I met an angel.
I was diagnosed with throat cancer a couple of years ago. I never smoked. The doctors in Nashville didn’t hold out much hope. One even told me to get my affairs in order as I would probably die within a year. Others spent quite a bit of time telling me that the chemo and radiation treatment was going to be horrific and the end result might not cure me. Plus, it would most likely damage my voice to the point where I could no longer sing or even talk.
“Never give up, never surrender!” That quote from the film Galaxy Quest has always been a favorite of mine. Despite the fact that it comes from a work of fiction, I have lived my life by that principle even before I heard it in the film. I decided to get another opinion from MD Anderson in Houston, one of the top cancer research and treatment centers in the world.
I made the appropriate appointments and flew out to Houston. I was going to take the shuttle to MD Anderson, when I decided that I wanted to get there as soon as possible. So I took a cab. I waved the first two drivers off and got into the third vehicle as it looked newer and cleaner. If the cancer didn’t kill me, my OCD just might.
My driver was a young man with a lilting Caribbean accent. During the drive, we talked about why I was there. He asked me if I would like to pray with him before we arrived. I said yes and felt very comforted by the decision. While we were in a long line of traffic at a red light, he took my hand and we prayed for about 5 minutes, waiting for our turn. His prayer asked the Lord to give the doctors the wisdom to find the way to cure me. It was the one of the most realistic prayers I’d ever heard. He was asking for divine intervention, but not for a miraculous healing but rather for the doctors to have the knowledge and skill to heal me. The words felt great and I cried. So did he. I took note of the cab company and the cab’s ID number.
As I left the cab, I asked his name. He smiled at me, looked me in the eyes and said, “Ezekiel.” I didn’t think too much about it, until I met with the surgical, radiation and medical oncologists over the next two days. Their news was very positive. I needed treatment, but nowhere near the career-ending regimen that was put forth in Nashville. True to their words, they were able to rid me of cancer and keep my voice intact. It was a rough year but they got me through it. I remain cancer-free today.
I made repeated calls to the cab company, only to be told that they had no such employee or cab number. I realized then that Ezekiel was an angel. I have no doubt about it. He was sent to watch over me and assure me that I was at the right place to receive the care necessary to get better and maintain my voice. Ezekiel means “God will strengthen.” I now have no doubts. I thank the Lord and Ezekiel every day for my good health.
I met an angel. I hope you get the opportunity to meet yours, under much better circumstances of course. And if you are suffering with cancer or any other potentially fatal disease, I hope the phrase, “Never give up, never surrender!” provides you with the same courage and determination it has always given me.
As always, I wish you good health and success! God bless!
© 2018 Steve Bryant – No portion of this or any blog can be reproduced or copied and posted on any online site or read aloud on any audio or video media without the express permission of the author.
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