Encouragement along our way.

There's a mug that sits in our kitchen window that keeps me going when the going get's tough. I bought it a few years ago and put it in my gift drawer for some friend who might need it. I never dreamed it would be us. We're not drinking any coffee out of it because I want it out on display as a reminder, rather than in the dishwasher.

When we are down or having a rough day of doubt we look at it and gain strength from its truthful message.

This week has been similar to the first week of chemo. Chemo took a little longer on Friday. Saturday was a good day for Sam and we were optimistic. However, halfway through Sunday he began to feel poorly. So he took his nausea pills and plodded on. Tuesday he felt well enough for a short bike ride but pooped out later that day. Wednesday was a day of feeling whipped and dragging around without much appetite but he did eat. That evening though he perked up and worked a bit at his desk. So we are real hopeful that tomorrow, Thursday will be a good day. It will be the day his immunities will be the lowest so we will have to be careful. We bought a huge bottle of hand sanitizer and hopefully I can keep him from shaking hands and hugging folks.

Nan had a special day Tuesday with a long visit on the phone in the morning with a special friend and prayer warrior. In the afternoon she got to go see an old college friend from Ohio. Both visits were just what what she needed to keep plodding on. Sometimes when we have our eyes on our circumstances or prognosis' or have been doing cancer research of our own we get discouraged. Then right when we need it HE shows up either in His Word, the Bible or in an encouraging phone call or visit from a friend.

Today I was reading about the man who had been sick for 38years in John 5. He was waiting at the pool for the angel to stir the waters when Jesus came by. "When Jesus saw him and KNEW how long he had been ill, He asked him, 'Would you like to be well?' 'I can't' said the sick man 'for I have no one to help me into the pool.'" I thought, wow! we have so many of you helping bring us to Jesus with your prayers! Thank you ever so much.

Again on August 29th the Lord spoke and encouraged me in my Oswald Chambers' devotional started out with,

"Every time you venture out in the life of faith, you will find something in your common-sense circumstances that flatly contradicts your faith...Can you trust Jesus Christ where your common sense cannot trust Him? Can you venture heroically on Jesus Christ's statements when the facts of your common-sense life shout - 'It's a lie?' On the mount it's easy.....but you have to come down to the valley and meet with facts that laugh at your belief."

We hope these words encourage your hearts as well as you read them.