- Mike Tillman (Lead Pastor of Ellisboro) recently had major surgery to remove toes on his second foot; he went to the doctor last week to ascertain if further surgery will be required. I have not heard yet about the doctor’s report.
- Jay Willard (Interim at New Pleasant Grove)- his wife had major stomach/internist surgery last week; recovery was anticipated to be both difficult and challenging. Unfortunately, complications have arisen which has mandated that what was supposed to be a 1-2 night hospital stay has become now a 14-21 night hospital stay. Also sad, Jay is not permitted to see Kim. Please pray that she gets home soon and has an easier recovery than expected.
- Doug Byrd (Lead Pastor at Ayersville) has gone through a serious surgery this spring with a very painful recovery. Just recently, he has been diagnosed with liver cancer-- with a growth the size of an orange on his liver. The most recent report this week is that the cancer has moved to the bones. Please pray for Doug, his wife Linda, his family, and the Ayersville church.
- Dr. Tim Keller is a personal acquaintance of mine. Translated, that means that he and I worked together closely on a couple of projects in another denomination, and he knows my name and probably recognizes my face. We are not intimate friends. Many of you may know Tim as a nationally known evangelical pastor and writer of numerous books. Tim has recently been diagnosed with the dreaded aggressive pancreatic cancer. He is seeking some of the best medical treatment literally in the world. He is asking for prayer for his recovery and comfort for his family.
When I went into my quiet time this morning, Mike, Jay/Kim, Doug, and Tim were on my mind. Also, as many of you know, I was diagnosed in 2017 with a fast growing aggressive prostate cancer. To date, the Lord has kept that cancer growth in check. However, yesterday at my trip to the dentist, he became very concerned with some growths on my tongue—he then referred me to an oral surgeon for examination and possible biopsies. Well, while the tongue growths will probably be nothing, you can imagine that it just rekindled some of the mental dynamics of the 2017 biopsy.
