Jello Legs

Several times this week, as I thought about updating you about my condition, I’ve thought of the cartoon version of “101 Dalmatians.”  There’s a scene when all the puppies are fleeing the evil Cruella Deville. It’s cold and windy and the dogs have to walk a long distance. One of the little puppies says to his mother, “I’m tired and I’m hungry and my tail’s froze…and my nose is froze and my ears are froze.  And my toes are froze.”

Well, today I can empathize with that puppy, not that I have the same symptoms…..I just have a lot of things I could list that I need prayer for. Such as….my heart is beating a lot faster, I have tingling in my legs sometimes that makes them feel like jello when I walk, I’ve been really tired all week, I’ve lost my appetite, I’ve woken up with a headache almost everyday…. whine, whine, whine,…..now maybe you can see why I remind myself of that little puppy!

My doctor ended up postponing my chemo on Friday because of some of my symptoms, mainly the tingling in my legs (it’s kind of like when you hit your funny bone in your elbow, only it happens in my legs). My doctor wants to take some further MRI images to see if there is something pressing on a nerve, or if not, then maybe the chemo agent I am using is causing some of these symptoms.

Although it may sound like I’m complaining, I’m still doing really well, and I’m really thankful for a lot of things. I’m thankful for you praying, and that no one else in our family got the flu that Eric and I had. Wow!  That is truly miraculous!  I’m thankful that Lucas made it home from Australia and to have all my kids home for awhile.  Here’s a picture from Mother’s Day.

Thanks again for your prayers.  I’d appreciate your prayers for my upcoming MRI and the above-mentioned symptoms to go away. I do believe God will answer these prayers.  As Jesus said, “If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer” (Matthew 21:22).

Even in 101 Dalmatians, the puppies found that help was just around the corner, with a warm barn, plenty to eat, and even some warm milk.  I believe the answers to our prayers are just around the corner, too!

Only one thing is needed

We had a fabulous time in New York celebrating our 23rd anniversary! We ate at some great restaurants, enjoyed some wonderful shows (absolutely loved the Lion King), spent a lot of time in Central Park (my favorite part of NYC), and saw the 9/11 Memorial. I also really enjoyed visiting Brooklyn Tabernacle and Hillsong NYC, both great contemporary churches with incredible worship and pastors who delivered inspiring messages. If you are ever in NYC, I would highly recommend visiting these churches. In fact, we arrived a little early for Hillsong Church and the line was literally half way around the block, so arrive early.

Regarding my health, while some people leave their heart in San Francisco I decided to leave my hair in New York! Well, most of it…it just looks a lot thinner. I came down with the flu on Thursday night and had to cancel my chemo for Friday (Eric had the same thing three days before me so I know it was the flu). I’m just now getting my strength back and feeling better. One of the nicer things about the flu is that there is really nothing you can do but lay in bed and talk to Jesus. It reminds me of this story in Luke 10:38-42…

As Jesus and His disciples were on their way, He came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to Him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what He said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to Him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Most of the time I feel my life is so busy and I think more about the preparations that need to be made for whatever is going on that it’s hard to find the time to sit and be with Jesus. But when I’m sick and laying in bed talking to Jesus I realize how true His words really are….”but only one thing is needed.” Mary choose what was better and nothing can take away from her time with Jesus. Things like this really help me focus on what matters most. It really helped to listen to scriptures that I have on CD or online at YouVersion.com

My son Lucas is coming home from Australia on Tuesday for a few weeks so we are looking forward to having our family all together for awhile in one place. Please pray for my continued recovery from the flu and that it doesn’t spread to anyone else and that it doesn’t disrupt the effectiveness of the chemo.

I hope you all find time to sit at Jesus’ feet this week…without getting the flu. Thanks again for your prayers. Love you all.

Relying on God….with thanks to you all!

I am praising God again for your prayers and His answers. My port is working! When I went in to have it tested it just starting working correctly. No other explanation from the doctor but obviously you all were praying and now it is working! So praise God for answering that prayer! I also had my second bone treatment on Friday and even though I did have a fever afterwards I didn’t have the accompanying bone pain and so I’m very thankful. Overall, I continue to feel pretty good with tiredness being my only other side effect. But that only seems to last a few days anyway.

As I was reading my Bible this week this verse stood out to me:

“We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and He will deliver us. On Him we have set our hope that He will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many” (2 Corinthians 8-11).

I know my troubles are not even close to comparing to Paul’s but I can certainly understand how he valued and appreciated the prayers of the saints lifting up his situation before God and how he had to rely fully on God. It also reminded me of all of you praying for me and encouraging me. And I am so thankful for each of you.

My schedule is to have chemo every week for three weeks and then a week off with no treatment. So this is my week off! Yea! It also happens to be the weekend of my 23rd wedding anniversary. A dear friend gave us a gift and asked us to to do something special with it, so my wonderful husband has planned a weekend in New York with tickets to see “The Lion King” on Broadway. I am so thankful for this friend’s gift, and also for a great husband who helps me as I go through all of this. He continually encourages me and has gone with me to each appointment, helping me to make the best decisions. He makes my life fun and it’s always a joy to be with him. Besides being a great husband he also continues to be an awesome dad, taking on some added responsibilities these past few months. So I am really thankful for this weekend to celebrate 23 years together!

And I’m thankful for friends like you all, who continually show us your care and concern, from praying and bringing meals, to sending cards and gifts that help us in so many practical ways. You really have helped to lift our burdens throughout this whole experience.

Look to the Lord and His strength

“Look to the Lord and His strength; seek His face always.” Psalm 105:4

Shortly after I was first diagnosed with cancer I told Eric I was going to write a book about my experience and call it “Cancer Doesn’t Scare Me, But Chemo Does.” It was going to be the story of how God had healed me of cancer and how thankful I was that I didn’t need to have chemo. But I just had my second chemo treatment yesterday and so I will either have to change the title of my book or the storyline. The verse in Psalm 105:4 that I quoted above really summarizes how I’ve had to live each moment of the last few months. Although chemo was not my first choice in how I wanted to be healed of the cancer in my body, I do believe after seeking God that this is the path that He has for my healing. I also want you to know that so far the chemo treatments have not been as bad as I imagined they would be. I have had very few side effects and for that I am very thankful.

Thank you all so very much for praying for me. I know your prayers continue to make a difference in my healing and even in the effects of the treatments I am receiving. I continually thank God for faithful friends like you all who lift me up and encourage me each week.

I do have two prayer requests for this week. The port I had put in about a week and a half ago is not working properly. I will have to go in for a dye test this week to see what might be wrong. Please pray that it is something that can be fixed easily. I also have my second bone treatment this week. The last time the medicine made me sick for a day or two so we are trying a different medication this time. Please pray it works and I don’t feel like I’m growing new bones.

Thank you again for being faithful in praying for me and my family. I’m praying that the Lord is your strength for whatever you’re going through, too.

This is the day that the Lord has made

Dear Friends, I wanted to let you all know my first chemo treatment went well. The medicine made me tired, but other than that I’m feeling very good. Thank you all again and again for praying. I’m also remembering Psalm 118 that Jesus referred to on the night of His last supper. Part of the Psalm says (in verse 24), “This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” If Jesus could rejoice in what He went through today, certainly I can too. I am incredibly blessed to have Him as My Savior and to have you all as my friends. Happy Good Friday.  Love, Lana

He Restores My Soul

Praise the Lord!  You guys are the best prayer warriors!  Your words of encouragement bless me so much and I know God hears and answers your prayers.

Today I had a brain scan and the results showed that it’s clear, meaning there’s no cancer in my brain!  The Lord brought this verse to my mind from Psalm 23:3 that says, “He restores my soul.”  This news definitely helped to restore my soul after all the other reports.

I’d love your prayers again tomorrow as I get ready to start chemotherapy in the morning (Friday morning at 9:00 a.m. Central time).  I’m praying that the chemo would be the right chemical composition that would bring healing to my body and not harm it in any way.  Thanks so much for joining me in this prayer.

Love,
Lana

PET Scan Results

Dear friends,

We’ve been praying for wisdom and clarity from God about what to do next, and today we got more of both.  My PET scan results came back this morning and showed that unfortunately the cancer is still there in my breast, liver, lungs and bones.  It also shows that the cancer has spread throughout my skeletal system, not just the three main areas in my spine and pelvis that showed up on earlier scans.  So it made it clear to me to proceed with putting in a port today to make it easier for treatments.  That in itself was a big answer to prayer for me as I was unsure even this morning if I should proceed with that surgery.  The surgery to put in the port went well, and I’m now at home recovering.

I heard a pastor say that whenever Satan sends his fiery darts our way, to just say “Thanks for the ammunition!” and send them back at him by praising God in midst of the attack from Satan.  So I’m saying, “Thanks for the ammunition!” and will keep on praising God no matter what.

I still have an MRI scan of my brain on Thursday and am scheduled to start chemo on Friday.  My prayer is that the chemo I take will be the exact chemo that would put the cancer in my body into remission.  I’d love to have have you join me in that prayer, and hope you’ll keep sending your praises to God for whatever you’re facing as well.

Always Have Hope

With Easter coming up this week I felt God put a message on my heart to encourage you to always have hope and never give up on God.

I heard the story recently of a seminary student who was struggling to keep going. He was tired, exhausted and ready to give up. He fell asleep in class one day and didn’t wake up until everyone else had gone home—except his teacher.

His teacher gently woke him up and said:

“Go home, eat a good meal, get some sleep and don’t make any important decisions in the next three days.”

The student followed his advice, regained his strength, and is now leading a worldwide ministry.  He said his teacher’s advice was some of the best he had ever received.

Three days can often mean the difference between victory and defeat.

I think of the story of King David in the book of 1 Samuel.  From almost the moment that David was anointed by Samuel to be the next king of Israel, King Saul, the current king, wanted David dead. If you read in 1 Samuel 17, you’ll see that shortly after Samuel anoints David to be the next king, David kills the giant Philistine, Goliath.  From then on, King Saul seems to have it in his heart to kill David. Throughout the rest of the chapters in 1 Samuel, Saul pursues David in an attempt to kill him.

Life has got to be difficult when your king wants to kill you.  Can you imagine if the President or King or Prime Minister of your country wanted you dead?  But every time King Saul tries to kill David, God continues to protect him.

One of the most devastating times in David’s life takes place when David escapes to the land of the Philistines to avoid being destroyed by Saul. While David was gone on one of his fighting expeditions, the Amalekites raided Ziklag, the town where David and his men and their families had settled.  The Bible says:

“David and his men reached Ziklag on the third day. Now the Amalekites had raided the Negev and Ziklag. They had attacked Ziklag and burned it, and had taken captive the women and all who were in it, both young and old. They killed none of them, but carried them off as they went on their way.
 
“When David and his men came to Ziklag, they found it destroyed by fire and their wives and sons and daughters taken captive. So David and his men wept aloud until they had no strength left to weep. David’s two wives had been captured—Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal of Carmel. David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters. But David found strength in the Lord his God” (1 Samuel 30:1-6).

I try to imagine what it must have been like to be David. God had anointed him to be the next king, but his life at first was nothing like royalty. King Saul was constantly trying to kill him—and then this happens. Everything David owns is burned and his wives have been captured. David and his men weep until they have no strength left. His own followers were now talking of stoning him. All hope seemed lost.

I think I would have given up. Looking at the situation from my human perspective, I would have said, “That guy Samuel the prophet was wrong. I certainly have not been chosen by God to do anything. Everyone is against me. God is not for me. If He were for me, my life would not look like this. I am just going to go back to tending sheep.”

Thankfully I’m not David. Instead, the Bible says, “David found strength in the Lord his God.” David didn’t lose his faith in God through all of his trials. If he had, we would never have known about one of the greatest kings this world has ever had. But David persevered. He inquired of the Lord and chose to pursue his enemy. Amazingly, they found an abandoned slave of an Amalekite who was left for dead because he was ill. The slave was able to lead David and his men to their families. The Bible says:

“David fought them from dusk until the evening of the next day, and none of them got away, except four hundred young men who rode off on camels and fled. David recovered everything the Amalekites had taken, including his two wives. Nothing was missing: young or old, boy or girl, plunder or anything else they had taken. David brought everything back” (1 Samuel 30:17-19).
 
Okay, now that’s why this guy is so famous! David was certainly known to be a fighter, and in this instance, he doesn’t disappoint us. In the very next chapter, just three days after David’s most intense battle to save everything dear to him and to those around him, he gets the news:  King Saul has died.  The Bible says:

“After the death of Saul, David returned from defeating the Amalekites and stayed in Ziklag two days. On the third day a man arrived from Saul’s camp, with his clothes torn and with dust on his head. When he came to David, he fell to the ground to pay him honor.
 
“Where have you come from?” David asked him.
 
He answered, “I have escaped from the Israelite camp.”
 
“What happened?” David asked. “Tell me.”
 
He said, “The men fled from the battle. Many of them fell and died. And Saul and his son Jonathan are dead” (2 Samuel 1:1-4).

In the next chapter, David becomes king of Judah, and eventually he becomes king over all of Israel.  What’s significant to me is that his life really changed in a matter of days—three days to be exact. I think of how downcast David must have been up to that point, “greatly distressed” as the Bible says, when his belongings were burned and his people were captured.  Then just three short days later he had it all back again, and not only that, but the king who had been pursuing him was finally dead. Life certainly was looking better for David.

This, of course, reminds me of another story in the Bible when things didn’t look too good, but God turned things around in a miraculous way—in just three days. It’s the story of Jesus.

Jesus was a man who, much like his great ancestor David, was destined to reign as king.

As the angel told Mary in Luke 1:32-3:

“He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David, and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever; His kingdom will never end.”

I wonder how His mother felt on that day the angel visited.  And then I wonder what she must have felt on the day she saw him crucified. Here was her beloved son, destined to be king, yet hanging dead on a cross. How could this be? All hope seemed lost.

But for God, time is relative.  Hope is eternal.

Jesus had a lifetime of doing incredible things here on earth.  He healed the sick.  He raised the dead.  He walked on water.  He encouraged people to forgive and to do what is right.

He told stories to encourage people to use their gifts and talents today, not worry about tomorrow, and not to judge others. He talked about what were the most important matters of the law, like justice, mercy and faithfulness.  He criticized hypocrisy.  And yet with all of His miracles and powerful teaching, there were still leaders who wanted Him dead. They pursued Him much like King Saul pursued David to try and kill him. And in Jesus’ case, they succeeded—or so it seemed.

But just like David, Jesus never gave up His faith in His heavenly Father. Jesus trusted His Father to do what was best, even when He was carrying His own cross to His death.  Jesus prayed:

“Father, if You are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but Yours be done” (Luke 22:42).

Jesus, just like David, “found strength in the Lord His God,” even spending His last night on earth in deep and earnest prayer.

And His Father did not disappoint Him.  Even though it may have looked hopeless, hope was never lost.  It never is.  Even after Jesus’ death on the cross, hope was just around the corner.  Three days later, Jesus rose from the dead!

Jesus’ death on the cross turned out to be part of God’s plan.  As Jesus Himself said:

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

I wanted to tell you these stories to encourage you that hope is eternal.  Even when things may seem to be at their worst, God can turn them around in a matter of days, hours, or even a moment.

You may be a seminary student and ready to give up.  Don’t!  Go home, eat a good meal, get some sleep and don’t make any important decisions in the next three days!

You may have thought you were destined for great things in your lifetime, but now you’re hiding in caves.  Even the king seems out to get you.  You may think it would be better if you just gave up your dreams and gave in to despair.  Don’t!  Don’t lose hope now, as God’s most important miracle for your life may be just around the corner.

You may be facing an impossible situation, one that seems irreversible, incurable or unchangeable.  You may be ready to give up on God altogether, perhaps even considering turning away from Him for the rest of your life.  Don’t!  I can’t guarantee you what the outcome will be, but I can guarantee you that God will always be there for you, if you’ll keep putting your faith in Him.  Never give up on God.  As David said in the Psalms:

“Wait and hope for and expect the Lord; be brave and of good courage and let your heart be stout and enduring. Yes, wait for and hope for and expect the Lord” (Psalm 27:14, Amplified Bible).

Let’s pray…

Father, I thank you that we can always come to you even when all hope seems lost. You always have a plan and you know what’s best. Help us to trust you in all things.  Whether it’s three seconds, or three days, or three years or more, help us to trust You today and every day until we see what You have in store for us just around the corner. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Throne of Grace

Hi all,

Thank you all for your prayers for me. I continue to feel you lifting me up before God and helping me to make some good decisions each day.

Although I’ve been encouraged that the lump in my breast has been shrinking, the pain in my back is increasing.  So as much as I’ve been praying that God will take this away through nutrition and prayer, I’m feeling more like I’ll need to start chemotherapy soon.  The doctors say the chemo will help to kill the cancer that is causing my back pain, and could put the cancer into remission.  But because it has spread, it will likely begin to grow back again, which means I’ll need to keep taking some kind of chemotherapy for several years.

Since I’m thinking about starting the chemotherapy, I’ve found an oncologist closer to home, about 25 minutes away instead of 2 hours away, where I could get the treatments.  This will make it easier all around.

I’m still praying this week though that God will heal me completely before that, if possible.  The doctor has agreed to do a PET scan this Friday to see if the tumors have shrunk anywhere else in my body.  If so, we’ll praise God and keep doing what we’re doing!  But if the cancer is the same or has spread further, then I’m scheduled to have a port put in on Tuesday next week, and begin chemo treatments on April 6th — Good Friday.  

The doctor has also scheduled me for an MRI brain scan on April 5th to see if anything is there. Well, cancer, that is. I’m hoping my brain will be in the scan. I guess the common places for breast cancer to metastasize is to the lungs, liver, bone and the brain. They don’t think it’s gone to my brain yet, but that’s one of the four typical places breast cancer goes, and since it’s already gone to the other three spots in my lungs, liver and spine, they are hoping (as am I!) that it hasn’t yet gone to my brain.

All to say, I would appreciate your prayers again this week, as much as ever, that God will make it clear what to do next.

Last week, my doctor started me on an infusion of something called Aredia to help build up my bones. It’s an injection that takes two hours. The side effects included flu-like symptoms of fever, chills and bone pain in various places for about 36 hours afterward. I felt like Harry Potter must have felt when he took “Skele-gro” to grow his arm back when it had been turned into jello.  During my feverish episode, I was actually wondering if they gave me one of the chemo drugs instead!  But the symptoms were in line with the common side effects of Aredia. Because of my bone metastasis, I will probably receive a bone treatment like Aredia (or Xgeva or Zometa) every 3- 4 weeks!! So any prayers for my bones to heal would be really appreciated. I have also spoken with a naturopathic doctor and have found some natural remedies to strengthen my bones that I will use as well.

As much as I wish I had better news, I have been encouraged this week by these verses in Hebrews 4:14-16:

“Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”

It’s so good to know that Jesus can sympathize with my weaknesses, and that I can approach God’s throne with confidence so that I can receive His mercy and grace in my time of need. I am always so encouraged by the word of God.

As I head into the weeks ahead, and all the tests and decisions, I thought I would pray right here and ask if you could join me in prayer and agree with me for my healing.

Dear heavenly Father, I thank You for everything you are doing in my life. I thank You for the incredible blessing of friends and family around the world who are praying for me and lifting me up to your throne for healing. Continue to hear and answer our prayers. I thank You that You understand what is happening in my body and You are in complete control. You are always good and loving and You know what is best. I thank You too that we can approach Your throne with confidence knowing that You are a merciful God and that You will give us grace in our time of need. Lord, I ask for complete healing in my body. I ask for every cancer cell to die and be removed from my body and for new and healthy cells to take their place. God, You are the Great Physician. You know what my body needs. Please touch me by the power of your Holy Spirit and bring about the complete healing that I need.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Your prayers are truly appreciated!!
Love you all!  Lana

Boasting in the Lord

Thanks again for your prayers and concern. I wanted to update you on my condition. I continue to feel reasonably well. As glad as I am for the lump in my breast having shrunk, I’m starting to have a little more back pain than usual and so my running has slowed down. I ran just a mile this week but continue to walk as often as I can. We have had some great weather in Illinois so that has made it even more enjoyable. I’m also nearing the end of a ten-day period of intense praying about which treatment plan I should pursue.  We’ve gotten more input from several people this week that has helped us greatly, but the decision about which way to go is still very hard. I have an appointment this week with my doctor to talk about my back pain and what that may mean, too. I know God is the ultimate healer and I continue to trust Him completely with this situation.

I also wanted to share a story with you. I love to hear stories of how God answers prayer because it encourages me to keep praying. Luke 11:9 says, “And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.”

Just a few weeks ago while many of you were praying for my healing I was praying for a home for my son Lucas. You see, Lucas was living with some college friends in their garage temporarily until he could find permanent housing. For some reason, the thought of me having cancer didn’t seem as bad to me as the thought of my son living in a garage! It often made me cry in my prayer time to God. And so I continued to cry out to God for a home for Lucas and healing for me. Lucas had left the end of January to start his 2nd year of college at Hillsong International Leadership College in Sydney, Australia. He is studying to be a worship leader and absolutely loved his first year of school there. His entire journey to go to school there has been one of faith. Because the school is not accredited in the U.S. he does not qualify for any financial assistance. And the cost of living in Australia is quite high. He made it through his first year with help from us and by using up all of his savings and working as much as he could over there. His second year looked even more daunting. The cost of living in college housing was more than we could afford. So over the Christmas break we prayed that something would come available.

Lucas felt like God had given him a scripture from Luke 10:5-9 that says, “When you enter a house, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ If a man of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; if not, it will return to you. Stay in that house, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house. “When you enter a town and are welcomed, eat what is set before you. Heal the sick who are there and tell them, ‘The kingdom of God is near you.’”

His prayer was that God would lead him to the right place. But we still didn’t have a place for him. Lucas has faith like his dad and decided to just get on the plane and trust that God would provide. And that is how he ended up in a garage. But, as his mom I was thankful he had a roof over his head. About two weeks ago, Lucas found out that he probably shouldn’t stay in the garage of the other college kids because they might get suspended from school because of him. Just prior to Lucas finding that out, he received a call from a distant relative (his Dad’s cousin’s brother-in-law) who had a house that he was willing to offer a room for Lucas. Lucas quickly made the call. He said they were happy to have him stay with them. Their older son was going to give up his room. Lucas said he didn’t need to but the son insisted. In fact, they said when they bought the home just recently they decided as a family that they wanted to have one of the rooms in their home made available for people that God may send their way. All they wanted in return was for Lucas to teach their son some guitar lessons. Lucas was thrilled. The last time I spoke with Lucas he said he had gone to the grocery store to get some food and when he brought it home the “mom” said he didn’t have to buy any more food. They wanted to provide his food for him as well. It makes me cry even just to type this. I write this to you because I want to boast about the goodness of God. In Psalm 27:13, it says, “I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.” Not that I was in despair…..I just like to see God’s goodness. I also want to boast about the goodness of God’s people. There is no way I could repay them for the kindness they have shown to my son. But I pray that God rewards them in ways that go beyond anything I could offer them!

Seeing God answer this prayer in such an incredible way reminds me that God does answer our prayers sometimes in ways that are unexpected!  I’m continually amazed at the overwhelming goodness and love that God has for us. Stories like this encourage me that God does answer prayers. Thanks again for your prayers for our family and for my healing.  They mean so much to us.

Chock-full of Faith

I just wanted to follow up with everyone on my visit to my oncologist on Wednesday. She put together a treatment plan that would use chemotherapy to help shrink the tumors and would alleviate any symptoms from the cancer that I might have down the road. She also explained that treating stage 4 cancer is like treating diabetes. You can manage the symptoms of diabetes with insulin but it is something that you will have the rest of your life. In the same way, the treatments I would have for any symptoms of my cancer would be something I would likely need for the rest of my life. She said I could take a break from the chemo for a couple of months from time to time, but that the tumors will most likely grow back and then I would be back on the chemo to shrink them.

However, currently, I feel very few symptoms and have a lot of hope from the prayers and nutritional changes I’ve been making.  She agreed to let me continue doing what I’ve been doing and check the status of my tumors in two months. I was so thankful and happy that she agreed to this. I could have kissed her! Yesterday (Thursday) I met with a nutritional doctor to help me determine the best way to build up my immune system over the coming months. I have also read many books regarding nutritional approaches to treating cancer. I am currently taking more supplements than anyone I know but I feel very good about this approach and I’m so thankful to be able to treat the cancer this way. I’m praying my tumors will continue to shrink and disappear through prayer and nutrition.

On a funnier side note, as we the left nutritionist yesterday, walking out with a bag chock-full of supplements, Eric said he felt like he was in a scene from the movie “The Princess Bride” when two men take their friend Westley to see Miracle Max.  Even though they thought Westley was dead, it turned out he was only “mostly” dead according to Miracle Max, so he made a special pill to bring him back to life.  As the two friends left with the pill in their hands and their friend Westley over their shoulders, Miracle Max and his wife Valerie are seen standing at the door waving. Valerie then leans into Miracle Max and says, “Think it’ll work?” to which Miracle Max says, “It would take a miracle!” and they just keep waving. (It’s a great movie if you haven’t seen it.) Apparently, that’s how Eric felt leaving the nutritionist yesterday with all these pills, smiling and waving and thinking “It would take a miracle!” Thankfully, he makes me laugh. I credit him for most of the wrinkles on my face! I told Eric I feel like some people think I am like Westley….that I’m “mostly” dead. But I just want you all to know I’m alive and well. I continue to eat very healthy and exercise (either walking, running, weights, or stretching). I also know it probably will take a miracle to cure me from this disease. But thanks to your prayers, I’m chock-full of faith, too!

So thank you for adding your prayers to mine! I do believe they make a difference. A psalm I read last night that encouraged me is Psalm 121.

I lift up my eyes to the hills— 
   where does my help come from? 
My help comes from the LORD, 
   the Maker of heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot slip— 
   he who watches over you will not slumber; 
indeed, he who watches over Israel 
   will neither slumber nor sleep.

The LORD watches over you— 
   the LORD is your shade at your right hand; 
the sun will not harm you by day, 
   nor the moon by night.

The LORD will keep you from all harm— 
   he will watch over your life; 
the LORD will watch over your coming and going 
   both now and forevermore.

I am very much aware that my help comes from the Lord. But I also know that God works through His people and I have seen Him working through many of you. Whether it’s a word of encouragement, a prayer, a card, or a gift, I sense God working through you all to encourage and strengthen me. You are being the hands, feet and body of Christ to me. So thank you again for everything. May God bless you back abundantly!!

The Shrinking Lump

We have just finished with the ultrasound of the lump in my breast.  It’s still there, but the good news is that the lump is smaller! Praise God!! The radiologist said it’s measuring 20% smaller than a month ago and that this is unusual. He said he has never seen a lump like this go away or shrink without treatment, and that this was highly unusual and he didn’t have a great explanation for why this is happening. He also said the lump has settled in the soft tissue of the ribs which partly explains why I have a hard time finding it. But he did say it is indeed smaller in size and not as tall as it was a month ago, measuring only 1.2 cm instead of 1.5 cm last month. While we were hoping that the lump would be gone completely, the fact that it has shrunk at all is encouraging to us that God is answering prayers and perhaps using the nutritional steps I have taken to cause this to happen. The doctor didn’t know if this is an indicator of what may be happening in the rest of my body or not as he has never seen this happen before. Please continue to pray with us for a healthy dose of wisdom as we meet with the oncologist on Wednesday to discuss our next steps.  We’re continuing to praise God for this good report. Here’s a Psalm that you can use to praise God with us.

Psalm 100
Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.
Worship the LORD with gladness;
  come before Him with joyful songs.
Know that the LORD is God.
  It is He who made us, and we are His;
  we are His people, the sheep of His pasture.
Enter His gates with thanksgiving
  and His courts with praise;
  give thanks to Him and praise His name.
For the LORD is good and His love endures forever;
  His faithfulness continues through all generations.

Back from California

Hello all! I wanted to let you all know how much I appreciate your prayers, cards, gifts and notes of encouragement. I feel constantly lifted up before God. You all are amazing! I had an incredible week in California with my daughter Makari. We both loved Bethel school and she has already filled out her application to attend next year. Many people laid hands on me and prayed for my healing while I was there. And I, along with many of you fasted and prayed for 24 hours last Monday. I continue to believe that God can and will heal me from this disease and I know your prayers continue to make a difference. I posted earlier that the lump in my breast has shrunk significantly and I believe it is a direct result of your prayers. Thank you all again and again. I also am very thankful that my doctor has scheduled another ultrasound on Monday March 5th to check the lump. Yea! I am looking forward to hearing and seeing those results as I know many of you will be too!!

While I was at Bethel I bought a little booklet for my kids called “4 Most Important Things.” It really spoke to me so I wanted to share some of what it says here.

Number 1 “God is in a good mood.” So true. He really does love you and is totally for you. If you know that God is for you and not against you, you will be able to look at each situation as something that will eventually result in good. (Romans 8:31 & Romans 8:28)
Number 2 “Jesus’ blood paid for everything.” God sent Jesus to pay for all of our sins and all of our diseases. Psalm 103:2-3 “Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits– who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases.”
Number 3 “I am important.” Yes, you are! He cares for you deeply. 1 Peter 5:7 says “Cast all your cares on Him because He cares for you.”
Number 4 “Nothing is impossible.” Let me hear an AMEN! Jesus said in Matthew 19:26 “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

I hope the words from this little booklet encourage you in whatever situation you may be facing. I also want you to know I am open to whatever treatment options God may have for me. I did a MUGA scan on my heart on Friday and I have an appointment with my oncologist on Wednesday. But the appointments I look forward to the most are the ones I have with God everyday and throughout the day! Love you all.  Lana

Thank you!

Thank you all for “praying and fasting” for me. I really believe God heard and answered your prayers. Let the “praise and feasting” begin!

Dear Sweet Saints,

Thank you for your prayers both today and everyday. I am so extremely grateful. I am adding an “Amen and amen! Let it be Lord!” to your prayers. I am so full of faith today I feel like I could move a mountain. And because of that I want to ask if anyone has any prayer requests of their own I would be honored to pray for you as well. You can either post it here or send a personal message to me.

I am reminded of a scripture in Romans 8:11 that says “And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.” I believe that my body is completely full of life. I pray death and disappearance to any cancer cell in my body and life abundant to every good cell. In Jesus’ name.

In Romans 10:9 it says, “That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.” I believe 100% that this is true!! I have eternal salvation because of my BELIEF that Jesus died on the cross for my sins. And therefore I also want to BELIEVE the very words of Jesus in Mark 16:15-18 that say, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever BELIEVES and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not BELIEVE will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who BELIEVE: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, AND THEY WILL GET WELL.” I’m BELIEVIN’!  I BELIEVE Jesus for my salvation and also for my healing!

I say this all to encourage you that your prayers will be answered and I will be healed. Again, if there is anything I can be praying for you please post it or message it to me and I will be happy to join my prayers to yours and pray in faith for whatever you need. Thanks again for lifting my request up to heaven. I have complete peace about everything and know His presence is right here with me. There really is no better place. May God bless you all back for your sacrifice and prayers. Love and hugs to you all. Lana

Praying here in Illinois

Hitting our knees in prayer here in Illinios! We’re praying for Lana’s healing and more, that God would heal her body completely and gloriously and through it all that His name would be glorified in ways that go beyond anything we could ask or imagine.

We’re also praying through Psalm 20 for her, line by line. Thanks so much for joining us in prayer anytime throughout the day!

Love, Eric and family

PSALM 20

May the LORD answer you when you are in distress;
may the name of the God of Jacob protect you.
May He send you help from the sanctuary
and grant you support from Zion.
May He remember all your sacrifices
and accept your burnt offerings.
Selah

May He give you the desire of your heart
and make all your plans succeed.
We will shout for joy when you are victorious
and will lift up our banners in the name of our God.
May the LORD grant all your requests.

Now I know that the LORD saves His anointed;
He answers him from His holy heaven
with the saving power of His right hand.
Some trust in chariots and some in horses,
but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.
They are brought to their knees and fall,
but we rise up and stand firm.

O LORD, save the king!
Answer us when we call!

Hit Your Knees!

(Note from Eric:  Here’s a message I’ve just posted on my website at The Ranch that I wanted to make sure was posted on Lana’s blog as well.  Words cannot express how thankful we are for your prayers!)

Dear friends,

In my message last week, I shared that I could use some encouragement, and thanks to your prayers and God’s help, I got it!  I can’t tell you how much I appreciate all your prayers and notes and words of encouragement.

In case you missed last week’s message, I shared that my wife Lana and I were surprised a few weeks ago to find out that she has breast cancer, and we were even more surprised to find it was not just one lump in her breast, but had already spread, with multiple tumors showing up on CT scans and MRI’s throughout her lungs, liver and spine.

This news was devastating, as you can imagine.  But within hours of sending out our note asking for your encouragement, prayers started coming in from all over the world, from places like Kenya and Ghana, Malaysia and the Bahamas, Qatar and Dubai and all over the U.S.  The prayers of the saints were spreading faster than any cancer ever could!

I heard from a chaplain of a prison in New Mexico who said that all of the inmates in his prison were going to be praying for my wife.  I heard from another man in Uganda who said:

“I bet you or your husband has never been to Uganda. Yet you have. This Day’s Thought has been the highlight of my inbox since 2007. I feel like I know you, the picture is more complete with the family photo. Am surely praying for you.”

As the week went on, God continued to speak to us, reminding us that Jesus already drank the cup of death for us, and that He was holding out a cup of life to us instead!  We feel that Jesus wants us to drink from His cup of life, and drink deeply.  Whereas I wrote my message last week in part to comfort my own soul in the event that this cancer might take my wife’s life, this week I’m writing with full faith and confidence that God could heal her in a moment, completely and gloriously! And I’m thrilled to say that this miracle may have already begun!

The day after we sent our prayer request to you, Lana noticed that the tumor in her breast had shrunk suddenly and significantly.  And by 4 o’clock in the morning, she wasn’t sure if she could even find it at all!  We began to pray hard that this would be just an indicator of what’s going on in the rest of her body, that the cancer is being driven out by the power of God, and what was once in the darkness must now flee in the light!

We’ve been praying toward that for the rest of the week, and with that in mind, I’d like to ask you to consider praying and fasting along with me and hundreds of others who have already told us they’ll be praying with us during a special 24 hour prayer vigil for my wife.  You don’t have to go anywhere special, just pray wherever you are starting tomorrow morning, Monday, February 27th at 7:00 a.m. Central Time (-6 GMT), through Tuesday morning, the 28th, at 7:00 a.m.  We’re going to be praying and fasting that God would spare Lana’s life, confessing that her life and ministry isn’t at the end, but that it’s just at the beginning in a whole new way!

We believe that even one prayer, offered in faith, has tremendous power!  As the Bible says:

“And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.” (James 5:13-16).

One prayer, offered in faith, can make the sick person well.  One prayer, offered in faith, can bring forgiveness.  One prayer, offered in faith, can stop the rain or start it up again.  One prayer, offered in faith, can lead us to eternal life.  As the Apostle Paul said:

“That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9).

We’re praying and believing for Lana’s healing, not just because we’re afraid she’ll die, but because we believe that it pleases the heart of God whenever we pray a prayer offered in faith.

Whereas last week I felt like I needed a cheerleader to keep me up in my spirits, this week I’m feeling like being the cheerleader, cheering you all to stand up and clap and shout and make some noise for the Lord.  I remember watching cheerleaders at a college football game stand in front of one section of a stadium full of people.  The cheerleaders would raise their arms and shout to the people to do the same, calling on them to lift their hands, too, and to shout and clap and stomp their feet for the victory that they were hoping would soon come.  Then the cheerleaders would move to the next section and call on them to stand up on their feet and do the same.  Then they’d take off running around the stadium, going from section to section, until the whole stadium was on their feet, clapping and shouting and stomping!  As this message goes around the world this week, I want to call upon all of you to stand to your feet in prayer and praise, shouting and clapping and making some noise for the Lord!  (You don’t have to do it out loud, but you can do it in your spirit if you want!)

While it may seem selfish of me to call on so many of you to pray so intensely for my wife and myself and my family, after reading your notes and letters this week, I know for sure that this is not just about saving her life for my sake or the sake of the kids, but for God’s sake and what He is wanting to do through this to bring glory to His name.  I pray this is yet another testimony that will bring hope and healing and salvation to people all over the world.  So with that in mind, I want to encourage you to pray with us, and fast with us, for 24 hours this week. that Lana’s healing would be complete and glorious, and that God’s name would be glorified through it all!

There are times when fasting should be done in secret.  But there are other times in the Bible where fasting is done in the light, in full view of everyone, like when Esther was about to make a special request of the king to save her people, but which could cost her her life. Esther said:

“Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my maids will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish” (Esther 4:16).

Esther declared her fast, publicly and widely, because she knew that God could use those prayers for the salvation of many, many souls.  Esther was placed in a unique position to call this fast, and I believe Lana has been placed in a similar position.  As Esther’s cousin said to her just before she declared her fast:

“And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14b).

If you’d like some ideas for how to fast and pray, here’s a link to a website that I’ve found helpful. (7 Steps To Fasting)

If you’re thinking of joining us, I’d like to encourage you by sharing a note I received this week from a dear friend who had mistakenly, but thankfully, thought that the day of prayer and fasting was last Monday instead of this coming one.  As she set out to fast and pray for 24 hours, she wrote to us and said:

“This morning, I pledge a day of fasting and hourly prayer for Lana’s healing. I pray for her recovery and the Lord granting her 50 more years of ministry at Eric’s side. I pray for the possibility of unbelievers hearing of Lana’s healing and following their curiosity to the Gospel. I pledge to pray each hour for Lana’s healing not only for the benefit of her family and friends, but for the benefit of the Body of Christ. May God hear my pleas.”

Then, when her fast was nearly complete, she wrote:

“Lana and Eric, Soon – as in fifteen minutes – my day of fasting and prayer will be over, so I wanted you to know how much it meant to me to carry you both in my heart and mind all day.  During the day and night, I remembered many moments of laughter and friendship, but I thought mostly about how you express your faith. It is inspiring, yes, but also challenging, because your faith makes me – and those who listen to me share about your work – question if we are doing as much, being as faithful. While I know comparison is not the answer, I can’t help but think that the Lord uses those moments to nudge me, and others, along. Lana, you are so dearly loved and I am in your debt for thousands – yes thousands – of little ways you have encouraged my faith. P.S. While praying about whether or not I should commit to doing the fast and prayer day, I went to check the dates so that my prayers could be added to others. I believed I saw 20-21. I was convinced, in fact, so I was shocked to read, this morning, that the prayer vigil is set for next week. So, it is my hope that the Lord directed me to this day for His purposes, but I will add my prayers to the others on the 27th as well. ”

I am fully convinced that God directed her to pray for us that day, and I would love for you to join us in prayer, too, whether it’s on the the 27th and 28th, or at any other time when you receive this note.  I’m sure time zones and dates don’t mean nearly as much to an eternal God as they do to us here on earth!

But if you’d like to join us on this special day when hundreds of others will be praying, too, we’re starting as 7:00 a.m. Central Time (-6 GMT) on Monday, February 27th through 7:00 a.m. on the 28th.  You don’t have to go anywhere special to pray, just pray wherever you are.  And if you’d like to post your prayers on Lana’s blog, or read the prayers of others, you can do so anytime at lanaelder.com.

And at some point during your prayers, can I encourage you to “hit your knees,” by kneeling on the ground?  As one of our friends said who is organizing this special day of fasting and prayer:

“Hit your knees when you pray, because we want Satan to feel the earth tremble as we pray for Lana.”

I know I’ll be hitting my knees several times tomorrow, and I’d love for you to do the same.  If you need some words to pray for Lana throughout the day, here’s a Psalm I’ve been praying over her, line by line, for the past few days.  I pray it encourages you in making your own requests to God as well!

May the LORD answer you when you are in distress;
may the name of the God of Jacob protect you.
May He send you help from the sanctuary
and grant you support from Zion.
May He remember all your sacrifices
and accept your burnt offerings.
May He give you the desire of your heart
and make all your plans succeed.
We will shout for joy when you are victorious
and will lift up our banners in the name of our God.
May the LORD grant all your requests.

Now I know that the LORD saves His anointed;
He answers him from His holy heaven
with the saving power of His right hand.
Some trust in chariots and some in horses,
but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.
They are brought to their knees and fall,
but we rise up and stand firm.
O LORD, save the king!
Answer us when we call!
(Psalm 20: 1-9)

Thanks again so much!  Your words and prayers are already glorifying God in ways that go beyond anything we could ask or imagine!

Will you pray with me?

Father, thank You for what you are already doing in this situation with Lana, both in the healing we believe is taking place in her body, and the glorifying of your name that is taking place around the world.  Let this day of prayer and fasting be a testimony to Your power, Your might, and Your victory over darkness, once and for all.  We pray for healing and more, that You would heal Lana’s body, completely and gloriously, and through it all, that Your name would be glorified in ways that go beyond anything we could ask or imagine.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

P.S.  Many of you have asked if there’s anything you can do for us during this time.  Your prayers mean the most to us, and have helped us already so much.  And while I’m extremely hesitant to say so, the gifts that some of you have been sending in to our ministry at this time have been extremely helpful and a tremendous blessing as well.  I don’t want to use this situation in any way that looks like I’m trying to raise funds for the work we’re doing here.  Yet I know that God has so much He wants to do in and through us and the financial pressure of running the ministry and dealing with all of this at the same time is sometimes almost more than I can bear.  I’m trusting in God every step of the way, but I must also confess that the gifts you’re sending are going a long way towards helping us personally right now, and practically as we continue to try to use this ministry to reach out to people in the name of Christ throughout the world.  Our same friend who has asked you to “hit your knees” in prayer has also donated some special T-Shirts she has made to remind you to pray for Lana.  The shirt has a verse printed on it from Joshua 1:9 that says: “Be strong and courageous.  Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your GOD will be with you wherever you go.”  Our friend would be glad to send you one of these special T-Shirts anywhere in the world for a donation of any size to our ministry.  If you’d like to make a donation and get a T-Shirt as a reminder to pray for Lana and our family, just click the link below.  Your gifts really do make a difference, and our friend is glad to send you this gift as her way of saying thanks!
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Bone Biopsy Result

Well, the results are in. My bone biopsy confirms that the cancer in my bones seems to be similar to the cancer in my breast. So it most likely started in my breast and spread from there. It’s possible I may still need to do a lung biopsy to confirm that it is also the same breast cancer there and not a separate lung cancer. We will see. In other news, the biopsy report also had an indicator of the aggressiveness of my cancer. It’s called a Ki-67 factor. Apparently anything over 20% is considered aggressive. My Ki-67 factor was 70%! For some reason when I found out it made me laugh! (Now I know you are probably all concerned about my mental state right now. And maybe you should be!! I do tend to laugh in the face of adversity…or maybe just at inappropriate times.) The verse that came to mind was one that some dear friends gave me on Sunday from Psalm 112: 7-8…

 ”He will have no fear of bad news; 
   his heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD. 
His heart is secure, he will have no fear; 
   in the end he will look in triumph on his foes.” 

The biopsy report does seem rather bleak. But thankfully my God is powerful. He’s the Great Physician and His report supersedes any other! He already knows what’s going on and has everything under control. In the mean time, I am also trying to do my part nutritionally. I’ve adopted a plant-based, no-sugar diet with many supplements.  I’m still praying about what else God might want me to do next, and will talk to the doctors more next week.

I hope this latest report doesn’t scare you, but maybe encourages you all to keep praying fervently for my healing. And God will receive all the glory for healing me from such a seemingly dire situation. On that note- I am attending a healing service tomorrow morning @ 9:00 a.m. at Bethel as well as a special inner healing session tomorrow afternoon @ 4:30 p.m. I’m blessed to be able to be here and experience this.

Thank you again for your many prayers and encouraging notes. I reread them many times to encourage myself. May God bless you back in multiple ways!!!

With great love for all of you, Lana

Feeling Refreshed

Dear friends, I am so overwhelmed by your prayers, gracious notes and words of encouragement.  I can understand what Paul said to Philemon in chapter 1, verse 7, which says, “Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brothers (and sisters) have refreshed the hearts of the saints.”  My heart is refreshed and I am encouraged by all of your prayers.  There’s a verse in Revelation chapter 5, verse 8, that talks about the prayers of the saints being like bowls of incense.  I can just imagine with all of your prayers, that the heavenly army has been very busy bringing full bowls of incense to the throne of God.  Saying thank you just doesn’t seem like enough.  I want to tell you I am so encouraged.  I know you’re all praying and I believe your prayers are being answered.  I believe the lump in my breast is getting smaller.  Really.  Is that not amazing!  Our God is so good!  In Revelation it says that they will overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony.  I just want to testify that the lump is getting smaller.  I know that this has got to be a direct answer to the prayers you all are praying.  Please continue to pray that the lump disappears, as well as those in my lungs, liver and back.  Thank you again for interceding on my behalf.  My eyes well with tears many times as I read your notes.  I am deeply grateful.

The Twilight Zone

Thanks so much for everyone’s prayers.  Eric and my family and I feel so loved and cared for.  Your prayers have helped more than you know.  I was supposed to have two procedures today, the first was going to be a biopsy of a tumor in my lung, but they decided to postpone that one till after my trip to Bethel College in California this week. My daughter Makari and I will be visiting a friend of ours and receiving some special prayers for healing as well as checking out the school for Makari for next year. This school emphasizes the ministry of healing and so we are looking forward to them praying for us on the 27th which is the day our friends have organized a day of prayer and fasting for us. We had planned this trip several weeks ago, and my doctor said it was fine for us to still go.  So, this morning when I asked the biopsy doctor when I could resume normal activities I was surprised to hear him say, “The only thing you can’t do is fly for two weeks.” (Because there is a chance my lungs might have collapsed during the flight.) Good thing to know!!! So thank you for praying and for (I believe)  prompting me to ask that question. They went ahead and did the bone biopsy today and we’ll have the results later in the week.  They want to be sure the bone cancer is related to the breast cancer, and not another kind. They gave me a “twilight sedative,” which kept me partially awake.  I felt a bit like everything going on was a little surreal, just like this whole experience!  I’m having some back pain tonight, but that’s to be expected after this procedure. And I actually can’t imagine having pain in my lungs at the same time as the pain in my back so I’m so thankful I only had one procedure done today! A friend gave us this verse yesterday that has helped.  It’s from Psalm 112:7-8:

“The righteous will have no fear of bad news; their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord.  Their hearts are secure, they will have no fear; in the end they will look in triumph on their foes.” While we know we’re not righteous, through Christ’s forgiveness we’ve been made righteous.  So we’re trying not to fear, and praying that God will triumph in the end.  We can see how He is triumphing already in this situation through all of your prayers and stories and notes of encouragement.  So thank you again.  We love you.

Latest Results

Thank you all for praying for me. Here’s my latest update. On Thursday Feb. 16th I had a full body bone scan and chest CT. The results came back that it looks like the cancer is already in my back bone, liver and lungs. This was devastating news to us and I honestly thought I might have a heart attack just thinking about it! Thankfully my heart settled down and I’m back on the road to full faith and belief that I will get through this. Thank you all for your prayers I do believe they helped me to get back on track quickly. I feel very healthy otherwise and am still surprised that this is going on inside my body. I am heading back to Northwestern Monday morning to have a lung biopsy and a back biopsy. They want to find out if these additional tumors in those areas are the same as the breast cancer. This will help to determine the course of treatment. It can take up to five days to get the results back so it may be awhile before I post again. Eric and I have been praying that God would reveal to us the truth about this situation and although we didn’t really want to hear this latest report we are very thankful to know more about what is going on. We are so thankful to have so many friends praying and your prayers mean the world to us right now. In fact, a wonderful friend of mine is organizing a 24 hour prayer vigil for me and my family. My husband and kids need the prayer covering as much as I do. It will begin on Monday, Feb. 27. at 7:00 am and continue until Tuesday, Feb. 28, at 7:00am. You can pray wherever you are. I definitely know your prayers are making a difference. In the book of James it says “The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.” I feel so incredibly blessed to have you all praying for me. Thank you again. (By the way, you can sign up to receive these posts by email from the link at the right.)

Lana’s Health

Thanks so much for all your prayers and encouraging words for Lana and our whole family.  We really appreciate them so much…they’re keeping us going!  Lana asked me to post a message here on her blog that I wrote last Sunday (February 19th) for our other website (www.theranch.org) for those of you who may not have read it yet.  As odd as it may sound, I’ve re-read this message many times myself, as the words from God’s Word are so comforting to me!  Here’s the message…

—————–

Lana’s Health
by Eric Elder
www.theranch.org

Dear Friends,

I normally use this space to write some words of encouragement to you, but this week I could use some encouragement myself.

A few weeks ago my wife and I received the surprising news that she has breast cancer.  Two days ago, we received the even more surprising news that it was not a Stage 1 breast cancer with one lump in her breast, but that it is actually a Stage 4 breast cancer, with multiple tumors that have already spread to her lungs, liver and spine.

If you know Lana, you know that she’s the picture of health…she’s at her ideal body weight, she eats well, she runs 2-3 miles every few days, and her blood work is perfect in every way.  She feels good and strong and healthy.  Other than the lump in her breast that we discovered in December, and some minor pain in her lower back that started soon after that, we wouldn’t have even thought to have her tested for anything that could possibly be going wrong inside her body.  Even when people do find lumps in their breasts, the majority of the time those lumps turn out to be harmless.  But not this time.

I’ve prayed with many people over the years with many types of cancer.  I’ve seen some people healed naturally, others supernaturally, and still others who haven’t been healed in the way that we had fervently hoped or prayed, including my own mother who died of breast cancer twenty-one years ago.  But even in those instances where God hasn’t healed people in the way that I had hoped, I have seen God use even those situations for good in the end.  As good and miraculous as healing is, I know that there is still more that Christ offers us than just the healing that we desire.  As the Apostle Paul says:

“If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men” (1 Corinthians 15:19).

I believe in healing.  I’ve seen people healed with my own eyes, and through my own prayers, numerous times.  God wants us to be healed and has wired our bodies to heal themselves as much as possible, whether it’s the coagulating of blood to heal a scrape on our skin, or the multiplication of white blood cells to fight off a raging infection.

But there’s also an enemy at work whose main goal, according to Jesus, seems to be to steal, kill, and destroy.  As Jesus said:

“The thief comes only to steal kill and destroy; …” (John 10:10a).

But Jesus didn’t leave it there.  He went on to say:

“… I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10b).

The healings and miracles of Jesus are so numerous that the pages of the Bible can’t even contain them all.  As the Apostle John said:

“Jesus did many other things as well.  If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written” (John 21:25).

And yet as miraculous and amazing and God-ordained as healing is, there are some things that are even more amazing… like forgiveness… and the peace that passes understanding… and eternal life.

When some men in the Bible brought their friend to Jesus to be healed, having pressed through the crowds and cutting a hole in the roof to get their friend to Jesus, Jesus said to the sick man,

“Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven” (Matthew 9:2b). 

The religious leaders were shocked that Jesus would make such a bold statement, knowing that only God Himself has the power to forgive sins.  But knowing their thoughts, Jesus said to them:

“Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins…” Then He said to the paralytic, “Get up, take your mat and go home.” And the man got up and went home” (Matthew 9:5-7).

To Jesus, the forgiveness of sins seems to be just as miraculous, if not more so, than healing.  And considering what Jesus had to go through in order to forgive us of our sins, it seems like forgiveness is quite possibly the harder of the two.

When Jesus Himself was headed for the cross, way too young and way too innocent, rather than fighting His death, He submitted to the will of His Father in heaven, knowing that His Father’s plans were even more glorious than anything anyone could have imagined.  Yet Jesus still prayed that if there was any way possible, that His Father would take the cup of death away from Him so  that He wouldn’t have to drink it.  At the same time, He trusted His Father completely regardless of the outcome, saying

“…yet not My will, but Yours be done” (Luke 22:42b).

He sought for the peace of His Father above all else, and He encouraged His disciples to do the same:  As Jesus told His disciples,

“I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

And ultimately, what could compare to the promise of eternal life?  As Lana told a friend this weekend:

“For me, it’s a win-win situation.  Either I go to be with Jesus, or I get to stay here and be with Eric and my family.”

As Paul said,

“I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.  If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body” (Philippians 1:20-24). 

Jesus came to give us life to the full, both here on earth and in heaven forever.  This is the hope that we have in Christ, and this is the hope for which He gave up His life.

So with both of those hopes in mind, can I ask for your earnest prayers on our behalf?  We’re praying for healing and more, that God would heal Lana’s body completely and gloriously, and through it all, that God’s name would be glorified in ways that go beyond anything we could ask or imagine.  Thank you so much.

Will you pray with me?

Father, thank You for revealing to us this cancer that is at work within Lana’s body so that we can know what to do next.  Lord, we pray for healing and more, that You would heal her body completely and gloriously, and through it all, that Your name would be glorified in ways that go beyond anything we could ask or imagine.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

P.S.  Thanks so much for your prayers.  They mean the world to us.  Here’s one of Lana’s favorite pictures of our family. Lana is second from the right, and I’m second from the left. Some friends of ours are organizing a special day of prayer and fasting for Lana and me and our family.  If you’d like to join us in prayer, you don’t have to come anywhere, but simply pray for us throughout the day and night as you can.  This special day of prayer will start on Monday, February 27th at 7:00 a.m., through Tuesday, February 28th, at 7:00 a.m.  We’re in the Central time zone herein Illinois (GMT -6), but your prayers matter more to us than the time zone!  If you want to let us know you’ll be praying, you can post a note on Lana’s blog that she’s just set up to keep people updated on her situation.  I’ve included the link below.  Please also pray for her tomorrow (Monday, February 20th) for two more biopsies that she’ll be going through to test the tumors on her lung and back, that these biopsies will be helpful in determining what to do next and not harmful in any way.  Thanks again.  Here’s the link to Lana’s blog:
http://lanaelder.wordpress.com

More tests

Thanks again for your prayers. I really feel encouraged by them. I’m heading to Chicago today for further testing to determine if the cancer has spread at all. Then I have an appointment with the doctor next week to go over the results. I appreciate your prayers!

First world problems

A few weeks ago I took my daughter shopping for her birthday. We picked up my niece in Champaign and headed to the mall. We weren’t too far down the road when we were stuck in some traffic. My niece commented, “My friend would say this is just a first world problem.” She then explained that in a third world country this wouldn’t be a problem because most people don’t have cars, let alone traffic. It made me thankful to have a car, and a car with heat too! It became our phrase for the night.

When we got to the mall and had to park somewhere further than we wanted…..first world problem! Wow! We GET to park at a shopping extravaganza. After an hour or two of shopping we sat down to eat. My back ached…..first world problem. We are so privileged to be able to buy food and sit in a beautiful atrium and eat! You get the idea. So last week when I received the call from the doctor that I had breast cancer, my first thought was “Okay God, you must be up to something!” and my second thought was “First World Problem”.

Really. I’m thankful that I’ve found some good doctors to help walk me through this, because in December my husband and I attended a meeting of some dear friends who are working in Kenya. They are helping to train women to do monthly breast exams in an effort to find breast cancer in its earliest stages. My husband Eric asked what happens when they find a lump. They replied, many times nothing can be done because they don’t have the means nor the access to medical facilities.

That night, after hearing our friends speak, I discovered the lump in my breast. Okay, to be totally honest, my husband discovered the lump in my breast *blush*. Obviously, I wasn’t doing a very good job at my self exams.

I scheduled my mammogram in January and had my biopsy Feb 1st. They called Feb 2nd with the news that it was cancerous. I have had a great peace about it all. I really do believe God knows what He’s doing. My hope continues to be in Him. Since I am still in the early stages of all this, I don’t really know much. I have been on a crash course in breast cancer terminology since I found out. The biopsy report indicates it’s Invasive Ductal Carcinoma, the  most common type of cancer. According to my oncologist it’s staged clinically at stage 1 (they won’t stage it officially until further testing is done). So, I would love and appreciate your prayers. My family and I have been memorizing Psalm 91 and find it very encouraging. I’ll post the words here.

Psalm 91

1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.”
3 Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare
and from the deadly pestilence.
4 He will cover you with his feathers,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
5 You will not fear the terror of night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,
6 nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
nor the plague that destroys at midday.
7 A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.
8 You will only observe with your eyes
and see the punishment of the wicked.
9 If you make the Most High your dwelling—
even the LORD, who is my refuge—
10 then no harm will befall you,
no disaster will come near your tent.
11 For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways;
12 they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
13 You will tread upon the lion and the cobra;
you will trample the great lion and the serpent.
14 “Because he loves me,” says the LORD, “I will rescue him;
I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
15 He will call upon me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble,
I will deliver him and honor him.
16 With long life will I satisfy him
and show him my salvation.”

If you’d like to join me in praying I would sincerely appreciate it.

Father, thank You that You know all things. You know what is going on in my body and You know how to heal it and You work out everything for our good. Jesus, I ask You to heal me right now. Take away the cancer cells and replace them with new and healthy cells. Restore my body to the one you intended it to be. Thank You for the doctors and nurses and the wisdom You’ve given them to help bring my body back to full health. Thank You so much for the love and support of my friends and family. I am so blessed. You are such an awesome God. Thank You for the trials as well as the victories. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.