Karen’s Update July 17th, 2015
“Thank You for Praying”

Karen and I have had the joy of serving together for well over four decades. From the very beginning of our ministry we have been absolutely convinced of the importance and the power of prayer. Even in the situation in which we find ourselves we know that prayer is absolutely essential. When you stop and think about the design of God in commanding His children to pray and then couple that with the understanding that God has a sovereign plan that He will fulfill, it is just absolutely amazing. We thank each and every one of you from the bottom of our hearts for being involved in the sovereign plan of God for Karen and me as you walk along this journey of a lifetime and share in Karen’s battle with cancer.

Today has been another incredible day. All of the labs from yesterday came back this morning confirming that Karen was 100% ready to have her next chemo infusion. After seeing our oncologist we sat together in the beautiful waiting area as our healthcare professionals went through a series of four double checks just to be absolutely sure Karen was getting the right mixture for her weight. We praise the Lord for the medical team that He is put together. Ultimately however we know that each believer is in the hands of God. We are here and wanting to serve as long as the Lord has worked for us to do. When He is ready for us we are more than ready to come home. This genuinely is what Karen talks about as her “win-win situation.”

We’ve been home nearly 4 hours as I’m writing this update for you. Already Karen is beginning to have the adverse taste in her mouth from the chemotherapy. We’re just praying that the Lord will help her symptoms to be less and less and her strength more and more. She will have chemotherapy every 21 days for the rest of her life. So we are asking the Lord to please help her and give first special grace and even special joy as she goes through this new normal of her life.

It just really touched my heart deeply as we were sitting in the waiting area at the cancer center this morning and Karen spoke about her desire to serve the Lord. She is very concerned about several individuals. Some of these dear folks are battling cancer and others are just going through very difficult times. I tend to want to shelter Karen from anything that I perceive is not going to be an encouragement to her. She looked at me this morning and with tenderness in her eyes said, “I want my life to still have value. I have invested in others all of my life. With what time I have remaining I want to be an encourager to others.” It reminded me of what the apostle Paul said in Philippians 1:20-21, “According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness and always so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death. For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” I still want people to encourage my Karen. But don’t be surprised if my Karen ends up encouraging you.

By Sunday she will not be feeling so well and the taste in her mouth will worsen. So before that happens I think I will take her out to dinner tonight. Don’t be surprised if you see me holding her hand. She really is my best friend.