Such faith and such prayer…

The Stallings family is a family that Deanna and I that were very close to while we served at F.B.C. Florence. Terry and Carrie were very active parents in the ministry and Garrett was one of my boys that I spent a lot of time with! While on driving to Florence for vacation during the Thanksgiving Holidays, I received the news that Terry had been diagnosed with cancer and they were going to do surgery the very next day! I tell you…that the news hit like a ton of bricks. I could not even imagine the thought process for Terry, Carrie, Garrett, and Matthew. I mean, it is not everyday that you find out that a close friend has cancer (on his colon and pelvis) and they know it is serious enough to do surgery the next day.

I can honestly say that I was a little nervous, but I had three hours to think and pray about it on the way to Florence. For the next couple of hours that I was in the car I prayed for Terry, Carrie, Garrett, Matthew, doctors, nurses, and the rest of the family! After praying for sometime I felt the spirit over me saying, “I got this! I am in total control of this situation!” This was not a cocky, arrogant thing, but a very peaceful feeling in my spirit.

I spent the next morning with the family and friends that had gathered for the close to four hours during the surgery. The spirit in the room was heavy and light all at the same time…really hard to explain. We finally received news that he was out of surgery and that he was going to be fine. What relief and peace fell on the room. The doctor talked to the family explained that he had a mass on his pelvis the size of cantaloupe. They removed both masses on the pelvis and colon…he would have to undergo some chemotherapy and radiation, but the outlook was very positive, although a long road.

After a couple of hours, I had the privilege to visit with Terry in the T.S.I.C.U., Trauma Surgical Intensive Care Unit, for a couple of minutes. Unbelievable visit with an awesome man. We talked and talked! I proceeded to tell him that I really felt that God was going to draw his family even closer together and that his sons were going to fall even more in love with Jesus because of His great miracle he had on Terry. This is the response that Terry had, “Alden, if that is what comes out of this ordeal, I would be willing to undergo the this, along with the pain, anytime!”

WOW!!!! I was blown away. Here is a man in extreme pain, but could honestly say in faith that he would go through it anytime, if God would use this for His glory and honor!

Thank you Terry for ministering and challenging me when I was trying to comfort and minister to you. I love you man! Keep giving God the glory and the honor and He will use you in some amazing ways…He has already used you to minister to a big, crazy, goofy youth pastor!