GOOD NEWS!!!
GOOD NEWS!!!

The direct quote from my CT scan:
“Impression: Significant interval improvement in hepatic and nodal metastatic disease.”

Just a minute, I am savoring that word “significant”…

OK, Dr. Penley came into the exam room, asked how I was doing, and said, “Are you ready for some good news?”
“Yes, lay it on me. I’m ready!” I said.

The enemy is on the retreat, precious prayer warriors! He said the CT showed that all the areas of the cancer were reduced. He said my CEA (tumor marker, a protein in my blood that they check with each treatment) has been steadily decreasing (indicating less cancer), and also my platelets, which had been high, are now back down to a normal level.
So by every indication, I am improved. Nothing was even unchanged, much less worse.

He gave me a copy of the CT scan results, and for reference, several of the masses were measured:
One decreased from 30 x 28 mm to 19 x 15 mm.
Another decreased from 47 x 20 mm to 25 x 10 mm.

I am obviously thrilled!
Would I have been more thrilled if he came in and said “It’s vanished. There is no cancer in your body anymore”? Um, of course. Could God have done that? Absolutely, I have no doubt. But God is answering and I know His plan is perfect and His timing is perfect. The walls of Jericho didn’t fall on the first day, Naaman wasn’t healed with the first dunk in the Jordan River, the lepers had to go and show themselves to the priests and as they went they were healed.
And now my wise Dad has shared with me something he “happened upon” (thank you, Holy Spirit!) yesterday, and said he’s never really noticed before:
Deuteronomy 7:17 and following:
(I just looked at what I typed and said, “I’m using too manycolons!” Oh how punny!)
Anyway, from Deuteronomy:  “You may say to yourselves, “These nations are stronger than we are. How can we drive them out?” But do not be afraid of them; remember well what the Lord your God did to Pharoah and all of Egypt….The Lord your God will do the same to all the peoples you now fear….The Lord your God will drive out those nations before you, little by little. You will not be allowed to eliminate them all at once, or the wild animals will multiply around you. But the Lord your God will deliver them over to you…”

I don’t want to have to do any more chemo. Who does? But I know that God is refining me. I know my character is being shaped by each rough chemo week. Again, God is the perfect author of this story, and He only writes happy endings!

So the plan is to continue what we’re doing. Continue this course of chemotherapy, these drugs, until they appear to no longer have an effect. We will have repeat scans perioodically to check the progress.

Bottom line: GOOD NEWS!!
Please get on your knees and thank God for answering our prayers. Please send up a grateful shout of “hallelujah!” if you are so inclined. I am!

Lord God, you continue to shine upon me! Thank you for a day of good news. Thank you for your Holy words, that always give me the encouragement that I need, in every circumstance of life. Be pleased with our praise on this day, may it be a sweet sound in your ear. Continue to drive out this enemy, little by little if that is your plan. Continue to write your story! We love you and thank you for loving us!
In the powerful name of Jesus we pray, Amen!!

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