Every day is a gift from God...God is sovereign!

Well, I had intended to put up some pictures of our life here in the wonderful state of California, but that can wait. We received news today that our dear friend Tom and his cancer. He was diagnosed with cancer last fall, and after treatments, he was doing much better this summer. The cancer came back this fall, and although the initial tests presented conflicting results and it appeared like the medicine was working, he is back in the hospital, and tests now show that he has lymphoma in his bone marrow.

Tom is a strong Christian, and he has a godly wife and daughter who take care of him. He is always so positive, and we know that he knows that the Lord is in control. There have been so many times that we've gotten bad news about Tom, and then something changes, and the Lord allows him to feel better and gain his strength. Now, with the news today, it could be hard to realize God's purpose.

I know that every day is a gift from God. I don't always live that way. I don't think about how we are here today and gone tomorrow. We don't know what the future holds. I think about my dear friend June who died in 2002. She was so special to me, and I'll always remember how I saw her that last time at her house. June was 79 or 80, and we worked together for several years at HSLDA. I loved to visit her and her husband Ott, and one day in February, I dropped by her house. She had a huge smile when she saw me. The next time I saw her, she was unconscious in the hospital, and June died the next day. Every day is a gift...

I know that the Lord is sovereign. We don't know why things happen the way they do. The Lord has known since before time what each day holds, and He is not surprised. His plan is always carried out. Things happen for a reason. Tom's cancer is not a mistake. June's death 3 years ago was not something that was out of the Lord's control. We may not know why we go through what we do, but we will know at some time, either later in life or when we get to Heaven. We should be able to look back at what we experience and see God's purposes. If we are bitter and mad at the Lord, then we are saying that the Almighty God doesn't know what He is doing. But if we change, become more Christlike, lead others to the Lord through our witness through hard times, influence other Christians for good, and rejoice in the faithfulness of the Lord, then perhaps that is the reason.

May you all grow in the grace of our Lord as we our on the journey to Heaven.