A Growth Opportunity? No, Thank You!

By guest writer, Waldene Drake.

I grew last week! No, not in height, I am still only 5’3” tall, and not in weight gain, thankfully! No, I grew spiritually in how I trust the Lord! It happened suddenly when our beloved son-in-law, Mike, faced a life-threatening circumstance. Over the phone, and through tears, our daughter choked out, “The physicians say Mike’s headaches are caused by a tumor on his brain!”

You’ve been there, haven’t you? Everything stops. Even your heart freezes in your chest. For us, in that chilling moment, our major concern centered on Mike’s life! Further, this crisis was coming at the worst possible time. The family’s lives were already in chaos with Mike’s new job, a coast-to-coast move, and homes in escrow in both locations!

My heart broke for them as they faced this staggering scenario. As I came to the Lord, I wondered, how should I pray? Many questions arose: Why would a good God allow a brain tumor to grow in Mike’s skull? Could He not have prevented it? Was this Satan’s attack on a Christian family? Hardest of all, could I model what I teach, by affirming my unfailing trust in the Lord?

Jesus prays, too.

The Gospel of Matthew tells a story about trusting in crisis. It’s an important Scripture as it gives insight into God's care for his children. After a busy day, Jesus sent the disciples away so He could pray. He spent the next hours quietly and calmly in His Father’s presence (Matthew 14). While we don’t know what Jesus prayed on that particular occasion, we get an idea from other prayers he offered:

· Jesus prayed that the Father would guard His children: “My prayer is not that

you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one”

(John 17:15).

· Jesus prayed for believers that their faith would remain: “But I have prayed for

you, Simon, that your faith may not fail” (Luke 22:32).

· Jesus prayed for His children to share the gospel: “I'm praying not only for them

but also for those who will believe in me because of them and their witness about me” (John 17:20).

Jesus’ Disciples Face a Crisis of Faith.

While Jesus prayed, the disciples found themselves in an unexpected storm at sea. In the dark, they struggled to row as violent waves pounded their boat. Suddenly, they saw Jesus walking toward them, moving across the water’s surface—a human impossibility! Peter, always impetuous, called, “Lord, if it's really you, let me try that!” (Matthew 14:28, paraphrase mine). When Jesus responded, “Come,” Peter boldly stepped out of the boat. Before going far, however, he looked away from Jesus. As he saw the wind-driven waves about him, his feet and his faith quickly sank! In response to his cries, Jesus reached out to catch him. (Matthew 14:31). As Jesus and Peter climbed into the boat, the wind immediately died down, giving the disciples further confirmation that truly, Jesus was the Son of God.

Keep My Eyes on Jesus

When Jesus sent the disciples across that lake, He knew about the storm just as he knew about the storm my family faced. His prayers encompassed us all. How could I not trust Him? How could our family face this situation so it would bring glory to God? I prayed, over and over, that week, “Lord, I know you love Mike, and he loves you. You will only allow what is best for him—no matter what it looks like to us. Help me to trust You on this journey. May it bring glory to you.”

A solid building requires a strong foundation to endure. Under pressure, a building with a weak foundation crumbles. So it is in building a life of faith. The Old Testament Jews reminded themselves of God’s faithfulness through feasts of remembrance, stories passed on through centuries, and scripture posted as daily reminders. As I trust Jesus for my day-to-day needs, and through life’s trials, however agonizing, my faith foundation grows stronger.

God Answers Prayer.

I’m not a saint, nor am I free from all anxiety. In those hours after Mike’s diagnosis, my feet quivered just like Peter’s on those rolling waves. Yet with God’s peace, I kept my eyes on Jesus, knowing He was praying for my faith to remain strong in this trial. Within days, Mike was recovering from a successful surgery, the tumor completely removed with no evidence of malignancy! Our family gave to God the thanks and the praise He deserved. We also widely shared our witness of the Lord’s goodness and faithfulness in Mike’s life. Later that week, Mike returned to his family, and, within a few weeks, he will return to his job!

My faith grew in that week because I chose to keep my eyes on Jesus, to grab His hand and to trust Him to lead through the storm. God is faithful! He proved it again!

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Waldene Drake, RN, MBA, lives in AZ. She enjoys reading, crocheting and summer travels to baseball parks. She served for 15 years as Vice President of Risk Management for the Cooperative of American Physicians, a professional liability company covering 12,000 California physicians. She taught numerous physician Risk Management seminars and was an invited speaker at dozens of physician association and hospital medical staff educational meetings. She created and developed the Risk Management Institute, an online educational program for medical office staff. Waldene authored numerous Risk Management articles for both her company and for national publications.

Waldene’s husband, Tom, served as an Executive Pastor for 20+ years, supporting the Lead Pastor in preaching duties, ministry projects, church Christian Education, and Christian School administration. During those years, Waldene served in multiple capacities supporting her husband and their church’s ministries.

Upon retirement, Waldene and her husband began to work in the Calling for Christ ministry to professional baseball umpires. Over the summer, they meet with young men, to support the believers in their faith and share the love of God with all the men with whom they visit. Through this ministry, Tom and Waldene have been rewarded to see dozens of young umpires have come to Christ, been baptized, and experienced spiritual growth as they progress in their career.

Waldene is active in a local, weekly Women’s Bible Study group which she also periodically teaches.