My Journey With Cancer, Part 41 with David Maddox
For a cancer patient, life is lived in quarters even when things seem to be going well. It is quarters because usually the cancer doctor will want to do a CAT Scan or PET Scan every three or four months to see for himself the truth about what is happening with the cancer – has it grown – is it spreading – how aggressive is it – is the chemo having any effect etc. The blood tests are not 100% accurate so the Scans are essential to be sure what is really going on. Honest cancer patients and their loved ones will tell you that these days can be the most anxious if allowed to be. Satan comes with fear of the results – and any minor physical issue becomes immediately “evidence” of a serious issue – that is unless your reliance is on the Lord and then regardless of the results you know God has you in His hand and you can depend on His love.
In these times I often think of the Lord’s Prayer and whether I can honestly pray that Father’s “will be done” regarding this cancer “on earth as it is in Heaven” (Matthew 6:10). His will; may be different than mine. I would like to be healed and enabled to finish the work I committed to. But then I remember Jesus’ prayer in the garden – “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as you will” (Matthew 26:39). For Jesus it was not possible so He had to drink deeply at the cup of suffering that we might have the chance for forgiveness of sin. We know that Father’s “thoughts are not (our) thoughts” and that neither are our ways (His) ways” (Isaiah 55:8-9) so we must trust in His love and receive whatever may come in faith as what is best for us and for the advancement of the Kingdom – which in reality should be our focus. We also should be looking for how we can glorify God in the circumstance He allows or commands – whatever they may be knowing that before the creation of the world He knew us and determined what it is that He would have us to do – the good works (Ephesians 2:10). Faith that He knows and He loves and He enables –has to be enough.
Last week was the culmination of my latest quarter with a CAT Scan end of January followed first by a preliminary report from our nurse in charge last Monday and a final update from our cancer doctor this Monday. The news was miraculous – God has taken a cancer doctor who admits he doesn’t know how to cure me and used him and enabled the treatment regiment to stop the growth and spread of this very aggressive terminal cancer. We are all in agreement that this is something only God could have done – and frankly it has been done in response to the prayers many of you who have faithfully prayed. We don’t see the cancer doctor again until June – the chemo regiment stays the same regarding the drugs used – but another miracle – we now get four weeks between treatments which is the gift of another seven days each month to feel nearly normal and to be used of the Lord. Lots of rejoicing and praising the Lords going on – truly thankful for more time to reach out and share the Gospel and seek to make disciples and to enjoy my bride and our friends and family. But that is not the only good news to report.
Every time now we go to the chemo doctor’s office whether for chemo infusion or an appointment it is as if God has set aside those times for ministry. It is exciting to see what He is doing. He has opened the door to Spiritual discussions with patients, staff, chemo nurses, our nurse in charge, a volunteer, and the chemo doctor. They have in their own way become like family to us as they truly care for us and we have the opportunity to truly show them the love of Jesus. Several of them are Jewish which excites me. We worship their Messiah. How my heart longs for their eyes to be open to that reality so they may embrace Jesus for who He is. Our nurse in charge is a strong Believer, but her husband is not so as we seek to minister to her and pray with her – the husband is a target of our prayers. Others just don’t know the Lord and we have the opportunity to live our faith our before them and to share Biblical truth. I am so thankful that God is not wasting the opportunities opened by this cancer.
On Monday of this week as we met with our cancer doctor, the nurse in charge of our case told him about the book – the first volume of which will be published in October and he immediately wanted to know more. When I shared with him that the book although a novel was really about the Spiritual reality of the battle in the invisible (Ephesians 6:12), he relaxed – dropped everything and began a serious discussion about what was really going on in the world Spiritually. We must have sat and talked for 30 minutes. We learned that he was Jewish – not cultural – but a practicing Jew with a real knowledge of the Bible who had made a number of trips to Israel and was well read and understood what was going on the world. We discuss everything from Abraham to Ishmael – the Muslim religion – persecution of the Jews – end times etc. Praying for more opportunities to continue what God has opened that he might be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:3-4) – that he might embrace his Messiah.
With the extra week between chemo infusions God has opened lots of ministry opportunities for which I am thankful. In Arizona we have already been given Revive Arizona ministry opportunities February – May in Flagstaff, Sedona, Phoenix, and Prescott which will work within the new chemo schedule. Please pray for more laborers as God opens doors, but right now in the flesh it is clear that we do not now have enough workers to go through those doors – but we will go anyway knowing God will provide what is necessary to accomplish His purposes.
Please pray that we will use this extra time wisely as God wills. Thank you for your partnership along this journey. May God richly bless you as your prayers, encouragement, and friendship have blessed us.
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.
