My Journey With Cancer, Part 16 By David Maddox
The journey for a cancer patient is never smooth and is always individual. Some things can be anticipated or even expected, but the ups and downs of the journey physically are just part of your life for now. Chemo infusion week for me begins fairly normally but as the week goes on and the amount of chemo affecting your body increases in volume until the pump is removed on Friday – the effects increase as well. The hardest days are probably Friday and Saturday although it can continue and it can be much more difficult one time than another. This time God was gracious and thus far no new side effects. Emotionally we had one of those good news/bad news moments as the blood tests before we began this round of chemo showed that for the first time the tumor markers went up, but then because of the infection and blood issue we had been off chemo for almost two months. The good news in this is that the chemo obviously works. We will be doing two more rounds of chemo followed by a CT Scan and then an evaluation September 30th to determine whether the course of treatment needs to be changed. It is nice to have a plan even if it is short term – and as we all know God will determine what is next.
Spiritually it was a great week and God was so good to open opportunities for us to reconnect with the Time to Revive Team. On Tuesday we were able to Skype in on the TTR Team Meeting which was the follow up to their return from Revive Indiana. It was nothing short of amazing to catch up on what God has done and the plans He is laying out for the future both here in the US and internationally. God is so mightily at work. Thursday Gary Bohn from Sedona (part of the TTR team) came by and we were able to hear of the miracles God did as part of Revive Indiana which continues there under the leadership of local Pastors in new cities. Saturday Tony and Mary Hicks (also part of the TTR team) came from Indiana to spend time with us. I am so humbled by this ministry family God has allowed us to be a part of. And most exciting of all – God willing we will be joining the team at Revive Tupelo in October.
Two Scriptures have been the focus of this week. I am sure most of you are aware of how partial Scriptures are used to declare a desire or even a truth which is not a truth because it is not all of the Scripture. Over many a library and college the words, “you will know the truth and the truth will set you free” are written. But that comes from Jesus’ statement in John 8:31-32 which in context and in total reads – “So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, ‘If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.’” The complete statement gives a totally different meaning to what is posting in part on all the buildings. For me the statement that initially came to my mind was, “He will give you the desires of your heart.” Well my desires are clear. I want to finish that which I believe He called me to do, but then that is not the whole verse. The passage is Psalm 37:4 which in total reads – “Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.” So my focus has been on delighting myself in the Lord which has not been hard because of all He has done and shown us this week.
The other Scripture came on a gift from Kyle and Laura Martin. It was a journal which Tony and Mary brought with them when they came to visit last week. On the cover is Isaiah 43:1 – “I have summoned you by name, you are mine.” WOW! I needed that. Called by name – I am His. Nothing could be better.
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.