This past Saturday morning, I came downstairs at about 7:30 and was surprised to hear voices in my kitchen. Ben had a friend spend the night and they usually stay up all night and sleep until noon. As I’m walking straight to the coffee pot, I say to them,

“Why are you up so early?”

They look at each other as if they are not sure how to answer. Finally Ben timidly says,

“Um…we need to tell you something.”

I started wondering if they had slept at all. It seemed like they had been sitting there all night just waiting for me to wake up so they could confess. They were very nervous. I could tell that this was something pretty bad.

But, I’m thinking that they spilled something on the couch. Or, tore the felt on the pool table, or broke the lamp. Nope. It was none of these. It was much worse.

They took me in the game room and when Ben turned the TV on, I was silent. I won’t go into all the details of how they told me it happened, because the only thing that matters is that they made a bad decision and our 80″ TV is ruined.

PAUSE: I know exactly what you are thinking. “Who needs an 80″ TV, anyway??!!”

If you’ve ever been to our house, you probably remember the TV because it takes up half of the game room. It is huge!! It was only purchased because of a bonus Clay got. He wanted it for sports, and it sure was a great place to watch a football game.

Ok. Back to Saturday morning. I’m standing in the middle of the room, staring at the shattered TV screen, without a drop of coffee in my body, with two little boys looking at me like they are about to melt into puddles of tears. I told them I needed a minute to think and I walked out of the room and straight to the Keurig, where my coffee was waiting for me.

Only a few minutes later, Ben came in the kitchen, very quietly. He had tears streaming down his face and he said,

“Mom, I will get a job and I will work to make money to pay for it. I promise.” (Important note: He’s 11.)

To which I replied in a pretty sweet voice, considering the circumstances,

“Ben, that’s impossible. You could never earn enough money to pay for that TV.”

Immediately. I mean, before the words even got passed my lips. The Holy Spirit spoke to me.

“You could never repay your debt, either.”

I walked to the swing in silence. As I sipped my coffee on the swing the Lord just kept talking to me about the situation. Ben and his friend came to the porch with me and we had a meaningful discussion about the consequences of our sin. I asked them some questions:

“Although what happened was an accident, did you know that what you were doing at the time was wrong?“They replied with sad faces,

“Yes, but it was so fun.”

It is the same with us when we sin. There is a conscience in us, which is the Holy Spirit, telling us that what we are doing is wrong, but we are having fun. (Read Romans 2:14-15) We are caught up in the moment and we choose to continue in our sin. But, then, something bad happens and we realize how wrong we were. So, we feel bad about it. So bad, that we lose sleep or we cry or we sit and wait in panic until God comes (to get His coffee) and we can tell Him about it. Our heart pounds and our thoughts run wild. Guilt overtakes us as we impatiently wait to see what God will say or do.

“Can you repay the damage you have done?“ They replied,

“We can work and try.” Then I told them the price, and they hung their heads and said, “No. It would take forever for us to earn that much.”

Romans 3:20 says, “For by works of the law no human being will be justified in His sight…”

Just like Ben and his friend could not repay me if I demanded it right now, we could never repay the debt of our sin. We can not be justified by works. This means that we can’t do enough good things, or earn enough, to repay the debt of sin. We have all sinned and fallen short, so all of us have been in this situation….just like Ben and his friend.

Jesus asks us, “Can you repay the debt of your sin?”

And some of us try. We work. We do good deeds. We try to live the best life we can.

But, it’s not enough. It’s not good enough.

And, really, the fact that Jesus is waiting to just forgive us and cover the debt for us, is so much better than trying to work it off. I mean, imagine being Ben, and me saying,

“Ok. You can either work for the next three years, everyday, and give me every dollar you earn. OR, I can just forgive you and pay the debt for you.”

I mean, really? Is this even a choice? But do you know how many people choose option 1 and spend their lives trying to work off the debt of sin? Going to church. Reading their Bible. Giving to the poor. Helping others. Volunteering time. Saying prayers.

All these things are good, but they don’t earn you money to repay your debt. You could never earn enough. The only way your sin can be repaid is through blood. There has to be a death. And, Jesus did that for us. He died so we would not have to die.

Romans 3:21-25, (I love the New Living Translation of these verses.)

“But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago. We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.
For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins. For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood.”

Amen. Thank you, Jesus. I want that. I want to be free from my sin by just believing. I don’t want to spend the rest of my life working and wondering if it will ever be enough. I want to live in freedom knowing that my debt was already paid.

“What will you learn from this experience?” They replied,

“We will never do that again.”

I smiled and thanked God for His patience with me. How many times have I told the Lord I would not do something again?? Too many. But, every time, He is waiting to forgive me. His love never runs out. His forgiveness never dries up.

So, while I have a pretty strong feeling that Ben might get caught up having fun and do the same thing he did to break our TV, I also believe that he will remember this moment. He will always remember how he felt when he made such a bad mistake. And, I believe it taught him more about my love for him and God’s love for us all.

Now, it was time for Ben to ask me a few questions….

“How will we tell Dad? He’s going to be really upset.” To which, I replied,

“I will tell him for you, babe. I will tell him at just the right time and in just the right way. Don’t worry about it.”

This is exactly what Jesus does for us. He is our advocate. The one person who stands between God and us. When God is ready to judge us, Jesus is standing there saying, “Wait. She’s with me. I covered her sin.” And we are free from sin and able to partake in all the goodness of God. We are able to be in His presence without fear.

Romans 5:1-2; 8-9,

“Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation.”

So, I waited for just the right moment, which came a few days later. I shared with Clay how God had used this moment to teach Ben and his friend….and me….an important lesson. We talked about what happened, but in the end I told him that I prayerfully handled it how I believed God was leading me. To which Clay responded with a smile. Chapter closed. Story over. We haven’t discussed it again.

Clay never went to Ben and said, “Tell me what you did.” Or demanded that he repay the loss. Clay heard me out and agreed that the situation was handled and it was over.

It is the same with God. We come to Jesus…all broken and in a mess…and Jesus covers us with His robes of righteousness. He makes us clean. He puts us back together. When we truly believe in Him and surrender our lives, He makes us beautiful. God doesn’t come behind Him and take off the robe and look underneath. He doesn’t question us and make us repeat everything over again. He sees the beauty, and He welcomes us in to His presence. We avoid His condemnation because of Jesus.

“What will Sam and Grace say?” Ooh. I had to take a deep breath and think for a second.

Because Ben is the baby of the family, there is already some sibling tension. (I’m sure most of you know what I’m talking about, right?) So, I couldn’t be sure how they would handle it. The truth is, we are all affected by Ben’s mistake. Everyone in the family used that TV at times, so we’ve all lost something.

This is a picture of the members of the Body of Christ, the Church, and how we handle each other when someone sins. Do we yell and scream at our brothers and sisters? Do we blame them and become angry toward them? Do we shun them? Do we remind them how stupid that decision was and tell them over and over again how big the price of the mistake will be?

Or, do we recognize the repentance in their heart? Do we recognize the guilt and remorse? Do we treat them like Jesus does and love them? Do we imagine how we would feel in their situation?

I told Ben that I wasn’t sure how Sam and Grace would react, but I was praying that they would react with love. I reminded him how one person’s sin usually affects many. We sometimes think that we can make decisions that will only impact ourself, but it just isn’t true. The lives of every person who is connected to us, in anyway, are impacted when we make the wrong choice.

Love others. Forgive, as Christ has forgiven you. Be patient with those in your life. Remember, they have to be patient with you, too.

“Mom, will you be able to fix the TV?” This is a good one. This is the hardest part. I replied,

“No, Ben. I feel very confident that the TV is ruined, and we will not be able to replace it. We just won’t have a TV in our game room for a while.”

There is always a consequence to our sin. Although there is forgiveness and mercy, there are still consequences. Today, Ben is forgiven. He is back in a good, healthy relationship with Clay and me. No one is mad at him, or reminding him of what he did. Our household is at peace. But, no one is watching TV in our game room.

This is why Jesus practically begs us to live our life for Him. It is one thing to believe on Jesus and be saved from your sin. It is another thing, entirely, to live for Him everyday. But, His word is filled with promises that you can claim, if you surrender your life and live for Him. If you choose to continue to run your own life, try to work your way to heaven, or live with one foot in the world and one foot in church….you are missing out.

You are burdening your life with consequences that are unnecessary and you are missing out on a life filled with joy and peace that is unexplainable.

 

I hope this ministers to you today. If you read this and the Holy Spirit is pulling on your heart, ask yourself if you’ve allowed Him to cover your sins. Have you really believed on Jesus and surrendered your life to Him. If not, read Romans. The book of Romans lays out the Plan of Salvation beautifully. Read and it and let God speak to you.

If you are trying to work your way to Heaven, read Romans 5 and I Corinthians 1:18-31. This is all about Jesus. We can’t do anything on our own because there can be no pride in us when we stand before Him. Surrender your life and let Him live through you.

If you have surrendered your life, follow His Word and ask Him to help you live free of sin. Don’t burden your life with unwanted consequences. Seek Him in every decision. Live in the Word and let His peace cover you. Trust Him with your life.

In the end, it was just a TV. So many people in our lives that have been affected by the recent flooding, have learned the lesson that material things are just things. Who cares if we have a TV in the game room? Not me. I’m thankful today for the way God uses every situation to speak to us. Make sure you are listening to Him today.

Love you! Kristy.

 

 

Cancer. I hate it. It has a way of turning your life upside down in an instant.

In one of the first prayers I prayed in the hospital on May 3, I asked the Lord to not let time go by too fast. You know how we always say to each other, “Time is flying by!” I had a deep desire to hold on to every moment and I begged the Lord to make it slow down for me.

He did. It has now been almost 6 months since Clay’s diagnosis. Remember that the doctors in BR told us that he only had about 4 months to live? Thank you, Jesus! Thank you.

I’ve always felt like God gave Clay and I a real ability to enjoy the moments and not allow time to slip by too fast. The unplanned, simple moments are my favorite.

Like sitting by the fire on our patio and watching football while the kids make S’mores. (Ok. I ate one, too. It wasn’t just the kids!)

Or, little encounters where God just puts good friends right where you are in a moment when you could use some encouragement. While we waited for Dr. Russell last week, Chris and Matt just walked in the door. They enjoyed some guy talk about Fantasy Football, which took Clay’s mind off of everything else for a while.

Or, moments when you realize how much you mean to others. That night, after we got a good report on Clay’s MRI, Clay got balloons from Grace’s friend, Jordan. We’ve known Jordan since she was born, so she’s like family to us. She was so excited to hear that Clay’s MRI went well. She came upstairs with balloons to help us celebrate. It really touched me to see how happy she was. Look at her huge smile.

Oh, and we love visits from old friends and family. The first pic is Clay with his Aunt Margie, all the way from Colorado. This was her first chance to see him since May. Her and her husband, Ted, have been a huge support and they have their church in Colorado praying for us constantly.

Do you remember my blog about Kesleigh Dean…the friend Clay wanted to see who just happened to be running down my street at the exact time I was leaving the house??!! (That story will never get old.) Anyway, in that same conversation with Clay, he had also mentioned wanting to see Angie Johnson. Here she is! Angie, her sister Natalie, and her Mom came to see us recently. It was such a sweet visit. They laughed about old times and remembered some good moments in their teenage years. Clay loved it. Look at his smile!

This is a good one….my sweet friend, Janelle, took Grace driving in her Jeep so Grace could learn to drive a standard. Janelle said she did great. Grace thinks she wants a Jeep when the time comes for a car…we’ll see.

This is a really simple thing, but one of my favorites. Grace had an appointment to have her braces removed. But, we had time before to help with carpool at Ben’s school. Grace attended there K-4 – 8th grade, so she got to see teachers and friends. She helped us open the car doors for all the kids. I love having her with me in unexpected moments.

This moment was not unplanned or simple to Grace. The moment she waited 21 months for…..she got her braces off! And, of course, she looks beautiful. Then, I took her to get her hair trimmed. This day was all about Grace, and I loved every minute of it. My precious friend and hairdresser for 12 years, did her hair. If you live in Central, you need to go see Jodi Tullier! She is wonderful.

Sam has been working for my parents for the past few months, while they rebuild their store. I captured this little moment because I always want to remember how my dad made a difference in my kids’ lives. Sam thinks he’s working, but really he’s getting paid to spend time with my dad – one of God’s greatest creations. Nail guns, nails, peg board and quality time.

This moment was a little difficult, but I will always remember how God has given us the ability to handle difficulty with a smile. We met with Billy Aaron to create wills and get his legal advice on how to best prepare in our situation. Clay and Billy played basketball together…a long time ago! It was good to see them catch up and Billy was very gracious to us. If you need a good attorney in Central, Billy Aaron is your guy!

Grace is the setter for her High School Volleyball Team. Last week, she passed 500 assists for her high school career so far. She was #1 in the state for a few weeks. I haven’t looked this week, but she’s somewhere in the top 5. So, things were a little crazy when I was trying to get the pic of them holding up 500. I should blame it on Clay, but the fact that it’s backward is my fault.

I got a sweet gift from one of my mom’s friends, Ann Fryant. She owns a gift shop in Jackson, MS, and she drove here to bring my mom some things for her store. In all the work she did to prepare for this trip, she remembered me. Isn’t that sweet? I have felt so loved by so many of you. I’ll never be able to repay it, but God will bless you all beyond measure. Thank you, Apple Annie!!!

Speaking of just a simple, unplanned pleasure…..We were on our way to treatment last Thursday. I pulled into the gas station, looked to my left and there was Clay’s dad. In his Pray for Clay shirt! He pumped my gas and got to visit with Clay for a few minutes before we went. It was just a sweet little moment that God gave us.

Since Clay started the Avastin, he has lost his taste buds. He is still on steroids, so he’s hungry and he will eat, but he can’t taste anything. For some reason, he LOVES Animal Crackers. But, we learned an important lesson. There is more than one kind of Animal Cracker in the world. And, choosing the wrong one is detrimental. After he asked me about 5 times for Animal Crackers one day last week, I said, “Get in the car.” I drove up to Wal-Mart and got him some Animal Crackers. I think I’ll always remember that moment of him opening the bag right there in the car so he could eat some while I drove.

God is good to us. He gives us simple pleasures in life that make even our most difficult times bearable. In the midst of pain and sorrow, there is light. I try to always notice when God does something really small for me. If you pay close attention today, you’ll see that He is doing small things for you, too.

So many of you have been asking how Clay is feeling. The truth is – not great. He’s very tired all the time, so he sleeps a lot. He is very sensitive to noise, so we stay home a lot. His taste buds are gone, so he has to make himself eat sometimes. His eyesight is still not good, so he can’t drive and he has trouble seeing anything at a distance. But, we are thankful that he has not been nauseated, he is not having headaches, and he is not in any pain. Every time we go to the doctor, we leave with thankful hearts because of so many others who are suffering so much more.

For now, the plan is the same. He will continue Avastin infusions every other Thursday. He will continue Temodar (chemo pill) one week out of each month. I’m not sure when our next MRI will be, yet. But, we will probably have them every 2 – 3 months. Thank God for our last good report and confirmation that the medicine seems to be working.

I’ll leave you with this thought the Lord gave me…

Sometimes when Clay is sleeping, I just want to be with him. So, I’ll lay beside him or sit in the bed and read. I was laying with him the other day and just staring at him while he slept. I was thinking about how much I love him and how I would stop whatever I was doing just to sit there with him. I miss him doing things with me and being active with us.

While I was staring at him, I felt the Holy Spirit say, “Do you love Me this much?”

Do I love Jesus more than anything? Do I love Him so much that I just want to stare at Him? Do I love Him enough to stop everything I’m doing, just to be with Him? Does He have my  heart?

It’s a really good soul-searching question. Will I put aside the things of the world to be with Him?

If we want all the benefits of what He offers, we have to love Him. Love is the root of this Christian life. It starts with a deep love for Him that enables us to turn away from the things He tells us are not good. We will choose Him over anything else because we LOVE Him. Not because of what He does or does not do. Because we love Him.

This is one of my favorite worship songs right now. Listen to this and let God search your heart today. Love Him with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. And, if you find that you don’t, just pray a simple prayer and ask Him to help you love Him.

Romans 5:5 says, “…because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.”

Ask Him to shed abroad His love in your heart today. Lord, do that in all of us. Amen.

I’m learning that, when you have cancer, you meet a lot of new friends. There have been several people who we’ve gotten to know in the waiting rooms of the doctor’s offices. Often times, you go at the same time each day, or each week for your treatments, so you see familiar faces.

There is one particular couple that we’ve seen a lot and have enjoyed getting to know. It is a husband and wife, probably in their late 60’s. She has cancer in several places on her left side. We walked into the waiting room yesterday morning and as soon as I saw her, my heart sank. She has had several rounds of chemo and is now in a wheelchair with an oxygen tank. She looked weak and exhausted.

We sat down beside them and started talking about how she was doing. Of course, it was not good. She was cold, so I wrapped her up in my huge shawl that I carry around all the time. The nurse called their name and we said, “Bye. We’ll see y’all back in the chemo room in a minute.”

About 15 minutes later, her husband came to find me and give me the shawl back. I said, “You didn’t have to do that. I’ll get it from you in the room.” His eyes were filled with tears when he said, “We won’t be seeing you in there. They are sending us home to call Hospice……………..”

There’s this kind of weird thing that happens inside your mind when you are fighting cancer. You see yourself in every situation. So, while you care deeply about the other person and what they are going through, you constantly look at these situations and imagine how you will feel if you ever have to face the same thing.

I immediately started crying. I couldn’t help it. I tried really hard to hold it in and be strong for him. I smiled at him through the tears, but I wanted to curl up in a ball on the floor for a minute.

“We can’t do anything else for you.”

I dread those words. And, as I looked into this sweet man’s eyes, I was filled with compassion for his hardship. We just hugged him.

Just a bit later, they wheeled her out and we got to speak to the wife. She looked up at Clay and said, “We just have to trust that God knows best. He must have a plan.” Of course, he smiled and agreed with her. He says this all the time. “God knows.” And He does.

How does anyone face these words without knowing Jesus? Without a belief that there is a greater purpose. A greater meaning to this life. There is so much tragedy, sickness, death, pain and anguish in this life. I am constantly amazed at how many people are with us in this battle. It would be so tragic to face it without hope.

As they wheeled her down the hallway, we stood there and watched. Tears just streamed down my face and the enemy really tried to get in my head. If God doesn’t do a miracle, the doctors have already told me that we will face that same conversation. There comes a point when the body doesn’t respond to the medicine any longer.

Clay took it really hard. He just sat with his head in his hands for several minutes. Then he started asking me what the doctors have told me to expect with him.

I just encouraged him that we are nowhere near that conversation right now. He is responding to the medicine and we are going to be grateful for that today. That’s all we can do. We have to just praise God for what He is doing right now. We can’t think too much about tomorrow.

This song came to my mind. I love Lauren Daigle. Listen to these words…..

“When you don’t move the mountain, I needed you to move.

When you don’t part the waters, I wish I could walk through.

When you don’t give the answers, as I cry out to you.

I will trust. I will trust. I will trust in you.”

These are powerful lyrics. It is easy to trust God when He is doing good things that align with our plans and dreams of what our life should look like. It is another thing, entirely, to trust Him when His plan seems devastating.

As I sat by Clay in the treatment room and prayed for this sweet couple, I read Jesus’ words in Luke.

Luke 6: 46-49 Build Your House on the Rock
“Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you? Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great.”

Clay has referenced this scripture so many times in the past few months when talking to people about our situation. When the storm comes, you have to already be built on a strong foundation. You don’t have time to build your foundation when you see the water rising. It has to already be strong.

Jesus references two kinds of people in this scripture. Those who hear and do. And those who hear and don’t do. He’s not talking about people who’ve never heard the Word. He’s talking to those of us who hear it and know it. But, even if you regularly attend church and regularly read your Bible, you still have a choice.

To do, or not to do.

And your life could depend on this choice. The strength of your foundation depends on this choice. And, trust me, the waters WILL come. You might be living and thinking everything is great. You might look at situations around you and think, “That will never happen to me.” Don’t be so sure. I thought the same thing.

The water will come to each of us. Our foundations will be tested. How will yours hold up?

The only way to be sure that your foundation is firm, is to do what He says. To know the Word and follow it. To forsake what seems fun and entertaining right now, and realize that life is bigger than our temporary satisfaction. To lay aside our selfish ambitions and desires, and to lay our lives at the feet of Jesus. To live with a perspective that this life is brief, but what follows is eternity. Live for eternity.

Live today for what your life will be like in eternity.

Know Him. Love Him. Live for Him. Do what His Word says.

Then, when the waters rise, your foundation will stand. You will watch the water come up and you won’t even have to be afraid. You won’t be scared. You won’t be nervous. You will just have peace and confidence in knowing that your foundation is ready for this test.

You will stand and look out the window of your house with strength and confidence.

Because your God is greater. He is stronger. The wind and waves obey Him. They know His name. You will have a surety that God is in control. No matter the outcome. And, you will praise Him because He is worthy.

When the storms come, praise rises up in us because we realize how big our God is. Listen to this song. It came on last night, while I was driving home from Grace’s volleyball game. If you happened to pass me, I’m sorry! I was singing at the top of my lungs. It’s just that, when your world is falling apart, it is such a relief to just look up and say, “Great are you Lord!”

I pray that you will examine your foundation today. Allow God to examine your life and help you determine if you are living according to His Words. Are you doing what He said, or are you hearing it and not doing? I pray that, when the storm comes, your foundation will be solid and the waves will have no affect on your life.

Praise God for who He is and for His strength. It is His breath in our lungs. He created us and all that is around us. Praise Him today. Surrender your life and trust Him. He knows what is best and He sees what we cannot see. And, when we stand before Him, it will all make sense. Amen.

Psalm 34: 4-7

“I sought the LORD, and he answered me
and delivered me from all my fears.
Those who look to him are radiant,
and their faces shall never be ashamed.
This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him
and saved him out of all his troubles.
The angel of the LORD encamps
around those who fear him, and delivers them.”

Yesterday morning, these beautiful ladies were at my house for our PTF meeting for school. (Pictured from left: Danielle Musso, Ashley Starns, Danyale Persick, and Niki Hall.) When Clay first got diagnosed, back in May, the ballots for PTF had already gone out and I was reinstated as President of our PTF. At first, everyone thought (including me) that I would not have time to do it. So, a sweet friend, Danielle, stepped up to be Co-President.

I realized yesterday why the Lord had me stay involved in this group. They encouraged me so much in just a few short hours. We talked, laughed, took care of some business, and they prayed over me. Really prayed. With such love and compassion.

I was telling them that Clay has an MRI today. It is the second one. You probably remember a month ago when we went for the first MRI since radiation. There was a great deal of anticipation that day. I thought a lot about how I would feel while we waited for the results. I anticipated a great heaviness. And, to be honest, it is not a day that I would like to relive. The Lord was with us, but it was hard.

But, as I was telling the ladies about today, I realized that the Lord has “delivered me from all my fears.”

It can be funny how the Lord can answer a prayer and you don’t even realize it until you start telling someone about how you feel. So, we were standing in my kitchen, talking about the MRI, and I said to them that I thought I would be worried, anxious, maybe even afraid, but I’m not. Nor is Clay. We truly do have a peace that only God can give.

This morning, I turned in my Bible to Psalm 34, and the Holy Spirit just whispered to me….

“I did that. I delivered you. You asked and I delivered.”

And, He did. He did it. If it were not for the Lord, my heart would be anxious today. My thoughts would probably be negative. My blood pressure would be high. My knuckles would be white.

But, they aren’t. I’m at peace.

If you are wondering how this can happen, let me show you the 3 prior verses in Psalm 34:

“I will bless the LORD at all times;
his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
My soul makes its boast in the LORD;
let the humble hear and be glad.
Oh, magnify the LORD with me,
and let us exalt his name together!”

David knew that if he magnified the Lord, if he praised the Lord, if his soul boasted in the Lord, if he exalted the name of the Lord, that God would lift him out of his fears.

That’s what we’ve been doing. Now, just like David, we are human, and we have moments where fear or anguish overtake us, but God has given us the strength to lift ourselves out of that pit and praise Him.

So, if you are in fear today…

Bless the Lord

Praise the Lord

Let your soul boast in the Lord (there is plenty to boast about, even if you are in a struggle)

Magnify the Lord

Exalt His Name

And, then, like David, PRAY.

Pray to the Lord, and He will set you free from fear.

When you take your eyes off of your surroundings…off of your circumstance….and focus your eyes on Jesus and what He is, He can set you free from fear.

It is wonderful to walk in peace. It is so much better than walking in fear. Let Him set you free today.

The MRI is at 10 am, but we won’t have the results until later this afternoon. I will update you as soon as possible. Thank you for praying for a good report, for continued restoration of Clay’s body, and for our peace.

We are praying for you. I thank God for you continually. Even those of you I don’t know. I thank Him for the work He’s doing in your lives and how He’s used you to encourage us in this valley of the shadow. You will never know, until we get to Heaven one day, how much you have lifted our spirits. Much love~

UPDATED WITH RESULTS FROM MRI:

I’m so sorry it took me a while to do this. We’ve had a busy few days.

Clay completed the MRI at 10 am and then we went to Dr. Russell’s office at 1:00. While we were waiting to see him, a patient had an emergency and he couldn’t see us until about 2:15. We were fine because there are plenty of people to visit with in his office. We got to say hello to our friends who did Clay’s treatment all those weeks.

When Dr. Russell got there, he had about 6 other patients waiting to see him, so he didn’t have much time. He called the Radiologist while we were sitting there beside him and the Radiologist said, “It is smaller.” He just looked at us with a huge smile and said, “Smaller is good!”

He didn’t have time to show us the pictures, and we were ok with that. All that matters right now, is that it is smaller. How much? We don’t know. What does this mean? We don’t really know. There are several factors that could be contributing to the decrease – reduced swelling from radiation, Chemo (Temodar) and Avastin (the new infusion drug.) Regardless, we were very pleased.

We also sent a copy to Dr. Weinberg and I’ll write more when I hear from him.

We have been rejoicing for a few days. We are just thanking God for some good news that gave us much needed encouragement.

Also, Clay seems to be feeling a little better these past few days. He looks really good. Look at the smile on his face in this picture…

And, look at Dr. Russell. I had to think that the doctor gets just as excited as the patient. I mean, his treatment plan obviously worked. He wants to see Clay live and be healthy, too. He looked really excited and relieved when the he got to say the word “smaller.” He is a wonderful, Godly man. As soon as we finished talking, he reached out his hands to us and said, “Now let’s do some thanking!” And, we prayed together to thank God for His great love, the wisdom He is providing, and His guidance over every step. Praise the Lord!

Thank you for praying and for loving us. God is doing great and mighty things in our midst. I pray that He is working in your life, even as you read our story. There is purpose in everything that happens to us. We believe that with our whole hearts. Praise God.