Asking for prayers

If everyone within reach of my blog could lift my Pastor, Andy McQuitty, and his family up in prayers, I would be forever grateful. This is a wonderful man that has really touched my very soul with the gifts God has given him. Thank you! The following letter was in my e-mail inbox this morning:

7.18.09

My Dear Friends,

It looks like the Lord has scheduled me for a very interesting journey over the next little while. As I prepare to disembark, I'd covet your prayers.

On Tuesday of this week I was diagnosed with colon cancer. That's the bad news. And that's my "journey".

But there's lots of good news as well. We think we caught it early. A CT scan on Thursday showed no evidence of the cancer's spread to any other organs. The surgery to remove the affected area will be done laparoscopically by one of the best surgeons in Texas. Best of all, the Lord is my Shepherd, and none of this scary stuff even phases Him.

My surgery will be this Thursday and I'll be in the hospital for 3-5 days.
Please pray for the hospital staff; I'm a bad patient and they're going to need much grace from God!

Determinations about the need for follow-up chemotherapy will be made after the procedure.

I'm not looking forward to all this and truly wish it wasn't on my plate, but it is what the Lord has teed up for me and I'm at peace with that. After all these years shepherding other people through these situations, it's my turn now! Alice and my family are confident and trusting and a huge bulwark of strength for me, and I think the Lord has much to teach me in these days.
So we go forward.

My doctors are very hopeful that we will have a very good outcome to this surgery and that the procedure itself will be curative. Ah, but that's where the Great Physician comes in. We're just putting it all in His hands. I'm just glad that I'll finally be able to get that pesky ten pounds off that I've been battling for the last two years.

Lord willing, I'll be back in the saddle in about six weeks or so-preaching, teaching, golfing, leading, and eating way more fruits and vegetables from now on (but I won't drag you into all of that!).

The Lord is my Shepherd, and yours too. . . we shall not want! Love and appreciate you all more than you know. . .

10,000 Blessings Mis Amigos,

Andy