Everybody Has Problems

   Thirty-six hours from now, I will have Chemo Round Five flowing into me.  Twelve hours after that I will begin feeling the effects of that experience.  Today I had a CT scan and a PET scan to check the rate of the demise of the cancer inside of me.  You wrap all this up, and it seems as though I still have a lot to face and that I still need the prayers of God's people.  That's true, but there are others right now that are going through hard circumstances, more urgent than what I am facing.  Please pray for them before you pray for me tonight:

• Howie's chemo treatment will happen tomorrow and his body has not yet fully recovered from the last treatment.  To complicate things, his wife Ellie fell, broke some ribs, has a contusion on her lung, and experienced complications from the pain medicine she is on.  Please pray for Howie and Ellie today.
• A friend is very concerned about his roommate who is making poor lifestyle choices.  Pray for Robert today.
• Another Christian friend shared with me that his 17-year-old daughter is dating a boy who is not at all open to the gospel.  Please pray for the salvation of this boy.
• My friend and co-worker Dave has returned to school where he is known and loved following the death and funeral of his father and caretaker.  Please pray that David's future plans stay on track and that housing and transportation can be taken care of.
• Millie died.  She was a cancer buddy I met along the journey I am on.  Please pray for her husband Pete, their children, and grandchildren.  
• My friend's wife has been ill for nearly eight months after experiencing a blockage in a vessel that leads to the brain.  Progress toward health has been slow.  Please pray for Amy today.

   Do you see?  "In this world you will have trouble..."  (John 16:33).  Of course we have trouble in this world.  Just look around.  It is everywhere and all-pervasive.  Why do we as human beings want to ignore this?  It isn't pleasant to think about, it isn't fun to deal with, and it isn't socially acceptable to ask for help or appear insufficient and unable to deal with problems ourselves.  Face it, we are unable to deal with these and other heartaches.  But experiencing such things is a fact of the lives of all -- if not currently, then soon.  But remember how this verse concludes: "...but take heart, for I have overcome the world."  Align yourself with the one who said these words, Jesus Christ.  Claim his promises as yours.  You cannot do this on your own, even if everything right now is going great.  Someday it won't be.
   Thirty-six hours from now?  No sweat.  I know Jesus.  Bring it.