Tag: Dr Scarborough

I Got a Ticket

Posted on by Billy Holbrook

Dr. Grant Scarborough

I got a ticket two days ago – and yes I am bitter. It is all I can talk about. Maybe if I write it down, I can let it go. But before I let it go, I need to set the record straight. I need to make things right. I need to clear the air and my name.

I received a ticket for not wearing my seat belt. . . . . while wearing my seat belt. That’s right people. The officer asked, “Do you know why I pulled you over?” A very leading question, but I had no idea why he pulled me over. “No sir.” His next line was my favorite, “I see you have conveniently put on your seat belt since driving past me.” That little accusatory, spiteful sentence got my blood going. “Excuse me – I had my seat belt on the entire time.”

I got a ticket.

I have thought about my situation for 2 days now. Do I drive back down 5 hours away to fight this or do I just pay the fine? It would cost more to drive down there – but boy do I want to say in court – “I was wearing my seat belt!!!!” I want to be vindicated. I did nothing wrong and I would like my name cleared.

Whew – Feeling better already. Maybe if you read this and know I am not an evil law breaker, that would give me the peace I need. I have been wronged and I desire justice! OK forget the sentence you just read about peace. My blood is still boiling!

–

“Why not rather suffer wrong?”

“Why not rather be defrauded?”

–

What, are you kidding me? I will not stand for being defrauded. Forget it.

But Paul writes in Corinthians those two lines – Why not rather suffer wrong? Why not rather be defrauded?

He is talking about two Christians having arguments that they are unable to settle. They cannot agree and the argument is so intense, they take it to court to have the matter settled. In the process, the church looks divided and Christ’s name is tarnished. The Christians were unable to love each other enough to settle their disputes so they go to open court, which hurts the cause of Christ. Then he writes those two questions.

Wouldn’t you rather suffer wrong or be defrauded so that you can love your brother and promote the cause of the church – to usher in the kingdom of Christ?

Ummmm, NO – I desire to be right!

Listen – just lose the argument even though you were right. Just take one for team Jesus. Suffer wrongly so that Christ’s kingdom goes forward. Do not even try to justify yourself. Let your brother win. Stop trying to be right. Just take the shame, the loss of money, the loss of property, the feeling of being right. Take it for something bigger then yourself. Let your name be smeared so Christ’s kingdom will be glorified. Suffer wrongly! Be defrauded for the name of Christ.

ARGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH – to heck with that! I am going to fight this ticket.

There is something in me that will not let things go until we are made right. The thought of being wronged is too much for me – do not even think about defrauding me! I have rights.

But Paul says to lay your rights down for King Jesus. This is a hard pill for me to swallow. Christ is more important than me being right. Others are more important than me as well. I can lose and I can lose big, but I never lose with Christ. If I lose the entire world, I have lost nothing with Christ. Christ plus nothing is everything. My good name, being right, having everything except Christ is nothing.

God executed Jesus instead of me. Ponder that phrase for a moment. God sacrificed his own Son so that He can spare us. Jesus was wronged, and He was defrauded so that we could be in relationship with God. Maybe it is time we believed the gospel. Christ’s name is better than ours. We now live for His name and His kingdom and His people.  We live so that His name will never be defrauded again, even if ours is.

Oh dear friend – Be wronged! Be Defrauded! Be both if need be for the purification of the church, the love of the brotherhood, the name of Christ, and the advancement of the kingdom.

And please share this with that policeman in Florida!

10 Lifetimes

Posted on by Billy Holbrook

“Father, I wish I could live multiple lifetimes!” There goes Anita again, with her crazy comments. “What do you mean?” I asked her – then I hear her heart– “there is so much I would like to do. I would like to be an astronaut. I would like to be on the first rocket trip to Mars. I would like to explore, Dad. Then I would have another lifetime, where I can be a chef. I would go to chef school – I don’t know Dad – maybe a baker chef. But I love to cook. Then the next life I would be a mom. I would raise kids and teach them how to live, learn, and grow. The next life I would be a marine biologist. I would study all the animals in the deep ocean that have not even been discovered before. I would invent a camera that could withstand pressure and send it down to the depths of the ocean.” Then she keeps on going with one life time after another. “Dad, think of all we could do and accomplish if we had multiple life times.”

I have to be honest this is very intriguing. Live not just one full life, but live ten! Think of all you would do and all you would accomplish. Every time there is something new to learn. Ten lifetimes of adventure and exploring. A 1000 years of fulfillment. I think I agree with Anita. Ten lifetimes would be amazing – life changing – fulfilling.

 

“Better is one day in your courts than a 1000 elsewhere.”

 

Yet one day, in the presence of Christ is better than 10 lifetimes. One day in the Presence of the Lord is better than a lifetime of exploring Mars, exploring the depths of the ocean, mothering many children, and cooking for the kings of this earth. One day – is better. It is better than anything on earth we could imagine. Imagine the best days you have ever had; better than a 1000 wedding days, better than a 1000 births, better than a 1000 awards, better than a 1000 graduations. It is better. One day in the presence of Christ is simply better. No, not simply better. Way better. Way better than a 1000 days of your happiest moments.

Do we believe this? Do we believe God is this good and this satisfying? In America, we seem to have too low a view of God and too high of a view of ourselves. Our accomplishments rival God’s. How far from the truth this is. When Solomon dedicated the temple, he prayed to God, “Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you.” May I submit that our problem with the verse “better is one day in your courts than a 1000 elsewhere,” is that we do not understand how much God is unlike us. He is infinite, we are here for a moment – the wind blows and we are gone. He is outside of time, we are trapped in time. He speaks and everything is made, we make nothing without material we buy – like lumber. He was never created. Never. When angels appeared to people in the Bible, the people fell down as if dead. God is greater than angels. God told mortal people, if you see me you will die. Behold my friends – heaven and the highest heavens cannot contain our God. He is uncontainable, all powerful, perfect and holy, unchangeable, never created, always existing, without equal, timeless, never tiring, infinite God. Heaven cannot contain him.

Speaking of heaven, there will be no sun in heaven, because Jesus himself will be the light. Streets will be paved of gold, meaning the greatest thing on earth, gold, will be asphalt in heaven. Heaven is beyond our imagination. How much more the God that heaven cannot even contain. In Revelations, the elders stand before God praising him for eternity – and never get bored praising Him – Why? Because better is a day in his courts than 10 life times.

This God is better than exploring Mars and the deepest oceans. He is more fulfilling and more satisfying. Just a glance from Him, will satisfy all our deepest longings. Just a thought from him would bring life. And oh how he has glanced and thought of us. He sent his Son, so that we would not have a day in his courts, but an eternity. He sent his Son, so that we would have an eternity of days that were greater than our wedding day and the birth of a child. He sent his Son so that we can have infinite Joy. Do you know Him? You need to know Him!

Confessions to a Crack Addict

Posted on by Billy Holbrook

by Dr. Grant Scarborough

I saw his name on my rounding list. I only work in the hospital four days a month, so I am not there often. Normally I work in my clinic to care for the indigent in town—but not today.

I recognized his name right away. One of my indigent patients was in the hospital again. I read the note in the chart before going to see him. The words: “Crack. Again.” A statement in the records said, “well-known to the hospitalist service,” which meant he was admitted often. His crack had caused his heart to be weak and pump very poorly making him chronically short of breath, his lungs filling with fluids. I was trying to remember my patient as I walked in, but I did not remember him being on crack.

Disheveled, labored breathing, sitting in a chair with oxygen was my patie…. wait, this guy is not my patient—he just has the same name. “Thank goodness.” I let down my guard a little. I had a lot of patients to see and since this was not my private patient, I could hustle through this guy.  

This was basic medicine—continue the diuretic, wean oxygen, may need a thoracentesis for the pleural effusion, and a little more time. The reality though was his heart was really weak, and he would be chronically short of breath. It was obvious—he could not finish a sentence without taking another breath. But it was his own fault: crack cocaine. And you know what? He knew it was all his fault.

So I started to walk out. You can only help people that desire to change.

“Doctor?” I was reaching the door. “That was a nice article about you in the paper,” he said. “Huh?” Actually I had been in the paper recently—but this guy can’t read—like he reads the paper—come on—(I was thinking).  He said, “I told my neighbors, ‘this doctor right here, he is my doctor.’”

My heart sank—I must have been confused. He was my patient. I completely rushed through seeing him. I did nothing but do my duty of caring for physical need. So many questions ran through my mind—Why do I care about people differently? Why do I treat him differently if he did this to himself?

“This doctor right here, he is my doctor.”

I slowly walked back in and knelt down beside his chair. Conversation restarts. “How are you doing in here?” We talked some more and then I said, “You know you are valuable. You are too valuable to waste your life on crack.” “You told me that last time doctor. The last time I was in the office. You know I thought a lot about that and I have not used crack in 6 weeks,” I was overwhelmed. Because of our conversation, and the realization that he is valuable, he stopped a 40-year addiction. As I walked out of the room he said one last thing, “Doctor, thank you for doing what you do. Don’t stop.”

Once out of the room, I broke down. If only he knew I did not remember him. If only he knew I thought less of him because of his addiction. If only he knew of my arrogance. Wow! If only I knew of my imperfections. I went back to dictate, and I could not get him out of my mind. He said some really nice things about me and he had to know. He had to know the real doctor.

I walked in again. “I think you need to know… I am not an angel. Just ask my wife.” I laughed to ease my tension. I went on to confess areas in my life where I struggle and fall short. I confessed my life of different addictions. I confessed that I am not nearly as godly as that article made me sound or as he thinks I am. “Doctor, no one is perfect, but we are both on the road.” “Yes we are.”

My struggle is not crack and my struggles are not his—but we both need Jesus. We are both broken sinners that need a Savior. We are no different. I have hurt myself with sin just as he has hurt his heart. And the reality is that our only hope is Christ. And yes, we are both on the same road.

We left confirming this verse:

That He [Jesus] who began a good work in us, will bring it to completion.

If you confess your sins to one another, you will be saved.

Seeds

Posted on by Billy Holbrook

Dr. Grant Scarborough

(pictured above, Dr. Grant Scarborough and Dr. Robert Campbell.)

 

Seeds are pretty simple. You plant and water and then wait. Add a little fertilizer, water a little more and wait. It seems like a lot of waiting.

After a while there’s a shoot from the dirt – then more waiting. My garden is not the best of gardens. Many plants grow up and then bear no fruit. Well that just stinks. I really think that as much money as I spend on my garden – and the little fruit I receive – it would be cheaper to go to the grocery store and buy the entire vegetable section. But don’t tell my wife, she likes the backyard dirt.

Sometimes you get that one plant that completely over produces and it makes it completely worthwhile. One year it was our cherry tomato plant and once it was our cucumbers. Last week I saw some more over production from seeds planted in Augusta, Georgia ten years ago.

In 2007 I moved to Augusta to try and start a clinic with a friend Robert Campbell. We had so little. Many of you know the story of God’s faithfulness, and how God provided for our families and our clinic. It was the biggest step of faith we had ever taken as a family. We planted a small seed called caring for the poor. We prayed, many people watered it. Somehow, it grew.

I was able to go visit it last week. I was overwhelmed. The seed had grown into a tree. I think of the bible story where a very small seed was planted and grew into the largest tree in the garden where many birds came and nested in that tree. I saw a clinic in Augusta, where many of the poor have come and found a home. They found a tree where they were cared for. They found a resting place. They found hope. They found Jesus.

I was even more amazed to see many names on a sign on a wall that made it possible. Many people from Columbus, GA were on the sign. Amazing! People from a different city planted a seed. You need to know that in a different city and in a different garden, the great gardener God grew a beautiful tree. The people in Augusta do not know I am writing this – but I encourage you all to go visit and see the seed that was planted by many from Columbus. See the seed that has grown into a fruitful tree.

In 2011 I moved to Columbus and more seeds were planted. It allowed us to open another clinic called MercyMed of Columbus on January 19, 2012. Exactly five years ago. Today is our five year birthday. I am overwhelmed as a I write about how God blessed MercyMed. I report on this fifth birthday that our success is due to many things and today I stand to give glory where glory is due. After completing an expansion, adding dentistry, hiring a new nurse practitioner, expanding counseling – we stand to give glory first and foremost to the God of Heaven and Earth.

Deuteronomy 8:11-18 says,  

“Take care lest you forget the Lord your God by not keeping his commandments and his rules and his statutes, which I command you today, 12 lest, when you have eaten and are full and have built good houses and live in them, 13 and when your herds and flocks multiply and your silver and gold is multiplied and all that you have is multiplied, 14 then your heart be lifted up, and you forget the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, 15 who led you through the great and terrifying wilderness, with its fiery serpents and scorpions and thirsty ground where there was no water, who brought you water out of the flinty rock, 16 who fed you in the wilderness with manna that your fathers did not know, that he might humble you and test you, to do you good in the end.17 Beware lest you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth.’ 18 You shall remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, that he may confirm his covenant that he swore to your fathers, as it is this day.”

We desire to publicly acknowledge on our fifth birthday, that it is all about Jesus. We want to remember Him and acknowledge – it was not the might of our hand and our power. It was all about God. We will remember and celebrate Jesus first and foremost today. We will NOT forget!

But I also want to thank you. You have planted seeds with us. You have invested in us. We dug some dirt, manipulated the soil, you planted seeds, we all watered and God showed up. Thank you for being a part of what God is doing in Columbus, GA. Thank you for investing in MercyMed, but even more, what God is doing for the poor in this city.

May we, today on our fifth birthday, celebrate Christ. Let’s celebrate Him as the defender of the poor; let’s celebrate Him who is the Great Provider; let’s celebrate Him as the Lover of our Souls; let’s celebrate Him who so kindly and graciously waters the little seeds we planted; let’s celebrate Him who brings forth the sprouts that lead to fruit.

Let’s celebrate – not MercyMed – let’s celebrate Christ!

To God be the glory. Great things He has done!

Foreword

Posted on by Billy Holbrook

My name is Beverly “Ms. Cookie” Thornton.

This is not a life story. It’s more of a lesson in life. How to accept it, endure and embrace it. About giving up and going on, acceptance, sinking low, and rising above. And most of all faith in God and not giving up on Him.

Four years and ten months ago I was at the point of death, which seem to look that way at that time. I fell out on my church lawn, Highland Community Church, unable to breathe, where an ambulance picked me up and carried me to the hospital. There I was diagnosed with a throat mass as large as a lemon or an orange, which was cancerous and had to be removed immediately. Okay this was on the 14th of January 2012 the surgery was scheduled for the following Wednesday. So the wonderful surgeon took it out almost. There was a piece left in the back of my voice box that could have been left in. To leave it in, meant that I would be able to talk. So the Doctor asked me what I wanted: leave it there and talk or take it out and lose my voice. My instant reply was to take it all out. It doesn’t matter whether or not I can talk because I want to live.

So the next Wednesday I had the surgery and it went well. I spent the week in ICU, and the next week I was on the floor on the way to recovery and soon after then went home, praise God. Of course I couldn’t talk any more, but I was alive by God’s wonderful Grace and Mercy. And believe it or not that’s when my life really changed for the best. I embraced my new life and know that moment still today. God and only God can do the impossible. He sustained all my needs then and now. I didn’t have a job, I had been laid off. Didn’t have no insurance but through God my debts were paid in full.

Not only did he do that, he He gave me the best Doctors in this world. In my time of need to follow up with a primary care doctor, God put a wonderful Doctor’s office just around the corner from my house. It’s not everyday that you hear about a doctor moving into a neighborhood like this. When I walk to see Dr. Scarborough for my appointment, we make sure we talk a little bit about medicine, but a lot about Jesus. 

Thanks Dr. Scarborough

P.S. Today I have hope and love and so can you, and so can you. Just let the Lord live in you. Surrender it all to Him.  

 

photo credit: Ritchie White Photography