Missing Amy – Finding Strength

Posted on October 20, 2026 by rogersneighborhood

I feel exhausted – yet sustained. Every morning I raise my arms and ask God to “Give me strength for today.” He has been faithful.

Amy passed away Wednesday, October 14th, at 8:38 a.m. due to many complications, as the breast cancer she battled throughout 2024 was discovered mid-August 2026 to have returned.

Amy’s spirit was so determined and focused on her love for God that being with her – even during her final days – gave me strength, as I also stood in God’s strength for her.

We both experienced seeing God’s fingerprints in circumstances, in little and big ways, here on earth throughout this entire health journey. We prayed together so many times over the past few weeks, and in almost every prayer we declared that “God is good.” We could not help but sense that, as we did so – even in the midst of this storm and struggle for life- our words and confidence in a caring God were (and are) putting demons to flight.

My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever.” Psalm 73:26

There are many more details to share that are strengthening my heart and spirit, and in time I may share more of them with friends like you.

For now, I want to thank you for your sustaining prayers surrounding me, our two sons (Nathaniel and Joshua), and Gigi (Joshua’s wife), who have been absolutely incredible. I am blessed beyond description by their lives, their care, and their grip on God’s hand – especially during those waves when we profoundly experience Amy’s absence.

If you would like to join us in Murrieta to Celebrate Amy’s life, here are the details you need:

Amy Rogers – Celebration of Life Service

Thursday, October 29, 2026

5:30 PM at CENTERPOINT CHURCH

24470 Washington Ave. Murrieta, CA 92562

Reception at the church after the service concludes.

If you are coming from out of town or want to share some words of encouragement or give a gift in Amy’s honor to the people and cause that she loved and gave her life to for the past 30 years, you can visit this link, which has several resources to guide you:

https://empoweringlives.org/amy-rogers

We will be holding an additional Celebration of Life service in upstate NY on November 14th. See “Celebration of Life info” at the link above.

Thank you again for standing with our family in prayer.

Don

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Heaven’s Door

Posted on October 14, 2026 by rogersneighborhood

I sit here at the keyboard looking for the right words to share. It is taking me a while. The truth is—my mind is tired, and my heart is broken. My spirit is being sustained by the supernatural care of the Holy Spirit and the prayers of many friends like you. And my mind cannot stop thinking about what heaven must be like.

Today at 8:38 a.m., October 14th, Amy, my best friend, confidant, advisor, ministry comrade, mother to our two boys, and precious wife, entered the reality of heaven and the embrace of Jesus, the Father, and the Holy Spirit, whom she adores. This last week of fighting the cancer within has taken an indescribable toll on her body, but it failed to diminish her love and confidence in the God who holds her destiny in His hands (Psalm 16:5).

I have more to share, but tonight my emotional, mental, and physical tanks have run dry. I hope to communicate more in the days to come.

Tonight, I want to thank each of you who has prayed for and encouraged Amy (and me). It means more than you know, and God’s love through you has sustained us and continues to sustain us through the storm.

Amy has made it to the shore. Though my heart feels broken and drained today, I also feel a strong wind of comfort and peace hitting my soul.

I think it must be because my loving God opened heaven’s door and welcomed Amy home.

Held by grace, Don

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In His hands 10-12-2026 From Don

Posted on October 12, 2026 by rogersneighborhood

“Yahweh, you alone are my inheritance. You are my prize, my pleasure, and my portion. You hold my destiny and its timing in your hands.” — Psalm 16:5, The Passion Translation

Your destiny and mine—He holds them both, including their timing. This is a profound truth, and we declare it to be so—even as we left the hospital yesterday to return to our Murrieta home, under the care of our loving God, surrounded by the prayers of friends like you, and supported by a team of hospice nurses and doctors.

Amy’s spiritual life and confidence remain strong. Her earthly body, however, has been weakened to a level I could never have imagined, as her struggling liver and resulting ascites (fluid buildup) create an exhausting storm.

We are still in love. With each other and with our God, who holds our destiny and its timing in His hands.

Please pray for strength, for the fluid retention to reverse, and for God’s Kingdom peace and presence to permeate everything taking place.

For His glory.

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Sunset and Sunrise – Update fm Don 10-10

Posted on October 10, 2026 by rogersneighborhood

Because I set you, Lord, always close to me, my confidence will never be weakened. Psalm 16:8 Passion Translation

I (Don) watched the sunset from the hospital window last evening – and today, the eighth day in the hospital, is beginning.  While I am blessed to share that the medical team and nurses have been very kind and helpful, I am struggling to grasp the reality that Amy’s body is not stronger than when we arrived a week ago. I’ve never really appreciated how much work, and how many different processes, one’s liver contributes to our health until now.

The cancer has created a situation where more medication can bring more harm than help because the liver has reached a vulnerable stage. We combine our prayers and ask God to surround Amy with His love, strength, and healing presence.

Thank you for your prayers.

Don

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Through deep waters – Update from Don (and Amy) 10/4

Posted on October 4, 2026 by rogersneighborhood

“Faith does not eliminate questions. But faith knows where to take them.” Elisabeth Elliot – Missionary wife of Jim Elliot and Author of Through Gates of Splendor

We are in some deep waters right now, and it is hard to find the right words to bring you current on this journey.

Amy started her second line of cancer treatment (including two types of chemo) on Tuesday the 29th.  Overall, in the first few days, her body seemed to be tolerating the treatment, as she wasn’t experiencing any of the anticipated side effects. Over the past few weeks, Amy has been experiencing fluid buildup (ascites) in her abdomen, which led us to Urgent care on Friday and then to the hospital, where she was admitted Friday evening. She had multiple scans, tests, and labs and has been under the care of a caring and very thorough Dr. at the hospital. We are grateful for the care and kindness of the medical staff here. We saw God’s fingerprints and knew that God had gone before us and was with us! 

Saturday, she had a paracentesis procedure to remove some of the abdominal fluid. As we mentioned in our last update, the cancer has metastasized to several areas of the body, and we need a miracle to take place, especially for her liver right now. That is a significant area for prayer and for wisdom for the medical team we are working with.  The journey in the hospital continues today as we navigate the signs of jaundice and various blood levels. Our doctor here at the hospital will consult with our oncologist tomorrow morning (10/5). He will then meet with us to share their suggested next steps. We are so grateful for you and your faithful prayers – and we believe in the POWER of prayer! We do not know exactly what lies ahead, but we know we are not walking alone.

I am encouraged by Isaiah 43:2: “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you.”

I am especially struck by the word through. It does not pretend the waters aren’t there; it promises God’s presence in them. We are experiencing a strong and difficult current right now and are finding strength in the presence and hope of our Good Shepherd.  

There is not much we can ask of you right now other than to keep connecting with God on Amy’s behalf.  We continue to declare that God is good and He will still shine His love on our lives and light the way – even in this present storm. Thank you for continuing to walk through these waters with us in prayer.

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He Holds My Hand (Update from Amy)

Posted on September 24, 2026 by rogersneighborhood

“For I am the Lord your God who takes you by the right hand and says to you, ‘Do not fear, for I will help you.’” — Isaiah 41:13

Over the last several years, the Lord has been cultivating a deeper trust in me—a trust that is learning to accept His invitation to live in the present moment with Him.

That invitation has become especially powerful over these last few weeks as I have stepped back into an active cancer battle.

I have been tempted to look back over the past months and ask, What went wrong? What did I miss? And then, almost immediately, my mind races ahead into the future—wondering what is coming and what lies ahead.

But I have heard the gentle whisper of the Holy Spirit:

“Amy, I want you to stay in the present moment with Me. I have gifts I want to give you every day—and the greatest gift is My presence.”

So, that is where I am learning to live.

In early August, I began experiencing an unfamiliar fatigue and weakness. This led to a full PET scan at the end of August, which revealed that the metastatic breast cancer I was diagnosed with in early 2024 has now spread to my spine, liver, and some lymph nodes.

This past week, I had a liver biopsy that confirmed that it is the same cancer. My oncologist has sent the biopsy for additional testing, which will help determine the next line of treatment. I also had a brain MRI last week, which thankfully showed no evidence of cancer in my brain. We are deeply grateful for that.

There have been many unknowns, but I’ve also felt God’s presence deeply. Monday morning, in my Bible reading, the Lord highlighted Deuteronomy 31:8:

“It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”

Before we left for the hospital, Don shared that he had received two different emails that morning, both containing that very same Scripture.

We knew our Good Shepherd was giving us His presence and promise for the day.

 I went to the hospital that morning, and I want you to know how powerfully the prayers of friends like you carried me.

God blessed me with a beautiful, kind nurse who reflected Jesus’ love and joy in a profound way. She and the doctor carefully explained what to expect, as I would be awake during the procedure. I am always amazed by the deep peace God can bring in the middle of discomfort and the unknown.

The doctor asked me to raise my right hand above my head and to keep it there. My heart and mind went to a quiet place, and my thoughts became focused on singing the words of the song Goodness of God:

“I love You, Lord. Oh, Your mercy never fails me.
All my days, I’ve been held in Your hands…”

And just as the doctor began, I felt a comforting hand take mine and hold it.

No words can describe the comfort and peace that washed over me in that moment.

God’s presence was so real.

After the procedure, I looked at my nurse and thanked her for holding my hand. She looked at me and said,

“I am a part of these procedures many times a day, and I have never done that before. But I felt compelled to hold your hand.”

I smiled, because I knew that hand was more than just a nurse’s hand.

My Father was reminding me: “I am here. I am holding you. You do not have to be afraid.”

I don’t know what the days ahead will hold. Many questions, more testing, and treatment decisions still lie ahead. But I know who holds my hand.

And for today, that is enough.

I am learning again that faith isn’t always about knowing what is coming next. Sometimes it is simply saying yes to Jesus in this moment, receiving the gift of His presence, and trusting Him with the moment after that.

Thank you for walking this journey with us—for every prayer, text, call, word of encouragement, and act of love. We feel so deeply held by the community God has surrounded us with.

He is still our Good Shepherd.

He is still faithful.

And He is still holding our hand.

“Do not fear, for I will help you.” — Isaiah 41:13

++++ Prayers:

The next line of treatments begins 9/29. Pray that my body responds well.

Pray for divine wisdom and guidance as we seek God’s leading and guidance for the path forward.

For the presence and power of our Good Shepherd to heal, guide, and sustain us.

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A New Journey – 2026 – Updates coming soon

Posted on September 11, 2026 by rogersneighborhood
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Confident Hope – May 2025

Posted on May 3, 2025 by rogersneighborhood

“I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13

Don and I met with the oncologist this past Wednesday afternoon to discuss my latest PET scan after a year of treatment. The results have shown a complete response to the treatment. This means that the cancer that was detected in March 2024 has resolved, and there is no new cancer growth found anywhere in my body!

In the past few days, I have felt the significance of this miracle and all that God has done and continues to do now in this season. The scan did reveal some changes in my thyroid that will need to be watched -most likely due to the radiation I received in my neck, so I will be following up with my general physician for regular check-ups and lab work. Thank you for your faithful and continued prayers as my body heals and recovers from treatment.

I have now entered what the oncologist refers to as a “surveillance season.” This journey began with faith, learning to live one day at a time and embrace the present moment with Jesus. Today, I have new eyes that see life and the world around me differently. The transformation continues as I respond to Jesus’s invitation to continue to trust Him and to live each day with confident hope.

The photos below were taken just a few days ago during my walk on a trail close to our home in Murrieta. What is significant is that last year this entire area was burned to the ground. For months it was absolutely lifeless. It moves my heart to think of the renewal and life that can come to even the most devastated places and situations. HE makes all things new.

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Look Up!

Posted on April 4, 2025 by rogersneighborhood

“They looked . . .and behold, the glory of the Lord appeared in the cloud.”  (Exodus 16:10)

It has been several weeks since I posted an update, and I felt a prompting to sit down and write and share what’s stirring in my heart today in the hope that it may encourage you, too! Thank you for your faithful prayers.

I continue to gain strength each day as my body recovers from the treatment I underwent this past year. I am scheduled for a follow-up PET scan on April 16 as a baseline scan after completing all treatments. I will meet with my oncologist on April 30 to receive the scan results. After almost two years, I had the blessing of visiting my family in Upstate NY this past week. It was a gift to have time together, and I treasured every minute. The temperature was significantly colder than Southern California, but I bundled up and continued to enjoy daily walks on the paths around the farm.

As I walk, I find my eyes looking up. I am in awe of the sky, the colors of the clouds, the sun shining through them, and the sunrises and sunsets. It takes my breath away. It is like getting an infusion of HOPE each day as I LOOK UP and get lost in the majesty and wonder of it all.

“Keep looking up – 

The waves that roar around thy feet,

Jehovah-Jirah will defeat

When looking up.

Keep looking up –

Though darkness seems to wrap thy soul;

The Light of Light shall fill thy soul

When looking up.

Keep looking up –

When worn, distracted with the fight;

Your Captain gives you conquering might

When you look up.”

Author Unknown – From Streams in the Desert

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Faithful Still

Posted on February 9, 2025 by rogersneighborhood

It has been one year since I received the phone call informing me that my biopsy came back positive for metastatic ductal carcinoma. Don canceled his planned trip to Kenya on 2/9/2024, and we began a journey with Jesus down an unknown path of chemo, surgery, and radiation. 

I have experienced a profound transformation from the inside out this past year, and I am so grateful for the wave of prayers that have come my way faithfully from friends like you. I started endocrine therapy this week and have entered what my oncologist calls a “surveillance season.” I continue to experience fatigue that has become familiar, yet I feel like my body is beginning to gain more strength each day. I will have a follow-up PET scan in late April.

We are so grateful for your faithful prayers! Don will board a plane tomorrow, 2/9/2025, at 1:45 p.m. to return to Kenya and reunite with our ELI Kenya ministry family. 

HE is Faithful Still! I was listening to this worship song as I walked today.

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