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I came to pastor Tabernacle Baptist Church in Ennis about three years ago. Since then, God has been gracious to our church, giving us growth, more than 50 baptisms in 2025, and the opportunity to start Tabernacle En Español. I feel like I have the best job in the world.
Before we moved to Texas, I was a regular runner, doing 15 or 20 miles a week to stay in shape. I moved down here and got out of the habit for several reasons. I gained almost 17 pounds and was just not healthy. Last September, I started running again. One day, I’d run two or three miles and started having some chest pains, and they didn’t go away for days.
A visit to the ER revealed I had a nine-centimeter mass in my chest. It was a rare form of leukemia that’s pretty aggressive. The doctors were thankful that it was basically my running and that mass hitting up against the fluid around my heart and causing chest pains that got my attention.
They say they found it sooner than it normally would have been found. While that was good, it went from, “Oh, I’m having some chest pain,” to receiving the leukemia diagnosis on Sept. 23. That was pretty difficult, especially with the fact that with leukemia, they do what’s called an induction phase—21 to 30 days in the hospital where you get pretty intense chemo and cannot leave. That was obviously a very, very challenging time. The Lord in His providence had led our church to read through the Psalms together, and that was very helpful for me to reflect on while going through that long induction phase.
The last couple months have been the most difficult and trying months of my life. It’s hard not to question and it’s hard not to doubt and ask the Lord, “Why?” But on the flip side, Tabernacle has been incredible. They did things like an orange-out Sunday [the color of leukemia awareness] for me. They have been such a tangible picture in my life of the hands and feet of Jesus.
I’ve been in the hospital about 50% of the time since the diagnosis. My church and our deacon body asked me what I really needed. I said, “I need to be at my kids’ games, but I can’t.” So, we had a friend who set up videos so I could watch the games live, and that was pretty cool. People just showed up and made signs for the kids and just had a good time. My two boys play football for Ennis. Isaiah, he’s running back and linebacker on the freshman team, and Caleb’s a linebacker and tight end on the seventh-grade team. Avianna [our 7-year-old] was playing softball. For people to show up and support them was great.
I had a treatment this morning, and seven to 10 days after chemo is when your numbers, at least for me, are at their lowest. That has been a challenge for sure. And again, I am very blessed, I have a great staff, including an executive pastor, Carlos Gerke, who’s been preaching for me when I need him. Even last Sunday, our youth pastor stepped into the pulpit, so I am very blessed we have very competent staff members who have stood in the gap for me when I’ve been unable. I’ve enjoyed the times when I have been able to get up. That’s my plan. Sunday, I won’t have a lot of energy, but I’m still planning on preaching and I love it. If I’m out of the hospital, I’m planning on preaching.
Obviously, it’s physically hard on me, but I look at what my wife, Jill, is having to do—not only to be a support for me, but also be there for the kids. She’s got so much on her plate, and some of the ladies in our church have been just awesome in ministering to her. Jill has also gone to work for the school district as the special ed counselor. The district and her bosses have been very supportive. She also has a group of ladies at church and other friends who have ministered to her over the past couple of months.
“Yes, He’s taught me some hard lessons. He’s also reminded me of the blessings He has given me.”
I remember—it was over a decade ago—I heard a message by Matt Carter. His whole message was about never trusting a man of God without a limp. He was preaching on that story of Jacob wrestling with the Lord. I would say that as I’ve been dealing with this, that has repeatedly come to mind. While we all know our time here is short … I’d always just thought, “I’m going to live a good, long life and I’m going to see my grandkids,” and all these other things.
I think that has definitely been a lesson for me. I’m a little bit of a control freak, and so there are many times I want to tell God what He should do rather than sit at His feet and listen and really follow after Him. The Lord has really humbled me in that way and shown me how much control is an illusion.
Yes, He’s taught me some hard lessons. He’s also reminded me of the blessings He has given me. My church loves and supports my family. I’m very thankful that. My wife is my best friend. I’m so thankful for her and the way she pushes me to Jesus. And being Dad to these three kids is such an honor. What a blessing.
As I face this battle, pray for me that I’ll trust in God’s faithfulness and be full of the joy of the Lord.
