God provides....

6.27.12

Luke 12:28 NLT

"And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you."

It always amazes me the way that God shows up.  I don't know if it should, but it always does.  I mean God continually promises us that He will show up.  He says that He will never leave us and never forsake us.  In fact, in Acts, Jesus says that the Father gives us the gift of the Holy Spirit to show that He will ALWAYS be with us.  I am so thankful that God still amazes me when I recognize Him at work.

A lot of you know that the last two weeks have been kind of tough for my family.  My dad was admitted to the hospital two weeks ago.  After lots of tests and days of waiting his prognosis came back.  The tests revealed a lesion on his brain stem and after a brain biopsy and nearly a week of waiting the doctor identified it as lymphoma.

As we waited in the hospital for a diagnosis I noticed a trend happening.  I slept in the room with him overnight two or three times the first week.  As I did, several of the nurses and folks taking care of my dad kept stopping and asking me if I worked at Atlee Community Church.  When I responded "yes", they're next response was usually, "I have been there", "I go there" or "I know someone who goes there".  Now if this had happened once I would say it was a great coincidence and moved on, but it happened three or four times.   On top of that I got a text from a very close friend who told me that her husband not only worked in the hospital that my dad was in, but he works on his floor.  

As I have prayed for my father, A LOT, over the last two weeks I have been comforted by a very powerful thought.  God has truly laid it on my heart that people who care about me, my church family, are caring for me, my family and a person that is truly the best man that I know.  In other words God is continually reminding me that He has not left my dad or my family and he has not of forsaken my dad and my family.  Words can not explain the joy that I felt after I realized what God was doing through the folks at the hospital.  

I could not be more thankful for my church family right now.  As a pastor and someone who is used to caring for people, praying for people and being there for people it has meant the absolute world to me that my father, my family and myself have hundreds of people praying intently for us.  God has truly shown up again and again these last two weeks.  I am so thankful that He cares for me, my family and my dad.  I am so thankful for the opportunity to pray with and for my dad and my family on a regular basis during this time.  

I thought this would be the best way to update everyone about what is going on.  My father is going to start treatments this week.  He is truly the strongest man I have ever known and I know he is going to fight this with every ounce of his being.   You will never know how appreciative I am for the cards, texts, phone calls, e-mails and Facebook messages.  Each and everyone just reminds me more and more how God is hearing and honoring prayer.  I would ask that you continue to pray for my father for strength.  Please pray for my mom and family as well.  Finally I ask that you pray that God's presence be so evident to all involved in this time.  I am confident that God is going to use this situation.

Thank you church family for being a constant reminder of God's provision.