A Battle with Cancer

Much of the time our role in serving people in sport is exhilarating, fun and it’s mostly enjoyable. Sometimes, however, it’s painful and full of grief. Most of the time it’s a mixture of both at the same time. These recent days are such for me. I have a friend who is a college baseball coach and he’s in a battle for his life with an aggressive form of cancer. My friend is very irreligious, but I’ve been after his heart for the last 14 years. I’ve been building trust, demonstrating genuine love and respect and suddenly, his need has outpaced his resistance to the Lord’s Spirit.

I sat in his office a few weeks ago and talked about baseball for 90 minutes so I could get 30 minutes to talk about his heart and his health. With more trust established I started emailing him more directly about my prayers for him and then on Christmas evening I started sending him short sections of scripture which can encourage his heart and fortify his soul for the fight with disease. I also included model prayers for him to pray in private moments as these painful, terrifying days progress. A sample of one of these simple emails is below.

May I encourage you to do whatever it takes, in whatever form and by whatever vehicle to communicate the love of Christ with those whose hearts desperately need Him. Take the risk, their eternal souls are worth it.


Coach,

Here’s some more food for your soul and strength for your heart. Let the Lord encourage you through this scripture.

Philippians 4:6-8
Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.
Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse.

Father,
· Thank You for loving me on my best days and on my worst days.
· Thank You for my family, my friends, my coaching staff and my players – past and present.
· I am trusting You to daily help me battle this disease and to be the man you made me to be.
· Again today, I commit my life to Your care and I ask You to restore my body, to keep my mind clear and to sustain my soul’s courage.
In the strong name of Jesus Christ, Amen.