Several people have asked how I knew to go to the doctor and/or how all this was discovered. The answer is...God. Really.
Back before Christmas I started having an occasional mild burning pain sensation in the left side of my abdomen. It kept up for a couple of weeks and I went to the doctor here, thinking I had a hernia. He said it was not a hernia, but if it kept up I needed to get a colonoscopy. It did, so I called some friends in Spartanburg, SC and got referred to a great Christian doctor down there. He did the colonoscopy in February - found and removed two polyps, one pre-cancerous, but no big deal for somebody my age. He said if the pain kept up, I needed to get a CT scan, as it seemed like I might have a small incision hernia from my reflux surgery in '97.
I went to see a good friend here in KY (that is in our SS class) and he sent me for the CT. It came back and showed no reason for the pain in my left front, but showed a small spot on my right kidney.
He sent me for an MRI, which basicallly confirmed that I had a small spot on my right kidney. He said I needed to see a Urologost. I called the doctor's office in SC that had done my colonoscopy and told them I wanted a referral to a doctor "just like him". He referred me to Dr. Harry Kinard, a top Urologist in SC and an outstanding Christian man. By the way, google 'Andrew Kinard', (his son) and CMA awards and you'll see what kind of family this is.
We were going to be in Spartanburg for a missions conference so I made an appt to see Dr. Kinard that week. He thought it was probably a benign cyst, but said we can find out easy enough with an ultra-sound. He sent me straight from his office that afternoon, and by the time I got through with that, it was after 5pm. I was headed back to the conference when he called my cell phone (he had stayed in his office to hear the results). He was very compassionate, and very reassuring when he told me that it was definetly cancer and I needed to come back the next day for a better CT.
I did, and the following week I had to go back for an IVP, which confirmed the type (renal cell carcinoma vs. transitional cell carcinoma). It may sound weird, but really the only "bad news" in all of this has been when they decided they could not do the surgery laproscopically and would have to do it with a traditional large incision, meaning more hospital time and longer recovery.
By the way - the burning pain that started all this...? Gone. Haven't had it in about 3 weeks, about the time I got the diagnosis. Maybe the Lord was just pinching me and saying "Go to the doctor." I also have not had a single "symptom" of the cancer. No pain, no nothing. God really is good, He really is faithful and He really is worthy of our trust. We have seen His hand in all this from the very beginning, and He has blessed us with a peace that really has passed all comprehension. We rest in Him.
As the Hebrew boys said so many years ago, our God is able to deliver and we believe He that will. But if not, know this...we will not bow our knee to the fear and panic that Satan wants to bring into our lives. And, one way or another, God will get the glory...and THAT is what it's all about.
The Reynolds
Monday, April 13, 2009
He is Risen! He is Risen Indeed!
What a glorious day of worship and fellowship today was! We are so thankful for the wonderful church family that God has blessed us with here, along with so many wonderful Christian friends from many churches in the area.
We had a group here on the Campus this weekend (Eastern KY Regional Deaf Revival) and we stopped by to visit with them at the Alumni Dining Hall when we got back from church. They were finishing up their conference and lunch, but they were gracious enough to take the time snap a picture of us. Many blessings to you and yours.
I will be headed down to SC Monday afternoon to be prepared for my pre-op visit on Tuesday morning. While there I will be meeting with two different Church mission groups about future trips to the Campus. Thanks so much for your continued prayers and love and support. We are still...
Living one day a time, with eternity in view, and giving God the praise and glory for it all! Blessings to you and yours!
Sunday, April 12, 2009
The end result
We have one last blog for the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. What a great story of faith this is and what a great example of how God doesn't just allow us to go through the fiery trials, He walks with us through them. But we need to note and remember the end result of the story. No, I am not talking about the deliverance of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego from the furnace. I am talking about the fact that God got the glory.
"Then Nebuchadnezzar said, 'Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego...for no other god can save in this way.'" Daniel 3:28a, 29b
The important thing is not that they were delivered from the furnace. God was ABLE to rescue and He did. But He still would have been good and faithful and trustworthy even if He had not. The important end result of this story, it should be in all of our lives, is that GOD GETS THE GLORY.
"Then Nebuchadnezzar said, 'Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego...for no other god can save in this way.'" Daniel 3:28a, 29b
The important thing is not that they were delivered from the furnace. God was ABLE to rescue and He did. But He still would have been good and faithful and trustworthy even if He had not. The important end result of this story, it should be in all of our lives, is that GOD GETS THE GLORY.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
4 in the fire
I was reminded yesterday of another of my favorite parts of the story of the fiery furnace. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were not alone.
25 He said, "Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods."
God does not abandon us. Jesus told us that He would never leave us. In the words of an old Imperials song; "He didn't bring us this far, to leave us. He didn't teach us to swim, to let us drown. He didn't build his home in us, to move away. He didn't lift us up, to let us down."
An awareness of God's presence in our lives is never so sweet as it is when we are thrown into the fiery furnace. May you find His presence very real in your life today.
Daniel 3
24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, "Weren't there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?" They replied, "Certainly, O king."25 He said, "Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods."
God does not abandon us. Jesus told us that He would never leave us. In the words of an old Imperials song; "He didn't bring us this far, to leave us. He didn't teach us to swim, to let us drown. He didn't build his home in us, to move away. He didn't lift us up, to let us down."
An awareness of God's presence in our lives is never so sweet as it is when we are thrown into the fiery furnace. May you find His presence very real in your life today.
Monday, April 6, 2009
God is able
Several people have asked that we share what we learn as we take this journey, and we are glad to do that. No one goes through any circumstance solely for their own personal benefit.
As I said before, we have seen God’s hand in this from the very beginning and have been able to rest in the knowledge that He was orchestrating every step. He has given us a peace about the “c” word that really goes beyond our comprehension. Even before we knew what the treatment options would be and what the prognosis would be (90% 5-year survival), God had already given us a peace and quiet confidence that regardless of our circumstances or outcomes, everything really was going to be OK.
A few days after the diagnosis was confirmed, I took a fresh look at a familiar passage. In Daniel, chapter three, we find the story of 3 Hebrew young men, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, who had been carried off from Judah into Babylon. You may remember them better by the names they were given once there; Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. King Nebuchadnezzar had made a golden image 90 feet tall and 9 feet wide, and ordered everyone in the land to bow down and worship it. Of course, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego refused, and were summarily brought before the King and given an ultimatum. Bow or die. Their answer to this command is one of the greatest passages of Scripture.
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.
You know the rest of the story…God miraculously saves them from the fire that is so hot the soldiers who throw them in are reduced to crispy critters in seconds. But that’s not the necessarily the best part of the story. The best part of the story is the confidence and boldness that God gives them to answer the king with such faith. There is no doubt that not only were they sure that God was ABLE to save them from the fire, but they also believed that He WOULD save them from the fire. But they added, as an addendum; But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.
We know that God is ABLE to eradicate cancer from my body; and we also believe that He will. But we want everyone to know that even if He does not, we will not bow down to the fear and panic Satan wants to see in our lives. If God was faithful and good and trustworthy from eternity past (and He was), then He is still just as faithful and good and trustworthy today. God can and will walk us through this in a way that will bring Him glory, and hopefully will be an encouragement to many. May God bless you richly today as you press into Him.
As for me and my house – we serve the Lord.
As I said before, we have seen God’s hand in this from the very beginning and have been able to rest in the knowledge that He was orchestrating every step. He has given us a peace about the “c” word that really goes beyond our comprehension. Even before we knew what the treatment options would be and what the prognosis would be (90% 5-year survival), God had already given us a peace and quiet confidence that regardless of our circumstances or outcomes, everything really was going to be OK.
A few days after the diagnosis was confirmed, I took a fresh look at a familiar passage. In Daniel, chapter three, we find the story of 3 Hebrew young men, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, who had been carried off from Judah into Babylon. You may remember them better by the names they were given once there; Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. King Nebuchadnezzar had made a golden image 90 feet tall and 9 feet wide, and ordered everyone in the land to bow down and worship it. Of course, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego refused, and were summarily brought before the King and given an ultimatum. Bow or die. Their answer to this command is one of the greatest passages of Scripture.
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.
You know the rest of the story…God miraculously saves them from the fire that is so hot the soldiers who throw them in are reduced to crispy critters in seconds. But that’s not the necessarily the best part of the story. The best part of the story is the confidence and boldness that God gives them to answer the king with such faith. There is no doubt that not only were they sure that God was ABLE to save them from the fire, but they also believed that He WOULD save them from the fire. But they added, as an addendum; But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.
We know that God is ABLE to eradicate cancer from my body; and we also believe that He will. But we want everyone to know that even if He does not, we will not bow down to the fear and panic Satan wants to see in our lives. If God was faithful and good and trustworthy from eternity past (and He was), then He is still just as faithful and good and trustworthy today. God can and will walk us through this in a way that will bring Him glory, and hopefully will be an encouragement to many. May God bless you richly today as you press into Him.
As for me and my house – we serve the Lord.
Friday, March 27, 2009
God is still on His throne
Well, I never thought I would be writing a post like this, but here it is. To cut to the chase, this past week I was diagnosed with kidney cancer (renal cell carcinoma) in my right kidney. I will have surgery to remove the tumor (or possibly the kidney) on April 21st at Spartanburg Regional Medical Center in Spartanburg, SC. The doctors are convinced that the cancer is confined to the kidney and that this surgery will be curative.
While the “natural” thing to do would be to focus on the negativity of this news, I can’t help but to marvel at how we have seen the Lord’s hand all the way throughout this entire process and in every aspect. The fact that this type of cancer is rarely caught so early, the placement in our path of 3 different outstanding Christian doctors who are well known and admired in their fields, to how this has already created numerous opportunities to witness and tell of God’s goodness… while it might seem on the surface to be “bad news”, we know that God is in control, that He is still worthy of our trust and that He is still faithful.
I’m not a “point and read” theology kind of person…where you just flop open a Bible and point your finger and that’s supposed to be what God is telling you. But yesterday morning, as I was waiting to go through my last test to see exactly what kind of cancer it is, I sensed a prompting of the Holy Spirit to look at Psalm 39. No, most of the time you will not find me reading my Bible in a waiting room, but I was sure that I “heard” right. I exited my email and flipped over to the Bible application on my cell phone and scrolled to Psalm 39. This is what it says in verses 4-7:
4 “LORD, make me to know my end, and what is the measure of my days, that I may know how frail I am. 5 Indeed, You have made my days as handbreadths, and my age is as nothing before You; Certainly every man at his best state is but vapor. Selah 6 Surely every man walks about like a shadow; Surely they busy themselves in vain; He heaps up riches, and does not know who will gather them. 7 “And now, Lord, what do I wait for? My hope is in You.
God has given me a new window to look through. He has given me the glorious blessing of being reminded once again that this life is Oh, so short. Whether we have 5, 20 or even 60 more years to live…or maybe just a few more minutes…how will we spend it? Will you make a greater difference with the rest of your life than you have up until now?
We do ask for your prayers over these next few days and weeks. Pray first and foremost that God will be glorified in every situation and in our personal lives and testimony. Pray that God would give us opportunities to declare His glorious Name. And pray that God would confirm, strengthen and establish us as He guides us through these troubled waters.
Many blessings to you and yours!
While the “natural” thing to do would be to focus on the negativity of this news, I can’t help but to marvel at how we have seen the Lord’s hand all the way throughout this entire process and in every aspect. The fact that this type of cancer is rarely caught so early, the placement in our path of 3 different outstanding Christian doctors who are well known and admired in their fields, to how this has already created numerous opportunities to witness and tell of God’s goodness… while it might seem on the surface to be “bad news”, we know that God is in control, that He is still worthy of our trust and that He is still faithful.
I’m not a “point and read” theology kind of person…where you just flop open a Bible and point your finger and that’s supposed to be what God is telling you. But yesterday morning, as I was waiting to go through my last test to see exactly what kind of cancer it is, I sensed a prompting of the Holy Spirit to look at Psalm 39. No, most of the time you will not find me reading my Bible in a waiting room, but I was sure that I “heard” right. I exited my email and flipped over to the Bible application on my cell phone and scrolled to Psalm 39. This is what it says in verses 4-7:
4 “LORD, make me to know my end, and what is the measure of my days, that I may know how frail I am. 5 Indeed, You have made my days as handbreadths, and my age is as nothing before You; Certainly every man at his best state is but vapor. Selah 6 Surely every man walks about like a shadow; Surely they busy themselves in vain; He heaps up riches, and does not know who will gather them. 7 “And now, Lord, what do I wait for? My hope is in You.
God has given me a new window to look through. He has given me the glorious blessing of being reminded once again that this life is Oh, so short. Whether we have 5, 20 or even 60 more years to live…or maybe just a few more minutes…how will we spend it? Will you make a greater difference with the rest of your life than you have up until now?
We do ask for your prayers over these next few days and weeks. Pray first and foremost that God will be glorified in every situation and in our personal lives and testimony. Pray that God would give us opportunities to declare His glorious Name. And pray that God would confirm, strengthen and establish us as He guides us through these troubled waters.
Many blessings to you and yours!
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Horse buddies
Yesterday when I was working with the team up at the Nehemiah Dorm, I noticed that Spices and Rolex were standing side by side under Rolex's favorite tree, taking a nap. Nobody had a camera, so I got a picture with my cell phone (hence the quality). About 10 minutes later I noticed that Spices had layed down, so I got another picture. About 5 minutes later Rolex had layed down too, so I got another picture. They layed there together like that for a while longer, and then they were up and off again, walking and grazing. Peas in a pod, like they've been friends for years. :-)
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