Columns

By Doug Creamer

Trusting God

            My former pastor told us a story many times about getting a skin cancer diagnosis. No one wants to have any kind of cancer on or in their body. The doctors had taken a biopsy and when he called to check on the results, he received news that he didn’t want to hear. He was away from the house when he got the news. When he arrived home his granddaughter met him at the door and asked, “Do you want to hear my Bible verse?” He looked at her and said, “Yes.”

            The Bible verse was Hebrews 10:23 – “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful.” Isn’t that just like God? The world gives us some bad news and He sends us some good news. God promised that He was going to be faithful even in the midst of a cancer diagnosis. The end of the story is that God kept His promise. The doctors removed the offending cancer cells and he was completely healed.

            That story came to mind recently while I was sitting in my dermatologist’s office. It was time for my annual checkup and I had a cyst I wanted him to check. The nurse greeted me warmly and escorted me back to the exam room. Before I could tell her why I was there she asked about the cyst on my arm. I told her about it and the previous cyst that had been on my arm. It had been hit by a door jamb when I rounded a corner too quickly and there was a scab where it had been. 

            She explained that it didn’t look like a scab to her and that the doctor might want to take a biopsy of it. She left me to sit and think about it. The doctor came in and immediately focused on my arm. I explained what had evolved over time. He told me that he was very concerned about it and that he had never seen anything like it. He also informed me that he was removing it before I left the office that day.

            In a way, I was relieved to have it removed, but also concerned because the doctor thought it might be cancer. It didn’t take him long to remove the offending thing from my body. I asked the doctor what we needed to do if it happened to be cancer. He looked straight at me and said “Don’t worry, we got clean edges and there is nothing further for us to do.”

            I took the doctor at his word and have not worried about the outcome of the pathology report. But the big bandage on my arm has caused many people to ask what happened. As I have shared my story with others, I have learned that many people have had similar experiences.  

            My dad told me not to worry, that this was only the beginning of other little things to be removed from my body. He has had some things zapped or frozen off his skin. He has also been cut like I was and recovered completely. My mother has had skin cancer removed from her body too, and she has completely recovered.

            The stories that family and friends have shared have been a source of encouragement. I am not sure I really needed it as I have obeyed my doctor’s orders and not worried. He said I would be called this week with the results of my pathology report, but I think he is more concerned that my skin heals up properly.

            I share my story with you to encourage you to get things that don’t look right checked out. If doctors get to things early enough it is only skin deep and you will probably recover quickly. If you wait, it can grow deeper and cause more complications or even spread to other places. You know the moles that have been there your whole life and those that have changed or suddenly appeared. Be wise and get things checked out.

            It is vitally important that in all things we trust God. He is our source, protector, and healer. He keeps His eye on us, watching over us day and night. Nothing slips by His attention and nothing catches Him by surprise. He is with you and will walk with you through whatever you are facing. His right arm is not too short for you. His angels stand ready to fight for you. Nothing is too difficult for God. Nothing is impossible for God. Call upon Him and trust Him.

Doug Creamer has a new book at Amazon: EncouragingU: Summer Stories. Contact him at PO Box 777, Faith, NC 28041or doug@dougcreamer.com

By Doug Creamer

            It seems like summer barely begins and they are running back-to-school ads on television. Teachers and students need a break and time to be refreshed before the new year begins. The last couple of years have been challenging for teachers and students with the pandemic. The hope is that we will have a more normal school year this year. With the Delta variant spreading fast, school systems are announcing masking requirements. Let’s hope it works so students can be in school with their teachers and classmates.

            When school let out this year I caught up with a former colleague to see how his school year went. We talked for several hours, and he shared about the impact of COVID on sports and the classroom. It was amazing to hear how cooperative the students were about wearing masks. The students preferred to be in school, so wearing a mask was by far better than taking classes virtually. 

            It was so good to hear about my former colleagues from East Davidson. I miss being at school and around the students. It is also interesting to hear about leadership changes around the county. My friend concluded that I probably wouldn’t have enjoyed teaching the last two years with the pandemic, and I am afraid he is probably right.

            My friend is a coach so I asked how that worked out. Outdoor sports worked better than indoor sports. The seasons were moved around because of the pandemic. Most of the sporting events did not allow for spectators, which had to be different for the student athletes.

            I like to listen to my friend share his coaching philosophies and techniques. He has a unique approach to coaching which has led to growth and successful seasons. There are always those tough years when all your best athletes graduate and you have a young team. Being a coach is a challenge, because you have to help students think about the good of the team and not just individual performances. You also have to help students through personal challenges.

            Listening to him share reminded me why I liked sponsoring DECA. You can only connect with students at a certain level in the classroom. When you take students off to DECA events you have the opportunity to get to know them better and to share more of yourself with them. It’s also great when you can help students win competitive events and teach them how to handle losses. These life lessons are different from classroom instruction.

            Students in high school do not realize that learning is a lifelong process. Some think that when they graduate from school they will know everything. I learned more during my first year of teaching than in four years of college. Learning is an ongoing process in our personal, professional, and spiritual lives. Even now I realize there is so much more to learn.

            I am constantly trying to grow spiritually. I have lost count of how many times I have read the Bible, yet it seems that every day something new jumps off the pages at me. I get new insights, new perspectives, and my journey with God deepens. God is so big and infinite and our minds are so small and finite that no one could possibly know everything about God.

            We don’t get to graduate from our spiritual school until the day we go home to be with the Lord. Something inside of me says that even then our learning will not end. I think that even in eternity there will be things about God and His ways that we will be learning. He is awesome, too marvelous for words. His ways we can’t even fathom.

            There are many ways you can learn about God. The first place to begin is reading His love letter to you, the Bible. Next, connect personally with God through prayer and talking with Him. You can also learn a great deal about God through other people’s experiences with God. He reveals Himself uniquely to each of us and that different perspective allows us to learn more about Him.

            I want to encourage you to get yourself ready to go back to spiritual school. There are always new things to learn about Jesus, God, and the Holy Spirit. We each have a limited knowledge and perspective on God. That means we need to keep working, growing, and maturing in our walk with God. This school never closes and the Teacher is great!

Doug Creamer has a new book at Amazon: EncouragingU: Summer Stories. Contact him at PO Box 777, Faith, NC 28041or doug@dougcreamer.com