A Message to our Family

Thanksgiving is a time in our country when most people connect with loved ones. Families come together for generous portions of food and love. That is why I am writing to you on this special day, albeit at the end of the day – you are family to us.

Our prayer of thanksgiving to the Lord before our meal today was more meaningful and emotional than years past. I am sure you can understand why. We are so thrilled to have Linda here today, out of the hospital and enjoying food that our children and a few dear friends prepared for us. It has been a wonderful day, and more is to come as we decorate for Christmas. In early February, we had no idea whether Linda would be with us or not. Thank You, Father!

We want you to know the full story about Linda’s visit to the doctor over the weekend. Our GP met Linda and Autumn at his office last Saturday – just one example (though a huge one!) of the love and care of our doctors that I referred to in the last post. The news he gave us, though, was disconcerting. Linda’s health has reached a serious state. It is not the tumor that is such a present threat, but rather the effects of immobility and medicines that have kept the tumor from growing (shrinking, actually) and have kept PCP pneumonia at bay. In fact, in plain terms, our doctor told us that Linda’s body is shutting down. The end is not imminent, but time to reverse this course is limited.

As you can imagine, this is not welcome news. It is one reason our trip to the emergency room was so scary. You need to know that we are not conceding anything! We are realistic, but continue to ask God for a miracle. We serve a great God, which is one reason we read more than a dozen verses of thanksgiving before our meal today. He is able – we all know that. We continue to fervently ask Him to intervene and heal Linda while praying the prayer that never fails – Thy will be done.

As we have related to you already, we have decided to give Linda large doses of natural supplements. The way that her body has responded in one week has been most encouraging. While her liver remains compromised and her cholesterol levels continue to stay high, her kidneys have improved, her immune system has rallied (which made the possibility of pneumonia unlikely, but scar tissue in her lungs looked compelling, which is why several doctors recommended going to the emergency room – thank God it was scar tissue, not pneumonia!), and other systems are functioning better, also. We are eager to see if the liver and cholesterol levels look better on Monday. We are not unaware of the battle we face, which is why we covet your continual prayers.

Linda’s cough and congestion continue to linger. Diabetes has recently been diagnosed and her blood sugar is a fairly long way from normal. The thrush in her mouth creates a great deal of pain and discomfort. She still is unable to move without significant assistance, which makes getting rid of the blood clot and lung congestion a challenge. You know most of this already, but I wanted to give you some specific needs to lift up to the God Who loves Linda more than all of us combined love her! It is not the tumor that is the immediate threat, though it renders Linda unable to move and that contributes to a host of the aforementioned problems. The first order of business is to reverse the slide her body is currently experiencing.

Is it not a comfort to put oneself in the Lord’s hands? None of us want to hear that our bodies are nearing the point of crisis. We all know people who left this earth too soon. Or did they? Are not all our days numbered before one of them is ever lived? We also know, however, that when death seems imminent, God many times chooses to extend life for His purposes and our comfort, and we have the privilege of asking Him to do so. Indeed, it is biblical to bring our requests to the Lord with great passion, asking for help in our time of crisis (Hebrews 4:14-16).

One of our favorite psalms since our earliest years of marriage has been Psalm 138. I trust it will minister to you, also:

I give You thanks, O LORD, with my whole heart; before the gods I sing Your praise;

I bow down toward Your holy temple and give thanks to Your name for Your steadfast love and Your faithfulness, for You have exalted above all things Your name and Your word.

On the day I called, You answered me; my strength of soul You increased.

All the kings of the earth shall give You thanks, O LORD, for they have heard the words of Your mouth,

and they shall sing of the ways of the LORD, for great is the glory of the LORD.

For though the LORD is high, He regards the lowly, but the haughty He knows from afar.

Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You preserve my life; You stretch out Your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and Your right hand delivers me.

The LORD will fulfill His purpose for me; Your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of Your hands.