Time to Take the Test

I have been blogging about God's sovereignty as seen in the book of Daniel.  The whole premise of this blog has been to encourage Christian to walk daily with Christ to ensure a life that will be less stressful than those who seek to live their life without a relationship with Jesus Christ.  Well, today will begin the start of putting into practice what I so dearly believe and what I have so boldly preached about for a number of years.  On this day, my dad, my best friend, my spiritual mentor has been diagnosed with cancer.  The man who has never spent a day in the hospital, who has rarely been sick for more than two days is now facing the valley of cancer.  As I see him in that hospital bed, hooked up to all sort of machines, like Daniel, this is an unwanted place.  We did not volunteer to get cancer.  We did not sign up for the next hospital bed.  Cancer developed in my dad's body, surprising all his family and even doctors; yet cancer did not surprise God.  I can see even at this moment that God has been preparing my sister, brother, and myself for this moment.  God has been working and dealing with my mom and dad for years for this moment.  No, we did not expect the diagnoses, but God has been working all along to make sure that this valley will not destroy us, but to make us stronger.  So now we have been given a test to see if walking closely with Christ really does matter, and if knowing Christ personally, truly lessens life's stressful valleys.  As of this moment, without Christ's presence I would be a basket case; yet in His presence I have His peace.