Update

We went to visit Linda this weekend. We headed up Friday afternoon and met some of Derek's family from PA at the hospital and saw Derek's parents. Linda appeared to be doing pretty well, 2 days post op. We were able to pray over her and spend some time visiting.

On Saturday, things took a turn for the worse. Not cancer wise, but surgery complications wise. The things she has had to go through I wouldn't wish on anyone. It's really hard to see her like this. We're praying that these complications get resolved and she can focus on healing from the surgery and getting ready for chemo. They would like to start in 2-3 weeks. On Sunday, the doctor said her white blood cell counts were low, so she needs to get those up as well to start chemo. We were hoping she would get to go home over the weekend, but now I we're hoping sometime this week. Thanks everyone who has prayed for her. We appreciate those prayers. Even though things are not going as we expected, we continue to trust God with it.

I was thinking this weekend how when something goes well or better than expected, we are so quick to praise God. But what about the times when you pray for healing or protection and things don't go well? Praising God is not at all our first instinct. It's so easy to question God, to wonder if He has forgotten about you. This week we are clinging to verses about suffering, trusting that God is using it for good, that He has heard our prayers, even though right now, not much good seems to be happening.

³ Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; ⁴ perseverance, character; and character, hope. ⁵ And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.


² Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, ³ because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. ⁴ Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.


 ¹⁰ I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death...


We know and trust that God is at work. We'll continue to pray for healing and we will continue to choose joy. Because no matter what, we know that God is for us. Thanks for praying. Hopefully I'll have some good news soon!