A year ago today...

     It was a year ago today by the day of the week but actually the date is tomorrow that I walked into the infusion center in Gaylord for my first chemo treatment.  If you look back through the archives you can see a video that Stephanie and I made on that day.  It is a little hard for me to watch because the feelings and emotions are still there for me.  I still crawl into bed at night and roll onto my right side and get in the fetal position and remember what I have been through and how many times I prayed to God to get me through the night.  Needless to say, today is a much better day than that day. I feel like I am back to "full" strength and my head is clear and nothing is off the table when it comes to the work that God has put before me.


     Yesterday was another great day in the house of the Lord.  God continues to help us to grow in our individual and congregation relationship with Him.  When Paul talks of worship in Romans 12:1, 2 he calls upon the congregation (made up of many individuals) and continues that thought with the word "bodies" in the plural form to come together to give a singular sacrifice and a singular worship to God.  The first 4 beatitudes dealing with our relationship with God lead right into the second 4 dealing with our relationship with others.  Just as we need to admit we are spiritually bankrupt (poor in spirit) and need to mourn our sin (mourn) and need to submit to God's will and way (meek) and crave to live right before God (hunger and thirst after righteousness) are not optional when it comes to our relationship with God, so are the next 4 when it deals with our relationship with others.  We can't say that being merciful or pure in heart, or a peacemaker, or persecuted are optional for the Christian.  It will be great to fill out these 4 terms.


     Back in October of last year Stephanie and I purchased a juicer for the sake of my health to counter the effects of the chemo on my body.  It is now four months and we are still going strong with a majority of days including 2 large juices of fruits and vegetables.  I remember an elderly man in the Alpena church that I would visit and he would tell me about the value of juicing.  He sold the machines so each visit included "the pitch."  I never would have imagined that I would 20 years later be talking about the same thing to others.  (I am not selling juicers!!)  Stephanie and I are doing great with our new normal when it comes to diet and we are thankful that we can see the benefits that it has brought to both of us.  We are still learning what "we" can do to take care of what God has given to us.


Adam
A simple man serving a great God and the local pastor of Stillwater Community Chapel (stillwater-chapel.org). We are in our 38th year of full time ministry. God directed us to this local body of believers on the Western Range of the Rockies to grow with them in mission and mindedness of Christ.

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