My Journey With Cancer, Part 46 By David Maddox
The week following chemo infusion begins still climbing the mount of side effects and ends in the valley of near normalcy where you rejoice that it is two full beautiful weeks before beginning the process all over again (Hallelujah!). There was nothing new or unusual in the side effects other than the results of the accumulation of the chemo from the beginning. I am looking forward to addressing the increasing numbness in my hands and feet before the next round and seeing if we should switch to the alternative chemo drug which does not have the same effect. Fortunately the condition is not permanent (Praise the Lord) but it remains as long as the chemo is in your system and the effect slowly increases as you continue with that particular chemo drug. I receive three chemo drugs so this is just one of the regiment for which there appears to be an alternate. My concern is messing with what has been working to keep the cancer in check so that it is not growing or spreading. We are praying for wisdom to know for sure what we are to do.
Add Janet to your prayer list as she has been experiencing some hip pain issues and has been limping around like Chester from the “Gun Smoke” days (some of you will not know what that means). She had a series of x-rays and right now the belief is that it is muscle related so she is in therapy. On Monday she went in for a five year colonoscopy. That was a trip – me driving just off chemo and her limping. God was good and I was able to take her – and the results were positive – no problem. Praise the Lord.
Last week was a treat in spite of side effects as Judd and Katie and the kids were with us through Friday. For some reason little Joshua took to me and so many times just ran up wanting to be picked up or just to sit in my lap. His love really helped what can sometimes be a long week of side effects. He made it seem short (or at least shorter). Time with them and with Lisa who works with Young Life and lives with us made the week special. We also got to spend time with friends and even play cards Saturday night. There were special times also for Janet and I which just makes you wonder how I could have anything to complain about. In truth I don’t. I often feel like the most blessed man on the face of the earth. God is so good to me.
Sunday we joined our eldest son and this bride at New City Church in downtown Phoenix which they have been attending. What a treat. These people have a Mission Statement which makes my heart leap for joy. Their Mission Statement is – “New City Church exists to take the message of Jesus to the places they live, work, study, and play.” They are going through a sermon series on the Book of Acts seeking like the First Century Church to be outward focused rather than inward focused. All I can do is Praise God and pray that their Mission Statement is truly who they seek to be by doing and not just by talking. I look forward to discovering the answer to that question – which I expect to be yes. It was a privilege to truly worship with them. Thank you Lord.
As a cancer patient you have lots of time particularly in the middle of the night to consider your life and what God has done. I feel like Joshua did as he approached the end of his life. He said, “Now behold, today I am going the way of all the earth, and you know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one word of all the good words which theLord your God spoke concerning you has failed; all have been fulfilled for you, not one of them has failed” (Joshua 23:14). I don’t believe God is ready to call me home yet – but if He was – and when He does – that is (will be) my declaration.
Of all the things I am most thankful for – after Jesus and the cross and His resurrection – it is Janet and our marriage. I don’t know how God kept me from messing that up through all those years before we were together and now all those years we have been married (39 and counting) – but He did – and has – and I am eternally thankful for sharing life with her. The joy of being able to serve and love the Lord together is beyond words. That has been a miracle of the Lord which I pray for each of you to experience as well.
Spiritually I continue to sense God’s movement and His message seems to be “its time”. Janet and I were talking last week and she said that she felt we were entering really exciting days ahead. I feel that way as well and God has affirmed some things for us which are really encouraging. We have both struggled with the seeming insanity of the Presidential campaign. The front runner in one party is facing a possible criminal indictment and there are lots of instances over years where it seems that the truth and her are strangers – but people still vote for her. One the other side is one who never apologizes even when obviously wrong – says he has not asked God for forgiveness because he hasn’t made any “mistakes” – throws verbal bombs and insults at almost everyone – gives no specifics on policy and for those positions he has continued to advance says they are simply starting negotiating positions without saying what was an acceptable position – but people (particularly Christians) vote for him. It is as if America has lost its collective mind, BUT THEN GOD reminds me who sits on the throne and as my focus turns to Him peace comes. I have no idea what the future holds beyond death and judgment or Christ’s return first then judgment – BUT I KNOW GOD and that is enough – and I know that He is at work regardless of who may be our next President.
Returning to a theme of the last few weeks God continues to flesh out what the Crusade for Life means. I have already shared that it means taking life (Jesus – John 14:6) into our world – and standing against and fighting the evil one and his servants with the weapons God has given us (Ephesians 6:12-18) (2 Corinthians 10:3-6). The third prong of the Crusade for Life is to boldly proclaim the truth of Scripture in our churches and in our lives and from our mouth for only the Scripture can do what it can do because it carries the power of God (Hebrews 12) and is literally God (John 1:1, 14). That is why when we share the Gospel we don’t use a prepared “presentation”. We use five Bible verses which we ask them to read. The power is in the Word not in my argument. If they want to disagree with God then that is an issue God will handle. I don’t want to give them the option of disagreeing with me.
Please be praying for us to have wisdom and discernment to find the open door in Phoenix for the revival we know the Lord wants to bring here. Please pray for this weekend as we join in Revive Arizona with 31 young people for Revive Twin Cities (from Minnesota) to take the Gospel to Sedona. I am so excited about God at work – and so thankful for your prayers. May God richly bless you.
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.
