The letter found its way into our church newsletter and was well received. Over the following weeks a number of church members related to me how much the letter meant to them. I wanted to memorialize the letter before I lost it or forgot what I had said. Consequently, it appears below:
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18 June 2010
Dear Friends at IHUMC,
I have recently been blessed by your loving kindness while I was hospitalized and during my recovery at home. The phone calls, get well cards, visits, and provided meal for my family, were very comforting and certainly expressed your care for me in a powerful manner. I also coveted and enjoyed your prayer support; your messages were communicated to me by the Holy Spirit on multiple occasions. I am very fortunate to live in such a loving community of believers.
I want to share with you an experience I had on the Sunday following my surgery. While thinking about the events of recent weeks I was overwhelmed by the application of a mountain of Grace. Over a matter of a few minutes I recognized I was so very fortunate to have been given:
- Modern technology that permits early detection and low-invasive surgical removal of cancer.
- Due to the advances in robot assisted surgery, a comparatively easy recuperation.
- Physicians, both primary care and urologic specialists, who are not only very talented women, but also compassionate in their work.
- The ability to have health insurance so that I can afford the good care.
- A job where I can take time to be sick, be healed, recuperate and not be penalized for needing the time to heal me.
- Caring work associates who can pick up my share of work while I am recuperating.
- Clients who understand my need to be healed and are patient while I take the time away from their needs.
- An incredible wife, who can continue to operate our business, our household, take care of my parents, babysit our grandson, prepare meals, deal with a flooded basement, prepare for VBS, and STILL provide loving care in excess of what I need.
- A loving daughter that happily augments Sandy's care.
- IHUMC friends who will send me cards of encouragement, visit, and help with whatever I have asked them to do.
- But most importantly, I was reminded,......powerfully...... that God loves me, and because of his undeserved grace, I have a ransomed soul.
I discussed with both Rev. Cheryl and Betty B. the way that IHUMC has supported me and my family can only be described as a modern day miracle: The miracle of Christian fellowship. Unless a person is involved in a Christian community like IHUMC, he/she simply can't recognize the value of that support.
Thank you for so many examples of "miracle working" over recent weeks. I am positive I am unable to express fully how much your prayers and support meant to me.
Blessed by Grace,
Mark Campbell
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I still feel very fortunate. I AM having to deal with some expected and normal side effects of radical prostate surgery, such as incontinence and impotence. The incontinence has already improved significantly. The impotence...... well no progress, yet. I am told to be patient; it may take up to a year for some of the damaged nerves to heal. It is also possible the side effect may be permanent. I certainly hope that possibility does NOT become true. Regardless of the side effects, I remain thankful to live in these times and to have received the continuing opportunities of a rather normal life, post-cancer.
Subsequent to my surgery, two friends, one from church and one from Optimist club have been diagnosed with prostate cancer and are facing similar surgery decisions. I hope and pray their passage through this life changing challenge is as good as mine.
Grace. The unmerited good will delivered in small, and sometimes great, ways. It is a very deep concept to think about. My thoughts return to the grace I receive on a daily basis. I hope these thoughts help me be more of a grace "agent" to those around me.
