Thursday was the two-year anniversary of my cancer surgery.

During this anniversary, even more than last year, my soul is overflowing with celebration and thankfulness.

Being the patient instead of the Pastor or Chaplain was very disturbing for me.

Having a bone-cancer (Chondrosarcoma) rocked my world. “This can’t be real. It happens to other people, but not to me.” But it did and I was in real need for a while.

However, I was never in want.

Wonderful care was lavished on me.

The care I received from the Dr. Mesko and the Cleveland Clinic was unsurpassed. From surgery to in the hospital room, therapy at the hospital, in the home and outpatient, the care was compassionate, responsive and exactly what I needed.

The hundreds of peope who joined my Dan's Cancer Journey Facebook page meant more to me that I ever imagined it would. Facebook and social media, overwhelm, confuse and distract me, so generally I avoid it. But during that season, I read it as much as I was able and I savored every like, comment and expression of Care. It lifted my spirits and gave me strength.

I thought cards were a thing of the past. What a wonderful surprise to receive nearly two hundred cards. I read every word of every card. They are saved in a box. Each one made me feel better.

The men from Mountainview started a Go-Fund-Me Page that completely covered my out-of-pocket expenses and then-some. Even with insurance there were co-pays and additional expenses that I did not need to figure how and when to pay.

God heard and answered the prayers of an army of people who stormed the gates of Heaven with requests for me. On my worst night in the hospital I was tired, afraid, in pain and medicated. My only prayer was, “Lord, I receive the prayers of all the people who are praying for me.” Visons are not a normal spiritual occurrence for me but I saw something that night. I had a vision of some dark silhouettes of people slowly moving in a foggy setting. Clearly it came to me, although not in an audible voice, that these are the people praying for me.

Then when I arrived home I received a card in the mail (pictured at the top of this post) that had dark silhouettes drawn across the bottom of the card. “I saw this before," I said in a very surprised and excited way.  "On that bad, dark night, I saw people praying for me.” I will always save and cherish the card Elise made for me!

I’m thankful for my wife and kids, son-in-law, daughters-in-law and grandsons They helped when I was down and celebrated my recovery. They made me feel like I mattered.

If I make it to my two years scans in May without a recurrence, there is a 90% chance that I will never have a recurrence. That is the next milestone on this journey.

Care matters!

If the care I have given during my vocational ministry mattered as much to those I cared for as your care did for me, I am thrilled to have been called to care.

Now, at this post-cancer stage of life, I am thrilled to be working hard to grow Best Care Ministry so many compassionate people will be equipped and encouraged to provide the Best Care so others will feel God's love, like I did when I needed care.