Angels In Voice

Thank you for all the encouraging emails and comments regarding the good news on Candice.  We are still rejoicing and are so excited that she is doing so well.  She continues to drink her BOOST and has even gained a few pounds.  She says she feels much stronger and healthier too. Our dad went for his bladder scope on Monday and there were no signs of cancer in his bladder.  Praise God for the wonderful news on him as well!!  We've been praying that 2007 will be a good year and so far it really has been.  We are just so thankful to the Lord for his kindness, mercy and love.  We've had a busy week so far, but a good one.  We have been practicing for some upcoming events along with reading the Left Behind Series.  Our Aunt Judy loaned us her series and I am not sure if any of you have read it, but it really has us on our toes.  We started reading the series a little over a year ago and we are currently on book 11 of 12.  We are looking forward to finishing them within the next few weeks.  This week our church is also having a Revival with Evangelist Kent York.  This is the eighth year he and his wife Julie have been coming to our church and they are a blessing to us each time.  Kent and Julie York make up the team of Ignite Ministries. Using a mixture of humor and poignant truth, the word of God comes alive every service in his messages-to ignite and challenge the church family.  Julie has a beautiful contralto voice and she sings to prepare hearts before each message.  She has really ministered to us through her songs over the past few years. The revival started on Sunday morning, and we have met Sunday, Monday and Tuesday evenings, and tonight is the last night they will be here.  We truly have been challenged.  One of the scriptures he preached on was Romans 10:9  "If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."  We shouldn't be ashamed to tell others about Jesus.  I really believe that we are living in the end times and that we need to be sharing Christ with those who are not saved.  That is our purpose to spread HIS word, and after this revival we feel encouraged to continue serving him.  We thank you Lord for everything and we pray that you will use us to be a blessing to many people.

I want to thank each of you for your uplifting comments and most of all for your prayers.  I had my lab work and CT scan done at the Mayo clinic yesterday.  We got up around 5am yesterday morning and we did not get home until after 4pm yesterday afternoon.  It was a really long and tiring day for our whole family.  I wanted to let you know that I got good news on both my lab work and CT scan. Praise God!  I had a follow up appointment with Dr Mulligan at 2pm yesterday to talk about the results of my tests.  Dr Mulligan's assistant came in and delivered the good news to mom, Crystal and I.  He explained to us that when I had my chemoembolization treatment back on November 29th that the size of the tumor that was being embolized in my liver was 5.2cm's.  That was a pretty big tumor!  Well, when I followed up with a CT scan in January, I was told that the chemoembolization was effective in destroying the tumor.  What I failed to understand was that the tumor was still there, but it had started shrinking from the effects of the chemoembolizatiion treatment.  The size of the tumor in January's CT scan was 3.5cm's.  So, when I went for my CT Scan yesterday, the tumor is still in the liver and is now 1.7cm's.  So it's still in the process of shrinking from the chemoembolization that was done back in November.  I realize now, that back when Dr Huettl, did my chemoembolization he mentioned that by cutting off the blood supply, the tumor would have nothing to feed on and it would slowly die.  Which makes sense, it will take time for it to shrink and disappear.  I am just thankful that the chemoembolization is still working.  I am praying that when I go back in July for my three month follow up that it will be totally gone.  I am just thanking the Lord because they didn't find any other tumors in my liver or questionable spots on my lungs or kidneys.  We are just praising the Lord and are so excited for good news.  Dr Mulligan was thrilled too!  I have met so many wonderful doctors at the Mayo clinic.  I feel confident that I will be watched carefully and get the best treatment I need.  I know that my life is in God's hands.  I know he is a merciful, loving God who cares and is in full control.  I am comforted by his word.  

Isaiah 53:5

"But he was pierced for our transgressions,
       he was crushed for our iniquities;
       the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,
       and by his wounds we are healed."

Things are going well for Crystal and I.  We haven't been doing a whole lot, just taking it easy. Our AZ weather has been so terrible.  There's been a lot of pollution in the air and the dust and wind have not helped any.  It makes it rough when you have severe allergies and lung problems.  We have stayed in most of the week and when we do go out we try not to breathe it in.  I wanted to write a post and let you know that I am going for my three month follow up CT Scan this coming Monday at the Mayo Clinic.  I can't believe it's been three months already.  I have lab work scheduled for 7:50am and the CT Scan at 9:00am.  I am allergic to the IV contrast, so I have to prep with three 50mg prednisone tablets that I take as directed along with a 50mg benadryl.  It is definitely worth it, so that I don't break out with hives all over my face and neck.  At 2:00pm I have an appointment to see Dr. Mulligan for a follow up.  It'll be a long day, but hopefully I will know my results that day.  I'm praying for good results and that God's will be done in my life.  I am just grateful that he directed my family and I to the Mayo clinic so that I could get the proper care I needed.  I have met such wonderful caring doctors and I feel confident that I am in the right place.  Please continue to keep me in your prayers.  Thank you so much! 

I hope everyone had a wonderful Palm Sunday.  We had a great "Lord's Day" yesterday.  We had missionaries Jim and Sharon Smith visiting from Quito, Ecuador.  Jim brought the message in the morning service.  It is always such a blessing to hear him preach.  Last night, our church choir put on an Easter presentation called "Tenebrae" which means Festival of lights.  The production went very well.  It had ten songs, two of our favorite were "Tis Midnight" and "How Deep the Father's Love for Us."  We had a video presentation that went along with it.  We performed four songs and then had communion.  During Communion the choir sang "Always Remember" a beautiful song. How precious it is that our dear Lord and Savior Jesus Christ died on the cross and shed his blood for us, so that we may have eternal life. John 3-16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that for whosoever believeth in him shall not perish but have everlasting life." We can't begin to thank him enough for all he did for each and every one of us.   We ended the program with an acappella arrangement of "Beautiful Savior" which is the last verse of "Farist Lord Jesus." It was completely dark while we were singing it and each of us had a light that looked like a candle.  We gave the impression that we were lighting each others candles.  Candice turned on her light and I leaned over to touched her light and flipped my switch to turn it on.  It was beautiful seeing all the lights light up the stage while singing.  After everyone had their lights on we left the stage, still dark ooing the tune "Beautiful Savior" and we walked around the auditorium with our lights and out the door.  It was truly AMAZING!!  

Here are the lyrics to "How Deep the Father's Love for Us"

How deep the Father's love for us
How vast beyond all measure
That He would give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure

It was my sin that held Him there
Until it was accomplished
His dying breath has brought me life
I know that it is finished