October Update

A few weeks ago I was having another bought of mild nausea when nurse Martha suggested taking a pancreatic enzyme supplement.  The reasoning goes that the growing tumor in my pancreas may be compromising that organ’s digestive enzyme production.  I followed her advice and the nausea and bloating has diminished.  Still no other symptoms.

Being pain free has allowed me to celebrate David, Martha, and soon Sara’s birthdays, to visit cousins in Oklahoma with my brother, to continue a few family projects, and to give me a few opportunities to speak (I was blessed to speak at Leesville Baptist Church.  You can click here to watch the message).  This weekend some of us, including my 2 granddaughters, will enjoy a trip to Carlsbad Caverns.  So, I’m grateful for the time to spend with family.  But, of course, I miss my Filipino family - pastors, church leaders, and friends, and I ask you to pray for their continued spiritual growth and daily needs.

Although my time on this earth is limited and we don’t put our hope in this world, I still have huge concerns for the direction of our country.  I agree with many others who say the choice in the upcoming election has never been clearer or more consequential.  Pro-life or Pro-Abortion, Pro-Marriage or Pro-Sodomy, uphold religious freedom or erode religious freedom, enforce peace through strength or endanger peace through accommodation, more individual freedom or more government control, lower taxes or higher taxes, justices who uphold the Constitution or justices who follow progressive thought, support our police or defund our police, support our laws or condone lawlessness, plus the many scandals from former Democratic leaders that the liberal news media continues to ignore.  I hope peoples’ disdain for President Trump’s abrasive character does not supersede the bigger issues at hand.

But I also draw huge comfort in God’s sovereignty  "In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity, consider: God has made the one as well as the other..." (Eccl. 7:14).  "The Lord of Hosts has sworn: As I have purposed, so it will be; as I have planned it, so it will happen" (Is. 14:24).  "I form light and create darkness, I make success and create disaster; I, the Lord, do all these things" (Is. 45:7).  Regardless of who governs next, the Lord's plans and purposes will not be hindered one bit.  He will use whoever leads our country to accomplish His will.

It's October.  The intense Texas heat is gone; mornings are cool and pleasant.  This could be my last Christmas season, so we've started making our December plans.  As I've sorted through family and ministry pictures, I realize once again how good the Lord has been to me, and how priviledged I've been to have a tiny part in growing His kingdom.  It's been a good life, only because the Lord has made Himself the center of it.  I love Him dearly.  I hope you do, too.