“Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee . . .who passing through the valley of weeping, make it a place of flowing springs.” (Psalm 84:5,6)

Our hearts are still rejoicing and celebrating the clear PET scan results that came back and the evidence that the cancer has responded to the chemotherapy treatments. This past week, I was not able to receive the scheduled weekly treatment because my Bilirubin count was off and the oncologist wanted to give my body an extra week to recover. We are praying that my labs this weekend will be okay and that I will be able to resume treatment on Tuesday. There are just three weeks of treatment left! I had an appointment with my surgeon last week, and she reviewed the PET scans and showed us the comparisons between the one taken in March & the one just taken in late July. It truly is incredible to see! We had time at this appointment to get a clear picture of the next steps, which are becoming more of a reality. I will be scheduled for surgery which will most likely be mid to late September. Thank you for your faithful prayers and standing with us through this journey. To God be the glory, great things He has done AND is doing!

Prayer Requests

• Please pray for no more delays in treatment – strength, and health to complete the final three weeks of treatment. (8/13, 8/20, 8/27)
• Pray for God’s timing and the orchestrating of all the details around the surgery date.
• Join us in praying for continued strength and recovery from chemo and protection from any additional sickness as I prepare for the surgery ahead. 

Since January, I have been reading through an original copy of Streams in the Desert daily as part of my early morning rhythm with Jesus. Deep work is happening in my heart as I walk this unknown path with Jesus. Today’s reading (Aug. 9) resonated deeply with my heart, and I want to share it with you. 

“Comfort does not come to the light-hearted and merry. We must go down into the “depths” if we would experience this most precious of God’s gifts – comfort, and thus be prepared to be co-workers together with Him.

When night – needful night – gathers over the garden of our souls, when the leaves close up, and the flowers no longer hold any sunlight within their folded petals, there shall never be wanting, even in the thickest darkness, drops of heavenly dew – dew which falls only when the sun has gone.

“I have been through the valley of weeping,

The valley of sorrow and pain;

But the “God of all comfort was with me,

At hand to uphold and sustain.

As the earth needs the clouds and sunshine,

Our souls need both sorrow and joy;

So He places us oft in the furnace,

The dross from the gold to destroy.

When he leads through some valley of trouble,

His omnipotent hand we trace;

For the trials and sorrows He sends us,

Are part of His lessons in grace.

Oft we run from the purging and pruning,

Forgetting the Gardner knows

That the deeper the cutting and trimming,

The richer the cluster that grows.

Well He knows that affliction is needed;

He has a wise purpose in view,

And in the dark valley, He whispers,

“Soon, You’ll understand what I do.”

As we travel through life’s shadowed valley

Fresh springs of His love ever rise;

And we learn that our sorrows and losses,

Are blessings just sent in disguise.

So we’ll follow wherever He leads us,

Let the path be dreary or bright;

For we’ve proved that our God can give comfort;

Our God can give songs in the night.”

Author unknown