Our youngest son was diagnosed with brain cancer at the age of 16 months. Given only months to live, he was prayed for by many. He is now 27 years old, married to a wonderful girl and doing great. Since that time I have had a catch phrase that comes up often. When some type of trouble crops up in our lives, I make the statement, “Well at least it’s not cancer.” That phrase won’t fit this time. My precious wife of 38 years has been diagnosed with breast cancer. Betty undergoes surgery this next week to remove the tumors. She will have a double mastectomy and follow-up treatment. Regardless of your walk with God, our human side kicks in at once when physical tragedy strikes. Will she die? Has it spread to other parts of her body? Can they find it all? Can it be treated? What doctors do we use? All of the possible scenarios ran through my head like a horror movie in fast forward. Then, because we are in Christ, peace began to trickle down like water through hardened parched earth. We went to our knees and were overcome by the calmness that invaded our being. Instant panic was replaced with comfort and rest. We fell on our faces and simply asked God to do a miracle. I must admit, I am praying for healing for Betty. Until God changes my heart, I will let my petition be made known to Him. We have that right. I would ask the same of you. If you will join me in that request, I would greatly appreciate it. I found this great little verse that I have over looked many times. Acts 9:11. “And the Lord said to him, (Ananias) Arise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying.” At first look, this is a verse that gives the prophet Ananias the physical location of Saul. But, suddenly to me, I see the spiritual location of Saul, and the fact that God is listening to him! God knows his location and hears his prayers! What more do I need to know than that God is hearing me right where I am. He relates to my hurt and he hears my plea. The psalmist says that “He has placed my tears in a bottle.” NO, we do not want to fight this battle again. We’re still a little frayed from the first confrontation. But we are not alone. When our son Caleb was struggling with this terrible disease, God spoke to me in the middle of the night. In a small hospital room in Tyler, Texas, at 2:30 in the morning as I was singing and praying, God spoke to my heart. He didn’t say he was going to cure Caleb. He didn’t say He would make things come out alright. But with the most tender of mercies He said to me in my darkest hour, “I am here.” We stand in that same place over 25 years later and hear the same sweet refrain, “I am here.” And what more do I need to know than that the God of all creation hears me and is with me! Are we weary? Yes. Are we heavy burdened? Yes. So where do we go? To Him! Yes, this time it is cancer, but we go to Him for rest. Thank you for your prayers and please check back to see our progression.