A New Beginning - November
November
Day Sixty...
November 5, 2003
Friends...
Greg is feeling very poorly. He feels like he can't breathe, he's tired
physically and emotionally. Francie also needs prayer as do we all.
I believe God is slowly revealing his will (or we're slowly discerning it).
It is not always easy...it is always perfect.
Also, today, John Eckert is having surgery to have a part of his colon
removed. Please pray for that family as well.
Pray also for R, who is very ill.
You have been so faithful in your prayers...we are very grateful.
Blessings,
Connie
Day Sixty-one...
November 6, 2003
Good morning....
Yesterday, Greg and Francie went to Harmarville for a re-evaluation.
That needed to be done because Greg's outpatient therapy was interrupted
by his inpatient stay at AGH. Anyway, a doppler test was done on his legs...just
routine. It seems that from his groin to his knees (both legs) he has solid
blood clots. He is currently taking blood thinners and it appears that they
are waiting for those to take effect.
As many of you know, Greg has been part of the worship team at our church.
He returned to singing on September 14th. For the last couple of weeks his
voice has been very weak. He sounds hoarse and somewhat breathless.
Though his lungs are apparently clear.
Other issues weigh heavily on him as well.
I have a very strong sense that God is preparing Greg for a new phase of ministry.
That this "breaking down" is in preparation for a "building up" to do His work.
Let's see what God will do.
You can still leave messages on the website at http://www.faith4recovery.org
Also: an update on John Eckert. He had a mild heart attack yesterday
after surgery, I think. The good news is that apparently the cancer has
not spread to his liver. He and his family are very grateful for all of your prayers.
Blessings,
Connie
Day Sixty-one...continued
November 6, 2003
Well, Greg went to the AGH emergency room again today. After 5 hours
and many tests he was sent home. Apparently there is nothing to be
done about the blood clots but to wait and let the medicine work.
It could take a couple of months. In the meantime, Greg's thighs are
extremely swollen and very hard and hot. Needless to say, he is very
uncomfortable. It's hard for him to sit up straight because of the
discomfort in his upper leg. Next week he is to be fitted with support
hose that will go all the way up his leg. They have zippers. Maybe
they will help the pain.
Apparently they can't really figure out what's up with the breathing.
When we saw him tonight, he was still hoarse and seemed to be running
out of air when he talked.
The good news is that he can return to Harmarville for
outpatient therapy on Monday. Perhaps that will help.
Keep on praying....please,
Connie
Day Sixty-six...
November 11, 2003
Hi All.....
Things have been kind of rough. Greg's legs are still severely swollen due to the
blood clots in his veins. The bottom part of his leg feels like a prosthesis.
He is in quite a bit of discomfort. In addition, he said that parts of his body
feel like they are frozen. His hands are cool to the touch. He said when he
gets into bed he is freezing, but within a couple of hours his pillow is sweat-soaked.
While we were there tonight, he started to sweat profusely. His hair was soaked very quickly. T
hen, of course, he gets cold again.
He has not been to therapy is several weeks. He was supposed to go on Monday,
but didn't feel well enough. He will push himself to go tomorrow.
The stress on the family is great. Not only does he not feel well and has
a lot of pain, there is the constant worry about income beginning in January.
Benefits will also cease, so they will need to pick up Cobra. It is still
unclear how much Social Security Disability income there will be. Further,
Deb Dudas, from the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation has not returned calls.
She's the one who needs to get the ball rolling on an addition.
Still, through it all, we receive encouragement
from the Word of God. My friend Linda sent me this...
Psalm 56:10 - 11 "In God, whose Word I praise, in the Lord, whose Word I praise-
In God I trust: I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?"
and 2 Corinthians 4:15-16 "All this is for your benefit, so that the grace
that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to
the glory of God. Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are
wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day." and then verse 17 & 18:
"For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that
far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen,
but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal"
and from our friend Jim Glatz who continues to be a source of comfort...and wisdom...
"I think of Paul's words,'We are hard pressed on every side, but
not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair.'
In the last couple of weeks, I have been closer to despair than at any time
since May 28th. I know, though, that despair is what Satan feeds on. I
can't stay there. So I'm hanging on to Paul's words above, and to t
he certainty that God finds answers where we see none.
Okay...enough whining from me...Remember John Eckert in prayer,
as well as his family. Apparently another mass has been found
in his colon. I believe he is to start chemo again when he has
recovered from his heart attack.
Please remember, once again, that you can send greetings to
Greg via the website. Either post it on the guest map or send it via the email icon.
Blessings,
Connie
http://www.faith4recovery.org
Day Seventy-three...
November 18, 2003
Hi All....
I thought I'd bring you up to speed on a few things.
Greg returned to therapy last week and overall seems to be somewhat better.
Today, he had some excellent news in hand therapy. There is noticeable movement
in all the fingers of both hands. Not a lot, but movement nonetheless. Praise God !!!
In some other news...Heather started a new job today. She had been unemployed for a year.
So she is very grateful to be back at work. The only down side is that she drove Greg to
therapy once or twice a week. I'm sure God will help work that out, as He has done so many things.
God is so creative, isn't He? I was reading about Gideon in Judges.
I encourage you all to take a look starting in chapter 6. Because the
Israelites were so disobedient, God let them be harassed by the Midianites.
In fact the text says that the Israelites took to living in caves and dens in
the mountains. One day the Angel of the Lord came to a farm. The farmer's son
Gideon was threshing wheat in a grape press so that the Midianites wouldn't see
him. He was a very timid fellow. Nevertheless the Angel said "Mighty soldier,
the Lord is with you." Well.....Gideon protested. How could the Lord be with
them when they were in this sorry state of affairs. But the Lord said "I will
make you strong! Go and save Israel from the Midianites !!!" Gideon was
incredulous. His family was the poorest in the whole tribe and he was the
least thought of in the family. But the Lord persevered and said "But I,
Jehovah will be with you". The chapter goes on to tell about how God still
had to convince Gideon.
The story really gets interesting when Gideon and his army took off to fight
the Midianites. The Lord said to Gideon, "There are too many of you. I
can't let all of you fight. The people will think that they saved
themselves by their own strength. Send home any who are timid and
frightened." So 22,000 left. 10,000 remained. But the Lord said
that there were still too many. The Lord devised another test and
winnowed out all but 300 men. So off they went to fight the mighty
armies of the Midianites, taking along all their clay jars and trumpets.
The scripture says that the Midianites were so numerous they were "like
sands upon the seashore."
One night Gideon and his servant crept close to the tents of the enemy
and overheard a soldier describing a dream he had had. The soldier said
that he dreamed that a huge barley loaf starting rolling down into the camp,
hit their tent and flattened it. The other soldier said, "Your dream can
mean only one thing, Gideon's army is going to come and massacre us!"
Gideon was elated and worshipped God because he knew that God would
indeed use them to conquer the mighty armies.
Now the cool part.....Here's how God did it. Gideon divided his small
army into 3 parts and gave each man a clay pot with a torch and a trumpet.
They approached the encampment. At midnight, as the guards were changing,
Gideon's group smashed their clay pots so that their torches blazed, blew
their trumpets and shouted " For the Lord and for Gideon !!!!!"
The Midianites were so frightened. Surely Gideon's was a mighty army.
If they had so many carrying torches and so many more blowing trumpets....how
many more must be carrying swords!!!!" In their confusion they fell upon each
other fighting and killing each other and the survivors fled.
No general could have come up with such a creative plan. No commander would
tap the most cowardly soldier to lead troops into battle. Yet God uses us
with all our weaknesses to carry out His plan. What a mighty God we serve!!!!
Please remember those who are already on the prayer list (see website) and also these.
Chris Houck, health problems. My friend Karen.
Blessings,
Connie
http://www.faith4recovery.org
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