The October detour started with a full body itch and jaundice. Less than a month later, Valerie had a diagnosis of bile duct cancer. In between were more medical tests, appointments, and procedures than anyone should try cramming into a couple of weeks along with introductions to three new doctors, all of it happening at a mind-numbing pace. We find ourselves once again in the midst of a new unplanned and unexpected adventure, occasionally (and I suppose unnecessarily) wondering what the Lord who loves us has in mind.
Valerie, who has a lifetime of experience following the Lord into the unknown, has a deep peace and confidence that God knows what He is doing in these current circumstances; So do I, but of the two of us, I’m the one more likely to have questions for the Almighty. It’s not that I don’t know the right answers; I do, and I’ve shared them with many others. In the last few weeks multiple friends have started dealing with fresh cancer diagnoses. When it comes to things like cancer, I recognize the tension that can exist between what is known and what is sometimes felt, and that tension has had me thinking lately about the theme of this blog.
What does it mean to talk about discovering joy in the midst of a cancer diagnosis? In the wake of Joan’s diagnosis over twenty years ago, a basic biblical truth impressed me more clearly and deeply than it ever had before. I think it is one of the simplest and most important things I have ever learned. All God ever gives us is one day at a time, and every one of those days has been recorded by God before even the first one came to be. He is a present tense God, and each new day comes as a gift with an invitation to walk with Him through it.
I don’t know why the Lord surprises us with sudden detours, but asking why is almost always the wrong question. Advent will look a bit different this year, punctuated with fifteen radiation treatments and likely followed by oral chemotherapy. We are on a journey these days rich with opportunities to experience God more deeply and intimately than we otherwise would, and to do so one day at a time as long as He gives us days.
A P.S. for those who want to stay in touch: We’ll be sending occasional email prayer updates on how Valerie is doing. If you want to receive those, all we need is a current email address. The most efficient way to contact us is email or phone/text to either of us or commenting directly on the blog. My presence on Facebook is infrequent and irregular, and Valerie no longer uses that platform at all. 😀
