"School zone", slow down.

As promised in an earlier posting I want to share with you the great blessings that God has blessed us with. I always try to keep my posting short and to the point, however this time I was unable to do so, if I would have, I would not have even come close to reflect on Gods amazing grace. I want to take you into the "school zone" of life that taught us much about God and His wonderful and amazing ways in dealing with us. Many times I hesitated to tell this story because I felt it was no one's business how God cares for us, however I was often convicted and finally I could not hold back, so here it is. One thing I want to make clear, there has never been even one hour that we travelled the road through this "school zone" alone. God has and is always at our side no matter how rough the road is. I have to admit that at times I lost sight of Jesus, but thanks be to Him that He never lost sight of us, because He is faithful.

My background, experience and education is in the horticultural field, for that reason I worked for years in that line of work in sales and marketing and making a living with my mouth. My last year of employment in that line of work was 2009 working at Rosebank Island Nursery which was owned and operated by long time friends. I loved my job and it made it even more enjoyable to have the owners as friends. Yet deep inside there was restlessness for different work. My desire and thoughts often wandered overseas to third world countries. Henrietta and I knew of the great need that existed in these countries because we had often visited third world countries. Deep inside was the desire to work in a country where the need is great and where we could share God’s Word with those that never heard about Jesus. In 2009 it became more and more evident that the owners of the nursery wanted to sell and leave the workload to others. A buyer was found in the summer of 2009 thereby eliminating my job by September 2009.

About the same time the nursery was sold an opportunity became available to start working at a mission post on the small island of Sumba, Indonesia. After much prayer, interviews and seeking God’s approval we were chosen to go to Sumba. 

We left in September 2009 for a 3 month trial period. On this small, extremely poor and remotely located island we had many good days but also some difficult days, yet despite the intense hot days, often reaching close to 40C, its strange insects, and contacting a serious case of Typhus we knew that God was with us. Being far removed from our loved ones we felt that God called and placed us there and we were ready to settle on this island in the Indian Ocean. However, after sometime it became very apparent through circumstances that God had different plans for us. Three months later we left Sumba feeling sad and disappointed and it felt as if God had forgotten about us. Due to the remote location of Sumba we were forced to make an extended layover of 6 days in Bali, Indonesia. Henrietta and I could hardly see a positive outcome to this whole episode, yet even in these dark hours God showed His mercy by placing us in a small church gathering of Christians on the Sunday we spent in Bali.

I will never forget the passage that was preached from that Sunday. Isaiah 42: 1-9. 1Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations. 2 He will not cry aloud or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street; 3 A bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice. 4 He will not grow faint or be discouraged till he has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands wait for his law. 5 Thus says God, the LORD, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk in it: 6 "I am the LORD; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you; I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations, 7 To open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness. 8 I am the LORD; that is my name; my glory I give to no other, nor my praise to carved idols. 9 Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I now declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them."

Nobody knew of our sadness, yet God sent people on our path while on Bali to comfort us in our sadness and frustrations. God knew our needs and we experienced His upholding Grace each day. Looking back, I believe that God used this time and the remote location of this small island for future things to come. We were being prepared to rely much more on God than we had in the past. Having nowhere else to turn, we looked to Christ to help us and experienced His blessings every day. It was like going back to school; the courses we were to follow for the next two years were ones that we could only complete with God’s help. Little did we realize that this course was going to take us through deep valleys.

Once we arrived back home in December 2009, in the middle of winter we needed to acclimatise in a big way, not only temperature but also in living. Having no job I started to look for work and sending resumes to countless potential employers. The first resume I sent was to a large Canadian and International company with headquarters in Canada. They were soliciting for someone in sales and marketing in the Agricultural / Horticultural field. I was interviewed for this vacancy but not accepted, another applicant received the job. I was disappointed because it would have been a job that  I would have loved, however my search went on and after months without results I often wondered what God had in mind. Did He still know about me and that I needed and wanted employment? There were times of doubt, yet at the same time I could see Gods great care by supplying us with enough money to keep going. This was the first time in my life that I used Government Employment Insurance, something I had contributed to most of my life but had never used it. Henrietta and I also used this time to go back to college where we successfully completed courses to teach English as a second language.(TESL)  In addition I took in Bible and Mission courses to help us when God would open doors to work abroad in a mission setting someday (soon).

After countless tries and resumes and nearly a year of searching for work I received an email on December 9, 2010, it came totally unexpected and as thunder on a clear day. The large International Canadian company that I had contacted nearly a year earlier sent an email informing me that a position was available.

I wasted no time and replied that I was interested and in the days following a date for an interview was set for January 6. An operation manager flew in from central Canada to interview me. During the evening interview it became very apparent that this job posting was not what I thought it was. Upon asking him what the job description was he told me that it was Director of Operations, meaning the top position at the local fertilizer manufacturing plant, a job with much more responsibility than I was looking for or bargained for. I was not strange to management, however this not only surprised me it also made me hesitate. If I were to be offered the job, how could I possibly be successful in managing this totally new concept of business? However, I was assured by the interviewer that I should not hesitate to take the opportunity, head office is as close as a telephone call and they would walk me through any difficulties that would arise. At the end of the interview I was offered the job and I felt that I had to accept. After all, God was in control and He knew what was happening right there. Something that  really baffled me at the time that I was the only person that was interviewed for this position. The problem was that I could not see the complete picture, but God did.

It was agreed upon that I would start as soon as possible because the position was vacant at that time. January 15 was going to be the first day on the job and only days later my employment benefits from the Government came to an end, I had used all the available time and pay. Did I have to wonder any longer if God was in control? Absolutely not, it became very clear to me that God had not forgotten me. How great a God we serve, words often fall short to express my thankfulness to Him who is in control of everything. With the job came benefits that would take effect immediately because my position was in management. If one is hired outside a management position the probation period is 3 months. I was also supplied with a mission field at work, something that I had prayed for but never thought it would be so close to home and work.

On January 15, 2011, I settled into my new work, surrounded by many helpful people that got me off to a good start. Yes, I did have to call on head office from time to time, but the sailing was smooth and the transition went well.

One of the stipulations of the job was that I was to get a medical exam at a company appointed physician in Vancouver. However, the outcome of the medical exam would not be detrimental to the job, be it good or bad results. One month later on February 15, I booked an appointment at the doctor’s office. I arrived to see a doctor, she checked me from top to bottom. She said, “Well sir, you are in excellent health, I will send the report to head office that all is in order, and by the way, I will waive the chest x-ray, there is no need to do get that done.” Thanks doc, this will save me a bunch of time going to another location to be x-rayed. As I was about to leave the doctor’s office, I was called back by the secretary behind the desk. She said, “Sir can you please sign this release to verify that your medical exam has been completed, and by the way, did you get your x-ray done already?” No, the doctor said that this was not necessary because I am in perfect health. “I am sorry,” the secretary said, “it is a requirement of your employer that you have a chest x-ray.” She gave me exact instructions how to get to the x-ray clinic some 5 blocks away. I was not happy, not only did I have to walk 5 blocks; it would also place me right in rush hour on the way home. I walked as directed to arrive at the clinic to find it closed for lunch until 2 PM. I waited for more than one unhappy hour and finally I got my x-ray taken. I remember that even the technician was not very friendly, something that even added to my unhappiness.

Two weeks went by without receiving a letter from the doctor stating that I was healthy, so I called the doctor’s office what was taking so long. Well, they said, we lost your x-ray and can’t complete the paperwork until it is found. A little disturbed by the thought of getting another x-ray taken I asked if they could call me as soon as possible when they located it. Finally after another week went by I received a call from the doctor that examined me. She said that they had located my x-ray, someone had put it aside due to the fact that they found something unusual on the x-ray. I was asked if I had a recent cold, and yes I had indeed had a cold in the past month. The doctor felt that it was possibly scar tissue and I should not worry. However, she suggested I get a CT scan, ordered by my own doctor, so they could close my file and send it to my employer.

Within days I visited my own doctor and he too checked me over and could not find anything wrong, but because he could not look inside my body he ordered a CT scan. Within days of receiving this scan I received a call from my doctor while at work on a Friday morning. “John,” he said, “I need to see you in my office this afternoon, the CT scan shows cancer. So let’s talk later this afternoon.”

On March 2, 2010, I walked into the doctor’s office (my doctor who is a Christian), the first thing my doctor said, “I am glad you are a Christian; I have no good news for you.” He proceeded to give me the results of the CT scan. It turned my world upside down to say the least. When I asked how much time I had left to live he said, one year, maybe two at the most. “However,” he said, “this is the medical point of view go home and pray for complete healing and I will do the same for you.” The remainder of this story you can read at the very beginning entries of my blog.

So my journey with cancer started that 2nd day of March 2011, although I had walked around with cancer unknowingly for some time. Multiple thoughts that had confused me the first couple of days, started to come together and again I could see God through all my troubles. My focus changed, my life changed, my outlook changed, my values changed and my priorities changed. It was as if God said, let’s make a new start and let’s try this again. I will hold your hand as we walk through the trials together until you are refined as gold is refined in the furnace of affliction. I have experienced that furnaces can be hot and very uncomfortable. Yet, I have to say what a humbling experience it has been and still is, and how I can feel God’s nearness throughout this journey. God has put my heart at ease with words from Philippians 4:7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

The following weeks were busy with tests, scans, visiting Medical Specialists and Surgeons to get a more accurate picture which parts of the body were affected by cancer. These tests were juggled in between managing a manufacturing plant and other duties at work. On May 15, after 4 months on the job I was forced to take sick leave due to the side effects of the Chemo treatments.

With all the promises that were made in the hiring process I became somewhat worried. How would I continue without financial income? Sure I would be fine for a while but if income stops the bank balance will diminish quickly. Sure I was promised a healthy benefit package when hired, but after only 4 months on the job, I was becoming doubtful I would receive any pay. I waited with much apprehension for my first direct bank deposit from head office and wondered if all the big promises would become reality. Sure I was looking to God, but on the other hand doubt and unbelief often crept into me in a big way. The pay day came and my pay check was deposited into my account. Happy and with great thankfulness we thanked God for His care over us. Two weeks later the same thing happened again.

Then on June 15, five months after I had started, I received a phone call from head office. The person that interviewed and hired me told me, John I have bad news and good news. The bad news is that the division that you manage has been sold and it will be shutdown as of July 15, 2011. All employees will be laid off including me. (Some employees worked there for more than 30 years). This business had been in existence for 75 years.

He continued to inform me also about the good news; because you are now on sick leave you will continue to receive compensation until you get better. He stopped short of saying “or until you die”. I understood, I cried, I thanked God, I rejoiced and at the same time I was deeply ashamed of my lack of trust in God. How could I have doubted God, how could I forget Gods promises that He will never leave us or forsake us? I was very humbled by God’s care and His mercy we so undeservingly receive from his Fatherly hand. I looked back how God had put the puzzle together. There is no human being in this world that could have predicted this or could have possibly put it into order the way it worked out. I stand amazed even this very day at God’s provision and thank Him for His great blessings.

What about the mission field that I thought I found at work? In the beginning I tried to share the Gospel with the employees in walk and talk but found no ears that were willing to listen. However, after 3 months of being on the job I told the employees that I was diagnosed with a serious case of cancer and by medical standards would not have much time left. Some openly cried and questioned me many times why I was still at work, why are you not at some nice warm sunny place enjoying your last days? Why bother being here at work? In the days following many questions were asked. Hearts were opened and were made ready to listen and I was able to share Gods Word with them. Now that I no longer see them I leave it all in Gods capable hands. The seed has been sown. However, just today on January 19, I came across one of the ex-employees and he informed me that a get together is planned with all those who worked at the manufacturing plant. Maybe God has more in mind and I will wait patiently for His directions.

I felt that the mission had closed its doors at work, because I took sick leave, but it began to open its doors wider at each passing day in ways that I never expected. Now, when I feel good, I keep busy every day writing or talking to people of all ages who contact me through this blog or via other means. It has been a great blessing for me and I pray that I may be a blessing to others. Someone reminded me recently, you always wanted to work in a mission setting, God has now given you the desire of your heart.

Today not only can I share the Gospel with others, God is also looking after our financial needs thereby taking the financial burden and worry away because God cares for us. I often compare it to the Israelites when they travelled from Egypt to Canaan toward the Promised Land. God cared for them on their often difficult journey. God supplied shade by day from the sun, and light by night. He supplied daily manna, birds for meat and fountains for water. He parted the sea so they could walk through. He told them to look, only to look at the brazen serpent when they were bitten by poisonous snakes and were healed. Even when they served idols and wandered away from God, He still had mercy on them. How great and good God is. “Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” (Matthew 6:26)

A text that I never understood very well is James 1: 2-4 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
In the past I questioned this text, how can you be joyful when you have trials. I have now experienced that this indeed is possible, there can be great joy and a growing in Faith and Trust in God during difficult times. There are blessings, even when one has cancer and time may be short. Therefore I can end my story with the words of Philippians 4:4-7 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. 5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

How are you doing? We all travel through a “school zone” in this life, will you please slow down and think about the course that God has enrolled you in. Maybe you are right now in Gods “re-construction zone”. Maybe you are in the furnace of affliction. Just remember God has His reasons to have you there. One day you will be able to look back and thank God for His grace and mercy and for His timely acts and blessings. I wish you a safe and joyful journey and I pray that one day when you look back you can say with all your heart,

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;                                                    
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heav'nly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost!

Praise God the Father who's the source;
Praise God the Son who is the course;
Praise God the Spirit who's the flow;
Praise God, our portion here below!

John