April Update: A Peek Into Our Home

Hey Friends!

As always, I want you to know that we deeply appreciate your ongoing prayers and encouragement. I've said it many times this past year and I say it again today, "The body of Christ is amazing when she is functioning as God designed her." Without question, the body that we are a part of (via our family, Salem Alliance, The C&MA, and this blog community--many who don't even know us personally) have been amazing. Thank you--with all sincerity--thank you.

Pain erodes the spirit. Dysphagia isolates relationships. Long term illness changes life patterns. Yet, the kindnesses of God's people serve as an oasis. God has sometimes felt distant in this journey, but His nearness and kindness keeps showing up via you, His people.

Easter
Thanks for your prayers. Preaching six times went well. My voice is getting stronger and it takes less physical effort to stand and talk. I really didn't "preach," but had the privilege of giving what I called my "Easter Testimony" for eight minutes. After speaking in the first service, I sat down next to my wife and she complimented me in her typical gracious manner. I responded by saying, "It's easy to tell your own story." Without missing a beat she said, "Yeah, but it wasn't an easy story to get!" Well, said, My Love.

Health
I continue to get stronger, incrementally but consistently, in every area of my body except swallowing. I am doing more at physical therapy, walking farther (without a cane) and climbing steps is getting easier. As for my hands and arms, I can open a few bottles now. Hurray! Zip lock bags are no longer prison bars. I can turn the car key with one hand instead of two. I can curl 5 pounds now, no longer needing the tiny 1 pound dumbbell. Watch out world, here I come. I'm still a scrawny 145 (on a good day), but if I could ever get off this feeding tube, I think that would improve, too.

Next week I get another 3 day IVIG treatment--the slow IV drip of the best of people's blood. This is the one treatment that I can verify has been of solid and consistent help. I'm very grateful that the insurance has allowed me to continue to receive this every month or so. The nurses at SHAPES are the greatest.

My Spirit
When people press in and kindly want to know how I'm really doing, my answer is, "Most days, I'm doing well." I have moments or days when I'm very weary of my condition and quite confused about God. For the most part, though, my spirit is fresh and my attitude optimistic. Joanna and I find reasons to laugh most every day. This is vital. For example, recently, Joanna was out running errands and was gone longer than I expected. My message to her was, "How can you light up my life if you don't darken my door?" Sounds like a good country song title, doesn't it?

The Blog
So many of you are faithful readers of these entries. It's fun to meet people on the street or at church and find out they have been reading along through the months. I think of you often and truly want to provide thoughts of substance.

Joanna and I have various things happening in the next few months that will take me away from writing as regularly as I have been. Josiah graduates from college, I'm trying to keep pounding out the doctorate work…that kind of stuff. So, I'm going to back off and only attempt one entry a week--shooting for every Thursday.

Our love to all of you,
John