I’ve written about music being medicine for me here.

This Saturday morning, as I prepared and ate breakfast I was listening to music.  One song that has helped me during my recovery began to play.  It is a song by Tenth Avenue North, “I have this Hope.”  I remember when my friend sent this song to me while I was still in the hospital on November 16, 2016.

He, along with 3 other brothers in Christ, made the trip from Arkansas to Richardson to visit me on Nov 14 and then he sent this video 2 days later.  I remember sitting in my hospital room and listening to the words.  Tears streamed down my face, I began to cry.

The words rang so true to me at that moment…

As I walk this great unknown
Questions come and questions go
Was there purpose for the pain?
Did I cry these tears in vain?

I don’t want to live in fear
I want to trust that You are near
Trust Your grace can be seen
In both triumph and tragedy

My chest was beating hard as I contemplated those word!  I think anyone facing cancer has a multitude of questions floating about in their head.  I wasn’t any different.  Except I did have HOPE! 

As an 11 year old in Vacation Bible School at Cityview Baptist Church in Wichita Falls, Texas, I remember to this day a conversation I had with the pastor of the church.  He asked some pointed questions about my salvation.  When I left his office that day, I had given my life to Jesus.

The road from an 11 year old child to a 55 year old man has been littered with many potholes, detours and, occasionally, a stretch of smooth sailing.  But, as I wrote yesterday, those who believe in Christ have a hope that is only found when we give our lives to Him completely.

I have this hope
In the depth of my soul
In the flood or the fire
You’re with me

Even though I have lived with this promise for many years, it only became incredibly real to me when faced with a life-altering problem.  I thank Jesus that He has become more real to me in these last 14 months since surgery.

Are you facing a seemingly insurmountable problem?  Peace comes when we are able to say that we have a hope, in the depth of our souls, in the flood or the fire (or whatever the occasion might be)… Jesus is with us!