Mark Hall has prayed with people through some of the toughest times in their lives.
It came full circle this year. People prayed for him.
The lead singer of the award-winning Christian rock group Casting Crowns was diagnosed with stage 1 renal cell carcinoma in February and had his right kidney removed the next month.
“It really rocked my world to hear, ‘You have cancer,’” said Hall, who is also the youth pastor at Eagle’s Landing First Baptist Church in McDonough. “I can’t see how people can get through something like this without their faith.”
Hall is slowly getting back on the road after the surgery. The Grammy-winning group recently performed in several states including Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi. It released “Thrive” last year and earlier this year, “Glorious Day: Hymns of Faith,” which is exclusive to Cracker Barrel stores.
He hopes his story will serve as an inspiration to others who are going through similar trials.
Hall said he first went to the doctor because he was having stomach problems. His doctor suggested a CAT scan to see what was going on. It was then he discovered a tumor. Because of the growth’s size, doctors determined the kidney would have to go whether or not it was malignant.
“I don’t remember being mad at God,” said Hall, 45. “I do remember saying, ‘OK, God, what are you up to? How are we going to get through this?”
He wanted to shelter his four children, who range in age from 7 to 17 , from the news. He and his wife, Melanie, kept the diagnosis secret for a while.
“You learn a lot about yourself during this time,” Hall said. “Being a public figure, you live your life in front of everyone. When I got the news, I didn’t tell anyone. At first I didn’t like the role reversal. I’m the guy who comforts others … I tend to pull to myself and deal with things alone.”
He realized, through this battle though, that when you do that, he was hurting others who wanted to help.
“God uses us to comfort others. He uses us to tell our story.”
He told his church about the cancer and went public during radio interviews.
Social media lit up with people offering support and prayers.
One or more anonymous supporters paid for two billboards in Atlanta that said “Praise You in This Storm” and included a photo of Hall. He still doesn’t know who placed the billboards, but it meant a lot.
“That’s when I got to see believers around the world pray for me,” he said. “It was such a comfort knowing that people have your back, they are lifting you up and calling your name out to God.”
He witnessed God’s hand in other ways as well. Usually, the group has the month of August off. For some reason, this year, March was the off month, which gave Hall the time needed for surgery and recovery.
Everything fell into place.
He was in the hospital for a week, but was itching to get back to work.
He is about 60 percent to 70 percent up to speed. It hasn’t been easy. Singing requires a person to use his core — a lot. He had just had surgery and was cut in three places. “It’s like doing a thousand situps on one side of my body,” he said. “Crowds loved us through it.”
He learned a few big lessons through his struggle.
One, when your loved ones are hurting, you don’t have to fix it with words, just love them and be with them.
Two, if you are the one hurting, don’t close yourself off. Let God use the ones around you to love you and care for you.
It wasn’t rocket science.
In the end, “everything got really simple in a very busy life.”
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