July 21, 2006

We have received our reports from Sam’s latest scans and the Doctor’s feel it is a very ‘good, positive & encouraging’ report.   The new scans show NO growth or spreading of the cancer.   Their approach is to stop/arrest the growth, then work on shrinking the tumors. Of course, our approach is/was: irradiate IMMEDIATELY!  So . . . we are still learning!!  The most challenging part of this journey is giving our expectations to the Lord and trust in Him alone.  We are praising Him for a good report!!

Sam will continue with his same treatment at this point; medications every-two-hours, infusions every-other-week, diet and supplements . . . all in Jesus’ name!!   He continues to feel good!

Thank you once again for your incredible love & prayer support!  We still need it! 

We love & appreciate you!

We wanted to share the following with you from Dave Dravecky’s book:  “Do Not Lose Heart‘  . . . we hope it blesses you as much as it has us:  

“O Mr. Tentmaker”

“It was nice living in this tent when it was strong & secure & the sun was shining & the air was warm.

But Mr. Tentmaker, it’s scary now.

You see, my tent is acting like it is not going to hold together; the poles seem weak & they  shift with the wind.

A couple of stakes have wiggled loose from the sand; & worst of all, the canvas has a rip.

It no longer protects me from beating rain or stinging fly.

It’s scary in here, Mr. Tentmaker.

Last week I went to the repair shop & some repairman tried to patch the rip in my canvas.

It didn’t help much, though, because the patch pulled away from the edges & now the tear is worse.

What troubled me most, Mr. Tentmaker, is that the repairman didn’t even seem to notice that I was still in the tent;  he just worked on the canvas while I shivered inside.

I cried out once, but no one heard me.

I guess my first real question is:  Why did you give me such a flimsy tent?

I can see by looking around the campground that some of the tents are much stronger & stable than mine.

Why, Mr. Tentmaker, did you pick a tent of such poor quality for me?

And, even more important, what do you intend to do about it?

O little tent dweller, as the Creator & Provider of tents, 

I know all about you & your tent, & I love you both.

I made a tent for Myself once, & lived in it on your campground.

My tent was vulnerable, too, & some vicious attackers ripped it to pieces while I was still in it.

It was a terrible experience, but you will be glad to know they couldn’t hurt me; in fact, the whole occurrence was a tremendous advantage because it is this very victory over my enemy that frees me to be a present help to you.

O little tent dweller, I am now prepared to come & live in your tent with you, if you’ll invite me.

You’ll learn as we dwell together that real security comes from my being in your tent with you.

When the storms come, you can huddle in my arms & I’ll hold you.

When the canvas rips, we’ll go to the repair shop together.

Some day, little tent dweller, some day your tent is going to collapse; you see, I’ve designed it only for temporary use.

But, when it does, you & I are going to leave together. I promise not to leave before you do.

And then, free of all that would hinder or restrict, we will move to our permanent home & together, forever, we will REJOICE & BE GLAD.”