Immeasurably More

I wanted to say another huge thank you to those of you who prayed for Megan and Jim this past week. The news was he had a new large "mass" on his collarbone. Finding yet another spot that we were all but certain was cancer was hard enough. Add to it the fact that a year ago they told him he had about a year to live, the cancer showed up first in his other collarbone, and the chemo (we thought) was not working and it was beyond devastating. And that's just me. I can't even imagine what it was like for Jim and Megan.

When I talked to Megan (after getting their good news) I told her as I prayed for them I couldn't get Ephesians 3:20 out of my head. Now unto him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine according to His power that is at work with in us,

Here is the email Megan sent to all of their family and friends. God is truly awesome!

Hello once again. I have more news.

First, I want to tell you about a friend of mine named Benny. Benny is an Hispanic man who goes to my church. I'd estimate that he's about my parents' age. I first met him about 10 years ago when his grandson was attending the school where I was teaching kindergarten. Anyway, in a small town, you often cross paths with the same people more than once. Benny's grandson is much older now, and I lost touch with Benny for a while, though I would see him around town occassionally. He'd always greet me with "Hola, senorita".

I began attending El Bethel church about six years ago, and guess who was there? Yup, Benny. Only now he calls me "Senora", much to my chagrine. I guess I'm looking older these days. Anyway, Benny works at an automotive repair/oil change shop and offered to fix a leak in one of our tires. It just so happens that the day that we got the horrible news of Jim's new tumor, I had a little time while Marley was napping to take the Jeep over for him to work on it. THe bad news this time was particularly hard for us, and Benny is the kind of person that it's easy to just pour your heart out to. His first response to my telling him that Jim had a new tumor was "Megan, the devil is a LIAR." While my tears dripped onto my car, he said "It's OK if your faith is weak right now. Mine is strong and I will stand for you." For the next few days, Jim and I really struggled with the myriad of possibilities that were in front of us. I prayed and asked for prayer. I felt the support of all of my family and friends praying for us. Thank you. Once again, you carried us before the Throne of God, and we can't even begin to thank you enough.

Fast forward to today. We got the results of Jim's CT scan. That tumor on his collarbone? It didn't even show up on the CT scan. Whatever that lump is, it's not a tumor. Those tumors in his liver (the ones that the four horrible rounds of chemo he went through last winter, which made him horribly sick and gave moderate results) have shrunk MORE with just two rounds of this new experimental chemo- in just TWO ROUNDS!!! One of them is almost GONE.

Is anybody shouting HALLELUJAH!!! yet???? Sorry, the Pentecostal in me just took over. (Are you smiling, Pastor?)

After we got the results I drove back to my friend Benny's place of work. When I saw him I summoned him with a stern "Senor!". He came right over. I asked him, "Remember on Monday when you told me the devil is a liar? Well, you were right." He looks me in the eye and very calmly says "I know." That's it. "I know."
Me: "No Benny, you don't understand. That bump isn't a tumor. And the tumors in his liver have shrunk. And he doesn't get super sick on this chemo, and it's..."
Benny: "I know. I told you the devil is a liar. I know this is true. And I called every one I know and told them we gotta take care of this."

So few words, but so true.

So, here's where we stand. Next Wednesday, we return to Ann Arbor. The scan did show that there is a possibility that part of Jim's heart is enlarged, so we gotta figure that out. And we need to figure out why the arm where his port is located is swollen. But the plan is to go ahead with another treatment.

The devil is a LIAR. I like that. Thank you, our friends and family, for standing for us and putting him in his place.

Thank you Jesus, for being stronger than he is. Thank you for being stronger than we are.

~Jim, Meg, and Marley