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His banner over me is LOVE.... My soul followeth hard after thee....Love one another with a pure heart fervently. Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?
To be a servant of God, it will cost us our total commitment to God, and God alone. His burden must be our burden... Sis Alvear
OA, I'm so sorry to hear about what you are going through. In my profession, I see your scenario played out over and over again, but when you are one of the players, it takes on a totally different meaning and perspective.
My thoughts and prayers are with you. God truly is in control.
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I've gone and done it now! I'm on Facebook!!!
Somehow, over the past few weeks of my absence on this forum (which was more than likely , unoticed, and, understandably so), certain things have lost their importance in my thinking. Have I changed my views? Have I given up my Apostolic Heritage? No, not at all, but, well, recent events have caused some of the issues that are constantly hashed and rehashed here to lose their importance and have been replaced with others. Certain words have been replaced with new ones. Words like cancer, biopsy, seizure and tumor have always been distant words to me… used in passing… with little if any significance. But today, for about two months now, those words have taken over my mind and vocabulary. My wife has terminal cancer. She is dying. Everyday… every minute, death draws nearer. In fact, Sunday night of this week. Death was there. She went to sleep. And wouldn’t, couldn’t, wake up. No matter how much I shook her and called her name, she never moved. Death had a hold. But prayer. A simple, desperate prayer, stayed deaths hand for a while longer. She woke up. Her first words: “I want to go home”. I don’t know what she meant. To her home in heaven, with the Lord she loves with all her heart? Or to our home on Sand Mountain in Alabama? I don’t know which of the two she was referring to. But, if it was her request to come to her earthly home, she got her wish. She is home now. She has been sent home to die. However, if it was her request to go to her heavenly home, then that request is very soon to be answered. And that one simple answer to my desperate plea for just a few minutes to tell her how much I love her has shown me just how much God is in control of this situation. And the knowledge of His control makes everything alright.
So, if I am absent , that is why. If I don’t find the significance of debating water baptism and standards (matters which should have been settled long ago) seem unimportant and trivial to me, that is why. Those issues are settled for me, and have been long ago since they were first written. I have never seen the need to rehash them and discuss them and to debate them and to argue about them. And I certainly don’t see the need of it now. What I do see is the need for us… ALL OF US… to see how much we need one anothers fellowship and support. And prayers. And compassion. And understanding. I ask you to pray for us that God’s will be done. Thank you.
And the clamor comes to a momentary halt as we take in, for a moment at least, the fact that life is more than we make it out to be sometimes.
How interesting is it that death brings us that reality more than anything else.
He came that we might have life and that we might have it more abundantly.
You are so right. These endless debates do not bring us abundant life. Nor do they facilitate our bringing that abundant life to anyone else.
God's wise and able will be done in your life and that of your lovely bride my brother. Only He knows what path will serve best.
In the interim....savor the moments.
And thanks to you for sharing with us the sobriety that real life has a way of giving us.
One Accord, no debate, no discussion is more important that our common need for the hand of God in our lives.
You family is in much need now, and I pray for your family. My the peace and comfort of the Lord be with you and may the Hand of our compassionate God direct every event.
You have asked for nothing more or less than the will of God, and I think you have here in this place a group of people willing to stand with you, united in the purpose of pleading that case to the One Just Judge. My Gods will be done in your life, and the life of your dear wife. May you find comfort in the arms of a loving and compassionate God.
Peace my friend.
__________________ If I do something stupid blame the Lortab!
We live our lives with one goal in mind- to make Heaven our home and to hear the Master say "Well done". I am praying for you and your wife during these difficult times. I pray that our Heavenly Father comforts you and your family.
My soul followeth hard after thee....Love one another with a pure heart fervently. 
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