Wedneday Nov. 12th update

Thanks to all who have been praying, we really do appreciate it. And a number of people have been commenting to us and are amazed at the support we have been receiving at this time. One of the nurses that takes care of Dan said the other day that she has never seen anything like the prayer support we get from hundreds of people. So your prayers are actually witnessing for Christ.

As you know, last Monday we were scheduled to go in to check out this new procedure but we were unable to due to a very delicate and private issue that the cancer has brought about in Dan's body. So last week was a very difficult and painful time for Dan. But thanks be to God and your prayers we saw a breakthrough yesterday! We now are scheduled to resume the injection of medication straight into the spine a week from this Monday, Nov. 24th.

In the meantime, Good Shepherd has provided us with a "Broda" chair, which allows Dan to lay flat and still be wheeled around. So Dan has been able to attend a few important family events...like a soccer game , church, and tomorrow , Zachary's play. This has been a tremendous blessing for us.

Dan
I have been doing my own study on the various scriptures that talk about our opportunity and even need in some places to join in suffering like Christ. Like in Romans 8:7, where it says we are, "heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ is indeed we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him." And perhaps the most familiar where Paul states his passion," to know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death in order that I may obtain to the resurrection," (Phil. 3:10).

My question being this ... can all this - the pain, the discomfort, the sadness, the loss of time with loved ones and the general ickiness of battling this cancer - qualify or is it a part of this "suffering with Him" or "the fellowship of His sufferings." If so, then it brings all of these things into a meaningful experience. It gives them a significant and eternal value. We know that Christ's physical pain had an eternal and incredibly powerful meaning to it - the forgiveness of sins for all mankind. But my little pain? I'm not sure yet if I can draw this direct parallel but a scripture that gives me hope that I can is 2nd Cor. 4:16-17, "therefore we do not lose heart but though our outer man is decaying yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary light afflictions is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison." Pray for continued insight during this study - views are welcome.

Just a quick note to let you know that ministry to others is still possible in the midst of this -- yesterday was able to council a young lady from south America (via email that she cannot trust Christ as her Savior and at the same time not believe that Jesus was God. And I have been able to give away the afflictions brochure and have heard comments of direct impact in their lives.