This week has been one of the most challenging of my entire life (and many others that are in our extended Center City Church family). If you follow this blog at all, you have noticed that one of our closest friends, Hunter Prevatt, was diagnosed with Hodgkins Disease this week. The diagnosis came with the feeling that we had all been punched in the stomach.
I have been so proud of Hunter’s response. The doctors say that 4-6 months of treatment should bring him to a place of full recovery. And Hunter is up for the challenge. But he is also keeping his head up and choosing to focus on what he can control. He said to me last night, “I am willing to fight and do whatever it takes to beat this. But I refuse to stop asking God to heal me miraculously.” What an amazing perspective.
Hunter and I (and so many others) have been talking about the fact that we have been coming to God for four days now about the same topics. Healing. Strength. Comfort. We both had the fleeting thought that wondered if God ever tires of our constant requests when they are so frequent. Hunter looked at me last night and said, “I know I serve a God that loves me and is willing to listen to me as much as I am willing to talk.”
I think we all can learn so much from his response to this incredible challenge. He is choosing to fix his eyes on his Savior. We can’t control many things, but we can choose to keep our head up and continue to bring the same requests to God. Consistently. Passionately. Genuinely.
I do not know what the next several months have in store for Hunter. We’ve never been down this road before. But I do know that we will go there together as a family. We will learn a new aspect of what it means to be a community of faith and love. We will embrace the ups and downs and everywhere in between. We will embrace each other. And we will keep our heads up and continue to ask God for miraculous healing. Together.