“My Lord knows the way though the wilderness, all I have to do is follow…
Strength for today is mine alway and all I need for tomorrow…”
These are a couple of lines to a Sunday School chorus I used to sing that the Holy Spirit must have brought to mind yesterday when we were told that a blood test that tracks my cancer was elevated. I was rejoicing at this response, clear evidence of the work of the Holy Spirit in answer to the many who have been praying for us.
The previous night, Lisa and I had been reading a devotional that said, ‘Has your Father led you into the desert? … Are there sorrows that sorely test our hearts? Be assured that our Father intends every one of them to be a road for us to Christ so that we may reach Him and know Him in some character of His love and power that otherwise our souls had not known.’
My surgeon, Dr Nyugen, is happy with my recovery and removed the final drain. I am now under the care of a Dr Fakih, who will be overseeing my chemotherapy. Because of the elevated blood test, I am having a CT scan on Monday 9 Jan, with chemotherapy to start Thursday 12 Jan if all is well. Chemotherapy and radiation will last about six months . The doctor hasn’t ruled out the possibility of me teaching this coming semester, so pray for wisdom as to what courses I could teach. Pray for the strength and stamina to endure the treatment and the possible side effects and to be able to teach this semester.
Next week, our son Benjamin and his family will be meeting with two other families who have been talking and praying about forming a team to take the gospel to an unreached tribe. I am sure they would value your prayers as they finalize this decision and then talk strategy.
Meanwhile, a Dao believer, prompted by the woman who poured her very expensive perfume over Jesus’ feet, served up his most precious possession, a pig. He shared it out to others who came to the feast he had planned to celebrate Jesus’ birth. No one had seen anything like this before, usually they would have paid for the pig meat but Daapoi, the Dao believer, wanted all to know that Jesus, whose birth they celebrated and who died on the cross for them was now his most precious possession.
Thank you for your prayers, love and concern shown in many ways,
James and Lisa
Matthew 11:28-30 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”