crowd of soldiers who marched David off as a prisoner were Goliath’s friends and neighbors. They were hoping to see him executed and David really had a perfect excuse to be afraid. It is interesting that David didn’t start by pretending that he wasn’t afraid. Instead, he faced his fears by first accepting them, “When I am afraid!” David said. But what David did next was something most of us forget to do. He chose to trust in God in spite of that fear. If you feel as if circumstances have taken you prisoner, today, it’s okay to join David by just saying out loud, I am afraid!” But then we need to move on to what David said next. “But I will trust in You (God)!”  This isn’t pretending, it is a choice. We are afraid, but we don’t have to stay there. God’s promises are true. He is still in control, and He has us in His mighty hands! – I hope you enjoy this beautiful song from Selah that makes the case for trusting God. Have a blessed day everyone!

Worry About Everything!

/ pastorpete51 / 6 Comments 
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7 ESV

While, knowing about and even praying the words of this verse over the years, my actual practice has sometimes been the exact opposite. Though on the outside, I was able to pretend I was not worried, instead my life operated more as if the Bible said:

“Worry about everything, don’t pray about your problems or be grateful to God for the things that have gone right. Instead waste all your time complaining, when you don’t understand what is going on.”

Years ago, our car broke down on the highway outside of Boston on a Friday afternoon. Before cell phones, our only hope was for a police officer to stop and call for help. I had no idea what was wrong with our car, so I paced up and down as traffic whizzed by, complaining loudly to my wife. Patiently Nancy kept calmly saying, “God is going to work this out.” I wanted to believe it, but it felt like I had a pot boiling on the inside. Finally, a patrol car stopped and called for a tow truck which came and hooked up to our car. The muffler on that truck sounded like a jet taking off and our driver cursed loudly and often at the other drivers as he weaved through traffic. Fifteen minutes later, we pulled into the parking lot of a large repair facility and my wife suddenly smiled and said, “Look! We’ve definitely come to the right place!”

“What do you mean?” I asked as our car was being unhooked.

“See the sign!” Nancy said pointing. That was when I looked up and saw that just underneath the name of the garage were the words, “Smile God loves you!”

Our car was repaired in under two hours, the owner even bought us dinner and we arrived at our destination, just a little later than we had expected. All that was great, but even better was how God showed me His peace in ways I could never understand. Now when I find myself broken down on the side of the road, God reminds me of that time and how He will still guard my heart and mind, even while I am getting towed through traffic!

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