What’s Next, Papa?
A Story of Cancer that Awakened Hope and Brought Life
by
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I was on the ground, under a tree, in the middle of a busy park…crying. I had heard from God. March 18, 2010, was an absolutely beautiful, late-winter day. The sun shone brilliantly as a breeze shimmered across the sparkling water. That day, I heard from the Creator, the One Who had spoken all of it into being, the God Who maintains order, and the One Who causes seasons to cycle without end. It is that God Who spoke to me. Here is a glimpse into my thoughts that led up to that day’s conversation. I had been reading in Genesis about the hall-of-famer, Abraham. This man had an unbelievable confidence in God. God’s response to Abraham’s faith was, “I am going to bless you; I am going to bless you indeed.” I could hear the joy in God’s voice as He prepared and poured out His blessing on the one who so completely trusted in Him. It was to this passage that my thoughts turned as I sat beside the great lake. I could not concentrate on the task I had intended to do, so I exited the car to walk the path along the shore. As I set out, I told God I would talk going one way, and asked for Him to speak as I made my way back. Prayer poured out of me as I began taking the first few steps. I told God of my fears and longings; I told Him how I was so unsure of where I was at this point in my life. I did believe an unseen God was ordering my steps. All my hopes and dreams were in one basket - There is a God who knows and cares where I am (we are) personally. These were the paths of thought that my prayers followed. That day was just delicious. After the cold and snow and bareness of winter, this was a day that pointed to the coming of a new season. I walked and prayed for a long time. Finally, with nothing left to say, I turned to make my way back. I closed my mouth and waited for God’s response. I walked for about two football-field lengths — nothing. “Oh GREAT! This is pretty much a one-sided conversation.” I still desired to keep my thoughts turned to God, so I began to think on the Scripture I had read earlier in the day. Well, I got stuck on one phrase: “…Abraham fell on his face and worshiped.” Now, exactly how do we hear from God? That is an ongoing question for me. Yet, I had the feeling that the Spirit was saying, “Lie down.” Bill Cosby has a comedy routine: Noah gets a message from God telling him to build a boat because there is going to be a flood. Noah responds, “YEAH, RIGHT!” That was pretty much my feeling: “Yeah right, like I am going to lie down on this public path with… a LOT of people enjoying the day.” Sooooooo… I just kept walking…with the persistent thought, “Lie down.” Okay, so, being a curious guy by nature, I decided I had better do it or I might miss out on something if this was, indeed, God. Just ahead I saw a little knoll with a lone tree on it. Someone lying under tree…on a hill… on a day like this...might not appear too odd. Leaving the path, I found a spot that looked dry and I stretched out, looking up at an endless blue sky. Instantly, a familiar thought came to me, “He makes me to lie down.” Well, having grown up in church my whole life, my mind automatically finished the sentence from the famous Psalm: “He makes me lie down…and He restores my soul.” “Oh, I get it!” I had not yet understood what He was doing in my life. “Why wasn’t anything opening up for me to do?” As I lay there thinking of the last two years of my life, His Spirit spoke to my spirit and let me know, “Scott, I am restoring your soul.” He loved me so much that He had been allowing me time to catch my breath. I dwelt on that as I rested beneath the tree, gazing through branches that had not yet budded. The next thing the Spirit spoke to me was, “I WILL DO IT.” Something clicked as I lay there looking up through that tree. Spring was about to begin to bring buds. Nothing could stop spring. Nothing! There was not a force big enough to stop the next season from happening. “I WILL DO IT!” After getting back into my car, I picked up the Message version of the Bible and read, “You bedded me down in lush meadows . . . you let me catch my breath…and send me in the right direction.” Is that what God had been doing? Oh, wow! That was His word to me, “Scott, catch your breath… things are about to bud and a new season is going to bring fruit. I, the God Who created all that is, I will do it.” Tears of joy ran down my cheeks as I realized Whom it was that had spoken to me: GOD…my GOD…the One Who loves and cares for me. Like Abraham, I fell to the ground—and worshiped.
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About the Book
At first glance, this is the story of a middle-class family living in a small town in middle America. Author S. R. Roix’s children were growing up well, his wife had a secure job that she enjoyed, and he worked in a trade at which he excelled. Life was good; they had no complaints—until the day it all began to unravel. When his beloved wife, the mother of their four children, was diagnosed with renal cell carcinoma at the age of thirty-eight, everything changed. Sixteen months later, she lost her battle. Even in heartbreak and grief, Roix learned to have complete trust in the one who loves him the most—his “Papa” God. Out of the ruins of his life grew an unquenchable thirst to know who God was, and, in the process, Roix also came to learn who he was. What he learned on his journey is that hope triumphs over every obstacle. He learned that in faith, there is no amount of suffering that cannot be overcome by the amazing love God is willing to pour out. This is their story, and it can also be yours. Whatever challenges you face—grief, rejection, fear, financial ruin, abuse, and more—there is hope. His deep wish for you is to experience how close your “Papa” is, even in the darkest night.
About the Author
S. R. Roix’s life changed the day his wife, the mother of their four children, was diagnosed with renal cell carcinoma at the age of thirty-eight. Sixteen months later, she lost her battle. Now remarried, he lives with his blended family in Racine, Wisconsin. They have nine children ranging in age from three to eighteen.