“Buckle Your Seatbelts! This Answer Came Quickly” Update for March 31st, 2016
Several days ago we were notified that the insurance company would not authorize Karen’s PET scan. This morning we received the hard copy of the denial for authorization. It was difficult to read that in their opinion there was no clear reason for this test. Our physician was very careful to explain to us that the mass-like “abnormality” detected in her lower right quadrant last year has now changed in its shape. He explained that he was hopeful that the cancer had not spread from her lung to this area. However, he wanted to be absolutely sure he knew what was going on with this before he continued chemotherapy. Sounds pretty reasonable to us! Then to be denied by the insurance was hard to understand. It was even more difficult to be informed that the review could take up to thirty days to run its course.

But God is at work.

“Call unto Me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things which thou knowest not” (Jeremiah 33:3). That is exactly what hundreds of our friends did. They joined Karen and me and prayed. We have been overwhelmed with the expressions from hundreds and hundreds of friends. Pastors asked their church families to pray. Friends from former ministries prayed. Supporters who love us and are part of our ministry team prayed. Our church family prayed. Our relatives prayed. Hundreds who are walking with us on this journey with cancer prayed.

And God is at work.

Today there has been a flurry of activity between our insurance company, doctor’s office, the medical team who does the imaging, and myself. Within the period of approximately two hours our insurance company reversed its previous denial, approved the PET scan, and the imaging center scheduled Karen’s appointment. Her PET scan will take place April 8th at 9:00.

The Lord has reminders for each of us in this situation. The reminders are far too many enumerate. Think of just a few great reminders.

1. Whatever your situation is, be sure to seek the Lord (Proverbs 3:5-6).
2. Whenever the situation seems impossible remember that the Lord specializes in doing the impossible (Luke 1:37).
3. Throughout the Scriptures often those situations that appear to be huge obstacles actually turn out to be great opportunities to share Christ (Philippians 1:12-13).
4. Stay in the Word of God especially when the times of your life become even more difficult. Watch how the Lord speaks to you from His Word. I’ve been reading through the book of 1 Samuel. Coming to 1 Samuel 7 we find Samuel and the people of Israel facing the invading Philistines. Things looked pretty bleak until God “Thundered with a great thunder on that day upon the Philistines” (7:10). A great victory was won by the children of Israel. Samuel “Took a stone, and set it between Mizpeh and Shen, and called the name of it Ebenezer, saying Hitherto hath the LORD helped us” (7:12). Always be watching for how the Lord helps His people. This is especially true in the extra difficult days.

Thank you so much for praying. We haven’t secured a large rock. However, we do have “EBENEZER- Hitherto hath the LORD helped us” written over our hearts. What a blessing to have you on the journey.