Greetings in the name of the Lord Jesus,

This afternoon, my family went with me to the cancer doctor to see where we were with the cancer diagnosis and treatment. From the human standpoint, it all turned out to be bad news. The sarcoma (cancer) in my hip joint has already spread to my lungs where there are several small tumors in each lung. Although I am not experiencing any symptoms from this as of yet, it is only a matter of time without a turn-around in the cancer. In addition, my cancer is of the kind they call fast cancer and it is at the point where it will continue to spread quickly. It is at what is called Stage Four in the development--not good. Only about half of the people who are diagnosed with my kind of cancer at this stage survive the first year.

Because it is already spreading through the body, surgery is not an option at this time. The only chance humanly speaking is to try to put it into remission with chemo-therapy and radiation therapy. In fact, the doctor told us that with this kind of cancer, they did not talk about getting a cure; only putting it into remission. As such, I am scheduled to go to the hospital at 9AM in the morning (on Wednesday) and be admitted for my first intense treatment with chemo-therapy. I will receive one of the two medicines intravenously for 72 hours. I will receive the second by injection every two to three hours. I will be taking several other medicines to offset the side-effects of the chemo. Much will depend on the response of the tumors to the chemo. If they shrink considerably with the therapy, it increases my chances. If they do not shrink much, then my time may be quite limited.

Although previous bits and pieces of information somewhat prepared me for this diagnosis, I will admit that it hit me pretty hard sitting there hearing with my own ears this being said to me. This detour was not in my plans at all. However, the Lord is good and I am already reconciling this as His sweet will. He will not send me through any temptation that He will not enable me to endure. Nothing can touch me unless He allows it. For much of my life, I have preached about God's wonderful providence and His enabling in trials and afflictions (and many other such things). Well, this is where the rubber hits the road (as they say). Either my God is sufficient unto these things or He is no God at all. If a man burning at the stake as a martyr can clap his melted hands in praise to God, then surely I can trust God in this fiery trial. I know that His grace will be sufficient.

That being said, I do not claim any sort of invincibility here. This is truly scary business. I have received such an outpouring of encouragement and support that my heart has been overwhelmed at times. I truly desire your prayers to God to continue at this time. I want with all my heart to go out of this world (whether sooner or later) with the praise of God on my lips without having dipped His banner for anything or anyone. I long for the chance to serve the Lord longer and ask for prayers to this end. However, I also seek prayers for my strength in the Lord, for my dear wife who will be caring for me though this, and for Antioch Baptist Church. "That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord" (1Corinthians 1:31That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.
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