"O for grace to trust Him more..."

Hello from Alabama dear ones!

Many wonderful blessings have been ours since we arrived here. God has guided every step! We've had two incredibly helpful consultations. Both exceeded our expectations in ways that were profound.

On arrival we needed supplies, and frankly had low expectations of finding "fancy" organic foods for Jody - I mean - we're in Alabama! But our great Lord took us to the "Fresh Market", not unlike our favorite neighborhood market "Whole Foods"! We walked in and tears began flowing! Folks must have thought we were really odd. It had everything... and the market has only been there a short time! Talk about "beyond what you can ask or think!"

Is. 30:18 Therefore the LORD longs to be gracious to you, And therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you. For the LORD is a God of justice; How blessed are all those who long for Him.

Psa. 27:5 For in the day of trouble He will conceal me in His tabernacle; In the secret place of His tent He will hide me; He will lift me up on a rock.

Matt. 10:29-31 "Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows."

In God's providence, Jody did not have the CT-Guided RFA procedure yet because the Fusion PET/CT revealed metastases that need to be dealt with first. I admit that sounds ominous, but it's really not when you compare our challenges with how great our God is!

Here's the news from the PET/CT Fusion which is by far the best diagnostic technology on the planet. It shows everything stucturally (CT) and metabolically (PET), then fuses those hundreds of images into hundreds of more images with staggering diagnostic detail. In the hands of a radiologist like the one we were blessed to see, you can learn anything you want to - about any part of your health - brain to toes.

1. Jody's mass in the lung has hardly grown in 10 weeks. It was 6.0 cm on diagnoses, and it is 6.2 now. By the standards for this type of cancer, it should be well over 10 cm by now! We praise God.
2. The other lung is perfectly clear. We praise God.
   
3. There are no other metastases ("mets") from the bottom of her lung to her feet. We praise God.
4. Jody is clear through her neck and glands right up to the brain. We praise God.
5. There's a small "met" in a rib that will need to be treated systemically. We praise God.
6. Jody has three isolated, small "mets" in the brain. These are treatable with specialized radiation technologies. We praise God.
   
   Ironically, Jody's only discomfort is her shoulder, which is not involved in cancer at all - just a little bursitis. And for that we praise God!
   

Psa. 16:8 I have set the LORD continually before me; Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.

We'd appreciate your prayers along these lines...

No. 6 is the immediate priority. Please pray we'll find the right "Gamma Knife/Cyber Knife" specialist for her quickly. We have been told that - although serious - these lesions can be remedied in more than 80% of cases that look like Jody's. Lord willing, with those "mets" under control, we'll be able to refocus on CT Guided RFA for the lung.

In our second consultation we learned about all the newest molecular targeting treatments (systemic) for Jody. We will need to get updates on her pathology to find out if she is genetically likely to benefit from these. Please pray that the details in this regard come together quickly.

Jody and I have been blessed with Logan's company during this trip. The three of us have been praying and singing and laughing and crying and doing every normal thing that happens when trials test our faith - but God in His great mercy is here, and "He leads His dear children along." We are so blessed, and His praise shall continually be on our lips!

Is. 49:13 Shout for joy, O heavens! And rejoice, O earth! Break forth into joyful shouting, O mountains! For the LORD has comforted His people And will have compassion on His afflicted.