Pause, Pray, Reflect

Do you ever have something happen where you are forced to pause, pray and reflect on it? The last few days have been just that for me. A little over two weeks ago, our pastor underwent brain surgery. I would consider this emergency brain surgery as he went into the ER to be checked out for the headaches he was having and by the end of the day, was whisked away to the OR.

This came as quite a shock to many in our church community as I know there were many (including me) that were unaware that he had not been feeling well for the past month. Once out of surgery, the report came back that they had removed a pretty good sized tumor from his brain and it was being sent out to Mayo for testing, it would be days until they knew the results. So....they wait...and we, as a congregation, pray for the best. Stan was/has been feeling great since the surgery. He was home within a few days and very much present in social media giving us updates as to how he was doing. The impression that he was on his way to healing was definitely there.

This past Thursday, one day short of the 14 day mark since surgery, the pathology report came back. The report stated that Stan has Glioblastoma, stage 4. Certainly not what anyone expected or wanted to hear. Stage 4 brain cancer.....he is 51 years old. How could this be? I had so many questions racing through my mind. Brad and I received the news through his caring bridge sight, www.caringbridge.org/visit/stanbuck on Thursday night and it consumed my every thought for the next 48 hours. I found myself on Friday, forced to pause, pray and reflect on this situation and wonder what God is wanting all of us to learn from this?

Ultimately, my prayer is for complete remission and healing for our pastor. For peace, strength and comfort for his family. I can't even begin to fathom how this is affecting all of them right now.

My next prayer is that we, as a church community can wrap our arms around the Buck's in a way that loves them and supports them but doesn't smother them.

And finally....what are we, as Christian's, as God's people, supposed to take from this and how do we grow stronger in our faith from this? I know, without a doubt that my relationship with God can and will be strengthened through raw.....tough experiences, it's whether I choose to respond to it or not. I will respond, but for now, I choose to pause, pray and reflect...listen to what God is saying.