Publisher’s Corner – New Year, New Challenges; God is Still There 

By Sandy Jones 

Happy New Year! Welcome to 2024 and all that God has in store for each and every one of us! 

Several years ago a friend gave me a book titled “DON’T SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF, and it’s all small stuff,” by Richard Carlson. 

Honestly I never read the whole book, but the title stuck with me, and when the “stuff” of life happens I try to weigh it out, asking myself how big or small it might be in the grand scheme of things. There will be times in life when things happen that put it all in perspective. Trust me on this one. 

In November I took my husband to his primary care doctor. 

A little backstory, in August Steve had coughed so hard he’d broken a rib to the right of his sternum. Just as it healed, it happened again, this time in the back part of his rib cage. And if that wasn’t enough, just as the pain was tolerable, he broke a second rib in the front. The doctor ordered a bone density scan, which showed normal aging. 

Then in November, the weekend before I took him to the doctor, his left hip started bothering him. By Monday morning it hurt so badly he could barely walk, and he was quite certain he had somehow fractured it. 

He adamantly did not want me to take him to the ER, and his PCP could get him in at 10:30 that morning. 

By mid-afternoon we knew from his patient portal that the hip wasn’t broken; he didn’t have a blood clot in his lung, but he does have lung cancer. 

We sat stunned. 

At the time of my writing this, only 3 weeks have passed. Three weeks of doctors’ appointments, tests, lab work, radiation therapy. We know what type of non-small cell cancer it is, although we are still waiting on the genetic test result, and he seems to be responding well to the pain relieving principles behind radiation treatments. By the time this is in print, and in your hands, he will have started his targeted treatment plan. 

It still seems surreal. Nothing could have prepared us for him to have cancer. He’s the one of us who is always so careful. 

We take comfort in knowing that God is still on The Throne, and He is the One in control. Not us. Not the doctors. Only God, our Provider, Who is The Great Physician; He is in control and it is His Will that will be done. 

I’m sharing this with you, our Christian Living family, because I’ve always been transparent about our lives, and what’s happening – good and bad; and because we covet your prayers. That is the best gift anyone could give us right now. Pray for God to intervene and that His Will be done. 

Many of you walked with our family when our daughter-in-law was diagnosed with breast cancer 9-1/2 years ago. At that time the Holy Spirit spoon-fed me Romans 8:28, and has shown us time and time again the truth of His Word, and we know that He will again. 

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28 NIV) 

So as we enter into this bright New Year full of hope and promise, I encourage you to love God. Love your family. Love your friends who are like family. Love your neighbor. Hug a little tighter, and a little longer. Trust God more than anything, or anyone. Take time to think about what big “stuff” He has done for us, knowing that’s the most important “stuff.” Be grateful for every blessing and know that God will carry you through it all. 

Until next time…. 

God Bless! 

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