updates

Dec. 9, 2003 - Update from Mike

Dear friends:

Thank you all so much for your prayers...the Lord honored them. I was, in fact, held up with His strength for Spirit-filled worship on Sunday, as well as sweet fellowship afterwards...praise the Lord. The 'interesting' thing, is that when I returned home that evening, I had 3 bouts of stomach cramping and related side effects. The Lord was faithful to allow me to serve Him by holding off on the side effects.

Here is another one of God's awesome reminders of His love. During fellowship after the service, the Pastor was telling me that I really should check out this CD from Calvary Chapel of Philadelphia called Comfort. He told me about the purpose for the project, and I was so intrigued that I told him I would buy it for sure. God is so faithful and even funny sometimes. You can imagine my reaction when I came home Sunday night and the Comfort CD was on our front porch waiting for me. A fellow worship leader, and dear brother in Christ from a local church left it for me, not even knowing of my conversation with the Pastor that I had just a few hours prior. I've listened to it the past two nights while laying in bed, and it is an absolutely wonderful CD that truly brings me His comfort and peace. A 'must have' for anyone going through challenging times.

A very special thanks goes to our dear friends Ron and Norma Cabrera (Mr. and Mrs. Cisco) and J.R. Baker for their thoughtful Soundseat purchase and donation. We are humbled and so very grateful for their support.

On the medical front....historically I get a toxic reaction around my third treatment in the series. After my hospital occurrence last round, they reduced my dosage and tomorrow will be my third treatment in this series. May I ask for your continued prayers that the new dosage will minimize the side effects.

As always, thank you for your kind hearts, thoughts, and prayers.

In His love and for His glory, Mike...and family

Feb. 19, 2004 - Health and Situation Update

I am doing pretty well these days. I've had some struggles over the months but after 3 revisions to my treatment plan, dosages, and frequency, I am feeling better than before. I still have minor side effects but they are nothing like they used to be, praise God. They are mostly limited to minor abdominal cramping, metallic and 'pre-nauseous' tastes in the mouth and fatigue. However, I will take these any day compared to the side effects of the past. I am at least fully functional now, yet get fatigued easily by day's end.

In January, my disability period of 6 months expired, and I had no choice but to return to work. If I didn't, I would have had to forfeit my job. As it turns out, at the end of 2003, my job and everyone who held this position nationally were eliminated. So basically I had two choices: 1. To move to another city; for many good reasons this is not an option at this time and frankly, we don't see God's hand in it whatsoever. If anything, He has placed a couple of other places on our hearts to pray over. 2. The other option is to find something in our local offices within two months. If nothing comes available by March 5, I will face a severance situation. As my tenure with this company is only one year, the severance is not significant relative to the expenses of supporting a family of six. Yes, another trial amidst the battle, but as I've said before, we live one day at a time, and know that the Lord will provide in His time and in awesome ways.

Medically, I am now in the home stretch. My chemotherapy treatments will come to an end in 4-6 weeks. After that I will have follow up every 3 months, for 5 years. That includes CT scans, blood work and regular colonoscopys....what a bummer...;-). If the cancer does not return in 5 years than I am considered cured. If I does....well let's not go there right now.

I am totally in awe of the things God is working out in our lives and there is definitely excitement in there. Although He hasn't revealed our new 'direction' yet, it is so evident that He wants ALL OF ME to fully submit to His will. I am seeking that so diligently, however, it is in His time. Our excitement comes from the fact that He is meeting with Cheryl and I so powerfully, that we feel His intent is to keep me around and accomplish what He has purposed in the new season of our lives.

We continue to covet your kind heartedness and prayers. Thank you all so very much!!!

In His faithful love,

Mike and family

Mar. 23, 2004 - Update

Well friends and faithful prayer warriors,

Chemotherapy is finished. I am very happy that it is over and can't wait for the chemo drugs to exit my body and to regain strength. As mentioned previously, the only way to know if the treatments worked are through follow up appointments which are scheduled every 3 months for 5 years....20 visits. They will perform CT Scans, blood tests and regular colonoscopies. If it doesn't return in that time then I'm considered cured. If it does reoccur then it is considered incurable and we have a whole new 'ball game'. I'm told that the risk of it returning is significant according to the medical data; however, we are not focusing on that because, with Christ, all things are possible, so why worry about it? My first follow up exam is in June.

I feel pretty good physically, but mentally I am going through a 'postpartum' like feeling. You would think that after seven months of chemotherapy, and all the associated side effects, that I would be jumping for joy now that it is over. Well part of me is and another part of me has this 'now what' feeling. The fact that I am no longer actively doing anything to treat the cancer leaves me hanging in a strange mental state. I'm told that this is very common. However, it is not terribly distracting and I am simply handing it off to the Lord to manage for me. I realize now just how much we take our health for granted and really look forward to proper nutrition and regular exercise.

There is so much that I would like to share. The Lord has presented me with a couple of opportunities to serve Him and I will be traveling from March 26th to April 10th. I think that, upon my return, I will post a 'reflection' and share what the Lord has placed on my heart.

Our most heartfelt gratitude to those who supported us physically and prayerfully through this stage of the battle. May we please have your continued prayers for a complete healing and the Lords provision of employment and direction for the new season of our lives? It is so obvious that He is preparing us to serve Him and we pray that He reveals His 'next steps' and direction soon.

For His glory, in His faithful love,

Mike, Cheryl, Steven, Jonathan, Gregory & Matthew

(Philippians 4:13) I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

June 10, 2004 - First Follow-up Report

Dear Family, Friends, Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

Today I had my first follow-up report since chemotherapy ended three months ago. This is the first of 20 quarterly visits over the next 5 years. It required CT Scans, X-Rays, and blood work. Over the past week while I was getting my scans and tests, and while mentally and prayerfully preparing myself for this visit, the Lord placed some very critical scripture on my heart in intimate ways and in His perfect timing...of course.

They are as follows:

(Psalm 37: 3-9) Trust in the LORD, and do good; dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness. Delight yourself also in the LORD, and He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass. He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday. Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him; do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; do not fret--it only causes harm.

(Psalm 41: 1-4) Blessed is he who considers the poor; The LORD will deliver him in time of trouble. The LORD will preserve him and keep him alive, And he will be blessed on the earth; You will not deliver him to the will of his enemies. The LORD will strengthen him on his bed of illness; You will sustain him on his sickbed.

(Psalm 103: 1-5 ) Bless the LORD, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, Who satisfies your mouth with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.

The Lord has given us tremendous strength over the past eleven months since the initial diagnosis, and especially through the seven months of chemotherapy. Yet in all that, I must confess that while my follow-up visit was approaching, I was getting anxious and letting the enemy get his hooks into my heart, thus giving me a spirit of fear at times. As we know, the Lord does not bring about a spirit of fear, so I was quick to call upon our Savior, and as usual, He bailed me out.

The results indicate that I am now in complete remission. Which means that there is no medical evidence of cancer in my body. Praise the Lord! As exciting as that is and as happy as we are about the news, my oncologist was quick to point out that I am still considered at high risk for reoccurrence, and if it happens within the next five years, my diagnosis will be upgraded to stage 4, and the disease is then considered incurable. But hey, that's what the 'world' tells us. We have the Great Physician....amen. And no matter what the outcome, I will win; not a bad deal. All I ask is that you keep us in prayer for a complete healing so that my prayer, 'Save me to serve You, Lord' can be fulfilled. It is only through your precious intercession that we were able to maintain His peace. Please add to your prayers my career and financial future, as both are completely unknown to us and dire. Also, please thank Him for His faithfulness toward our family, His provision, His counsel, and His love in the midst of trials. I will continue looking to Him and His Word, and covet your prayers for His direction and will in my life.

In all this, I have learned that He is so faithful and in Him we can trust. His love for each of us is so great, and when we submit, even in our fleshly weaknesses, He loves us so much and will deliver us into His perfect care.

Thank you for your loving prayerful support.

In His faithful love, Mike and family

(John 16:33) These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.

(A quick note from the webmaster: These results are SUCH a wonder and a blessing -we are so grateful to God for His grace and mercy! I would encourage everyone to please remain in prayer at all times for Mike and his family; for a continuing prognosis of good health, and that Mike would find a stable career/job which he can manage and prosper by in caring for his family.

I also encourage us all to please be faithful in providing financial gifts in order to help his family overcome the financial burdens of this past year, as well as their present needs, as Mike seeks to find a way to work and provide for them. Please see the Contact Info page for this.)

(This Webpage is not affiliated with Taylor Guitars or The Acoustic Guitar Forum.)