Jump directly to the Content

Can I Really Be Honest With My Church?

Openness is hard, but vital for community.
Can I Really Be Honest With My Church?

I have cancer.

It stinks. I know a lot of people get cancer at some point in their life, but I am only 42 years old. It has come as quite a shock to grapple with my mortality. I am in the prime of my life. I should be thinking about the next phase such as avoiding a midlife crisis or dreaming about future ministry rather than whether I will be attending my daughter's wedding. Fortunately, I have chronic leukemia. While it is not curable, it is manageable. There is a good chance I will live a normal life. For this, I am very thankful.

Since the diagnosis, the emotions have been all over the place. There have been moments of despair. When I get sick I get nervous wondering how my body will respond. I grow anxious as the next appointment approaches. On the other hand, I have grown in honesty with my wife. Petty issues in my extended family dissolved as I now have a different perspective on what's important. I am quicker to make decisions around meaningful priorities with my kids. On ...

March
Support Our Work

Subscribe to CT for less than $4.25/month

Homepage Subscription Panel

Read These Next

Related
FROM THE EDITORS
FROM THE EDITORS
From the Magazine
Should the Bible Sound Like the Language in the Streets?
Should the Bible Sound Like the Language in the Streets?
Controversy over Bibles in Jamaica, the Philippines, and Germany reveal the divide between the sacred and the relatable.
Editor's Pick
What Christians Miss When They Dismiss Imagination
What Christians Miss When They Dismiss Imagination
Understanding God and our world needs more than bare reason and experience.
close