Today you’ll get two writings! It might be best to read this ‘time’ entry first…. then you will better understand the error I need to share.

Last week closed out the ‘travels to Spain series’ from this past summer.  Now I realize I have written, but failed to send an important entry about the flight to Barcelona. I will include after this week’s writing…

I would like to blame this error on my health situation, but actually, I’ve done stuff like this all my life. I think ‘inept’ is the best description of Yours Truly

Susan and I appreciate your love and prayers.
Dana

The first month of the school year went very well. I had enough energy to teach four Bible classes and help a bit in the middle school chapel class. As long as I can teach properly, I want to continue… any age, it does not matter. On second thought, I might not survive 1st graders and younger… those teachers deserve trophies!

During the sixth or seventh week of school, I was constantly dizzy and my thinking became cloudy. I even forgot how to tie a tie! I told my administrators that the doctors had ordered a series of tests and the future was unsure. Within the week, a CT scan of my head revealed a slow bleed in the front of my brain. An excellent substitute took over my classes and I’ve not worked the past eight weeks.

Once again, low platelets seemed to be the reason for the bleeding, so I’ve gone from receiving infusions twice a week to receiving them every other day. In August, Susan counted that I had gotten 13 units of platelets; in September I received 37. For the past couple of decades, my doctor has been a hero to our family. His nurse practitioner, a good friend, called and said, “Mr. Davis, we have a suggestion for solving your blood cell problems. Dr. Lonial thinks if you have an ‘allo’ stem cell transplant, things might change.”

I had ‘auto’ transplants in ’01 and ’09. This process used my own stem cells and both transplants were very successful. We knew in 2009 that I had no more stem cells of my own, so we assumed there would be no more transplants. But an ‘allo’ transplant uses stems cells from a donor. The strategy is rarely used with multiple myeloma patients, but it seems to be our only option. The doctors have found a perfect ‘10 category’ blood match, so if I can pass all the preliminary tests, I will enter the hospital November 2 for another go.

It sounds crazy, but Susan and I have spent weeks getting ready. On the medical side, besides getting infusions every other day, there are tons of tests and procedures required… the kind of tests you can’t study for. On the practical side, we are trying to have everything covered in case things don’t go as planned. It takes time to ‘get your house in order.’ Susan and I both have a positive outlook, but doctors have been very clear about the difficulty of this type of transplant. We are trusting God for wisdom.

On the people side, we are trying to spend time with our families and brothers and sisters in Christ. My parents are the best! My siblings would do anything for me. Our kids are scheduling as much time to be together as possible. Our five grandchildren won’t be able to visit in the hospital, so we are treasuring every conversation and occasion to be with them. Love reigns. A little advice: Don’t take ‘time’ for granted. Let love reign.

Susan and I try to resist the negative while dealing with reality. We are praying that God leads and teaches us how to think. His Words, His heart, our relationship with Him is most important. I’m not sure how much I’ll be able to write after November 2nd, but I hope to share a little about Jesus’ thoughts on preparation. ‘Carpe diem!’

“Wake up, O sleeper,
rise up from the dead,
and Christ will shine on you.”

Pay careful attention, then, to how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. Ephesians 5:14-17

John’s conclusion to his senior year of high school wrestling was too difficult to write about when it took place. You may remember he finished 4th in the largest classification of schools in Alabama last year and entered his senior season ranked 2nd in the 220 pound division. He fought through a concussion and a couple of other injuries during the year but seemed poised for a shot at the state title… which was his goal.

Susan and I could not make it to the Friday first round of the February sectionals in Montgomery but left early Saturday morning to arrive in time to watch the second round. Friday evening John pinned his first round opponent and just needed to win one more match to qualify for the state tournament held in Huntsville the following weekend.

As we entered the parking lot of the arena, John’s mom Terri called Susan in a panic. We parked and entered the door to meet Terri and her shattered son. At the morning weigh-ins, John did not make weight. Appeals were made, but nothing changed — he was out of the tournament. The certified scales John’s high school carried on their team bus showed him under the limit by a pound. But the scales in the arena registered John being four tenths of a pound over. He had never missed weight in his wrestling career. He was devastated.

Terri handled the crisis very well, Susan and I thought, but it was hard. Time seems to have healed John’s wounds, but this was a tough way to end a season. Two four-year colleges have asked him to wrestle, but he seems to be leaning toward the junior college in Iowa, where the sport is huge. Please pray for God’s wisdom and direction and continued guidance for a young man we love as our own.

Here’s an updated health report: I did three rounds of chemotherapy before Christmas but had to cease when we found a negative impact on my eyes, a common side effect of the drug. We stopped all treatment for three months, but soon I felt a familiar pain in my ribs. Tests proved the cancer had returned. After I passed a February eye test and went through one more round of chemotherapy, the bad numbers dropped and I am back in remission. I started another round last week.

Besides the multiple myeloma, our biggest challenge is that my bone marrow does not produce platelets or red blood cells. I go to Emory for infusions twice a week. Over the next few days, doctors are planning to try some other drugs to boost my counts. We would appreciate your prayers for improvement. Susan is the best caretaker in the world… and I’m the patient who is always trying to get out of stuff. I think my middle school students are rubbing off on me.

May the Lord’s will be done in all our lives. We are His children, the sheep of His pasture… and we follow the Perfect Shepherd.

“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” Ephesians 6:12

“Know that the Lord is God. It is He who made us, and we are His; we are His people, the sheep of His pasture.” Psalm 100:3

The devil is ruthless… he wants to steal from us, kill us, and destroy all that is good. Followers of Jesus know this because He taught: “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy…” (John 10:10) But when we try to be specific, it can get complicated. So I’m just going to share the things that happened our last few days in Spain and then remind us of God’s words of hope.

Karlyn and I had an incredible week at L’Arcada Camp in Banyoles, Spain. We made wonderful friends and shared beautiful fellowship with thirty believers preparing to show Christ to teenagers through sports. Everything had gone very smooth, but during our Saturday night meal my filling broke in an upper tooth, which meant I would have to limit chewing to the right side of my mouth until reaching a dentist in the States. Though painful, it was no big deal…

Sunday morning after worship, Dave Bintz, the sports camp director, took Karlyn and me to a clinic in town to get a COVID test within 48 hours of our plane’s departure from Barcelona. Thankfully, we tested negative. Arriving back at camp, we learned that the leadership board decided to test all campers arriving Sunday afternoon and all workers who had been with us during the preparation week. A couple of incoming campers tested positive and had to return home with their parents… what a bummer. Then we learned two of our friends who planned to be counselors also tested positive… another bummer. But not only did they have to leave camp, all the counselors who slept in their large teepees also had to quarantine for ten days. Tania from Ecuador was one who had to leave.

Sunday evening, Karlyn and I were given an entire teepee to spend our last night. As the excited teenagers settled in, I was hoping we could get a good night’s rest, as we had a couple of travel days ahead. About midnight, a howling wind woke me. For an hour I thought we were going to blow away. Occasionally, frightful young voices pierced the air as the storm raged. Finally, as the winds subsided, I peeked my head out to survey the damage. Summer nights in northern Spain are chilly with temperatures dropping into the low 40’s, but as I walked through the campground a little after 1:00 am, the air was warm and humid. Thankfully, no great damage was done, although many people were shaken. What a weird night…

The next day, Karlyn and I took a train to Barcelona and found the hotel Susan had reserved for us to spend our last night. We had one afternoon to cover as much ground in Barcelona as we could. We visited Park Guell, La Sagrada Familia, and ended up in Las Rambla, the long boulevard of shops and cafes with interesting foods. We walked nearly ten miles and had a grand time… until Karlyn reached into her pocket and discovered her phone was missing. One of the last things Dave told us as we separated was: “Be careful in Barcelona; pickpockets are everywhere…” Of course Karlyn was upset and her dad was not much help. After sitting by the Mediterranean a while, we decided to go back to our hotel then find a good place to eat our final dinner in Spain. We had a nice evening, made it to the airport on time the next morning, and caught our connecting flight in Paris to return to Atlanta.

When we arrived home, we were troubled to learn that our friend Maggie tested positive and had to quarantine ten days in Spain before she could return to Texas. Then a few days later, Karlyn and I started feeling strange. We were both tested and discovered we had COVID. Having been vaccinated and thinking we were safe because of our negative tests in Banyoles, I unknowingly spread the virus to at least four loved ones. What a bad feeling…

How can such an incredible trip end with so many things going wrong? Was our enemy involved in all the problems? Is God still in control? With all the struggle, I know there fellow believers who have endured far worse. Multitudes have given their lives for the Gospel or faced unjust prison sentences or lost homes, jobs, and possessions for their faith. I should not complain. I don’t know every way the devil resists God’s children… but I do know he hates us. And ‘Yes,’ God is still in control. We can trust Him and know that nothing can separate us from His love.

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose… Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: ‘For Your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.’ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8: 28-39

“Thank You Father that You chose for Me to be born into a poor family. I truly understand the struggles of the lowly.”

“Thank You Father that You allowed Me to face all the temptations common to man. I understand what people endure as the enemy comes against them.”

“Thank You Father that You allowed Me to experience pain and loss and grief and persecution. I know exactly what people feel in the midst of trials.”

“Thank You Father that You said ‘No’ when I asked for the bitter cup to pass. I understand what people feel when their most intense prayers are not a part of Your plan.”

“Thank You Father that You gave Me grace to accept injustice, to endure mocking and beating, to bear the cross, and to die for the world. No man, woman, or child can experience any hardship on earth that I don’t fully understand.”

“Thank You Father for raising Me up on the third day so all who believe in Me can know the incredible future You have in store for all who love You.”

These are thoughts that have crossed my mind in recent days. My friend Daniel and I were invited to share with the family of Knox Martin at a graveside service this past Sunday. Our former student valiantly fought a brain tumor for more than three years. During the struggle, he graduated from UGA and encouraged so many with his positive spirit. He died December 1; Knox was 24 years old.

One of the benefits of being a cancer patient is to understand the plight of others. I understand a lot of what Knox was going through, but not everything. I do not, however, have the best understanding of the pain Eddie, Becky, Riley, and Madelon feel. But Jesus understands, and they are looking to Him as their Good Shepherd.

Eddie and Becky called us the day Knox passed away. In the grief of the moment, Becky shared something I’ll never forget: “God understands how we feel; His Son died at a young age too.”

“For we do not have a High Priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have One who has been tempted in every way, just as we are – yet without sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so we can receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” Hebrews 5:15-16

After returning to football practice, John told me last weekend that his blood pressure has been running high. I told him to be careful because doctors are finding cases of athletes suffering with heart issues after bouts with the virus.

The day after our conversation, John went to the trainer during practice saying his heart felt like it was about to explode. Before the trainer could do anything, John passed out. He was taken to the ER where tests were done. Terri texted around 9:00 that evening saying he was released and feeling better.

Two days later, John’s teammate and best friend Isaiah found his mother dead in their house. While she had been struggling with some health problems, the passing was unexpected. Isaiah’s father died a few days before this past Christmas. With his older siblings out of the house, this senior in high school is all alone.

John was one of the first to comfort his friend. He told me he could not forget the image of Isaiah’s mother lying on the bed with a sheet pulled over her head. Terri and Daniel agreed with John’s offer for Isaiah to move in with them. A memorial service is planned for this weekend.

Such stories of hardship and loss are playing out all over the world. But “God is close to the brokenhearted.” (Psalm 34:18) How many times have we received His comfort? How many times have we been rescued? How much compassion have we experienced? As we’ve learned to sing our prayers to God, may we extend the comfort, mercy, and love we have received to all around us.

Lord, I come, I confess
Bowing here I find my rest
Without You I fall apart
You’re the One that guards my heart
Lord, I need You, oh, I need You
Every hour I need You
My one defense, my righteousness
Oh God, how I need You.

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.” II Corinthians 1:3-4

“Lord, I Need You” by Matt Maher (©2013)