Reflections

No real additional health information to post today, so I thought I would take a few minutes to share some of the thoughts, emotions, and scriptures that we have been experiencing.

First, we have been extremely overwhelmed and humbled by the prayers and support we have felt from our church family and friends.  We were touched four years ago when I had thyroid cancer but this has touched us to a new level.  Thanks and please continue to pray for us, as we know you will.

Those of you who are around me have seen me crying at times I'm sure.  It has been hard but God is working in me and I am taking courage from many things.  The times I'm crying are not because I"m scared.  It's either when we are singing in church and the words of a hymn mean so much to me, or one of you are encouraging me and I'm touched by the love I feel, or I"m thinking about my wife and children and saddened to think of the things  they might have to go through.

This morning I decided to start purposely looking for the verses of promise in God's Word.  I opened in the chain reference to the "Promises of ..." and my eyes fell on protection, which led to II Chronicles 16:9  The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him...    As I read the surrounding verses, I learned of the context of this verse which I did not remember.  King Asa had trusted God initially and God gave him victory over his enemies.  Then he turned to the King of Syria for help, and God was displeased, and thus he began to lose his battles.  God sent Hanani the seer to tell him this.  This gave me much encouragement, that God is interested in helping us and showing his strength.  And taught me that my trust needs to be in Him alone, not in various men or my own strength.

I've had to come to realize that I must trust God for everything.  To heal me, to take away my fears, and to provide for my wife and children in the event I don't have a "normal" life.  To try and worry about all these things is foolish and just a lack of faith in God.

Thanks again for your prayers and support,
Derek & Leann, Lexi, Wesley, & Whitley