Good morning, dear family and friends. It’s been a month since I last posted. Paul continues to gain strength and improve in health. He weighs about the same, but is eating well. His hair is starting to get a little wave to it again, and he still sports a goatee. October 23 of last year was when the doctor found Paul’s esophageal tumor, and October 30 was the one year anniversary of his hearing the words YOU HAVE CANCER. It has been a journey we couldn’t have imagined…learning what a diagnosis of esophageal cancer meant…learning what he was going to go through…learning even more about our loving God.
TRUST continues to be the theme of my life. And I’m so thankful that I serve a God who knows the future and holds us close, leading and guiding our lives. Paul feels like his life has been preserved for a reason. I agree. With our own sons, in the workplace, in our neighborhood, on the golf course…I believe Paul will be a witness, proclaiming who God is, and all He has done for him.
This morning my Psalm reading was chapter 41. Verse 3 especially spoke to me—THE LORD WILL SUSTAIN HIM ON HIS SICKBED AND RESTORE HIM FROM HIS BED OF ILLNESS.
It reminded me of the morning of December 4, 2007. I’d asked Paul how he was feeling and he said, “Not good.” Immediately the words came to me—AFTER A LITTLE WHILE HE WILL RESTORE YOU. I got up and looked for the passage and found it. This is it—
1 Peter 5:10-11 AND THE GOD OF ALL GRACE, WHO CALLED YOU TO HIS ETERNAL GLORY IN CHRIST, AFTER YOU HAVE SUFFERED A LITTLE WHILE, WILL HIMSELF RESTORE YOU AND MAKE YOU STRONG, FIRM AND STEADFAST. TO HIM BE THE POWER FOR EVER AND EVER. AMEN.
The awesome thing was that was Paul’s very reading for THAT DAY, December 4, 2007. The possibility that God would bring a verse to my mind, that I didn’t even know I knew, and then Paul would read the exact passage later is staggering. And it was just what we needed to hear.
I believe that is what God is doing right now in Paul’s body. He is being RESTORED and STRENTHENED. What the future holds only God knows. WE TRUST HIM. PERIOD.
We’re leaving tomorrow for a quick overnighter in Hood River, Oregon. Then we leave Sunday morning for eight days in the Phoenix area. Part business, all pleasure. And the bonus is that it’s supposed to be SUNNY. Last year at this time, we were down there, knowing we were returning to start Paul’s chemo and radiation treatments. What a year it’s been.
During this month when our hearts turn to those things we are THANKFUL for, our hearts are full of gratitude. God has been faithful. We are in awe of WHO HE IS, and that He, the Maker of heaven and earth, communicates with us. You, dear family and friends, have been a source of great encouragement to both of us. We humbly say THANK YOU.
We are ready for all God has for our future, confident that God has a plan and a purpose. He has that for each of you.
Blessings, dear ones.
Diana
