Above is a video devo on some thoughts that hopefully will be encouraging (if you can get past my sunglasses, shirt, face, hair etc.). My pride would like to retape a video where I actually look nice, but I figure if any of you did stop by I would probably look very similar to that- and we would just sit outside and share some of these thoughts together. So, bear with me. Our hope is to post a video devo every Tuesday, and hopefully give a little more form and function to the idea of fasting. If you're anything like me, you can find about 1 million reasons why you shouldn't, can't or won't fast. But I am learning the great reward in pressing in and pressing past my own body for a brief 24 hours. I hope you join in and fast for your own things, your own prayers.
Here are some of the prayer requests for this week, as we basically wait out Cade's last five day chemo for a fever and a possible inpatient stay:
1. Please pray Cade's body figures out what to to do with the chemo, and his healthy cells ramp back up quickly. The oncologist describes this period of time the "cell storm", where his healthy red and white blood cells are trying to recover, and his body is basically trying to sort through the mess. I like that only because I am very familiar with Someone who is notorious for calming storms. I am praying the voice of Jesus would calm any storm in Cade's body.
2. Please continue to pray specifically for his bladder and kidney this week. The last time we had this particular chemo group, Cade had some protein and blood in his urine that was concerning. We visited a nephrologist (kidney doctor) and his kidney function, while effected, is still good. Please pray with us that his little kidney would do over and above its job, and remain healthy and unscathed while it processes the chemo.
3. Please continue to pray for Cade's spirits, whether in the hospital or out, to remain up. Before all of this Cade was our wild man, running around, causing ruckus and fun. We still see glimpses of that, but they are getting fewer. Please pray his heart would feel happy, and his body would have the LEAST amount of pain, discomfort and fatigue.
4. Please pray Cade can RETAIN EVERY MEAL. He has had some issues with acid in his stomach lining, and we finally got breakthrough yesterday where he kept all his food down. HALLELUJAH. We are switching to a new antacid and praying it does the trick so he can eat all of his favorite foods risk-free.
5. As we anticipate a new inpatient stay if he runs a fever, please pray our family functions and thrives even in the midst. Lilyan, Haven, Eden, Chad, Cade and I each need prayer and strength.
As always, we are SO thankful for your prayers and your presence on this journey. We are so excited to spend our Tuesdays fasting with you for things in all of our lives. I've attached Luke 18 below, because it is the main passage of prayer that I pray from for Cade. I love how passionate Jesus is for us to pray with purpose, faith, and without ceasing.
Luke 18
Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’
“For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’”
And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”
Charis, thank you so much for these devotionals and for sharing the word with us. Please keep them coming. We will continue to pray for Cade and for the Lord to heal him completely, in Jesus' name.
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