Prayer Requests #2

1. Still #1 - We praise our Lord God more and more each day, for His grace and mercy, and for entrusting this gift in the form of a trial to us! What a blessing it is to be weaned from the mundane concerns of this world. Rejoice with us!

2. The Lord has provided us clear direction in assembling a team of excellent doctors and practitioners. Please pray for the best wisdom and counsel from them. This is going very well.

3. Praise God for the outpouring of prayers, love and helps from the body of Christ towards us - this wonderfully honors the Lord and humbles us - and continues to daily!

4. Pray that we can continue to organize and adjust our daily lives in such a way that Scott can go back to work. This is continuing to be difficult because the regimen we are on is time and energy consuming. Answered! I am back to work. I am not back full force yet, but am so thankful that God has allowed this progress to happen. Spectrasonics has been so loving and accommodating - all I can do is thank you Lord Jesus. Please pray I can continue to ramp up my productivity back to normal, while still serving Jody. So far, so good!

5. Praise the Lord with me that Jody still has no pains or major symptoms.

6. Pray that we would not give in to any temptations to dishonor the Lord in any way during this time.

Being thankful...

One thing that is in such bold relief lately - I've not been thankful enough - for so many blessings. It has been an incredible, convicting joy, for instance, to have all sorts of sensitivities heightened in the area of diet. I eat and drink what Jody is allowed to eat and drink - so I can fellowship with her on that part of her regimen. It is about as simple as one can eat.

When you can only have millet, totally plain for breakfast - for weeks - and suddenly are allowed a few blueberries - it is like the heavens are opened! How thankless I have been for so long; with all the variety and abundance of choices with which we all have daily access. I think about how often we would labor about "where to go out to eat"... even to the point of frustration. How that must have displeased the Lord!

Tonight, for dinner, Jody and I had a complete blast - because we figured out a new way to configure some of the things she is allowed to have into "something like a tostada". I'll spare the details - but to us - it was maybe the most exciting, delicious thing we ever ate - and with every bite you could hear a praise for God... it was awesome! Thank you, Lord for even the simple blessing of a blueberry!

Col. 3:15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful.

Jody's Blog Diversion #2

I humbly submit this blog diversion from the mind
and lens of my one and only bride!

"I love to take photos of various figurines in my collection.
I call this one..."

'WMD'

Blessing after blessing...

...They keep pouring in - to God's glory and our encouragement!

Just a short list (there's no way I could do it justice) of recent blessings that reflect the goodness of God as he works through the sweet fellowship of believers... Names are withheld so God can get the glory... But we know who most of you are - but more importantly - the Lord does!

1. The Word is alive to us - and we cling to it - and we thank each and every one of you for your comments and verses posted here at the blog, sent to our emails, and sent in cards and letters. Your sweet encouragement lifts our spirits and keep us *fixed* on His perspective, and on the goodness of God - and His perfect wisdom.

2. All those who pray for us... Mainstream, Grace Community Church, and many others from all over the world! We are such undeserving worms! What a sweet aroma of praise to God - as we trust Him for His perfect will, perfect timing, perfect purposes. May He lavishly reward all of you who faithfully remember us in your thoughts and prayers; for His glory, and your joy in Him!

3. The family, friends, and even folks we've never met - that go to appointments, book planes, make soup, make phone calls, do research on our behalf, help with the housework, watch Gladys, help out at Bleach Bros., make handmade blankets and scarves, send books, send or bring flowers, send paintings, shred vegetables, compose music ("A Prayer For Jody", maybe the prettiest string arrangement I've ever heard), cover our music commitments, give counsel, provide storage space, sit with us, lunch with us, even anonymous financial gifts (I have a verse for you wonderful, "sneaky" people - Proverbs 11:25!) we accept as from the Lord... It just continues to boggle our minds daily... We are undone. It completely humbles us.

James 1:17 Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.

1Chr. 29:11 Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, indeed everything that is in the heavens and the earth; Yours is the dominion, O LORD, and You exalt Yourself as head over all.

(P.S. The card in the pic is from the sweet body of believers at Grace Bible Church, Marysville, pastored by our dear friend John Zimmer. What a loving congregation! Many we have never met!)

Great Quotes Sent By Friends...

Quoting Andrew Murray; "First He brought me here, it is by His will I am in this strait place: in that fact I will rest. Next, He will keep me here in His love, and give me grace to behave as His child. Then, He will make the trial a blessing, teaching me lessons He intends me to learn, and working in me the grace He means to bestow. Last, in His good time He can bring me out again - how and when He knows. Let me say I am here, 1) By God's appointment, 2) In His keeping, 3) Under His training, 4) For His time."

(Thank you, Donna.)

Quoting C. H. Spurgeon... The Lord openeth the eyes of the blind: the Lord raiseth them that are bowed down. (Psalm l46:8) Am I bowed down? Then let me urge this word of grace before the Lord. It is His way, His custom, His promise, His delight, to raise up them that are bowed down. ... the Comforter has undertaken to console. What a mercy for us that one Person of the sacred Trinity should become the Comforter! This work will be well done since such a glorious One has made it His peculiar care. Some are so bowed down that only Jesus can loose them from their infirmity, but He can, and He will, do it. He can raise us up to health, to hope, to happiness. He has often done so under former trials, and He is the same Savior and will repeat His deeds of lovingkindness. We who are today bowed down and sorrowful shalt yet be set on high... What an honor to be raised up by the Lord! It is worthwhile to be bowed down that we may experience His upraising power.

(Thank You, Logan.)

From Jody...

Hello my beloved friends, saints, and fellow prayer warriors!

I am amazed at all your wonderful and worshipful responses! And thank you for the uplifting scriptures! The Lord is magnified! And that's all I want to do during this trial, my friends, is magnify and glorify our Great Lord who is our Savior and the Creator of the universe! He is my Shield and Refuge and Fortress and Deliverer.

Wow! What a time this has been! I love the way the Lord accomplishes His purposes. Out of a seemingly horrible and depressing situation (by the world's standards) He brings such joy and peace and tremendous fellowship with friends like you! Hallelujah! I can't thank you enough for your prayers!

Now listen, I want to pray for you as well! If any of you have specific requests that need to brought before the throne, don't hesitate to email me . My address is jody@bleachbrosmusic.com - Thank you for checking in with us. Scotty has done such a fantastic job! I hope to share with you little "tidbits" about what I'm learning in the weeks and months to come.

To God be the glory!

Jody

My Peace Study...

I am overwhelmed with the peace that only comes from God today. Jody and I had a great walk and talk, praising and thanking God for the strength and encouragement we receive from the Word, and from the comments from all of you! Your sweet words fill us with wonder and joy in the Lord, and then it multiplies in praise to Christ from our lips. Thank you for loving us this way! (Jody took the pic of the bird bath - she fascinates me!)

Rom. 4:25 - 5:1-2 He who was delivered over because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification. Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God.

Phil. 4:6-8 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.

Col. 3:14-16 Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

My Comfort Study...

2Cor. 1:3-5 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

2Cor. 1:5 For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ.

2Th. 2:15-17 So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught, whether by word of mouth or by letter from us. Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us eternal comfort and good hope by grace, comfort and strengthen your hearts in every good work and word.

Prayer Requests #1

1. We praise our Lord God more and more each day, for His grace and mercy, and for entrusting this gift in the form of a trial to us! What a blessing it is to be weaned from the mundane concerns of this world. Rejoice with us!

2. The Lord has provided us clear direction in assembling a team of excellent doctors and practitioners. Please pray for the best wisdom and counsel from them.

3. Praise God for the outpouring of prayers, love and helps from the body of Christ towards us - this wonderfully honors the Lord and humbles us.

4. Pray that we can continue to organize and adjust our daily lives in such a way that Scott can go back to work. This is continuing to be difficult because the regimen we are on is time and energy consuming.

5. Praise the Lord with me that Jody still has no pains or symptoms.

6. Pray that we would not give in to any temptations to dishonor the Lord in any way during this time.

Phil. 4:6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

Jody's Blog Diversion #1

Jody's solution for world peace, and harmony in every home?

"Give everyone an accordion. It's impossible to stay mad for long when you're playing a polka."

Back to Indiana (Well, Phoenix actually...)

How we Love the Lord!

Each day we are overwhelmed by one stack of letters / emails after another with prayers and encouragement. It is so humbling and encouraging that God would choose to love us the way He has through all of you. We intend to answer each one but it takes more time than we have right now. Each communication lifts our spirits as we fellowship with you about our Great and Mighty God.

By way of update, Jody has returned from a meeting (in Phoenix) with one of her doctors who is very pleased with her initial progress in the past 30 days. There is still a long way to go - but these test results affirm that we are moving in an excellent direction for Jody. I hasten to add that she feels great (and looks really well too.)

As many of you know, our oncologist did not have any curative hope for Jody - only palliative care; so we are aggressively pursuing what we feel to be the best protocol for Jody in a curative sense. It is aggressive, time consuming, but we are playing to win; the Lord is blessing, and we have *everything* to be thankful for - whatever God's will is for us. We trust in Him above all!

I wish you all could see the amount of glory and worship that is rendered to Christ in your sweet service to us - so many are helping and praying - and from our perspective it is an awesome symphony of God's tender mercies and grace. We are consumed with Him as we walk in these trying days. What an added joy that progress is being made and we received such an encouraging report. For that we bow down in humble worship to God for blessing us yet again.