I had a follow-up with my oncologist Tuesday. I hadn’t seen him in several weeks. After blood work and an office visit, he had a twinkle in his eye and a big smile on his face. Then he did the ‘ole “knock on wood” and pronounced that I’m doing good. He knocks on wood. We knock on heaven’s door!
Some specific requests: the side-effects from Tarceva include a pretty good rash on my face and torso. A little swollen and itchy. Praying against any infection. Also noticing the impact on the tummy. Asking God to multiply the nutrients and calories and keep everything on the inside where it belongs. We are adding some new protein sources. How do you vegans/vegetarians do it? It’s a challenge to be able eat the quantity of veggies needed to maintain a recommended 2,000 calorie diet! As well, harder to get the amount of water in that I was able to at the beginning of the journey.
Lord, you have blessed my food and water. You have taken sickness away from me. Because of You, I will fulfill the number of my days in health. (taken from Exodus 23: verses 25-26)
A couple of scans are scheduled for February 18th. They will do an MRI of the brain and a chest X-ray. We’d love for the Lord to demonstrate the work He has done and is doing through these scans. We so appreciate your joining us in prayer and fasting to ask the Father to amaze the Doctors through these tests. However, no matter what they show, we “Fix our eyes not on what is seen but what is unseen . . . (2 Corinthians 4:18).” This is, after all, a faith journey, and God is teaching us much more about walking and seeing through eyes of faith!
A dear friend penned a beautiful song a few years back. Loved it then. Even more now. Here’s the chorus:
“Thank you, Lord, for eyes of faith, for eyes that see what is unseen.
For eyes that see beyond impossible and see right through my fears.
Thank you, Lord, for eyes of faith, for eyes that see what is unseen.
I need to trust you Lord and take your hand, discover your plan and see with these eyes of faith.” Kelly Davis
On another note, Kurt and I just want to say a HUGE thank you to those of you who have generously supported Further Still Ministries during this time. We’ve been amazed at what God continues to get done. (And without our help. Imagine that!)
Yeah! Feel encouraged, and sure will continue to pray for all the specifics you detailed!
Know we love you and waiting for the “HUGE RAINS” to come!
Love and a zillion hugs,
Cassie and George
PS Can’t wait to deliver a “Rueben” to you, on a silver platter!!!
Although you weren’t present physically tonight at the Marriage Matters cruise meeting, Kristen, every time Kurt spoke of you your presence grew stronger in that room. By now he probably told you about the group laying hands on you through Kurt since you two are as one and praying powerfully for your healing, calling earnestly on the authority of Jesus and the Holy Spirit to move mightily in your lives. I’m more of a private prayer, but I was in awe at the almost physical power that emanated from the prayers offered up and lifting you up. We pray on. Bernie and Susan Dejean
So happy to hear this great news and prasing our Mighty Physician!! Will pray for side effects to completely go away and for calorie intake to increase as He blesses each biteful and multiplies it 10 fold!! Kristen read 2 Thess 1:3-4. I am soooo thankful for you. Let it rain!!
Love you so much,
Martha
Kristen, I love you. Pure and simple.
Thank you for writing and expressing beautifully. Yesterday I was sitting with Jesus and just telling him all the things that are overwhelming to me. I turned to read Jeremiah 32. Jeremiah is expressing his doubts to God and God kindly and strongly answers him, “Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: “I am the LORD, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?” (vs. 27)
What would we do without our Abba? NOTHING is too hard for Him. Nothing is beyond His scope. Nothing is outside of His power.
May He quiet your stomache, keep the nutrients in, calm your insides, soothe the rash, speak over you and continue to heal you…in ALL ways. You are always on my mind friend.
Kristen,
As I read your blog, rejoiced in Our Powerful God, I began meditating on that very same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead living in our mortal bodies giving LIFE—in your cells, your tissues, your bones, your joints, your body systems… His WORD is going forth and accomplishing! Our Hope remains in Him. Our expectation remains in Him & He promises to confirm His Word. His name is unchanging: Creator Elohim, Restorer, LIFE, JESUS. Continuing in prayer for the specifics and continuing in EXPECTATION of our big God. I’m so out of the boat now, I’ll drown, if He doesn’t come through. Love you so! DJ
I didn’t get to hear you and Kurt on last Friday’s Excellent Things. I tried going to WFIA website for podcast but can’t find anything. Any ideas where/how we could listen to the podcast of Feb.1’s show? Thank you! Praying always…
Kristen: I took Tarceva for 2 to 3 months this past summer. I did not have a visible rash as much as a lot of itching, even kept me up at night sometimes. Later I had itching/tingling when it was quite hot outside or the sun shone on my arms, even when they were covered by clothing. I found a very helpful lotion made by Shikai at Whole Foods, 16 oz. Borage Therapy, advanced formula. I hope this is helpful for you. I applied it to my skin daily, more if needed.
As for additional protein, Kristen: Try homemade fruit smoothies made with Kefir and whey protein, as much as you feel you need. The Whole Foods brand vanilla whey protein is what I used. Those smoothies will help you get fruits and veggies high in antioxidants as well as liquid. If you are having trouble keeping things “in”, your doc or nurses should have helpful advice. Greek yogurt is high in protein and great for your digestion. Cottage cheese added to salads is also good. I found that it all came down to eating what you like that is healthy rather than worrying about variety too much. God is sooo good! He will sustain us. I am praying for you.
This is my first real blog post. I dont facebook and i dont blog. But today I plan to share something which I learned for the first time. It is my hope that by sharing my devotional thought from today, others will be encouraged to press on in prayer for Kristen, Kurt and their family. I share this knowing that i may be the last to have learned a truth about one of Jesus’ parables. Also, I am humbled to know that many are reading because we all love the Sauders, and want God to intervene to bring an outcome of healing which will glorify our Lord. I hope sharing what i learned is appropriate, helpful and encouraging It is in this spirit that i very humbly write what i learned today for the first time:
In Luke 11.5-13 Jesus teaches about prayer through a parable. Near the end of the teaching, we find the very familar verses “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks recieves; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks , the door will be opened.” This is simply some of the most beautiful encourgement we have from Jesus.
But for me today, and perhaps us, it is the context of these verses which matters most. You may recall that in the parable a certain man seeking bread bangs on the door of a neighbor very late at night. The man inside says “don’t bother me; the door is already locked.” But, because of the man’s boldness, Jesus says the man inside will get up and give as much as the man outside needs. Why? Whose need was it? Was the man who was knocking seeking food for himself? I always thought it was the need of the man knocking or perhaps the need of the man’s family. What i learned today is that i had not understood fully the meaning the parable. It was not the one knocking who was in need. The man was knocking to meet the need of his friend who was hungry and on a journey, but the man who knocked had nothing to set before him. The parable is about a lot of things, including our Father in heaven’s desire to give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him. What i did not know is that the parable is also about the power of intercessory prayer!!
Our friends are on a long difficult journey. Let us not grow weary, forgetful or too busy to cry out to God in the name of Jesus for the Sauders. Let us keep knocking on the door of heaven for Kristen and Kurt because it might be that our prayers in the name of Jesus are more powerful in the eyes of heaven then those coming from the person with the need.
At the end of my devotional today the person notes, “We are never more like Jesus then when we pray for others.” I dont know if that is true. What i do know is that humble prayers in the name of Jesus for our God to be glorified in this situation have power. Just keep praying. We love you Kristen and Kurt.
Chris,
Thank you so much! We can’t begin to express how much we appreciate your intercession. Thanks for sharing this passage and for your continued prayer. Countless times on this journey, the Lord has used the prayers of His people to fill me with strength and hope. Many times I have heard the Spirit whisper, “The Body is fighting for you!” Wow. How much we need each other and how grateful we are for the family of God. Much love to you and your sweet family from all the Sauders!
Dear Kristen,
I was awakened this morning and immediately began to pray for you and your family that you are sleeping peacefully tonight. I ask the LORD to give you rest on this difficult journey, to not be anxious and feel His presence restore you. Please be encouraged though these trials as your faith is encouraging many others. I just wanted to let you know that you are loved by many and hope that you will feel some measure of comfort.
It is in the powerful name of our Lord Jesus Christ that I pray,
Laura
Hi Kristin,
Praying for you today. Praying you will know that you are being carried between HIS SHOULDERS. 🙂 (“Let the beloved of The Lord rest secure in Him, for He shields him all day long, and the one The Lord loves rests between His shoulders.” Deuteronomy 33:12)
I wanted to sing the praises of juicing collard greens as a wonderful source of protein. Fresh Market on Shelbyville Road has organic collard greens which I “juice”. Here is a link to tell you more about the cancer fighting elements of collards. http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=138
Standing in the GAP for you, Kristen!
Vicki Feinn