The day my sodium dropped

Eric Daniel June 21, 2025

my saved content

VIEW AS
A PDF

Adobe

It was an ordinary Thursday morning in February. I was walking into our weekly pastoral prayer meeting when my phone rang—my doctor. That alone was unusual. I answered.

"How are you feeling? Any nausea, headaches, confusion?"

I paused. "Not really. Perhaps some nausea after working out. It just feels like low blood sugar."

"Your sodium is critically low. You need to get to the ER now. You could have a seizure."

Wait, what?

We tried to manage it at home. But a few days later, still feeling off, I drove myself to the ER. Within 48 hours, I received a life-altering diagnosis of a tumor in my right sinus.

As doctors worked to stabilize my sodium, a second wave hit—biopsy plans to determine if the tumor was cancerous. Instantly, the pace of my life slowed to a crawl, the priorities of my life narrowed. I have a wife, four adult kids, a grandson, a vibrant church, a coaching ministry, and I'm working on a doctorate. I'm 51. These are the best years—full, purposeful, surrendered to Christ.

And now, a rare cancer, olfactory neuroblastoma, which had already spread to the lymph nodes in my neck. Normally slow growing but rarely studied and not slow growing in me.

I cried. How did I suddenly go from thriving to this? I had felt God's favor on everything. Ministry was fruitful. Life was good.

Now I was facing the unknown, joining the ranks of those I had once pastored through similar journeys: some who survived, some who didn't.

As I write this reflection, I am three weeks post-surgery. It was an intense operation, 12 hours long, with complications. Thankfully, I am still breathing, recovering, and listening deeply.

Here is what I have reflected upon and am still fully learning in this season; maybe it will help guide someone else through their journey:

#1 Trust the Vinedresser.

John 15 says God is the Vinedresser. He prunes what is bearing fruit. That pruning is never random. A week before surgery, I planted three tomato plants. After surgery, they started blooming. As I trimmed the early fruit and weak branches to make room for stronger growth, the Spirit whispered: "You trust your own pruning decisions. Trust mine!"

God's timing and actions don't need my approval. They require my trust.

#2 Stay connected to the True Vine.

Jesus is the True Vine—not just any source, but the ultimate one. In the chaos of diagnosis, fear, and uncertainty, only Christ sustains. Other vines—accomplishments, affirmations, good health will fail under pressure. He doesn't.

I cannot number the loved ones who are coming alongside me and my family in this journey. There cannot be a more supported person in terms of human effort and care from family to doctors to friends than me, but one Word from the True Vine is worth more than 1,000 words of human encouragement.

#3 Remain in His Word and love.

Practically, John 15:7-9 gives us the answer for remaining in the True Vine. We abide by holding fast to His Word and His love. His Word anchors me when emotions and medical reports threaten to pull me under. His love assures me: nothing touches me outside of His care.

I honestly don't know how many days I have left on this earth. Of course, I never did, but now it is more than just knowledge, it is a felt experience. Within hours, I went from the picture of health to a long, curvy road of illness and recovery.

Above all, I know this—I want to remain in Jesus Christ. In pruning and in flourishing, in illness or in health, He is my source.

And that's enough.

my saved content

VIEW AS
A PDF

Eric Daniel is passionate about empowering others to grow in their Spiritual Leadership. He founded Global Ministry Advance in 2023, a coaching organization, for the purpose of assisting ministers, missionaries and Christian organizations in the development of goals and strategies for greater health. Eric became Senior Pastor of Hillside Church in Napa, CA in 2002, and also serves as an Executive Presbyter for the Northern California and Nevada District Council of the Assemblies of God. Learn More »

• Did you ever use one of these to share your faith? (by Tom Crenshaw)
• Why people don't respond when you talk to them (by Carey Nieuwhof)
• When preaching solutions, do these two things first (by Mark MacDonald)
• How smartphones have been used toward a torrent of cyberbullying (by Thom Rainer)

Free eBook

Steps to Launching Your Personal Workplace Ministry

Have you ever felt the pull to full-time ministry work as a missionary or pastor? If not, you can still make a Kingdom impact without quitting your current job. In this eBook, you will learn the four essentials that can change your perspective of work, your workplace, and most importantly, your heart.

Download Now