Walking through the Shadows

By Roy Mack and April Mack

This book is for those who need encouragement right about now because they are fighting the cancer battle; they're walking through the shadowlands of cancer themselves. It's also for the caretakers—the ones who are equally in the fight, caring for their loved one, scrapping for all the help they can get. And it's for those whose friends are fighting the fight against cancer, to help them better understand all that their friend is going through. In short, it is for anyone who is walking through the shadowlands of cancer, or any trial. My prayer is that it will help us all to better know the One who promises to go with us, even through the valley of the shadow of death.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Nov 13, 2023
• ISBN: 9798385009848

Roy Mack

Roy Mack is a gifted Bible teacher, speaker, leader, and mentor. His Southern upbringing gives him a uniquely humorous and down-to-earth communication style that he has been putting to good use as a pastor for more than thirty years. Roy’s recent bouts with stage 4 cancer, a stem cell transplant, and the unexpected complications that followed have given him a new determination to accomplish his purpose in life—which is to help others find meaning in theirs by shining the light of Jesus at every opportunity. Roy and his wife, April, live in Northeast Ohio where he is currently the Senior Pastor at Grace Fellowship Church in Niles. Roy and April have been married since 1986 and have four grown daughters [three sons-in-law]and eight grandchildren. Roy enjoys hunting and fishing, especially when that includes his family and close friends.

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Copyright © 2023 Roy Mack With April Mack.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This book is a work of non-fiction. Unless otherwise noted, the author and the publisher make no explicit guarantees as to the accuracy of the information contained in this book and in some cases, names of people and places have been altered to protect their privacy.

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Scripture marked ESV is taken from the Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture marked NLT is taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture marked NKJV is taken from the Holy Bible, New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture marked NIV is taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture marked KJV is taken from the King James Version of the Bible. Public Domain.

ISBN: 979-8-3850-0982-4 (sc)

ISBN: 979-8-3850-0983-1 (hc)

ISBN: 979-8-3850-0984-8 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2023919417

WestBow Press rev. date:  11/13/2023

CONTENTS

Acknowledgements

Endorsements

Prologue

Introduction

Chapter 1The Thing About Plans

Chapter 2The Sum of All Fears

Chapter 3I Choose Faith

Chapter 4What Cancer Can’t Touch

Chapter 5Ringing the Bell

Chapter 6Black Friday

Chapter 7We Are Taking Over Your Life

Chapter 8The 325

Chapter 9Preparing for Transplant

Chapter 10Transplant Time

Chapter 11The Valley of the Shadow of Death

Chapter 12Sleepless Nights, Utter Exhaustion

Chapter 13Groundhog Day/Déjà Vu

Chapter 14The Long Way Back

Chapter 15The Goodness of God

Chapter 16What Cancer Is Teaching Me

Epilogue

About the Authors

This book is

dedicated to my precious angel of a wife, April, who never gave up on me. She cared for me, being my nurse, physical therapist, pharmacist, health manager, and at times, even my psychiatrist. Thank you, my darling, for walking with me through the shadows.

—RM

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

T here are so many people that we are indebted to for so many reasons. Many are mentioned in this book. However, we need to acknowledge again our wonderful church family. You are family in every sense. Thank you to our church elders for giving us the sabbatical that gave us the time to finish getting this experience on paper. Without that extended time away this would have continued to be a dream rather than a reality. Thank you to our family and friends who read the rough draft, some of you the very rough draft. Your encouraging feedback pushed us to continue down the path of getting this into print. Thank you to our daughters, sons-in-law, parents, and cousins who have listened to us relive this experience as we have had this on our minds these last many months. Our book editor/friend, Rachel, we finally did it. I know you probably never thought we would actually have a book for you to edit. You’ve been amazing and we cannot imagine this being completed without you going through the entire process with us. Thank you for your brutal honesty. You’ve gone above and beyond and we greatly appreciate your gifts of sentence structure, story-telling and word craft.

Most importantly, we are thankful to our heavenly Father who has been our source of strength in our weakness. You’ve sustained us, healed us, completed us, and carried us when we could not walk. Blessed is our GOD!

ENDORSEMENTS

Roy Mack is a skilled author who shares God’s gift of grace through the valley of difficulties. Although his story focused on a health crisis, its deeper message of walking closely with God spoke personally to me about several areas of my own life and walk with our Lord.

Greg Lyons, President, Global Life University & Louisiana Baptist University

Roy and April managed to walk hand-in-hand with God through the emotional, physical, and spiritual valley of the shadow of death, and not only did they survive, but they recorded in this book a testimony worthy of the God who sustained them. Writing not from a place of false invincibility but from total vulnerability, Roy shares the lessons he learned and how he navigated life on his supernatural journey through the valley of the shadow of death.

Kike Torres, Lead Pastor, Horizonte and La Carpa,

México; ACBC Certified Biblical Counselor

Information, instruction, and inspiration are three words that influenced me while reading Pastor Roy Mack’s book, Walking Through the Shadows. His story, along with the lessons he learned through the incredible life circumstance/shadows he shared, has inspired and equipped me to better navigate and apply God’s truth to my own life journey.

Marty Benton, President, Vision Street Ministries

This book brings to life something to which we should all aspire—living our lives to please God and to be a testimony to others. The things Roy shares in the book reveal how deeply God loves and cares for us even in our suffering. Walking Through the Shadows will speak deeply to the core of your soul whether you are the one suffering or loving someone who is.

Dr. Rodney Agan, Founder, Connexus Group

I had no idea how much I needed this book! I have been walking through my own shadows since December 5, 2022, when I first received my diagnosis. My cancer story is very different from Roy’s, but he and April have put into words so many of the thoughts and conflicting emotions I have struggled to express. I am so thankful they are sharing their story. It has been a timely and deeply personal reminder of how the Lord has carried me through the ups and downs of this walk. I know this book will be an encouraging resource for anyone who is struggling on their journey through cancer.

Jennifer Kyle, Cancer Survivor

When I picked up Walking Through the Shadows, I expected that its applied principles would help me to help others. I hadn’t read very far, however, before the principles and truths began shouting convincing and convicting words to my own struggles and needs. It was through tears that I made my way through to the last powerful page.

Johnny Hunt, Johnny Hunt Ministries

As a caregiver for my wife who battled cancer in a desperate way, I see the helpfulness of this book for the patient, the caregiver, and all those involved. Roy and April Mack give an accurate picture of the cancer journey and its brutal fight, but most importantly they point everyone to hope—hope for the battle, hope in the aftermath, and hope for eternity. God’s hand is most definitely upon this book because His hand is evident upon the writers of this book.

Brent Snook, Senior Pastor, First Baptist

Church of Glen Este, Batavia, Ohio

Pastor Roy Mack has given us a unique treasure in Walking Through the Shadows. He writes with the tenderness, impact, and hope of one who knows what it’s like to travel the journey himself. This book is a must-read for anyone who’s dealing with a life-altering illness.

Mark Hoover, Senior Pastor, New Spring Church of Wichita, Kansas

Knocked the air out of me, then gave me hope. I lived with Roy and April on every page of their journey. We’re all facing life and its toughest challenges, and this book gives us a game plan we need."

Kirk Nowery, President, Hope Partners International

Roy and April are the real deal. This book kept my attention so completely that I couldn’t lay it down. We could all hope and pray to respond like they did when we go through our shadows.

Paula Agan, Co-founder, Connexus Group

As you read this wonderful book, you will know why we feel so honored to be friends with Roy and April. In telling their story, they are honest, transparent, and vulnerable. In true Mack style, they will encourage you, lovingly speak truth to you, share some down-to-earth practicality, and even fill your life with laughter.

David and Donna Janney, Founders of World Hope

Trials in life are inevitable—we know that. What’s important is how we respond when they come. In Walking Through the Shadows, Roy and April Mack share their difficult encounter with cancer. Despite the many heavy moments in the book, I found it most encouraging. I couldn’t put it down.

Tim Lee, President, Tim Lee Ministries

I was one of Roy’s ICU nurses, and I’m honored that he shared an early copy of his book with me. Roy has done an unbelievable job of sharing his journey. I felt as if I were with him the entire way. I cried through his suffering, smiled through his recovery, and even had some laughs along the way. Walking Through the Shadows has given me new hope for the shadows I face.

Trish Jaloski, UH Seidman Cancer Center ICU Nurse

PROLOGUE

When I started talking about writing a book, someone told me, The first few sentences are the most important part. They have to grip the reader and let them know they’re in for a real ride. So here goes.

I am a walking miracle. I am a two-time stage-four cancer survivor who has had a stem cell transplant that went horribly wrong, resulting in multiple organ failure. I coded out with extremely low blood pressure three times on the same day. Yet, as I write this book, I am completely healed.

Of course, I am not the first to ever write a book about surviving cancer, and I am sure I will not be the last. But I needed to write this book, for myself, as a personal record of all God has done for me. I must count my blessings!

This book is also a small way for me to pay it forward. When I first was diagnosed in January 2018 with non-Hodgkin’s B-cell lymphoma, a mutual friend of famed pastor and author, Dr. David Jeremiah, contacted Dr. Jeremiah on my behalf. Dr. Jeremiah is a cancer survivor also and has written a book about his cancer journey, A Bend in the Road. I was blessed to read it to gain some understanding of what was ahead of me. Much of my first bout with cancer would prove to be very similar to his, though no one could have ever imagined all that would follow for me.

PIC%201.JPG

Chemo treatment while reading Dr. Jeremiah’s book, A Bend in the Road.

This book is for those who need encouragement right about now because they are fighting this battle; they’re walking through the shadowlands of cancer themselves. It’s also for the caretakers—the ones who are equally in the fight, caring for their loved one, scrapping for all the help they can get. And it’s for those whose friends are fighting the fight against cancer, to help them better understand all that their friend is going through. In short, it is for anyone who is walking through the shadowlands of cancer. My prayer is that it will help us all to better know the One who promises to go with us, even through the valley of the shadow of death.

INTRODUCTION

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the

shadow of death, I will fear no evil.

PSALM 23:4 NKJV

Psalm 23, penned by the shepherd boy who became king, is one of the best known and most quoted passages of scripture. Every line of David’s masterpiece is beautifully eloquent as literature, profoundly simple in presentation and understanding. Yet, its depth of meaning still causes wonder and amazement as we study and meditate upon it. It is poetic in its arrangement and powerful at creating visual images.

Our mind’s eye easily sees the Gentle Shepherd (Jesus) leading His small flock, staff in hand, speaking in tender, hushed tones, gently moving the sheep along. We imagine the vista of green pastures, and we hear the gentle sounds of a mountain brook pooling into still waters. We sense the surrounding peace as we lie down. Our souls relax and rest.

Yet, we also sense the darkness of the valley—whether ahead or just traversed—the terror of lingering death all around us. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, the psalmist says. Here, I imagine long fingers of dusk, cast from leafless trees and scraggly bushes across a narrow path in a steep valley between two unscalable mountains. The shadowy timbers look like grasping hands of demonic monsters reaching out for me.

I grew up on a farm in the rural American South. As a boy, I spent many late afternoons hunting and fishing, often in remote locations. I know what it’s like to be deep in the woods and realize that night has come more quickly than I anticipated. What little illumination remains from the setting sun provides only enough light to cast ominous shadows that move with the breeze. Anxiety wells up within, and even the familiar becomes fearsome. What if I can’t find my way back? Shadows take on lives of their own, becoming everything there is to fear in the woods—a monster? a wild beast? With a steadying breath, I remind myself that, no, they’re only shadows, nothing more.

That’s what shadows are—the image of something much less than they appear. Shadows are real, but they present a distorted reality.

The American Cancer Society states that about 50 percent of all men and about 40 percent of all women will develop some type of cancer in their lifetime. That’s a pretty frightening statistic. With numbers that high, it seems a given that cancer will affect your life in some way. If it’s not you, it will be someone you know and love. In my case, it was me.

This book is a record of my journey with cancer. I have entitled it Walking Through the Shadows because that’s where a cancer diagnosis puts most people—deep in the valley. Fear grips the heart