The Ohio Independent Baptist, February 1973

• • • He Gi,veth More Grace.'' - A Thrilling Testimony - )"<>11r etlir,,, c111<I /1is fa111il.r. ,,·l1ile servit1g lrit/1 tire Assc>cia– ti<>11 <>I B<J{Jtists f<> I J <>rlcl Evc111gelis111 . livecl so111 e fiv e ) 1 ears i11 ,~,>, t JJ ' c>rt/1. Te ,as. D11ri,1R t/10 e )'ears , ,ve \-Vere 111 e111hers <>/ t/1c G icleo,1 Bapli t Cl111rc/1. 011r pastor l1 1 as Dr. George L . ,\ 1 <Jr11.\. H e H'c1s a,1 e.\ c·el/ent pastor ancl is a dear fri end. l) 1,,-i11g t/1is pa, t _vear , Brot/1 er N orris notic·ed tl-vo s111all k ll<>t appearing <)n l1is bod)'. Tl1 ese began to ca1,se pain in 1/1e 11111. cle tiss11e. £ .ra111i11ation of one o f t/1 ese excised ti,,nors re ,·ea/( 1 d /, roc·/10.~enic carcino111a , t/1at is to SQ)', th e tc,,nors were 111a/(~11a11t . 0 11r f riend and bro t/1 er l1as cancer. He ivas i11 t/1 e Fort Wort/1 /1 ospital for a periocl of eig/1t days. It n·as d11ring t/1is ti111 e tl1at /1 e was inforr11ed concerning 1'1is c·c,nditic>n . it is t/1rilling to read t/1e t/1ings the L ord has e11ah led /1i111 to tt'rite. We wis/1 we had t/1e space in THE OHI O J DEPE DE T BAPTIST to present all o f his ivritings. We 1\·ill. t/1e L ord ivilling, fro111 ti111e to ti111 e present a few. c>111et/1ing of t/1e grace the L ord is giving is evidenced in t/1e /<>l lou·ing. It appeared first in the Fort Wort/1 newspaper tl1e tar-Telelfra,11. This was written i111111ediately following /1is receiving t/1 e doctor's report. A CER - any cancer, is a seri– ou di ea e. Whatever treatment is in– dica ted hould be tarted as early as po ible. There i nothing to be gain– ed by po tponing whatever therapy is ava ilable. The cure rate of skin cancer is about 95 per cent . The probability of urviving five year '"" with lung cancer tha t has metastisized (which is what I have) i about 9 per cent. Trea tment i tedious and expensive. In my own ca e I have been fortunate to have faith to enter into a "ministry of waiting" without either panic or de pair . I am neither optimi tic nor pe imi ti c about my di ea e. I have tried to be real i tic each day , but not to let either my feeling or my pai n of a ny one day determine my de - tiny. I have good day when I feel wonderful . I have bad day when I think I'll not make it through the day . I do not let either of the e change my outl ook. I do what I ca n each day and do not worry about tomorrow. ]N SOME way my experience with cancer ha been one of the most ex– hil arating times of my life. I have bee n brought face to face with what i vi tal and eternal. My values have altered to the point that I can make mea ningful judgment on what is rea ll y import ant in life . I have had time to do many thing th at T had put off in the pa t. I have had time to read. to think , to pray, to write in a ~ ay th a t I had never had before . I am making each day of my life mea ningful in ome way. I have rea li zed for ome time that I am morta l. ow I have th e advan– tage of knowi ng the probable cause 14 FEBRUARY, 1973 of my death, of which I have neither fear nor dread, and will have ade– quate forewarning of the time, which i more than most people have. I am not looking to my doctor for any miraculous cure. I know my life i in God,s hands and my body is in my doctor' hand . I have confidence in both. There are inconvenience : appetite and eating are con tant problems. I can walk only with great pain and effort. There are indignities I go through and times of great pain. But once these are accepted as a part of a new routine of life, they Jo e much of their ting and frustration. I have already had 80 per cent of my three core and IO - 56 wonderful year . One of the nicer thing that ha happened to me i to di cover again how kind and con iderate people can be. I am overwhelmed at the constant solicitation on the part of friend and the gentlene of the part of strangers. It i trength for the oul from which I have derived great bless ing and plea ure . I have al o had time to get most things in order in my affair . I have had time to call and thank the many who through the years have done great favors for me . All in all , it has been a ble ed and happy time in my life. It can be in yours. Editor's N ote: Dr. Norris, dt,1rin .~ l1is eiu/11 clays in tl1e /1 ospital, placed so111 e of /1is t/1oi11tl1ts on paper. These /1ave been placed in a booklet entitled - "EIG HT DAYS" . We wis/1 everv ~ 0 ./ .B. reader /1ad a copy of t/1is b()Ok let. Dr . George L Norns 8 DAYS CLOSER by George L. Norris George L. Norris founded Gide– on Baptist Church, Fort Worth, Texas, 27 years ago. He was its pastor until he was stricken with cancer and was forced to retire. In this brochure he tells you what he thinks about and how he feels as he hears the waters lapping the shores of the Great River. "Having confirmation of what can be a fatal ill ne s somehow puts a weight into the balances that was not there before. Awakening twice from narco is alters one's vision. How petty many things now eem, how important little things are! A light pat, a gentle kiss on the fore– head just a you pas through the double doors of the operating room - ah - that' what' ' important! To see all human emotions gathered up in one ingle glance, that's what' important.,. His mind is clear . His heart i warm. His Chri tian faith is un- • wavering. He talks to you in this brochure. .. Price $1.50 Postpaid 12 or more copies $1.00 per copy Order from: GIDEON BAPTIST CHURCH 4449 Camp Bowie Blvd. Fort Worth, Texas 76107 THE OHIO INDEPENDENT BAPTIST