Hi there everyone, this is James Maloney. I’ve had Andrew take this dictation because I’m not able to type at the moment, but I wanted this to come directly from me. First, I want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart for all of you who have stood in agreement with us in prayer and for those who have been so gracious in their financial giving. I’m not embellishing when I say this has been one of the most testing times of my walk with the Lord. It has been an excruciating time where my only recourse has been to rest in the Lord’s divine grace to get through the days since this pain started the end of July. I won’t bother you with reiterating all the details that’s led to this point, I believe most of you are aware. I do want to reiterate that this is NOT life-threatening, and it is NOT a result of sin or a specific demonic attack. I have spent a hundred hours, without exaggerating, submitting this to the Lord, as well as many minister friends, and we have all come into agreement concerning this situation. Although not life-threatening, this condition is dangerous if left unchecked as it continues growing in a precarious location, and as much as I press in to walk in faith and believe the Lord for healing, and continue to do so throughout this process, in this instance, the pain level has really forced my hand. I think I’ve shown in forty years that through God’s grace and mercy, my life is pretty much an open book—those of you who’ve read Dancing Hand and the other books, I think, can attest that I’m pretty open, sharing my testimony and a lifestyle that I trust is pleasing to the Lord. And so do you, so that’s not an arrogant statement—it is our reasonable service to such a gracious, loving, holy God! Also in those books, I’ve been honest with you in stating that none of us have attained and have all the answers as to why some healings are instantaneous and others (more often than not) are a progression toward health, wherein the Lord works through the medical community and the knowledge He has allowed them to amass to improve our quality of life. I want all healings to be instant—that’s the way it almost always worked when the Lord walked this earth—that is what we are all pressing toward. And yet, this treasure is in earthen vessels, we all know in part, and Jesus was given the Spirit without measure according to the Bible. That’s not an excuse, it’s just stating a fact and sets the benchmark we are all striving for. I believe when Overwhelmed by the Spirit comes out in a couple months, it will outline this concept even greater than what we’ve heard about it in the past. So with all that said, here’s the situation. The growth behind my left eye is the remnants of the growth that dematerialized above my eyebrow during the Mohs surgery. Picture the cells moving like a trail of ants down the nerve sheath and forming a little nest at the base of my skull. Since these are slow-growing, it’s probably been there for a few years. Doctors don’t know about it until it presents symptoms. I’d never had a CT or PET scan before, so this went unnoticed until July. Don’t ask me why God removed the one in May and not this one, I don’t know. That doesn’t change the fact that our stance is the Lord’s will is to heal 100% of the time, and I will still continue having that attitude no matter what. At any point in time the Lord can instantaneously dematerialize this growth and that’s the end of it—I’ve seen this happen hundreds and thousands of times, to God’s glory and honor alone. I trust you all know by now my heart and my intent. And yet, since the pain is unmanageable, I have to pursue the natural course while still expecting the supernatural outcome. Like I always tell people in my meetings, don’t be foolish, if you’re sick, go to a doctor. That’s not a lack of faith, that’s just wisdom. In this case, because the growth is in an inoperable area (they tell me its official name is the venous cavernous sinus, the tiny little place where the optic and audial nerves and the carotid artery pass through the skull), the treatment is radiation. Today I got a CT scan of my head and this kind of mask thing (not fun!), next week they take measurements, then all this gets fed into a computer system, and so September 11 will begin radiation therapy, five days a week, an hour’s drive through Dallas traffic, one way. (My poor wife!) The treatment should all be over around late November—it takes a bit to recover from the fatigue of the therapy. Which means, as much as it pains me personally, I am going to have to cancel my itinerary until December. I absolutely hate doing this. It’s embarrassing and humbling and frustrating all at the same time. But it is what it is. Please accept my humblest, most sincere apologies for those who were making plans to attend the meetings. I will do my absolute best to make it up to you all, and Andrew will start working with the host ministries to reschedule in 2014. Come January I am confident I’ll be raring to go and 100% completely healed from all of this! What’s nice about these kinds of growths is they almost never come back, like 98%—I can believe God for the other 2%. This also means I have to throw myself upon the mercies of not only God, who is my only Provider in that sense, but you who have been familiar with the ministry God has entrusted to me. He is Jehovah Jireh. And yet Jehovah Jireh utilizes His people to provide in the vast majority of circumstances. Again, I’ve known times God has multiplied money and provisions miraculously, but most of the time, He works through His children. Not only is there the expense of the treatment, but there will be no income for the months of September, October and November. So that means we are in need of thousands every month to support us while I’m not traveling, plus thousands more that will be required in upfront medical payments. We must meet a certain dollar threshold first, then the hospital will allow us to make payments on the rest—we’re very thankful to the hospital for agreeing to set up payment plans, but of course they also need upfront percentages, and I can understand that. As you know, our ministry isn’t large. We have three people on staff, all family. Andrew and his family are also reliant upon the giving of the people, just as Joy and I are. I have been so thankful that the Lord has provided the means for me to bring Andrew on staff, and he has really created a niche for himself in all the books we have produced—but of course, those are primarily sold in my travels, which have now ground to a halt until December, so his family feels the crunch as well. Can I just be really frank and honest here and ask you all for a personal favor? If you have the means, please help support us during this trial. I trust you all know that in all my time in ministry, I haven’t harped on about money, I don’t pressure people or guilt them into giving. We’ve put our trust in the Lord and He has ALWAYS come through (sometimes at the last nanosecond, but that’s faith, isn’t it?) We don’t send out daily, weekly, monthly—even annually!—appeals nor do we offer superfluous product, at least not in my eyes. But here is an instance where I don’t have a church that continues to provide my salary while I take sabbatical. I am “self-employed,” and therefore, I don’t have medical insurance (until this ridiculous personal mandate kicks in, and of course, by then I won’t need it...) As a ministry, our only income is from offerings and love gifts. In fact, even our products don’t generate any personal income whatsoever—it makes enough to reproduce itself and meet some of Andrew’s salary. The rest is made up by me. We’re always completely upfront and honest where donations go. If we say it’s earmarked for a project or a book or a missions trip, we make sure every dime goes to that. I don’t take that responsibility before God lightly. Everyone works hard, and some of you are just not in any position to give—don’t feel burdened, don’t feel pressured. If you can give, please do so! If you can’t, please pray for us! Every gift is a sacrifice, and there are thousands of ministries, charities, and such asking for your money. Please be led by the Spirit, don’t be rash and send in your food money. I am asking for support from those whom the Lord has blessed above and beyond their daily needs. There were a couple of churches that received offerings in May when we were facing the Mohs surgery, which made all the difference in the world for us. That money has now been exhausted, however, and we are faced with this new pressing need. Perhaps if you are a pastor of a church that I have had any kind of influence in, can I ask you to pray about taking up a special offering and letting your congregation know? I just want to humble myself before all of you and say, I really need your help here. I want to continue the course that the Lord has set for my life in ministry, I want to finish strong. I think I’ve got another ten, fifteen years left to accomplish that before I “retire,” should the Lord will and should He tarry. So, please, prayerfully consider supporting us the next few months while I get this all behind me. I’ll have Andrew keep you posted, and if I’m feeling up to it, I’ll pop on now and again. I have been touched by the words of encouragement so many of you have sent, and I want you to know it means so very much to me—your acts of kindness and thoughtfulness. Andrew makes sure I get every e-mail and post. Thank you from the bottom of my heart! If there is anything that can be a learning experience from all of this, I can honestly say I have had true lessons of humility and utter reliance upon the Lord, the importance of gracious understanding and patience, walking these trials out through faith, yes, but also learning that we are only kept by Him and Him alone—it is only His power that sustains us, and every breath belongs to Him. And more sympathy than ever for the people whom I pray with who are usually going through their own kind of physical trials. There are times when all we can do is lean into His goodness and mercy. Yes, He is our Friend; yes, He is our Brother. But never let us forget: Jesus is Lord. Thank you all so very much for everything—I really do mean that completely sincerely. It’s a tremendous blessing to know there’s so many of you out there willing to pray and willing to support me and my family. May the Lord bless you immensely, abundantly above all you can ask or think! James Our website is: answeringthecry Our mailing address is: The ACTS Group International PO Box 1166 Argyle, TX 76226
Posted on: Thu, 29 Aug 2013 04:36:20 +0000
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