Kim: "I'm thankful for breast cancer."

I wrote the following and posted it on my Facebook page on Thanksgiving Day, November 28, 2013. As of today (11/30/2013), it has received 138 'likes' and 36 comments. I'm so glad that God is using Kim's story to encourage others.

 

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Earlier this afternoon, my family was listening to Christian contemporary radio in our minivan. In between songs the radio host said, “I’d like for some of you to call and tell me what you are thankful for that you never thought you could be thankful for.”

Immediately, Kim told me: “I’m thankful for breast cancer.” Let me tell you two main reasons why she was able to say that with complete sincerity of heart:

First, I have watched my wife intently to see what God was doing in her life and how she would respond. I have noticed that her grappling with the cancer and the radical surgery necessary to eradicate it drove her to her knees. Without a doubt, Kim has struggled with times of discouragement. "Discouragement" is really an understatement but if I had gone through what she's gone through, I would probably not have responded so well. Kim has recently started taking medication to help her manage the discouragement and hopes to be off it soon. But again, if it were me dealing with all she has dealt with in her life, I would probably be taking something, too!

Out of all of this, I have watched Kim rise once again more beautiful and godly than when she entered the valley. A few days ago, she told me: “I feel so close to the Lord right now. I’m enjoying time in His Word and in prayer. I don’t want this to go away.” As I have observed her and listened to her become completely transparent, I love what I see God doing in her life. Even though the breast cancer wasn’t pleasant and the surgery and recovery was even worse, what it has done in her life is incredible. For that, she is thankful to God for the breast cancer.

Second, as we ran up our medical debt with the breast cancer debacle, we approached the end of the year and realized our deductible had been met. Because of that, Kim decided to have a colonoscopy. She had no reason for having that procedure except that she was approaching the age when she would need to get one and since our deductible had been reached, she might as well do it now.

Kim and I went to the Vanderbilt Medical Clinic in Nashville yesterday for the initial visit with the surgeon. They did another scope and took pictures. When I came back into the room, the surgeon held up a picture of the mass inside Kim's body and said that if Kim had not had the colonoscopy, the pre-cancerous mass would almost certainly have become cancer. The surgery required at that point would have been much more radical with long-term unimaginably undesirable effects. It was a great thing that she had the colonoscopy! Why did she have it? Because she had breast cancer!

We have seen God work through the details of this whole thing. We could get stuck in doubt or anger and ask, “God, why do You keep allowing these things to happen?” However, while we’ve asked that question more times than we care to admit, we’ve realized that in our particular situation there is a more appropriate response to our God: “Heavenly Father, THANK YOU for working overtime in the details to get Kim the care she needs well before these problems got out of control.”

Our God is awesome!!! Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Is it possible to live without faith?

This is written in response to an Opinion piece that Professor William Zingrone wrote in The Murray State News (found at http://thenews.org/2013/11/08/zingrone-science-works-whether-or-not-it-is-believed/):
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In a letter he wrote in the Opinion section on November 8, 2013, Professor Zingrone said, “Faith is belief without evidence, and it is the ultimate arbiter of religious claims. In direct contrast, acceptance in science in methods and findings has nothing to do with faith, only evidence.” 

First, I disagree with the Professor’s definition of faith. Faith is not “belief without evidence.” It is the human response to evidence where questions still remain. Faith rests on the truth and fills in the empty spots. For the Christian, faith rests upon the truths of Scripture. God has said it and we believe it ... even if we have lingering questions.

Second, even though he speaks so harshly against faith, Dr. Zingrone is just as much a man of faith as I am. For instance, I assume that he drives to and from work each day. The problem for Professor Zingrone arises when he tries to explain how he can make such a trip if he refuses to acknowledge the merits of faith. In reality, he exercises faith every time another car approaches. He trusts a driver he doesn’t know and has never met to stay on his side of the road. For all he knows, the driver in the other lane could be under the influence of alcohol, high on drugs or simply have a death wish. Yet, Professor Zingrone exercises faith (underline ‘faith’), trusting that the oncoming driver will stay in their own lane … and then stands in judgment of Christians for exercising faith. If he attacks us for not having substantial evidence to exercise faith, I would ask him what evidence he has for trusting the unknown driver in the other lane.

Truth be told, we all collect enough evidence to satisfy our minds and then we use faith to fill in the blanks. The problem is not “faith” as Dr. Zingrone has alleged. The potential problem arises in regard to the object of our faith.

Suppose I prepare to jump from a plane with the intention of parachuting to the ground. I would certainly need to be a person of faith to accomplish such a feat! The parachute would be at the top of the list of items that I would put my trust in. If I didn't have faith that the parachute would open and safely take me to the ground, I wouldn't make the jump! But, suppose that I place my faith in the parachute, make the jump, and then the parachute doesn't deploy. The parachute malfunctioned! Would I hit the ground and die even though I exerted faith? Of course! Why? Because faith is important but equally important is the object that we put our faith in.

Professor Zingrone places his faith in science. I place my faith in God's revealed Word. One of us is right and one of us is wrong. But, let's consider the implications of what I have just said. If Dr. Zingrone is right and I am wrong, it won't matter in a few years. Our bodies will occupy plots in a cemetery and we will simply cease to exist. Yet, if I'm right and he is wrong, he will regret placing his faith in the wrong object for the rest of eternity.

I'm praying that God would enable Dr. Zingrone to seriously consider the claims of Scripture and receive the gift of forgiveness and eternal life before it is too late.

Where to get joy when times get tough

How do you respond when life gets tough? Whether we like it or not, sooner or later, our life will take a turn for the worse. That's not pessimism. That's reality. Someone will get horribly sick. Someone will lose their job. Someone will mistreat us. Someone will die. Something is going to happen that could send us into a tailspin.

So, given that there are certainly mountaintop experiences but th...ere will also be times of trouble, we need to determine how we will respond to those negative circumstances when they come.

The book of Habakkuk helps us to come to a right conclusion in this matter. The prophet Habakkuk began this Old Testament book that bears his name by complaining to God. He knew that because of Judah's sin and their unrepentant heart that God was going to bring the wicked Babylonian army against them. The Israelites would die from battle, famine, and disease.

As Habakkuk looked into the future of his nation, it was dark. He knew that if he relied upon those depressing future circumstances for his joy, he would remain depressed. So, he focused his attention not upon his circumstances but upon His God. As he trusted God, he knew that even in dire circumstances, he would be ok. In fact, he could even have a deep seated joy amid the turmoil.

"Even though the fig trees have no blossoms,
and there are no grapes on the vines;
even though the olive crop fails,
and the fields lie empty and barren;
even though the flocks die in the fields,
and the cattle barns are empty,
yet I will rejoice in the LORD!
I will be joyful in the God of my salvation!
The Sovereign LORD is my strength!
He makes me as surefooted as a deer,
able to tread upon the heights.
(Habakkuk 3:17-19 - New Living Translation)

Jonah, judgment and revival

The four short chapters in the biblical book of Jonah shed incredible light on the state of America. In many ways, America is just like Nineveh.

As I mentioned in yesterday's post, we are a country that used to hide sin in back allies. Now, we parade it down Main Street. We hear that our country has long since passed the 50 million mark for abortions performed within our borders. Infidelity and divorce and pornography and homosexuality affect just about every household. On and on we could go.

I know that we all are sinners, certainly including me. Yet, a true follower of Jesus will do battle with sin and become more like Jesus as the months and years pass. Our nation is headed in the opposite direction. We are straying farther and farther away from a biblical worldview that once was used to write our founding documents.

So, just as God sought to warn Nineveh of His impending judgment, I think we can hear Him speak through Jonah to us, too.

"The LORD gave this message to Jonah son of Amittai: 'Get up and go to the great city of Nineveh. Announce my judgment against it because I have seen how wicked its people are.'" (Jonah 1:1-2)

What was the result? When we read Jonah chapter 3, we see that the people listened to Jonah's warning from the Lord and they repented. Listen to how God responded to their genuine repentance:

"When God saw what they had done and how they had put a stop to their evil ways, he changed his mind and did not carry out the destruction he had threatened." (Jonah 3:10)

In Jonah chapter 4, we come to understand what God's intention was all along. God sent Jonah to warn Nineveh of His coming judgment so that they would repent. He did not want to bring judgment upon them but they needed to repent and stop their evil ways in order for that to happen.



Draw a circle around yourself.
Commit to pray for revival for everything in the circle.

Listen to Jonah describe the heart of God:

"...I knew that you are a merciful and compassionate God, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. You are eager to turn back from destroying people." (Jonah 4:2)

It is my conviction that America is already experiencing God's judgment. Yet, I believe that it is possible for God to once again bless us. But, the way that this will happen is the lesson we learn from the book of Jonah. Our nation must repent.

One Christian ministry that is working to this end is Onecry. Consider going to onecry.com and join thousands of other believers who are praying for our nation to turn back.



Celebration vs. a Solemn Assembly

I am still trying to process all that I experienced yesterday at the Kentucky Baptist Convention in Paducah. As I sat with some of my church family and listened to so many reports and participated in some important votes, I couldn’t help but celebrate. Yet, I also came away realizing that the great leaders who spoke struggle just as I do to find a balance in speaking to God’s people.

Here's the struggle:

I celebrated with the guys and gals that stood behind the pulpit and spoke of the successes that they had experienced during the past year. The ministry entities that answer to the Kentucky Baptist Convention reported on growth in attendance, influence, conversions, finances, and so much more. As those reports were given, applause would erupt from the hundreds of messengers. They (we) were excited to hear that things were going so well.

This is such an important aspect of leadership that gets things done. If a leader knows how to lead, he/she is going to lead from a position of hope. He/she is going to celebrate the past and point to a brighter future. That is what motivates and gets people mobilized. Further, it gets people to come back to our meetings. A boring, discouraging Kentucky Baptist Convention or church service will have negative long term effects.

Yet, as the Kentucky Baptist Convention ended yesterday evening, we concluded in prayer and left the sanctuary. In that place, we had worshipped and celebrated all day with our brothers and sisters in Christ. But as we left and went back out into the world, we were reminded as we stepped out of the sanctuary that we are living in very dark days.

Our country is spiraling out of control. Sin that once hid itself in back allies now parades itself down Main Street. Families are being ripped apart by divorce and abuse. Filth permeates our nation’s media. Abortion is being funded by tax dollars and the homosexual agenda is forcing its intolerant policies on those who it deems ‘intolerant.’ Despair is growing over issues like the shaky job market, the increased cost of living, the fear of losing insurance, etc. This list could go on and on.

As Christians, we have been called to be salt (to hold back decay) and yet we see moral decay all around us that is getting worse, not better. We are called to be light (to shine Jesus’ Gospel into a dark world) and yet we see moral darkness growing, not shrinking. Any fair minded person would agree that our nation is in trouble and it is getting more troublesome as time goes by!

As I read through the Old Testament book of Joel this morning, I was reminded that God moves against nations that refuse to submit to Him. A nation that does not pursue righteousness will sooner or later experience His judgment. I think that it is fair to say that America is experiencing God’s judgment right now.

What was the answer? What remedy did God give His people to end the judgment? It was a call to acknowledge that things were not OK and to acknowledge that it was because of their sin. God called His people to repentance.

“‘Yet even now,’ declares the LORD, ‘return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your hearts and not your garments.’ Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster. Who knows whether he will not turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind him, a grain offering and a drink offering for the LORD your God? Blow the trumpet in Zion; consecrate a fast; call a solemn assembly; gather the people. Consecrate the congregation; assemble the elders; gather the children, even nursing infants. Let the bridegroom leave his room, and the bride her chamber.” (Joel 2:12-16)

What Joel recounts in this text is not a time of celebration. It is a time of brokenness. A time of repentance.

And yet, I realize that as we lead, there needs to be a balance. We should be a people who enjoy celebrating what God has done through us. Yet, we should also experience true brokenness over our country’s condition so much so that we are moved to prayer, fasting and repentance.

I struggle with how to balance these two. How can we as Christian leaders, as churches, as the Kentucky Baptist Convention celebrate the victories God has and is accomplishing through us while acknowledging that times are dark? How do we keep celebrating while encouraging brokenness and repentance in those we lead?

May the Lord give us wisdom in this matter. Time is running out.

Getting away with Kim to the Maple Hill Bed and Breakfast

Our church recently sent Kim and me off for a couple of days at a bed and breakfast. I've never been to a bed and breakfast (they sounded a little too much like a female or elderly thing) but I was fair game. Things have been more than a little rough for Kim and me, especially recently, and we needed some time away.

It took us about an hour and a half to get to Maple Hill Bed and Breakfast in Eddyville, Kentucky. The house was impressive as we approached it (the picture makes it look much smaller than it actually is).

We were greeted at the door by the host who invited us in. She took us on a brief tour of the place so that we could get our bearings. The first room we entered made it clear that this house had plenty of 'atmosphere.'

I usually don't like antiques but this house was done extremely well! It felt like we stepped back into time to a different era. After staying at my first bed and breakfast, I could see what set it apart from a hotel. A hotel provides the necessities but it is strictly focused on providing a place to sleep. 'Atmosphere' isn't their goal. A bed and breakfast strives to provide a place to rest while also giving you an experience, something that leaves you thinking about it long after you've left.

Our church paid for the second floor 'Rose Room' which seems to have been the nicest room. The amenities inside the room were very well thought-out and the view out the windows was breathtaking. Lake Barkley was visible from two of the windows and the bay behind the house was visible from the third window.

Again, Kim and I really don't care much for antiques. Yet, this room was decked out in furniture, rugs, pictures and such from years gone by. The room provided more than just a place to rest. It really felt like we were able to 'get away' from some stress for a couple of days and rejuvenate.

One place that Kim and I enjoyed retreating to when we were spending our time in our Bibles or just spending some time reflecting was on the second floor balcony. This balcony had some rocking chairs and was the private balcony for those in the 'Rose Room.' It overlooked the front of the house and also had a great view of Lake Barkley. (You can see Lake Barkley in the picture to the right.)

Kim and I had some great talks while we were on this two day get-away and some of those conversations happened on this balcony.

Another location that we enjoyed escaping to a couple of times was a dock down on the water. This was a super place to just 'veg.' Kim and I took our Bibles and some study books with us. Sometimes, we were reading and studying. Other times, we were just enjoying the beautiful scenery. All of this just enabled us to de-stress and relax.

The view to the right of this dock is seen in the next picture. This bay area was a little inlet off of Lake Barkley. It was fun just to watch the water flow and listen to the waves splash against the dock.

I don't know what it is about water but it is so therapeutic to just watch and listen. Added to this is the fish that jumped out of the water and the turtles that poked their heads out and watched us. All of this and more made for an extremely relaxing environment where our minds and bodies were able to unwind.

The fact that this bed and breakfast provides such an incredible experience as sitting on this dock is a priceless addition to all that they offer those who come to board with them.

There were many other things we enjoyed about this place. The breakfast was absolutely delicious with the candles on the table and romantic music in the background. The conversation with the hosts was really enjoyable, too. We even found out that we have some friends in common! We also found some roads to walk that provided some breathtaking views of Lake Barkley.

I could keep going but you get the idea. We really enjoyed this place!

We certainly enjoyed our time at the Maple Hill Bed and Breakfast and cannot be more thankful to our church family at the Westside Baptist Church for providing this get-away for us. Kim and I are hoping that this time of R&R will enable us to be more effective as we get back at the business of ministry and all of the other things God has allowed to come our way.