March 20

Ephesians 1 is a great chapter to camp in and meditate on "every spiritual blessing" we have received in Jesus our Messiah. I will attach it at the end of this note for you.
So much news for y'all, it is hard to know where to begin:
Dan- doing well. He is getting some PT for his hip and though he walks with a cane, he says it is hurting less. He will get a CT next month to see how the other "stuff" is shrinking into oblivion.
Ashley (Dan's wife) - has POTS -postural orthostatic hypotension syndrome -her heart is fine but her autonomic nervous system periodically causes her heart to race. She is on some medication which is helping and is even able to resume running which she loves to do.
My mom - has been in and out of the hospital and is having pain in her back and/or gall bladder.
My brother in law Ray - has had some elevated liver enzymes and is in the midst of finding out what is going on, but he is feeling better than he was last week.
My husband Bob - having lower back pain due to the narrowing of the openings from which the spinal nerves exit the spine in 3 areas. We are also scheduled to go to Israel on April 13 for 2 weeks. (Originally it was to visit our son who is studying there but he is returning early in obedience to the Lord, for a reason still unknown at this time.
Diane - a friend from church has newly diagnosed colon cancer.

As I read through all these situations, I cannot help but say, " Okay Lord, you have my attention now. Speak and I will listen and obey." It seems that not only are bodies falling apart but the world seems to be falling apart also. Is God shouting at us and are we listening or turning a deaf ear? May it be true for me and for you that we are paying attention to Him in these difficult days.
Needless to say, all these dear ones need prayer and I invite you to pray with me that God would be glorified and healing would happen, both physical and spiritual. Thank you. Many blessings and His peace to you and yours.

Ephesians 1:
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, to the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved.
In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight, making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth. In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.
For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

Today Feb 1, 2009

We Will Remember by Tommy Walker

We will remember, we will remember
We will remember the works of Your hands
We will stop and give you praise
For great is Thy faithfulness

You’re our creator, our life sustainer
Deliverer, our comfort, our joy
Throughout the ages You’ve been our shelter
Our peace in the midst of the storm

With signs and wonders You’ve shown Your power
With precious blood You showed us Your grace
You’ve been our helper, our liberator
The giver of life with no end

When we walk through life’s darkest valleys
We will look back at all You have done
And we will shout, our God is good
And He is the faithful One

Hallelujah, hallelujah
To the one from whom all blessings flow
Hallelujah, hallelujah
To the one whose glory has been shown


I still remember the day You saved me
The day I heard You call out my name
You said You loved me and would never leave me
And I’ve never been the same

This morning we sang this song and the tears rolled down my cheeks as I remembered the faithfulness and presence of the LORD God, King of the Universe, to me, to my family: from Dan’s Dec 22 PET scan showing NO CANCER ACTIVITY, Dan’s CT scan showing shrinking tumors; my sister’ recovery from being run over by a bus 2 years ago to walking MILES in Brazil with her family; my mom surviving a heart attack and bypass operation 22 years ago in which she almost died on the table; my sister in law saying 3 days ago, “I’m fine”, after having a major stroke 9 weeks ago and not being able to speak coherently in those 9 weeks.
I stand amazed and humbled and I am praising Him for His Love and Presence with us through all these trials of life. May you know His Presence and comfort in dark times. May you not need dark times to seek His Grace and Mercy.
For those of you who pray to the LORD God would you please pray for Dan’s wife Ashley who is experiencing some unusual heart issues. She is getting some tests done this next week. Thanks for your prayers for her – she is an amazing young woman who we love very much.

Psalm 145: 1-13
I will extol you, my God and King, and bless your name forever and ever.
Every day I will bless you and praise your name forever and ever.
Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable.
One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts.
On the glorious splendor of your majesty, and on your wondrous works, I will meditate.
They shall speak of the might of your awesome deeds, and I will declare your greatness.
They shall pour forth the fame of your abundant goodness and shall sing aloud of your righteousness.
The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
The Lord is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made.
All your works shall give thanks to you, O Lord, and all your saints shall bless you!
They shall speak of the glory of your kingdom and tell of your power,
to make known to the children of man your mighty deeds, and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures throughout all generations. The Lord is faithful in all his words and kind in all his works.

sent out Dec 23

I will let Dan's short but very sweet note be the announcement for you:

Last scanShare
Today at 4:59pm
Short, sweet, and to the point:

CT-
Tumors shrunk: only 2 small ones in the liver along with several indistinguishable specks;
pancreas: they're not even sure it's active cancer, and it's too small to biopsy-

PET-
Nothing lights up except the avascular necrosis in my hip- this differs from the raging fireball that was my body more than a year ago.


The Lord is faithful. He is the guy who started this whole Christmas thing; this is a good Christmas.

HALLELUJAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
GOD IS GIVING US A WONDERFUL CHRISTMAS GIFT!
Thank You Jesus for your love and mercy.
Rejoice with us and thank you for praying.
love
Jamie

Merry Christmas and more

The Greatest Gift:
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this. Isaiah 9:6-7 May you receive this amazing gift from the LORD- salvation and eternal life in the Person of Jesus the Messiah.
I just read my blog from a year ago. It is good to look back and remember where we have been and the faithfulness of the LORD our God. Especially as Dan and Ashley, the 4 1/2 month newlyweds, are heading for Stanford tomorrow for a PET/CT scan, followed up by 2 doctor appointments on Tuesday. (Update will follow.)
From the bottom of my heart I thank you for your prayers. God is good forever, trustworthy, merciful, gracious, our Redeemer, our Savior, Almighty, and gives us peace in the midst of all our storms.

A note written by Ashley on her new blog:
"Please be in prayer that the news is encouraging. Since the last 3 months have been "wait and see" months, we are hoping to see no dramatic changes...at least bad dramatic changes. The liver was hammered with radiation back in June, so we're hoping to see some very dead tumors--or non-existent tumors. As for the pancreas, we're hoping for a very tiny and non-growing tumor. Pray for the doctors to see what they need to see and to have wisdom to recommend the next steps. Again, it would be wonderful to avoid more chemo (hair for graduation would be great, don't you think?), but that is only possible if the tumor growth has been minimal or none.
Pray for peace and encouragement and hope. Let this season be one of rejoicing in God's further healing in Dan's body. May the news on Tuesday leave us just plain old exuberant."

Nov 15

Dear Faithful Ones
An update on Tuesday’s doctor appointment at Stanford: We met with an orthopedic surgeon who reviewed the bone scan and MRI with us and recommended a couple of treatments that may reduce the pain Dan is having in his hip. (This is the first time I saw him limp as he walked and does that hurt a mother’s heart!) These 2 treatments will hopefully stimulate his body to produce more bone cells, not deal with the dead bone cells on his femur, but could have the outcome of reducing his pain.
Nothing, apart from God miraculously healing those dead cells, will change the avascular necrosis that has occured. At some point in the future Dan may need a hip replacement, but my dear Bible study ladies reminded me of Jeremiah’s prayer:

'Ah Lord GOD! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and by Your outstretched arm! Nothing is too difficult for You,
Jeremiah 32:17

and the LORD God’s response:

Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah, saying,
"Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh; is anything too difficult for Me?"
Jer 32:26-27

As the LORD has given new spiritual life to us who were spiritually dead, so He can give new life to Dan’s dead bone cells. So let us ask our LORD God for that miracle!

We are truly thankful that this new development is not one of the cancer spreading. May this season of giving thanks remind us to be thankful for God’s gracious gift of life to each one of us and the forgiveness of our sins through Messiah Jesus.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus the Messiah! According to His great mercy, He has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Messiah Jesus from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith--more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire--may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Messiah Jesus.
Though you have not seen Him, you love Him. Though you do not now see Him, you believe in Him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
I Peter 1:3-9

news at last!

Well I know you are being patient in waiting for news- that is a lesson I am learning too! The bone scan Dan had two weeks go was read by several doctors but was inconclusive, so he needed an MRI which he had yesterday. Unbelievably they gave him a "report" on it and let him see the results. In Dan's creative eyes it looked like the ball of his femur "had a black yarmulke on it". In more medical terms the steroids that his tumor produced massive amounts of, caused the blood supply to be cut off to the head of the femur and caused necrosis or tissue death. The technician asked Dan if he was a body builder. (I would of said yes of course, can't you tell?) (So beware you body builders, steroids are very dangerous.) So while that is not a great report, it really has a silver lining in that it shows the cancer has not spread to his bones even though he has not had any chemo since April. We are so thankful for that. His endoscopy also came up negative for an ulcer- another good report. Dan and Ashley will head up to Stanford for an appointment with the doctor to review and evaluate all these new updates. I will be going also so if there is anything more to report, you will be hearing from me in a few days! May our hearts be filled with gratitude not just on "Thanksgiving Day" but every day. God gives every one alive the very precious breath of life.

Philippians 4:4-8
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!
Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in our Messiah Jesus.
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things.

greetings

Just a quick note to ask for your prayers for Dan. Today he is having a bone scan since he has had hip pain for awhile now. In 2 weeks he will be having an upper GI to check for an ulcer related to the radioactive bead implant of June. Married life for him and Ashley is going well. They are busy students so they are anticipating a wonderful vacation time just being together more at Christmas break. He loves his NFL Network internship- it's football after all. We are out of town for a week so I may not get back to you with any results until after our return. Bob and I are looking forward to some R & R! Love to you all and many thanks for your prayers.