Heading Home

Updates:

• Today was my last day of doctor appointments in Houston before heading home next week. I have swelling in my arms, legs, and face that is mysterious but will not prevent me from traveling.
• We have started packing!

Prayer Requests and Praises:

• We are planning to return to Jacksonville! Praise the Lord!
• For some reason, I continue to retain water. My medical team is monitoring this, but please pray that it ceases. It’s likely a side effect of the transplant and my current chemotherapy.
• Lord willing, I will be preaching at First Baptist on July 20th. We would love to see you there!

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What I Am Learning

• Last week, I mentioned that I’ve been reading about Hezekiah in the book of Isaiah. There’s a story in which he and Jerusalem are surrounded by the Assyrian army. Hezekiah receives several messages from the enemy, yet he turns to God in prayer for deliverance.
• One of the ways God answers his prayer is by sending the angel of the Lord to slay the Assyrian army in the night. It was a miraculous, surprise attack.

“For I will defend this city to save it, for my own sake and for the sake of my servant David.” And the angel of the LORD went out and struck down 185,000 in the camp of the Assyrians. And when people arose early in the morning, behold, these were all dead bodies. Then Sennacherib king of Assyria departed and returned home and lived at Nineveh. (Isaiah 37:35–37)

• God could have chosen any method to destroy His enemies, but He chose to send the angel of the Lord. This is the same angel who surrounds God’s people today. As Christians, we inherit the promises of Psalm 34:

This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him and saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them. (Psalm 34:6–7)

• Hezekiah knew the Psalms. He humbled himself as a poor man, and the Lord delivered him using the very angel mentioned in Psalm 34:7. God will do the same for us today if we turn to Him in faith.

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What Has Been Encouraging

• As we reflect on the past three months, it’s clear we have not walked this journey alone. The Lord has been with us, and He has given us the body of Christ to care for us at every turn.
• First Baptist Church members have supported us, prayed for us, and stayed in touch through these tumultuous weeks. Our story is their story—they have walked through the fire with us. The kindness we have experienced is overwhelming. We are eager to return!
• Local churches in Houston have also come alongside us in humbling ways. Some didn’t even know us, yet they loved and served us as if we were members of their own congregations.
• Jenny and I slipped into a chapel service at MD Anderson this past week. It was a short service between appointments. As we stood at the door, we saw my primary doctor enter the chapel. We quietly sat down beside him as the Scripture was being read. It was a wonderful moment as we prayed together, knowing we both need the Lord’s help.
• The community of the saints is one of the great blessings of life. If you’ve stumbled upon this blog and aren’t connected to a local church—don’t miss out! Plan to attend a Bible-preaching church this Sunday. You just might be surprised by how wonderful it can be.