Tuesday, February 21, 2012

TPT4KC This Week!

Psalm 73:26 is my theme verse for today.  Oh and then there is Psalm 103:13-14.  I read them both this morning.  The first is so very personal.  It is a verse of endurance and hope.  And the second tells me again that The Lord has seen me in any and everything I do.  He knows my children better than I because He was there when their tiny cells were clumping together inside me.  He knows what we are made of - perishing stuff and He has compassion on us.  He gives us life, breath, hope, joy and sustains us, even in the darkest times.

He doesn't think less of us because we are unable to handle most of what we have to go through in this life.  He doesn't judge us because our minds, spirits and bodies break down under the stress of holding up the weight of this world.  He doesn't love me any less because I'm tired today, but yesterday felt great.  As Natalie said to me a few weeks ago, what she had learned in Bible Study:
God loves us here (her hand at eye level.)  He doesn't love us up here when we are good (raises hand above her head) or down here when we are bad (moves hand to her chest).  He always love us the same, right here (hand back at her eye level).
I would add that He doesn't love us any more or less given what we are going through.  It is up to us how those circumstances of our lives drive us closer or farther away from Him.  His provision does change the more open we are to it, but His compassion for us - to not treat us as we deserve or repay us for our sins - never changes.  He doesn't love me more than you because my child had cancer.  He doesn't love me any less than those parents whose children had a longer and more difficult protocol than Sophia.

Our journey with Him is singular.  There is no comparison.  That's part of what I have to remember when I ask the "Why God?" question.  Especially when some of the kids on this list are healthy and some are ill or have even passed away.  There might be a greater purpose He has for each of us in letting this trial into our lives, but in the end - what He wants us to know is that He never changes.  He's got this because He loves us.  He is fully capable and He is all that we need to get us through whatever life chunks at us.  It is up to us to work to experience that love in new and different ways, so we can grow and find security that will weather even the most brutal of storms.

His love, grace and compassion never change. 

Let's pray our families feel the power of those words today.  Let's pray they find peace in the middle of their tumultuous and stressful lives - like an oasis that defies explanation but is there all the same.  Pray they will find freedom from judging their lives now, versus before cancer and know that their only job is to grow in God's love through seeing their children fight cancer.

Pray they will know the truth of Louisa May Alcott's words:
 I'm not afraid of storms, for I'm learning how to sail my ship.
We will pray He will take care of all the details on how that happens.  And we will pray because PRAYER WORKS!

Completed Treatment
Sophia Vogel (5, soft tissue sarcoma behind left eye) – Eye doctor appointment Thursday, pray her vision is still perfect!  <"Team Sophia" on FB>
Anna Grace Dennis (7, ependymoma) – Stomach pain is better but still dealing with headaches 2-3 times a week and needs The Lord’s help to resolve some testing issues at school.  Pray for discernment and direction! <"Team Anna Grace" on FB>
Rylee Beard (5, Will's tumors in bladder/abdomen) – Doing great!
Matthew Lucas (5, Rhabdomyosarcoma) – Doing great! <"Team Matthew" on FB>
Gabbie Howe (12, ependymoma) – Pray for scans to be free and clear on next scans later this month!
Grant McTaggart (5, P+ ALL)  <http://www.prayforgrant.com/
Hunter (1, Ewing Sarcoma) – Had his port removed Friday and doing great!  Pray for him to remain cancer free and his parents to be blessed in the foundation they are starting to help other families with cancer!  <”Cure Baby Hunter” on FB> 
Nicky George (2, Ependymoma) – His next round of scans are this week, so pray all remains clear! www.nickybear.com
Courtney Pette (16, lymphoma) –<"Team Courtney" on FB>
Maddie Briscoe (7, neuroblastoma) –<”Prayers for Maddie Briscoe” on FB> 
Patton Jones (3, Burkitt's Lymphoma) – Had his next round scan on Monday – pray for clear results and successful port removal if all goes well! http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/pattonjones
Natalie Fraker (5, astrocytoma) – Continue to pray for her recovery, in all areas (physically especially)<” PRAYERSFORNKF” on carepages.com> 
Tristan Smit (3, ependymoma)- In the States this week for all his testing!  Pray peace continues to reign over his family and for him to still be cancer-free!
Mark Ochoa (2, Wilm's Tumor)

Fighting Illness and/or Inpatient 
Brennan Scurlock (1, neuroblastoma) – At the clinic today, pray for good counts and an easy day so he can rest up for being admitted on Thursday for another chemo round.  <"Brennan Scurlock" on FB> 
Carli Simmons (2, Brain Tumor) Inpatient at TCH, receiving treatment
Ava Caggino (4, ATRT Brain Tumor) She was admitted late last week for a fever and side-effects due to the chemo.  Pray she will recover fully and have beaten this cancer completely! <"The Ava Caggino Fight Aganist Cancer Page" on FB> 
Ruel Bobet (20, stomach cancer) – He continues to be in a lot of pain and it is such an awful time for his family.  Pray for healing and relief!   <”Sandy Bobet” (his Mom) on FB>
Nate Dinoffira (2, Neuroblastoma) Dealing with fevers and illness from the chemo, pray for relief!  Also, pray for the endurance of this family, they still have a long way to go. < http://supernatedinoffria.blogspot.com/>
Charlie Harris Beard (1, Leukemia) Found a lump in his neck, pray it is not cancer and it is healed quickly! <”Help save Baby Charlie Harries Beard” on FB> 

In Treatment
Preston Winslow (4, AML) Please pray for this family – they are hurting so much!! www.prestonsleague.com
Kaylee Atkins (6, ALL) – Been experiencing a lot of pain from her meds, please pray for relief and that she and her parents will feel lifted during this time of adjusting to treatment!  <”Praying for Kaylee” on FB>
Max Low (12, Leukemia) At home now, but still needs prayers for recovery.  The treatment has taken a heavy toll, so pray The Lord will heal him so he can finish well! <”Mighty Max Low” on FB>
Aiden Rideout (4, Non-hodgkins lymphoma) Limping this morning, please pray for clarity from medical staff and it will not have pain with it.  <”Prayers for Aiden” on FB>
Logan Sinclair (5, Anaplastic Medulloblastoma) – Pray for his treatment, both the chemo and PT go well and his spirits remain high! <”Pray for Logan Sinclair” on FB> 
Thomas Valerio (11, rhabdomyosarcoma in left hand) Pray for safety as his counts are low.  Pray for no illness or side-effects from the chemo.  He only has a few more rounds to go!
Katie Wagner (15, Rhabdomyosarcoma) Her treatments are extreme, please pray she will continue to have good spirits and supernatural endurance! <Wagner Family support” on FB>
Tynan Chapa (5, ALL) His body is not responding to the treatment so they will be adjusting his protocol.  Keep the doctors in your prayers for wisdom! <”Tynan’s Crusade” on FB>
Wyatt Foster (2, ALL) Praise The Lord he went back to school!  Pray for his counts to recover, especially his ANC, and that he gets no illness and his treatment continues on course! < http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/wyattfoster/mystory>
Kristina Barrett (9, sarcoma in lungs and arm) – Praise The Lord for a diagnosis, she is lactose intolerant.  Pray for a smooth transition away from dairy and that this resolves the stomach issues she has. <"Praying for Kristina" on FB> 
Barrett Blake (5, Rhabdomyosarcoma) Pray for good health, no issues, quick recover and to stay on course with treatment!  http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/barrettblake
Lincoln Daniel Jones (3, ALL) – He did well with his appointments last week.  Pray for no illness and for his treatment to continue uninterrupted! <"Pray for Lincoln Daniel Jones" and "Red Carpet Kids for a Cure" on FB> 
Lucy Weber (3, ALL) – Pray her clinic visit this week to be a good one! <"Team Lucy" on FB> 
Holden Underwood (2, ALL/MLL) – Had a long clinic visit last week and is wrapping up some at-home meds.  Pray he recovers quickly and that he continues to hold steady in his treatment! <"Holden's Hope" on FB> 
Gunnar Peterson (5, Wilm’s Tumor) Going in for chemo and counts this week, pray all continues to go well! <”Gunnar’s Team on FB”> 
Zayley Oliver –Pray she stays healthy and that cancer is beaten back! <”Prayers for Zayley Jade Oliver” on FB> 
Lance McClain (ALL) – Pray he stays feeling well!  <”TeamLance McClain” on FB> 
Addison Marshall (18, ALL) – continues outpatient, maintenance chemp!  <addiecake on Twitter
Izzy Slot (3, angiosarcoma) Pray for results that can be treated easily from her bone scan and for her to recover fully!<”izzyslot” on carepages.com and “Princess Izzy’s Court” on FB> 
Callie Cheer (3, AML) – She went back to school today!  Pray she has the strength and is able to stay illness free!  Bone marrow aspiration results tomorrow – pray they are all clear!  <”Cure for Callie” on FB> 
Layton (3, ALL) Pray for her to not be anxious when she gets her port accessed and that she tolerates the treatment well! <”Prayers for Layton” on FB>
Shelby Adams (Langenhans Cell Histiocytosis) – Pray for wisdom for the doctors to determine how to resolve her digestive issues and can continue her treatment with no issue! <”Prayers for Shelby Adams” on FB>
Braeden Estes (18, Ewings Sarcoma) Pray he continues to respond so well and recover from all that he has been through! <http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/braedenestes>
Aiden McSpadden (3, AML relapse) Having a bone marrow aspiration today.  Pray for clear results and they get him back to 100% donor cells! <"Angels for Aiden" on FB> 
Daniela Owens (9, Ewing Sarcoma) – Tumors are spreading and causing her a lot of pain.  Pray for her release from this cancer! <”Prayer for Daniela” of FB> 
Taylor Porter (15, AML) <”Team Taylor – Taylor Porter” on FB> 
Kaylea Stewart (ALL, 6) –<"Kure for Kaylea" on FB> 
Hudson Kadlecek (4, lymphoma) - <"Hope for Hudson" on FB> 
Logan Brant - Please pray for wisdom and healing!  <“Team Logan” on FB>
Kylie Overton (2, Brain Tumor) – <”Prayers for Baby Kylie Overton” on FB> 

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