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February 28, 2006
The joy of the Lord
We are happily tired at the end of the Multnomah Missions Conference. Interacting with so many different people, standing a lot, and juggling responsibilities that continue despite the conference (like starting Monday morning getting chemo, then going straight to the conference; needing to feed and spend time with Wil and prepare for Bible studies we are leading) led to physical tiredness by Friday evening. But the joy of meeting so many godly young men and women earnestly seeking God’s will for their lives was energizing and exciting. We hope that God will lead some of them to join OMF, but more important than that is that each hear clearly from the Lord as to His plan for them, and then walk forward in obedience.
Dave’s testimony was not a flashy success story of lives saved, but a very honest sharing of the twisting path on which God has led him. He focused on how at each painful twist in the path, God has proved Himself trustworthy and faithful. I pray that as those students meet struggles in years to come, they will remember Dave’s message of hope even when walking through the valley of the shadow of death or under a sentence of death. A friend who came to that closing session of the missions conference emailed us saying to Dave, “you are a man who has lived out his beliefs, and has developed a POWERFUL message backed by your life.”
Excitement is high at Wil’s school as both the girls’ and boys’ varsity teams are on their way to state competitions next week. That means three days off school for everyone else (I tend to think that’s the main source of Wil’s excitement!). Wil spent Saturday snowboarding. His first time this season. He came back exhilarated and exhausted, not minding the bumps from falls. He needed the exercise after two weeks glued to the Winter Olympics on TV!
This is my week off chemo, so time for my body to gain strength. I’m feeling tired physically, but encouraged spiritually. When I walked into my dorm room the first term at All Nations more than 30 years ago, there was a card on the bedside table which said, “The joy of the Lord is your strength.” I think I’m slowly learning what that means.
Posted by David at 1:11 AM
February 21, 2006
Another Prayer Answered
You prayed and once again God did a miracle! Last week my neutrophil count was 1.7 after not having chemo for a week, and today, after a week of chemo, the count was up to 2.7! I continue to stand in awe of our all powerful God. But since He could raise Christ Jesus from the dead, I guess we shouldn’t be surprised that He, our Creator, can cause neutrophils to replenish quickly in my body when He wants that to happen. I’m grateful too that my immune system is strong enough so that I can attend the Missions Conference at Multnomah Bible College this week without worrying about catching germs from being in a crowd. It’s good to connect with college students wanting to know God’s will for their lives, and to enjoy meeting up with fellow missionaries we’ve met at past conferences. Dave has been asked to give a testimony on Friday morning, the final session of the conference. Pray the Lord will anoint him to speak with boldness and make him an encouragement to students wondering just how far they can trust God. Dave will also be teaching the “Heritage” Sunday School class on Sunday morning, going through II Peter chapter 3. Pray for time to prepare during a busy week.
Wil didn’t go snowboarding on Saturday. He was disappointed, but we were relieved since we’ve had below freezing weather at home and Mt. Hood was a LOT colder and windier this weekend. We’re grateful not to have lost power in the high winds, especially as our heating system is electric. But the liquid in our hummingbird feeder froze and the poor hummingbird who visited it couldn’t get a drink!
Posted by David at 10:05 AM
February 15, 2006
Good news and prayer needed
Right this minute I’m thankful for snow! Yesterday neighbors were mowing their lawns because after almost a week of sunshine the grass was finally dry enough to mow, and Wil washed the car. And this morning snowflakes are coming down! Earlier it was cold enough for them to blanket the ground. Now most are melting as they land. But still it’s beautiful to get a taste of the kind of weather that brings back so many memories for Dave and me of Midwest winters in our youth. Wil shares our enthusiasm if not our memories, and wants to go snowboarding on Mt. Hood this weekend. First he needs some snow pants!
I’m also thankful for Dr. Panutich, my oncologist, who is becoming a friend. I feel as though his heart is rejoicing when my results are good, and he shares the pain when they aren’t. So I’m glad when I can make him happy! He showed us the new CAT scan results on his computer yesterday. This time the radiologist commented on only two lesions (tumors) which were “decreased in size and conspicuity.” I think that means they were less conspicuous than previously. One now measures 2.9 x 2.3 cm decreased from 3.8 x 3.7 and the other 1.6 vs. 2.2 cm. People have started asking me when I will finish chemo. I don’t think that date is yet in sight. Probably if/when the tumors no longer show on CAT scans and no new ones appear, Dr. Panutich will then suggest going back on to an estrogen inhibitor for as long as that will work.
My neutrophils were high enough to have chemo yesterday, but just. They were 1.73 after a week without chemo, and need to be at least 1.0 next week to continue. I guess God is stretching our faith, bit by bit, to believe He can build up my body even when the chemo is tearing it down. Pray on! Also when I saw the physical therapist and she measured my range of motion, there has been hardly any change over the last month despite my doing exercises more faithfully. Please pray I won’t give up.
We are thankful too for time with dear British/Canadian friends. Cedric and Valerie took advantage of the sunshine last week to come down from Victoria, BC and were with us from Thursday to Sunday. They are a delight to be with and it’s the first time they have visited us, apart from a meal with us in Manila years ago. They had to be home by Monday morning for Cedric to have a procedure done at their local hospital, and Valerie rang last night to say the surgeon had actually operated on Cedric and he will be hospitalized for a few days! Do pray for his quick recovery.
The cross of Jesus Christ speaks far more powerfully of love than do red hearts. But I’m thankful for a day when we are reminded to say ‘I love you’ to special people around us. With the love of the One whose heart was broken that ours might be made whole, I want to say I LOVE YOU to each of you today.
Posted by David at 10:54 AM
February 10, 2006
Give Thanks
I know I did a long update yesterday, but Dr. Panutich just called to say the CAT scan shows the tumors in the liver are shrinking! Hallelujah!! One that was over 4 cm is now 2.9; another that was 2.2 is now 1.9, etc. He expects the tumors to continue to shrink as I continue with Navelbine. So keep praying up my neutrophils so that I can have the chemo every two out of three weeks! I’m scheduled for the next chemo (if the neutrophils are high enough) on Monday and on Tuesday I see the physical therapist again to see if I’m gaining any range of motion in my left shoulder. My right arm has been more painful the past few days as well.
Rejoice in the Lord, pray without ceasing, IN EVERYTHING GIVE THANKS, for this is the will of God, in Christ Jesus concerning YOU! (I Thessalonians 5:16-18)
Posted by David at 1:22 AM
February 9, 2006
Family News
Last week wasn’t easy, but it was good. God gave us times to mourn and times to rejoice. Our hearts continue to ache for the loss Dave and the girls are experiencing at the death of Jody. But we rejoice with them that she is with the Lord and Savior she was longing to see. We rejoice that Ben is there too, and that one day we will join him. Jody’s funeral was on Feb.2, the second anniversary of Ben’s home going. I sobbed my way through the opening hymn, “When we all get to heaven, what a day of rejoicing that will be, When we all see Jesus, we’ll sing and shout the victory!” It’s so true that when we ALL get there it will be a day of rejoicing, but it sure is hard to be one of those left behind when loved ones go ahead of us. Now it looks as though Dave’s Aunt Mabel may be following soon after Jody. Dave’s cousin Laurel brought her mom here to Portland from Michigan several years ago when her mind was slipping and she could no longer care for herself. After two years with Laurel she needed more care and has been in a home for about a year and a half. Now those in charge are saying it’s probably time to bring in hospice care. We’re going to see Aunt Mabel tomorrow, along with Laurel and Uncle Earl, probably to say goodbye to her too. But her release from a frail body here will be welcomed by those waiting for her in heaven, and by those bidding her farewell here.
My counts were high enough for chemo last week, and this week Monday I had Herceptin. They didn’t do blood work, but undoubtedly the neutrophils are low again, so I’ll ask you to pray them up by Monday. Dave’s faith was stronger than mine last week. When the nurse told us the results, his response was, “That’s what I was praying!” That started a conversation between him and another man in the waiting room who we learned is pastoring a church in Gresham, a larger town near us. His wife has colon cancer and is in every Monday for treatments. This week he and Dave had a longer visit.
Also this week we were able to visit with Marty, Ben’s hospice nurse, who is now working in a department at Interstate Clinic, and with Bill, one of the nurses on the oncology ward at Doernbecher Children’s Hospital, who now has lymphoma. We’ve been praying for Bill, but this is the first time we’d seen him. God is capable of managing the details of our lives as well as holding the universe in His hands!
Yesterday I had a CAT scan. Once again I was nervous about getting the line into my vein because of past painful experiences. But everything went smoothly, apart from finding it painful to have my left arm forced back further than it could easily go (the frozen should issue is still a major prayer concern as progress is anything but fast). The stuff I had to drink for the scan caused diarrhea as well, but that was only bad for a few hours. Either I will get the results when I see Dr. Panutich next Monday, or when he calls me.
Wil’s last basketball game of the regular season will be tomorrow. I’ll miss it, but have been to two already this week. They lost the first and won the one yesterday. Wil thinks they will lose the last one as they are playing a really tough team. Now he’s excited because they need more people for the spring play at his school and he’s planning to audition! We think he has a pretty full social life, but he can always squeeze in more!
We can all stay busy, but my prayer for us, and for you our friends, is that we would be active or quiet in the King’s business, doing exactly what He wants us each to be doing at any given moment in time. I’m reading Bill Bright’s book “The Journey Home” and am challenged by his discipline and love for the Lord throughout his life, continuing into the final days before heaven. I’ve written another chapter of my book and need to get these first drafts to an editor soon. When the question of how long I’ll be here comes to the fore I get more productive in writing!
We were excited to be a part of Missions Fest Northwest 2006 here in Portland and want to share these statistics just received from the coordinators. The event drew from a 5-State region and increased 300-500% in every aspect from last year! Consider these results...
* Workshop Attendance: 9379 (Average 77)
'05 Average: 25
'06 Average: 77 (in classrooms accommodating 40!)
* Plenary Session Attendance: 10154 (Average 2539)
'05 Average: 828
'06 Average: 2539
* Overall Aggregate Attendance
'05 = 6000
'06 = 19,533 (325% increase!)
* Book Table Sales: $10,667 (Double last year's)
* Website: 2.5 times as many unique visitors and page views from peak last year to
peak this year.
* Church Participation: Over 500 / First count of unique churches
* Attending CEO's of mission organizations: about 50 from around USA
* Total Email Count: 3000 (1800 online / 900 at door, plus previous)
* Student involvement: about 50% of total
* Highest Single Attendance: 3304, Saturday 2:00pm Plenary
* Highest Workshop Attendance: 160
God is alive and active in the Northwest, despite what you read in the papers!!
Posted by David at 4:50 AM