16Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. ~ 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (NIV)
Last week, we spoke about God’s Timing, and how it is perfect in all things. If you missed that message, please click here to read it, and then come back and finish up this post.
As I said, last week we spoke of God’s Timing…and the next day, Satan continued his attacks on Christians around the world. Outwardly, we are under attack. My friends Amanda and Daniel are faced with a recurrence of cancer in Daniel’s body. Here is what Amanda passed along to us:
Hello to all,
First and foremost, please let me thank you (somewhat belatedly!) for your thoughts, prayers, well wishes, and support you have graciously given to my family and to me. I wanted to personally write notes to everyone that had been part of my support group but, unfortunately, I am still challenged with hand-writing, so please accept this heartfelt but impersonal email “Thank You” instead. It has meant the world to our family to know just how many people care and love us. So many demonstrations as well, from calls, cards and letters, baseball caps from all points of the globe, support visits and other thoughtful and generous touches have made the journey bearable and have buoyed us. Thank you so very, very much.
Now for some tough news. Our 6-month scan this week has shown new developments, not just in my remaining liver but also in the lower lobes of my lungs. I am getting some more testing over the next few days, but this is not the best of news for us. My oncology and imaging team is going to put together a plan over the next few days after reviewing the images, and I (or Amanda) will share the plan of attack as it gets firmed up.
As difficult as this is, nothing can be stronger than the love shown to us by ALL of you, so I will continue to be motivated and move forward on the journey with your strength and prayers. I would ask that you please remember my dear family in the coming days and weeks as well as the many members of my extended family affected and afflicted by this disease. From my parents to my cousins to so many others, my prayers are with you as well, and to my loving wife Amanda, I want to thank you for everything you have done for us so far, and will continue to do as we move forward. You are simply the best, better than I deserve!
We should have more information soon, and we will share with you soonest possible. I know all of you will offer continued support in meaningful ways, but rest assured we will let you know if we are in need. For now, prayers are the priority.
I’ll let Amanda finish this off…I’m truly sorry that I am not sending a success story, but the book isn’t finished, yet! God bless and keep you, and my love to all of you as you have sent my way!
Warmest Regards,
Daniel
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Hey, it’s Amanda! As I said in my last update, I’d bother you again if something came up and obviously it has. That’s the bad news. Good news is they caught it early so we may have a fighting chance. We have an MRI tomorrow morning and I need my prayer warriors. I’m going big with these prayers and I’m asking you to do the same. The lesion on the liver has a slight chance of not being cancerous – which is what the scan tomorrow will tell us. I’m asking we all pray that God either take the lesions away completely with no medical intervention (or even just the one on the liver!) and, if that is not God’s will, that the lesion on the liver not be cancerous. The liver lesion is concern for 2 reasons: 1) Daniel doesn’t have much liver left so we don’t have a surgical option; and 2) if it is cancerous, that limits our treatment options to chemotherapy only. I will send another update after we have the results on Wednesday. Please pray and pray big! Thanks so much to each and every one of you!After that message, we received a follow up later on:
Hello, all! We wanted to give an update on the MRI results. The results show the lesion on his liver is cancerous but not very active. The tumor is 2.3 cm X 1.9 cm. It is a positive that it is not very active and we have caught it early. There also 2 spots on the lower lobe of his left lung and 1 spot on the lower lobe of his right lung. Those spots are very small (millimeters). It is suspected these are cancerous but are so small it can’t be confirmed. Since the liver is cancerous, there is no need to check the lungs. We are going to start chemo on Monday – the same regimen as last time with the Avastin – and go for 6 rounds and then scan again. At this point, we are trying to get into complete remission. Because there is no surgical options, there is no “cure” so remission is the best we can hope for this go round.
Obviously, we has hoped the cancer wouldn’t come back but at least we caught it early and it doesn’t seem very active at this point. If you could, please pray that the 6 rounds of chemo works to put the cancer in remission. If you want to add a timeline, forever would be good! We also have several friends that have found they either have a recurrence or an initial bout of cancer so if you could pray for them and there families as well – Debbie and Pam – and one that has been accepted into a clinical trial – Barry. And, I have one more prayer request. Can you please pray that God lead the researchers and clinicians to find better treatment and/or cure for all cancer but colon cancer specifically? Every day our cancer survivors are here on this earth they are making it better but I’d love for God to give them a push over the hump to a cure! Thank you all for your love, prayers, positive thoughts and support! We are amazed at all the people we have pulling for us and pray for your all daily. Until next time!!!
2nd Corinthians has it perfectly worded, though: “even though outwardly we are wasting away, inwardly we are renewed every day.” Today, I learned of some horrible news regarding friends of our friend Bettie:
Please say prayers tonight for my friend Susan and her daughter Katherine. Katherine lost her husband this morning. He was only 32. They have a four year old son and a daughter who turned one today! So sad!
There are so many examples of the work of Satan in this world, many more than these two examples. There is greed, there is corruption, there is hatred, there is malice, there are so many emotions at play, and at the end, it comes down to Jesus’ words in John 16:33
33I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” ~ John 16:33 (ESV)
My friends, each day is only going to become harder and harder because of the world we are in. That’s why, today, it’s more important than ever to remember to pray to God. Please join us in praying the prayer that Jesus taught us to pray:
Our Father, who art in Heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done,
On earth as it is in Heaven.Give us this day our daily bread,
And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.
Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the Kingdom, and the Power, and the Glory forever and ever. Amen.
