The Moth and The Man

Emotion was high. Once more, my brother, sister-in-love and I were sheltered in Tampa’s Embassy Suites (6th floor this time) as my brother sought weekly treatment for aggressive blood cancer. Nicholas had early morning testing, followed by a scheduled blood transfusion. Suzanne knew he needed to eat. She asked if I would please fetch him at least the one item he normally agreed to try — a blueberry muffin. After a long night of praying God would keep carrying my brother and send me a sign to guide the way, I was grateful to escape the room’s somber atmosphere and fetch possible enticement for my loss-of-appetite brother. Little did I anticipate God was about to open more than a door to breakfast. The door to “soul” food was about to take flight.

After unlatching the numerous locks with which hotel, stronghold doors are equipped, I swung open the fortress. Startled, shocked and stunned in disbelief, my stroll stopped, and my speech shrieked, “It was bigger than my palm?”. My sister-in-love, now concerned we were being attacked, blurted out “a cockroach?’. “No”, I retorted. “Then what?”, she interrogated. All I could bounce back was “it flew directly at me, made an arc across my heart then soared straight up and disappeared.”. Suzanne deduced and declared, “a bat!”. She slammed shut the door and contemplated our escape.
“No” not a bat”, I assured her; but her logic calculated there was no other explanation. Anyone who knows me knows “illogical” best describes my life. This instance at hand further affirmed this conclusion.

As Suzanne stood stalwart at the hotel’s registration counter trying to alert management that their iron clad fortress’s sixth floor was breeched by a “bat”, I retreated inward. I heard God asking, “what did you see?”. Once more, the first thing out of my mouth was “it was bigger than the palm of my hand.”. God continued, “And…?”. I uttered, “Its wings were like a butterfly’s.”. “Go on,” God urged. Closing my eyes, I pictured what, just minutes ago, flew toward me. I added, “Its color was sandy. A glitter gold thread was woven throughout. The wings were transparent with filagree patterned from end to end. A light streamed from its wings as it passed before me. The wings never flapped. They just soared.”. Finally, God inquired, “What, my daughter, did you witness?”. Confidently, I answered “to the world, maybe, a mutant moth; to me, definitely the Holy Spirit.”. Leaving the Embassy Suites Hotel that morning, my sister-in-love’s and the hotel staff’s minds were in worldly frenzy. My soul was settled in God’s deep peace.

Eight days later my brother, sister-in-love and I were back in Tampa. That very morning, as my car carried my body to Tampa, my soul prayed for God to befriend my brother with one of His cancer warriors, who could bring inspiration and renewed fortitude to my brother’s heart, soul and journey. This sister, though her closet be filled with footwear, was incapable of filling all shoes. My brother’s need was a footprint that had walked the steps of his current uphill trek.

Debilitated, downtrodden and disillusioned, my brother slumped in the chair into which his frail structure had collapsed. Gazing at his worn and torn body, fear entered my being. Medicine could transfuse my brother’s body, but not his heart and soul. I cried, “God, my brother needs YOU.”.

At that very moment, a stranger appeared in front of us. He introduced himself as Curtis. Continuing on, he shared that though it might seem strange, he felt compelled to approach my brother. His pancreatic cancer battle had been startling, even to what the doctors were accustomed. Curtis now felt God calling him to begin a ministry befriending and walking beside others as they fall prey to cancer and pray to God’s healing heart and hands. My Father in Heaven answered my morning prayer!

Since these two God-incidences, the nightmare of my brother’s cancer has not become a different story. However, one Almighty and Powerful force in this saga, GOD, has regained center stage spotlight.

The Moth — “but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31 (ESV)

The Man — “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10 (ESV)