*Disclaimer* Of all my writings, this may perhaps prove to be the most macabre and yet also the most religious of them all. So, if that’s not what you’re coming to this site for, there are other posts that clearly are political, to which this post is not.

We’ve all heard the wonderful stories of people who are cancer-free. Of people who beat cancer. Governor DeSantis’s wife is among those people. Perhaps you know somebody personally who survived. We are proud of those people, as we should be.

Last week, I learned that it is my turn to enter the arena and have my own battle with cancer.

I won’t disclose too much about what I’m up against yet because I still don’t quite know. I am to meet with the cancer center to learn more. At this time I have no idea if I have a strong fighting chance of survival or if I am making my final curtain calls. I have no expectations of outcome.

I do know that I am going to be in for a battle for my life and that I won’t be able to work. This is going to cause a financial burden. I expect this to move along fairly quickly and we have set up a donation page through GiveSendGo. While I don’t know if this is asking for enough, this will at least buy me some time to get life organized and allow me to focus on the initial treatments. If you don’t have money to give, please take the time to leave a prayer. It is my faith in Christ that is carrying me through.

The Bible tells us 365 different times to “fear not,” and I will do my best to go through this as a strong Christian should, with faith in Christ and courage in his comfort. I do not know how this ends for me, but I know I will not walk alone. I’ve said it many times before that fear is contagious, courage inspires. It is my duty to Christ to walk courageously so that Christ can use my example to inspire others.

That’s not to declare my perfection, I am still human. I will most likely have points of weakness. I’ve been told that I will go through the five stages of grief. While I have no doubt that will be true, I’ve just been numbed, unemotional as I step into the unknown. I am mentally aware that I will dance in the ring with a force greater than Mike Tyson. I will have no towel to throw in nor a tunnel to run away from the ring. This uninvited monster came into my life and I have but no choice to stand firm. I choose to fear not while doing so, but your prayers will be needed especially during my times of weakness.

It is my goal to give you updates of my progress but I do not know how this is going to affect me. It may require every ounce of my strength and may not be able to give you updates.

I’m sure there are those who would mock me, to laugh at my situation, to one day hope to dance on my grave. But for those of you who take pleasure in the loss of life of others, here’s a little reminder that we all share the same fate. Those sands of time for you run lower with each passing day, and ironically as the sands of time run low, the quicker gravity pulls those grains down. You can laugh at others, but you are quickly on your way out too. Will you treat people right and face your own inevitability with strength? Or will you mistreat others, living your life seeking your own selfish purposes only to reek of desperation in the end, clinging to your last breaths with tears of cowardice? Your character needs to be right first; Eventually who you are in darkness will come to light. Keep your character consistent so that your words aren’t undermined by your actions.

This journey for me has begun and this fight will be the biggest fight I’ve ever been in. It’s a fight that I need Jesus Christ, my savior, to be by my side.