A Wonderful Lord's Day...

Dear Friends,

Today was a wonderful day. Pastor Mitch was on vacation and I was given the service to encourage our body to become a community for our community. We pulled a group of folks together that have experienced the benefit of intentional community over the last 7 months in small groups. Their testimonies and stories pictured God at work in individuals and through doing life together. Between this and the worship it has been a great day.

Many of you were praying for us as preaching is not my primary giftedness, so I want you to know that your intercession sustained us. I woke this morning to needling pain in my knees that had me buckled over for 45 minutes. This is a side effect of the chemo (joint pain), but the first that I had really felt it. Gabriela jumped into action praying and then cared for me with ointments and heat. She's a great nurse and the pain dulled. Again, thankful for the prayers and God's gracious hand.

Another wonderful surprise today was that our friends the Delisle's drove down to support us. It was so rich to see them, feel their love, and enjoy a meal after the service. The picture is compliments of them of our service today.

It's somewhat difficult to write about yourself and feels unnatural. There is so much more about life and living in Christ that fills our days. I have been deeply encouraged by God with a renewed perspective regarding our calling as believers to be a reconciling agent in this world. The reality of my cancer had thrown me into a numbness that caused me to question what life was really about. I was identifying with Solomon that all really is vanity. Maybe you can relate and have felt the lack of motivation or passion in life. This went on for several weeks until the pain of the world around left me on my face before God. I poured my heart out and in the quietness that followed, He reminded me it's about taking back, restoring, renewing, what was stolen, marred, and broken through the fall. His heart is to reconcile the world to Himself using us as His hands, feet, mouthpiece, smile, etc. And in the process, we come into a richer knowledge and experience of His love for us. It's a simple truth and just what I have needed to move beyond myself.

I know that you will identify with the awesomeness of God. Let's pray together that we will be effective in our ministry of reconciliation regardless of our situation. It's so worth the battle.

Kelly

Hello dear family and friends,
Kelly finishes his second week of four weeks of this new chemo tomorrow. Thank you for your prayers, they have truly sustained us! Kelly has had a very low red blood cell count this week which has made it difficult to function. He has been very tired and short of breath. In spite of this, he is tolerating the chemo very well. He is not feeling nauseous although the spinal chemo does give him a head ache.
We are very grateful that he was able to receive 4 units of blood this week and we are hoping it will give him enough energy to preach two services on Sunday! He will be preaching about one of his passion, Christ centered community. We would be so grateful if you would pray that he would not only have the stamina to preach but also that God would use him to communicate His heart.
Family life is going well. We celebrated Anneliese's second birthday on Tuesday. What a delight she is to our family. The kids and I have been enjoying the free summer movies at the local theater once a week and an incredible summer program at our library. We have also been able to go swimming at some friends houses and cool off a bit. Oh boy is it hot here in Fresno! Anyway...
I would appreciate prayer for my patience with our kids. There are days that I feel very much on edge. I do better when I remember that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me and that what He has given me to do today is not too difficult or beyond my reach and finally, His strength is perfected in my weakness. What a mighty God He is and how extravagant is His love! Lots of love and thankfulness for you all, Gabriela

Good Week....

Hi Friends - We apologize for not posting an entry in a week and so appreciate those that have called to inquire. It's been a good week. No hospitals or complications. It's been nice to be home. I have been into the church office all this week, enjoyed leading two Bible studies, and getting my head back into what I love doing. It's been wonderful.

The chemo treatments for the next 4 weeks are 4 days a week with two chemicals on Mondays. I have one week down....hey! I have tolerated the drug well, so that's encouraging (still have follicle integrity). No sickness, just move a little slower. So we are praising God and thankful to the great Oncology staff that care for us.

The kids are doing well, enjoying the summer and swimming. Gabriela carries a lot of the emotional load and is handling it well, but I would ask you to keep her in prayer as she continues to adjust our lives to best battle this cancer. She's an awesome lady and my best friend. We celebrate 12 years of marriage on Sunday. I am a blessed man!!!

Thanks you again for your prayer and encouragement. I daily feel the need for them as I contempt life with cancer. It's something I will share on the blog as I formulate my thoughts. What I can say is the sense God's presence and love through you all is transforming. I love you all.

If there is one specific request at present, it would be my weight loss. I have lost 35 lbs. and looking pretty good, but really need to keep muscle mass and weight on. Thank you. Well off to the office...boy that sounds good!!

His blessings,

Kelly

"I know the plans I have for you,,,"

Another good day! Kelly was able to stay on schedule with his chemo in spite of the pneumonia. The doctor said that his lungs sounded as if they were on the mend but wants to keep a close eye on it. So please keep praying for the antibiotics to kill the infection in his lung and please also pray as we enter into our next induction of treatment. The next four weeks sound rather grewling. Chemo injections into his spin once a week, at the same time he will be taking chemo orally every day and receiving chemo intravenously four days a week. It sounds so daunting and yet I know that Jesus will be our strength! His grace is sufficient, He is know the plans He has for us. Plans to prosper us and not to harm us, plans to give us hope and a future. What a comfort to know we are in His loving hands.

More updates

Tonight was interesting. We found out that Kelly's blood is no longer low it's very, very high. No alarm, he is being monitored closely and is feeling well. Unfortunately, the doctor came in and informed us that Kelly has developed pneumonia. He said that there was a small patch of it in his right lung and he will be treated with antibiotics. We don't know how aggressive it is and we hope the antibiotics will take care of it. He will most likely be in the hospital through the weekend if all goes well.
I feel redundant thanking you all for your prayers, it's just that I truly covet them and I am so thankful for the body of Christ. I believe that there is power in prayer, He hears the prayers of His people! Sincerely, Gabriela

Praise and Thanks!

We are so relieved that Kelly is doing well. It turns out that the symptoms for an infection are the same for low blood sugar. Kelly's body is unable, at present, to manage it's blood sugar. The doctors think this is due to some steroids that are being taken in conjunction with chemo. Kelly is in ICU at ST. Agnus Medical Center in Fresno and is getting his finger poked hourly. We understand that after being weened off the steroid, (Prednison) his body will balance out. The doctors are still treating him as if he had an infection as a precaution. I personally reflect on yesterday with much thankfulness. It was really scary to see Kelly go through what he went through but God's presence was so evident. He surrounded me with His people and His peace and I am so thankful that I belong to Him! Thank you for your prayers! Love, Gabriela

Prayer request

Dear Friends & Family~

Kelly is back in the hospital this late afternoon due to an infection which is causing delirium.
Please pray for Kelly, Gabriela, and the kids... along with wisdom for the doctor's and nurses that are caring for Kelly.
Please pass the prayer request on if you are part of any prayer chains.

Thank you.

In His embrace

Wow, what a weekend. We spent Sat. in the ER because Kelly woke up with a fever. It was scary because we did not know what to expect but, after about 6 or 7 hours in the ER, we got to come home! Thank you Jesus! Kelly's fever stayed low, (99.5) on Sun. and has had a little more energy. We were not able to go to church but God brought us some fellowship at home with the Shamshion's and the Kehoe's visiting with us for a while. Today was a good day and I am so thankful. I personally am learning what it means to rely on Jesus moment by moment. I've always cognitively understood that my every breath and heart beat have been dependant on God, but I don't think I have ever been so keenly aware of it as I am now. Nothing has changed. God is sovereign, He is good, His timing is perfect, we are in His hands, "all the days that were ordained for me were written in His book before there was even yet one ." It is all at once painful and peaceful to be in this place. Painful to let go of my illusions of control and peaceful because there is no other place I would rather be then in His truth and oh, how I love and praise Him for it. Thank you again and again for your prayers. Please pray that Brianna's sniffles don't infect Kelly or the rest of us. Resting in His peace, Gabriela

rough couple of days

Hello Dear Family and Friends,
We have had a rough couple of days. Kelly is extremely fatigued and has some mouth sores that make it difficult to talk and eat. He has been resting the last couple of days. We have both been down-hearted as the reality of this settles in. We are not without God's peace, presence and love nor do we feel hopeless, we are just "feeling" our situation and thinking about what's to come. ANYWAY!!! We have had several good cries together as well as sweet times of prayer. We made it through today and tomorrow is another new day filled with God's mercy, strength and the promise of His presence. Oh, I can not imagine life without our Savior! We praise Him for His love and mercy to us. Thank you also for your prayers. They really do mean so much to us. Please pray for continued strength for both Kelly and I and please pray for our kid as they deal with seeing Papa feeling sick and really tired, I'm sure it is a bit scary for them. Love, Gabriela

I guess this stuff really works!!

Dear Friends. Your prayers and encouragement, cards, and calls have been so helpful to us. Your love is amazing. I remember feeling somewhat guilty because I was feeling so good for the first three weeks of chemo that I felt I needed to pull out a clump of hair. Well the hair is still intact and chemo is beginning to effect my strength, eating, and alertness. I love Chipolte's- the hotter the better. Gabriela picked me up one as I was working late. It had no taste. Oh well, that should make my choices pretty easy for a while.

Something that people have often been asking me is, "Aren't you mad? After all you serve God and now you have cancer." It's a fair question, but it really stems from a misunderstanding of God. I see it this way. The world is a messed up place because of original sin and on-going sin. Stuff happens. God's sovereignty rules over all of it, yet within God's sovereignty He has allowed for free will and for a natural progression of cause and effect. This doesn't mean He is not in control or sovereign. It's part of it. God, throughout history, has intervened in supernatural ways, but that's more of the exception than the rule. God doesn't have to heal me in order to be a good and loving Father. His love alone is sufficient for me.
God doesn't promise anywhere in the Bible to rescue me from difficult. What He promises is that He will walk beside me through it. I feel His presence privately, through the church family that has embraced us, and countless friends from the past that consistently have called, prayed, and even graciously have cover expenses. So when someone asks, "Aren't you mad at God for allowing this?" NO!!! He did not give me cancer and He may or may not heal me from cancer, but He is my hope and will walk with me through this cancer.

Psalm 16:5-6 has greatly ministered to me over the last few week as the reality settles in:
The Lord is the portion of my inheritance and my cup; Thou dost support my lot. The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places: Indeed, my heritage is beautiful to me.

My life is rich and my future secure and God's love. We have much to thankful for. Please pray for the adjustments ahead. The next set of treatments are back to back and physically taking a toll. Pray for Gabriela's support, and the kids ability to see their Papa weak and unavailable. This I think will be the hardness for me and them.

Thanks

Kelly

Thank you for checking the blog regularly and for your love, support, and prayers. Kelly and Gabriela have been struggling the last few days. Kelly has been persevering, but has been dealing with tongue sores (common and painful side-effect from chemo) which have made talking and eating very difficult. Gabriela is also persevering, but dealing with the strenuous emotional effects and is feeling tired. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers as you are led.

Happy Fourth of July!

~In His embrace