Update on Dave

So after lots of tests and lots of tears, Dave does have lung cancer in both lungs, which means its metastasized so it puts him in stage 3B. That sounds scary, and it is, but there is another type of lung cancer that we thought he might have, that isnt treatable which we feared that he had. So even though its scary, we had tears of relief when we got the news yesterday that he can begin chemo on monday!
All of this has been hard but there has been a joy that overshadows it all. How do you walk through something like this w/out the hope of Christ? Dave would have said 2 weeks ago that he had a relationship w/ God...a long time ago. For as long as I have known him (12 years) and for as long as Adam can remember, his dad has never mentioned God, gone to church (except Christmas), read the Word. In fact, conversations Adam has had in the past led us to believe that Dave didnt believe in God at all. One thing is true about Dave, he is tender-hearted. I see it in how he loves his grandbabies. And his heart has been tender towards God these past few weeks. Adam had a conversation last weekend with his dad that made us realize that Dave really does love God. He has been so honest in confessing that he had turned his back on God, been selfish... prideful. He feels like this cancer has been a wake up call to his soul. He has been praying and reading his Bible for the first time in decades. We couldnt stop praying for peace as he headed into the oncologist to receive his news yesterday. He told us that he had complete peace as he walked into that office. That his trust in God was so strong, that the news didnt matter. He even asked that God would USE him that day! When he did walk out of that office, he saw a woman, crying because her daughter who has lung and liver cancer was in so much pain. He asked if he could pray for her and did so right in that waiting room. I cry as I write this post because God is so good! Even in the midst of despair and grief... HE IS GOOD. And I rejoice that dave has chosen to embrace God instead of blaming Him. There is a part of us that thinks, "who is this guy?" and a huge part of us that hopes that we can continue to relate in this way for many years. Please continue to pray for dave. Pray that the chemo does its job. The cancer produces a huge amount of fluid in his chest cavity. They took 2 1/2 liters off his chest in the past week! Pray that the fluid slows down, it makes it difficult for dave to breath. Pray that the joy he has found in returning to God keeps him steady and strong throughout the rest of his life. We are praising God!