a pastor friend of mine felt a twinge in her chest last week. she got a mammogram last wednesday. found out she had aggressive breast cancer in both breasts friday. yesterday she had a double mastectomy.
nyah and i went to visit her today. i wasn't sure if i should go - i wasn't sure if i wanted to go...i kept telling God to show me if i should go. miraculously my sermon was completed and a visitation canceled...there was no reason not to and a deep urge to go to the hospital led me there.
as we drove up highway 9 the fog was still hanging around in nooks and crannies of the valley...when we arrived into the room and some other pastor friends were just leaving. the smile on my friend's face was huge. "did you hear the good news?" she said. "do you mean other than Jesus Christ risen from the dead?" i replied. "yes!"
amazingly, there was no trace of cancer anywhere else in her body. she is clean. and as we sat on her bed - the three of us - and talked about God's goodness, she ministered to me. she reminded me of the great love God has for me...she asked about a couple of issues in my parish that she knew about...she recited to me an amazing poem about perspective that she had written. she played with my baby. she received me with hospitality into that dark day with the fog playing hide and seek outside the window and hope springing forth into the vacancy of her chest.
as nyah and i left, i smiled. God had led me to that place as much for me as for my friend. her witness to me encouraged and strengthened me, even as she was dealing with such loss and trauma. now that is some good news.
