The Faith of...

Some friends of mine recently found out the worst news anyone could ever get: Doug, a forty-five year old, non-smoker, has stage four lung cancer.

Now, Doug and Michelle are a godly couple who have given their lives to loving and serving God and people. I have been an observer and witness to them struggle through this tragic news. A few days ago they stood before the whole Christian school where they serve and shared with the students from 6-12th grade and the teachers their journey and their belief statements that have followed this news. I would like to share with you what they said. I am going to share it in first person but know that it is their voice not mine.

1. I am thankful for every breath God gives me. Everyday is a gift.
2. Several years ago, I gave an assignment asking students what they would do if they found out they didn't have much longer to live. I gave that assignment not knowing that would soon be told to me. I am doing exactly what I would have said. Everyday that God gives me I am telling you guys about Jesus and showing you how to live for him. That is what I will do till God calls me home. 
3. How bad is it? We are not taking stock in what the doctors say. They are saying that it is serious. But we know that our life is in God's hands. He is the one who determines the number of our days. Cancer will not steal a single day and minute of Doug's life. Cancer has no power. Doug's life will be over when God says His purposes for Doug are finished. Nothing can steal life. God is the one in control.
4. How are you doing? We are full of peace, joy, and thanksgiving. We know that God will use this for his glory. We believe God has a purpose for this and we are grateful that He has counted us worthy to share in his purposes. 
5. God prepared us for this. Several months ago, God gave us a passage that has come up over and over again. In Daniel 3, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were told to bow down to a statute of Nebuchadnezzar. When they wouldn't, Nebuchadnezzar said if they didn't they would be thrown into a fiery furnace. Their response was, "King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up." We, like them, state that we know God is able to deliver us, and will deliver us, but even if he doesn't we will not serve other gods. We believe that the same thing that happened because of their faith will happen because of ours. Nebuchadnezzar made the fire four times hotter and threw them in bound. Nebuchadnezzar, then, saw four men walking around, unbound, and the fourth looks like the Son of God. He decreed praise to the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. God has brought cancer into our lives. We believe he can and will deliver us. If he does, or if he doesn't and this ends in death, we know that the Son of God, Jesus Christ, will be praised and many will worship the one true God. 
6. We are worshipping God through this at every step. We are choosing to worship. We are battling with worship. We have been confronted with another passage where the enemy was coming against Judah. God sent a word to the king of Judah to send the worshippers out first. Not the archers, not the swordsmen, not the calvary... the worshippers. Because they obeyed and worshipped, God delivered them from the enemy. So we are worshipping first. 
7. I also have to say that this did not come at first. When I first heard, I wept. I couldn't eat. I couldn't sleep. I laid in bed, and I doubted if God even existed. I wondered if I had been deluding myself all this time into believing all of this stuff. But I woke up. I chose to show up, to read my Bible, to cry out to God, to lean on him. I didn't feel him for days. But I continued to choose to cry out to him. It had to be a choice. I commanded my spirit to worship. If I had leaned on my feelings, I would have walked away from him. For days I didn't feel him. But then one day, after once again choosing to worship him and thank him, he clearly showed up and I was filled with his presence. I need to tell you, when things are rough you need to volitionally choose to lean on him and trust in him. Do not lean on feelings because they will lead you astray. 
8. Lastly, I need to share with you that God has been faithful to give us really beautiful moments through all of this. The night I found out that it was stage four is a prime example. My sister-in-law, who is a radiologist, called after she saw all the images. I knew as soon as I heard her voice that it was bad. I told my daughter to take the little ones to Chick-Fil-A. I cried and cried. When Doug came home after work, we sat on our porch where we had sat together a million times before. When I told him it was stage four, he answered in true Doug fashion, "Well, that is disappointing." We then sat there watching the sunset over the lake in our backyard. It was one of the most beautiful, peaceful sunsets. The two of us just sat there and together sang "Blessed be your name." It was something I thought I would never have to tell my husband, but God turned it into one of the most beautiful moments of our marriage. 
9. God is good. He has a plan. We will walk with him no matter what that plan entails. 

I sat there listening, with tears streaming down my face. I diligently pray several things. I pray that God will continue to decrease the cancer in his body till it is gone completely. I pray that God will give this amazing couple numerous conversations with doctors and nurses about the grace of God. I pray many will come to know Jesus through this journey. I pray that God will strike a revival in Norfolk Christian School and that he will use the Sandwell's faith to bring it about. I pray that Michelle's brothers will turn back to the Lord as they watch their sister faithfully suffer for the name of Christ. I pray that God will continue to lavish them with encouragement and supernatural joy. I pray he will rid them of all fear and doubt. 

I also pray that when trials come, God would give me a double portion of the faith of Doug and Michelle Sandwell. I pray that my spirit will learn from their example how to bring glory to the name of Jesus despite bad news, sickness, and the face of death.