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June 18, 2007

Songs in the Night

MUSIC IS UNIQUELY revealed in every culture to demonstrate a wide range of emotions; to promote comfort, healing, and relaxation. Music also played a major role in the lives and cultures of many Biblical characters such as Job, David, Paul, and Silas who exemplified joy in adversity by songs of praise in their nights.

Upon arrival from Africa to New York City to begin our year of home assignment, our first priority was a physical exam with the mission doctor. From there we were immediately sent to the New York City Hospital for further tests. The doctor I saw “happened” to be the head of surgery, and he just “happened” to have twenty minutes free in his schedule. Two days later I was admitted for a radical mastectomy. The diagnosis was cancer. What a devastating blow! This was certainly not included in our schedule for the upcoming months of furlough. Even though the doctor affirmed that I was a brave woman, it did nothing to assuage the troubling questions that whirled through my mind throughout the sleepless nights.

On the day of surgery, the local pastor along with my husband and family gathered around me in the stark hallway to anoint and pray for me; and then they left! I was alone, facing this frightening experience by myself. It was then my Heavenly Father took my hand and whispered to me the words of Bill Gaither as MY song in the bewildering night,
               Because HE lives I can face tomorrow,
               Because HE lives all fear is gone . . .

By day the LORD directs his love, at night his song is with me—a prayer to the God of my life. (Psalm 42:8)

(By Mrs. Doloris Burns Bandy, Ft. Myers, Florida, TFC Alumna, TFC Staff. Taken from the book: Leaves From the Tree God Planted © 2006 by Toccoa Falls College, p. 32-33)