Meet some friends…
I would like to (properly) introduce you to some friends that I have mentioned before on this blog. I have talked about them anonymously in posts called “Praying with the Church“, “Long Distance Community“, “Fellowship of Faith Prayer“, and “A Week in the Life of the Church“. This family was once part of our fellowship, then moved to Asia, and has now moved back to the United States because their son has been diagnosed with cancer. Please take some time to read through their blogs and pray for them and their family.
Eric, the husband and father, blogs at “Hammer and Nail“. Here is an excerpt from his blog post called “Why does my son have to suffer?“:
My only son, Bobby, has cancer. He was diagnosed with Burkitt’s Lymphoma less than one month ago. Since that time, he has undergone several tests and treatments (including chemotherapy) that have been painful. He has a central-line in his chest. Now his hair has begun to fall out. Some boys would like this; Bobby does not. He is just now starting to feel better, but next week we have to go back into the hospital for another week so that Bobby can have his second round of chemo. Why does he have to suffer?
Suffering is an interesting topic to talk about in a seminary classroom. It is altogether different when it strikes your family. For me, suffering went from theory to reality in about a minute. With my child suffering, many questions jumped to my mind. These questions included: 1) Why does my child have to suffer? 2) Does God want my child to be healed? 3) How can a perfectly good, perfectly omnipotent God allow my child to suffer? 4) Does God allow or cause suffering? 5) What does all this say about the character of God?
Alice, the wife and mother, blogs at “Thinking as a Woman“. Here is an excerpt from one of her blog posts called “Please Lord!“:
It’s totally dark in Bobby’s hospital room except for this computer screen. I look across the room at my son, curled up under his favorite blanket with Mr. Smiley, Brownie, and Ruff, his favorite stuffed animals. All I can think right now is, “Please, Lord, just give us more time with him. Please, God, I know he’s yours to do with as you will, but could you just heal him and let him grow up? Let him hit puberty, let his voice change, let him be as tall as his daddy, let him play sports, let him learn to play the piano, let him go to college, get married, and have children of his own some day. Please?” Is this just selfishness on my part? I’m not trying to strike any bargains with the Lord–I know that God doesn’t play that game, and neither do I. I know that Bobby is God’s child, and that God is sovereign. I pray that this whole situation will bring glory to God. And yet…I don’t want to lose my son! He is so sweet and cuddly and smart–how could I possibly handle it if he doesn’t get better? These are such dark thoughts. Some people would say it’s “Bad luck” to even think this way. But I don’t believe in luck. I believe in an All-Powerful Creator God who has known every day, minute and second of my son’s life since the beginning of time. And I hear a still, small voice telling me to be still and know that He is God, and rest in Him. This is all that I cling to, and it gives me peace. He gives me Peace.
I hope you get to know them and love them like we do.
Thanks for posting this Alan! It’s good to know how I can pray for my brothers and sisters! I appreciate their honesty …
~Heather
Heather,
They’re great people… great friends.
-Alan
Thank you Alan for the kind words and for what Alice calls a “shout-out.” It is refreshing to be out here in the open blogging world. I feel (blogging-wise) like I just climbed over the wall into West Berlin. OK, that is overstating it a bit, but this is great.
Seriously, we love you and your family and look forward to getting together soon.
Eric,
I’m sure we will see each other soon. We’re still praying for you.
-Alan
Alan: I came by you after reading your addition to Heather’s post.
My heart aches to find this post about a dear sweet couple, coping with unanswerable questions.
When I read Alice’s portion, my mother’s heart broke. Again.
You see, I had what she’d like to have. My son was thirty-three years old when he was killed on Mother’s Day 2005. He left behind two lovely little girls, one 4, the other 7. I was allowed to see all the changes and experience so much with my Chad.
I can’t begin to consider which would be worse–to lose my own so young, or have lost my only son with so much life and love still yet to live and give.
I hurt so badly and can only believe that God has brought me here to know of Alice and Eric so I can pray for them. Thanks for sharing this story of courage and grace. May God’s strength and comfort outweigh the fraility of spirit in the dark of night. May His all encompassing love be felt in the depths of their souls and they find the peace that cannot be described as they question and wonder. May they know they are not alone and God understands they need to ask Him questions, for in the seeking, they will find the faith to trust His sovereign will.
Nothing can dilute the agony of the unknown and the possibility of the impossible happening. But we will pray for God’s tender merciful intervention and healing. May He gain all the glory for it.
selahV
selahV,
“We will pray for God’s tender merciful intervention and healing.” God is their only hope. They know that, and they’ve lived it – even before Bobby was diagnosed with cancer. We are all poor, needy, and desperate. I know they will appreciate your prayers.
-Alan