It was in January of 2011 that I really began to get to know Charles McInvale.  He had undergone open heart surgery, and I visited him in the hospital.

When he recovered from his surgery, he and his wife, Shelby, began attending church services at Creekwood with their daughter and son-in-law, Linda and Mike.

Charles said to me, “We need to get together!”  So we did.  We met several times at the church building.  We studied the Scriptures together.  Charles wanted to be in a right relationship with God.  He told me that he had made some bad mistakes in his life, and he wanted to be forgiven.  We studied together from the Scriptures about how God loves us and wants to forgive us of our sins (Romans 5:6-10).  God loves us so much that He gave His Son Jesus to die on the cross for our sins (John 3:16).  We studied from the Scriptures about how to receive the salvation that Jesus made possible through an obedient faith.

On March 17, 2012, Charles McInvale confessed his faith in Jesus and was baptized into Christ for the forgiveness of his sins.  He was elated!  His family and his new church family were, too!  In fact, God and the angels were also rejoicing (Luke 15:7,10)!

Charles knew that following Jesus wouldn’t exempt him from challenges and problems in this life.  After all, Jesus told His disciples: “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation [or trouble]; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).  Charles did experience some more troubles with his health.

Charles was diagnosed with cancer in the Fall of 2012.  He underwent some difficult cancer treatments, and his cancer was declared to be in remission, for a while.  Charles had been told by his oncologist that the cancer could return.  It did.  When he began to struggle with his health, he returned to the doctor and was told on May 21, 2013 that his cancer had returned.  Eighteen days later, he passed from this life on June 7, 2013.

I wanted to tell all of you about how Charles became a Christian, and the circumstances surrounding his conversion to Christ.  Charles told me that it was because of his heart attack and his open heart surgery that he became vitally interested in spiritual matters, especially his own relationship with God.  He wanted to be saved and to know that he was going to heaven when he died.

Psalm 119:71 says, “It is good for me that I have been afflicted, That I may learn Your statutes.”

Out of his own affliction, Charles McInvale learned more about God and became a Christian.  I believe he would tell us that it was good for him to have struggles with his health in that it caused him to turn to the Lord and seek his salvation.  He placed his faith and trust in Jesus (Acts 16:30-31), turned from his sin in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confessed Jesus before men (Romans 10:9-10), and was baptized (immersed) into Christ for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38).

Perhaps YOU are undergoing some type of struggle today.  Use this opportunity to seek God.  Study His Word.  Ask for His help in your struggle.  Seek to know and to do His will.  Accept His offer of salvation through Jesus in order to have forgiveness of sins and the hope of a better tomorrow – eternal life with Him in heaven when your time on earth is done.

Won’t YOU?

David Sargent, Minister