This is the update on David Maddox’s journey with cancer…..he emailed me this yesterday……
Unplugged from the chemo pump on Friday morning thus ending Chemo Round 4. God was gracious and the side effects have been reasonably minimal – more nausea and fatigue than recently, but not to complain. God has been exceptionally gracious to me for which I am most thankful. He hears your prayers.
I got my shot this morning to increase my white cell production so nothing in the 21 day rotation of chemo infusion we have been doing happens for another two weeks. However, there is a change and that change occurs on Wednesday morning. Our cancer doctor has referred me to Mayo Clinic for a surgical/cancer research consult to see if I am a candidate for a different form of chemo which is injected hot into the stomach lining and has been very effective in at least one of two prior patients Doctor Isaac sent to this doctor. He is one of only two doctors who do this form of treatment in Arizona. The reason for the consult is not negative, Dr. Isaac just wants to see if there is a better way of attacking this cancer faster. You will remember that earlier he sought to find out if a genetic chemo would work but I did not qualify. I look at this the same way and trust that if God wants to change or add another treatment He will. If not – my trust remains in Him so it really doesn’t matter to me. The only thing I feel strongly about is that if something is added it not take away that one week out of every three when I can travel and am strong enough to be involved in ministry out of the city, a family visit, or just some time for Janet and I to spend together.
Spiritually I learned more about my emotions this week. It is amazing how they jump us and try to take control by surprise. Cancer patients are obviously really vulnerable when on chemo multiple times and it takes some discipline to “keep your eye on the ball” – on the Lord. I have been praying for what the Puritans call “the gift of tears” – to feel what Jesus’ feels. This week that prayer was answered as never before as the tears flowed over a twelve year old dying of cancer who posted on a cancer website that she was going to die before she lived. My heart broke, but I was able to at least communicate with her over the web – to share a testimony and the Gospel and to tell her that though I didn’t known her my hope was that I would come to know and love her in an eternity with the Lord. When I spoke of missed ministry opportunities because of the cancer detour in conversations this week the tears easily flowed again. Lots of feelings – all however seem to be related to the Lord and so I rejoice.
There were many Spiritual lessons this week. For me personally the main lesson was so simple yet profound that I was shocked. The Lord reminded me of the discussion Peter had with Jesus regarding John and His answer, “If it is My will that he (John) remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me!” (John 21:22). Follow me – how simple – again – yet how profound. The next verse was Luke 9:23 – “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” which He reworded for this hard of head one to read, “If you want to follow Me you must deny self, pick up the cancer every day and just follow Me.” That certainly helped my perspective. “Stop whining about what you can and cannot do and just do by following Me now”. Needless to say I am seeking to be far more careful to watch and listen for the Lord so I can follow now.
He also put the cancer in context by reminding me of Abraham and what he was called to do when he was 99 years old (Genesis 17:15-21). His response in faith is what I must have as well to this cancer and to God’s promised ministry service opportunities and to the heart He has given me for revival and awakening in this nation. “In hope he (Abraham) believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, ‘So shall your offspring be.’ He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah’s womb. No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised” (Romans 4:17-22). Abraham believed because he knew that “nothing is too hard for the Lord” (Genesis 18:14) and that God “gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist” (Romans 4:18). Because Abraham believed and he follow the Lord – the impossible came to pass exactly as he had been promised – and so it will if we walk in faith and follow Him.
Thank you for your prayers. You are well loved.
Then this morning I found this update from David…..I wept and prayed over his message…….
We had our meeting this morning with the Mayo Specialists. The news is not good in the flesh. It appears that the cancer is “progressing” and we are now considering a series of options from major surgery to just doing nothing more – and everything in between. We need to meet with our cancer doctor to get his perspective and obviously we need to pray. I was not really surprised by the meeting. We have known from the start that unless God moved – man had no answer to this cancer. Our confidence remains in the Lord and we are seeking now to understand what He would have us do that would glorify Him and allow us to get on with what we believe we were called to do in the first place. I am reminded of the Hudson Taylor story where during the plague he was infected accidentally and was told by a doctor to go home and get his affairs in order, he was going to die. He responded, “I don’t think so. God has called me to go to China” – and he did. The verse God reminded me of was Psalm 71:18: “So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim Your might to another generation, Your power to all those to come.” That is our prayer.
Let us storm heaven with our prayers for David’s healing, in Jesus name, Amen.
I have not known David very long but he has impacted my life like dynamite! The faith of this man is something I treasure, what a role model for us all. God is speaking to him and David writes to us. PRAISE GOD!
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.
Click on these headlines for more………
My Journey with Cancer, Part 2
My Cancer Journey
