Thanking the Lord for new beginnings. So many of you have asked how treatment went yesterday. Actually, we got into the doctor’s office, asked some questions that we needed answers to first, and were encouraged to hold off on beginning radiation until we investigate a few more things. As we have prayed and sought confirmation, the Lord seems to be directing us to at least make a trip to Houston, TX to check out some treatment options there. We hope to do this quickly and appreciate your praying for doors to supernaturally open ahead of us. We need great discernment but God is being so mighty to confirm each step of the way.
As you pray with us we are asking God for:
- favor with doctors
- timely appointments
- wisdom for treatment options
- a very specific healing treatment plan
- Rain!
Every bit of your encouragement is literally putting courage into our family for daily walking. We are all so grateful for each of you. And we are seeing God work and draw people to Himself. How exciting to think of so many praying and fasting! Who knows what all God will do and is already at work doing as His people pray and seek Him. Wow!
We are praying for you as you pray for us that the Lord will be so near you, speak so clearly to you, build you up in your faith, empower you to be His mighty witnesses and just show you His face. We are praying for revival and renewal to abound. We are asking God’s Kingdom to come and His will to be done on earth as it is in heaven! We pray that this year will be so full of His glory that we will all be eternally changed by it and empowered to love Him and serve Him more fully.
May you experience His powerful presence this New Year! Love, the Sauders
My neighbor has found great successful treatment and comfort in Houston! Praying you do as well. She did her research and found doctors there who had extensive study with her specific type of cancer.
Glad you are going to Texas. Will pray for this next step of yours.
Thanks for keeping us posted. Our family is praying for you, Kristen & your family daily. We have friends who had great success in Houston. We’ll continue to pray with your specific needs in mind.
Yours in Christ
Mrs. Van de Ryt,
I have been meaning to reply to you for some time now! Thank you for your encouraging notes and for your prayers! I miss seeing your family around Anchorage and hope you are all doing well. Please give hugs to Jack and Isabella!
Blessings, Olivia Sauder
A testimony to God’s ever presence! Today while praying for you Kristen I wrestled with being alone in prayer and wishing I had someone to pray specifically for you with me. Well God is always cracking me up! My precious friend, Bennie Rivers, who used to help Lee and I with the children in Atlanta literally 15 years ago called to wish us a Happy New Year unexpectantly in the middle of my tears! She is a sister in Christ who absolutely loves Jesus and just to give you a tidbit of her back ground, babysat for Martin Luther King Jr.s kids! Oh my does she pray and we lifted up your name and prayed that all obstacles be removed, every single cell be made well and the great and mighty work He started in you and in your ministry would be complete. I thank Him for sending her to us today and for His providence. God bless and may excellent things through His rain pour down on the Sauders!! Happy New Year hugs – Martha
Our dear friend, Miss Kristen, (which we have called you since you were 12 or 13!)
We are keeping track of your updates on how to pray and will continue to do so. Leah, Kristy and Emily and their families are all praying also. Our church is praying too!
We love you and your family dearly.
Remember the One who loves you most, is the One who is in control! (Pastor Paul said)
Pastor Paul and Karen
When we walk with the Lord, we don’t get board! Sing hallelujah, Amen! I can hear you, Pastor Paul. Thank you both for years of love, your example to me, your faithfulness. God has used you mightily in my life for His glory. Counting on your faithful prayers during this intense season of leaning. The anchor holds. There’s none sweeter than Jesus.
Praying for healing and peace.
You and family are continually in our hearts and prayers. When our extended family and few friends gathered for prayer as 2013 dawned last night, your family was remembered with love and covered with many prayers.
Appreciate your timely and specific updates and prayer needs.
Thanks for growing our faith as we walk this challenging journey with your family.
Praying for clarity and wisdom for treatment options as you meet with Drs. in Houston.
praying James l:5 with and for you : )
In our hearts and prayers, Terry and Rita Clark
We love and miss our prayer times with the Clarks. I can hear you all now! Can’t tell you how much those prayers mean during this season. They are life-giving!
Our love and hugs are sent to you Kristen…your courage and strength are such a testimony to us all…We love you!! We are praying for all of you that God would surround you with his Perfect Love and Peace.
Thank you, Joan. We love you all so much too. Thanks for being such a huge encouragement to the kids over Christmas. You’re gift to me of Scripture, quotes and prayers keeps on giving! I know how you pray, Joan. I know how God speaks to you and I thank you for being a warrior on our behalf right now. Hug all there for us. Love you much!
A testimony to God’s ever presence. Today while praying for you Kristin, I wrestled with being alone in prayer and wishing I had someone to pray specifically for you with me. Well God is always cracking me up! My precious friend Bennie, who used to help Lee and I with the children in Atlanta literally 15 years ago, called to wish us a Happy New Year unexpectedly in the middle of my tears! She is a sister in Christ who absolutely loves Jesus and just to give you a tidbit of her back ground babysat for Martin Luther King, Jr.’s kids! Oh my does she pray and we lifted up your name and prayed that all obstacles be removed, every single cell be made well and the great and mighty work He started in you and your ministry would be complete. I thank Him for sending her to us today and for His providence. God bless and may excellent things through His rain pour down on the Sauders!! Happy New Year hugs to all!
Martha, how powerfully encouraging! God is so good, so tender, so personal. I praise God that He sent you a powerful prayer partner at just the right time. Your prayers are precious to me! Love you, sister.
Paring for open doors and timely God directed treatment. Just wondering if this is M.B.Anderson you are seeking an appt. with.
Karin, Thank you for your prayers! Yes, that is one of the places we are praying will open for us.
Pray, Joy, Thankful 2 Thess 5:16, 17, 18
Pure Joy, Persevere, James 1:2-4
Praise, Pray, Petition Psalms 34:1-6
Awesomeness in God’s Word!!!!!!
Love you.
Steve, thank you for your prayers during the night hours. Thank you for ALWAYS going to the Word, and thank you for modeling the way of joy in life’s journey so well, brother. You are such an example to all of us.
Kristen, I am praying for you every day – as so many people are. Every time we read your posts we feel God’s presence in your words. Thank for you sharing your life so that we can pray for you and your family.
Hi Kristen,
Last night before going to bed Becky and Luke were praying for you and your family. A song by Chris Tomlin that she had never heard before called “Whom Shall I Fear?” came on after they finished praying for you. She texted it to me but I didn’t listen to it until this morning. I heard it on the radio again on my way to work. We both thought of you and found great encouragement in its message. We are praying that you and your family will find encouragement in it as well. God has so many in place who are standing in His presence and fighting against the enemy on your behalf.
I believe it is a new song and I found it on Pandora. I think you will see God’s hand and confirmation in this one!!!
Love you,
Angie
It is so inspiring to hear how God is working in your life! I tell my bible study ladies a story of when the Israelites went to cross the river I to the promised land when the river was a raging torrent at flood stage. It wasn’t until their toes touched the water’s edge as they stepped out in faith that the water began to “pile up” upstream. He is always working on our behalf upstream. I love to hear of him moving in the lives of your family. I give thanks to our mighty God!! Thank you too for sharing this journey with us. We love you and pray daily for complete healing.
Kurt and Kristen: I am just now hearing about all this and thank you so much for all the postings. When you say you are going to Texas, I assume that you will be going to M.D. Anderson. I encourage you to do so. My husband Russell and I spent a great deal of time there. I could walk the hospital corridors in my sleep without getting lost. We had a wonderful team of doctors and surgeons there. I am most willing to share anything that I learned that might be helpful to you, such as where to stay, etc. Most of the hotels offer free shuttles to and from the MDA complex which was so great. May God go before you and open all the doors that need to be opened.
When my Mom was diagnosed with cancer the story of David and Goliath really struck home with me.
In this world we really don’t have many actual giants that we are fighting against, but instead we have sickness and disease. We have cancer and broken hearts. They seem and are huge…really big giants that we don’t know how to overcome or face. Satan uses them to throw out mocking taunts towards us, towards our spirit that make us doubt who God really is, how He can allow this to happen to us, to our family. He throws out taunts of slavery to fear, to the what if’s, to the future. But, our GOD, who is greater than ANY giant uses a willing vessel to let HIS light shine to break the chains of slavery and fear in our own life and others. He once used a small boy which earthly armor didn’t fit, but instead David was cladded in the armor of the Lord.
Ephesians 6:10-18
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.
Don’t give up, don’t let the doctor’s word be your hope or disappointment. Trust in the one who spoke this world into existence,
the one who put the stars in the sky,
the one who flooded the earth and made it new again,
the one who parted the Red Sea…just in time,
the one who killed a giant using a boy and a stone,
the one who fed 5000 with a little boy’s lunch,
the one who turned water to wine,
the one who died and rose again!
the one who thinks the WORLD of YOU, and can’t get YOU off His mind.
Praying for you Kristen!
As i tucked Ivy into bed tonight, she was all cuddled down in her blankets as I was leaning down to kiss her sweet head…she jumped up and back down onto her knees and said, “Oh yes, God…don’t forget the rain!” Sweet precious friend, do you know that I think of you and Kurt almost every time it rains? For that was the way I first met you. Standing in the pouring rain at my back door…getting soaked…coming to introduce yourselves at the same time helping us empty our basement of standing water. I can remember vividly, laying my head down on you, weeping as I was beyond homesick, and feeling your hand on my head praying with such tender and sure faith. So see, it is not hard at all for me to visualize you in the rain, dear friend. The rain WILL come. I love you so much. We won’t stop praying…