Hope Through God's Doors
It's Tuesday night, and Naomi and I are trying to attempt to go to sleep, but also discuss to ridiculous doctor's appointment from earlier in the day. We tossed around the idea of getting a second opinion. Now that seems like a logical decision, but we were both so numb. Due to so many family and friends being in the Birmingham, AL area, we decided on the Callahan Eye Hospital. Now we have a problem, "How could we just cold call a major eye hospital?" Naomi texted a friend who used to work there, and they recommended Dr. Mason. She immediately called that night (about 11 p.m.). The answering service said, "Mam, it is late. You will need to call back tomorrow."
Naomi left for Birmingham first thing in the morning to sit with my dad, who is recovering from lymphoma cancer. Naomi called me while she was still traveling, and said she has me an appointment for tomorrow at 10:30. At first, I thought she was kidding, because no one just cold calls the Callahan Eye Hospital without a doctor's referral, and gets an appointment for the next day. Later, we found out that there are people who have been on a waiting list to get an appointment for months. This impossible appointment was more about God than it was about a cold call.
As this journey unfolds, Naomi and I have seemed to become hyper sensitive to noticing how God sends people or things to help us. On the way to the hospital, I received a facebook message from an old friend. I have not seen or talked to this person since 1990. They said, "Luke, I am not sure why, but Today, God asked me to pray for you and your family. Tell everyone I said hello." In the waiting room at the doctor's office, Naomi saw a dear friend. That really gave her a sense of calmness that we were in the right place. During these moments of "small" God-sized signs, we begin to re-learn how God shows Himself faithful.
Everyone, including the doctor, were some of the nicest people. From start to finish, it was a completely different experience from Emery. According to the doctor's office, he was one of three doctors in the south that works on this kind of cancer (Atlanta, Memphis, and Birmingham). Since he started operating on this kind of cancer in 1994, He has maintained a 95% success rate. God was in this.
After seeing the doctor, we had to see an office person to give us the run down on how everything would occur. She was the nicest and sweetest person. She helped us get an appointment with the radiologist who would be working with our doctor. Everything fell into place. I earnestly seek opportunities to make a joke or get someone to laugh. Laughter is such a good medicine. After a long series of instructions, the office lady asked Naomi, "Does all of this sound fine? Are you fine?" Naomi replied, "Yes, I am fine. I am fine. I am fine." I saw an incredible opportunity laying right in front of my face. I could not resist, I said, "You had better believe that you are fine!" For some unknot reason, Naomi didn't seem very thankful for the compliment, but she has gotten used to "Embarrassing Moments " by Luke Milam.
Jeff Vanderstelt stated in his book Saturate, “Our job is not to be Jesus. Our job is to believe Jesus, depend on Jesus, and submit to Jesus working in and through us to accomplish his work.” So far, through this journey, we have seen God open and close so many doors. Some of those doors brought sadness, and others brought tears of joy. No matter what the case may have been, we never questioned God's sovereignty, goodness, grace, and mercy. Eyesight or no eyesight, God's commandment to His children doesn't change: make disciples.
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