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:
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:
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>
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!
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>
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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