Pete and I sing in the tenor section of our church choir. I've come to appreciate his gentle spirit, his spirituality, and his love for the music of the church.

A couple of years ago, Pete was hospitalized because he was experiencing some health problems. He had some pretty rough days, but he recovered and came back to the choir, expressing his gratitude to the Lord.

Then Pete experienced a mild flare-up, so he had some tests. His doctor did a complete exam and discovered a suspicious spot on one lung. The doctor told him it was probably malignant. Since it was just one spot, they would do surgery.

A few days after he got the news, Pete was standing beside me in choir rehearsal. When our choir director told us to turn to "I Surrender All," I heard Pete catch his breath. Then he pointed to the title and whispered, "That's what I've done regarding the spot on my lung."

Pete learned the truth of Psalm 31. Our days are in God's hands (v.15). When we're hit with a cancer diagnosis or other bad news, we can become angry, deny it, fight it, or freeze up inside. Or, like my friend, we can say to the Lord, "In this, and in everything, I surrender all."  — David C. Egner