Tuesday 8/28/18 Thoughts/Experiences

Breakfast this morning on "Hallowed Ground". Worship music playing with songs like "Yes I will", "Cornerstone" and "10,000 reasons".An abundance of "weeping in humility" about the unfailing Love and care of our God and Savior.

Dark times are dispelled by the bright and shinning Savior, Jesus Christ. He is the "Way, the Truth, and the Light/Life".

I always believed that Christianity is more than just a religion, it's an experience.............Unconditional Love has to be experienced to witness it's reality. God is Love and Love never fails.

Love

J&E

Update on Elise 8-26-18

Family, Friends and all those who have been praying for Elise,
We thank God for all of  you who have participated in this prayer vigil for Elise through out this "time of affliction" to date.
Please continue as "your prayers have been very effective" and God has moved in mighty ways to answer them according to "His will at this time".
The past couple of weeks:
When this all began our Daughters jumped into action to help get everything we needed to fight this into the best hands.
So:
Off to Mayo Clinic for 2 consultations we went. Sarah forwarded the MRI and they said that their team would like to see Elise in person to evaluate her. She made all the arrangements to go.
I know that God was active in this already but here is when He started to "manifest His will".
The neurologist was the first consultation on 8-20-18. His first remark was "this isn't good at all, something must be done quickly". Then he ran her through a series of motor skill tests which we thought she did quite well. Sarah and I were a little perplexed with his responses. He advised that she not even fly but get is taken care of there right away. He was quite concerned.
The second consultation was by the neurosurgeon was on the next day 8-21-18.
The neurosurgeon came in and looked over the MRI and CT scan. His presentation was somewhat different and a lot more compassionate. He made sure that Elise knew what was going on and told all of us about the tumor. He said that it needed addressing but not nearly as urgently (or restriction laden) as the neurologist. He said that not addressing it would be fatal and that it was a very horrible way to go.
Here's where we realized how God had worked all things out.
First there are many neurosurgeons at MC! All good well know and qualified, BUT.......during the consultation we found out that the one He chose for Elise was the top one in the United States and even in the world. He and his team (by God's hand) was picked to evaluate our case and do the surgery. People of note from all around the world come to see him and his waiting list is very long.
So what happened next? They pulled up his appointments for surgery and he said "what is that?" looking at the "one" white space on the screen. His aid said that it was a blank surgery day. The surgeon said "how did that happen?" The day was completely open with no other surgeries. Again this was a surprise to him as he usually stacks surgeries. His remark was "that's wonderful because I can focus on this one alone that day to get it done." This surgery will take around 7 hours. He then turned to Elise and pulled his chair up to hers and looking directly into her eyes encouraged her to take advantage of this timing and get it done, which we did agree to. He also told her/us how difficult it would be right after the surgery and that she would go down hill at first, but if she fought hard she could shorten her rehab time. It was up to her. There would be 3-5 days of recovery right after the surgery, followed by (up to) 30 days in hospital rehab and another possible 30 days at home rehab. All these times will differ depending on "her attitude and effort". When asked what success rate he would give he said 85% chance of being completely recovered. He said this with confidence and humility. So first thought cover the "success rate" with prayer. Cover the operation with prayer for all of his team members that God would "divinely intervene" with their skills. Cover her recovery with prayers so that it might be 3 days instead of 5. Cover her "heart in the matter" during those dark times when she is laying there in recovery. And cover her attitude and effort for her to "get back to normal as swiftly as possible". Cover, cover, cover, cover all things to do with this in prayer.......believing!
A note:
We know that most people will be blessed with a "loving relationship" during their lifetime.
Ours started out "in love" then over the years it grew into "Unconditional Love" by the guidance of our Savior Jesus Christ. We not only "grew" in Love but continue to "grow" every day in "Unconditional Love". A testimony and witness of our lives together. We have been blessed that God "intervened" in our relationship from the beginning and then "made the path straight" ever since with dreams and visions of what True Unconditional Love is.
I know that He will continue to manifest His Love through this affliction to the finish.
Thanks again for your perseverance in prayer and support.
God bless and keep all of you.
Love
Jerry and Elise

Again a review of  "Gods hand in this":
He moved on Sarah to get the MRI into the MC
He moved on Katie to get info from her boyfriends nurse mother
He moved to get us the best neurosurgeon in the nation/world
He moved to get an quick surgery date in an impossible busy schedual
He made it possible for all the very best arrangements at the very best place to get all this done.
He is continuing to make arrangements to bring this successfully to an end.
How great is our God?

Update 8-14-18

Each day's a new day a new day in the Lord.
This is one of those days!
Following several restless nights the days were just as difficult.
This morning found us at breakfast going through the routine of eating and hydrating while taking what meds the doctors think needed and the support homeopathic's that we hope will help.
We have wept together before but today at breakfast we both "entered in" to "weep with those who are weeping". Elise started to weep and I only had enough time to ask why when I started myself. The thought of her not coming home from the Mayo Clinic was troubling her mind. I assured her that she would, that was the best I could do to "gird her up" in this low spot of her suffering.
Truth be told (as I told her) my feeling of ineffectiveness was based on "not knowing how to comfort her"!
Each of us is a complete package, body, mind, and spirit. We have not a way of crossing over into another person to give strength, hope, faith, or comfort that we might possess to help them. Only the Holy Spirit can give real comfort. Needed comfort, hope, and peace in their situation. He is the "Comforter". We; are outside of their being or else I would gladly make that journey into my wife to share her thoughts and concerns of all that is going on with her. Again it's tough not to be able to offer any repose in the situation.
Just taking time now to pray that God would send His Holy Spirit into both of us to comfort and encourage us. A needed commodity for the present time.
Well time and need bids me else ware for now.
God bless and keep.
Thanks for your prayers.
Love
J&E
 

Update on Elise 8-9-18

Family, Friends, all those who pray believing!
First, thank you for your devotion to prayer. As far as I am concerned "our help come from the Lord" first and for most.
All our Children have thrown themselves into the fray in one way or another. Some help with supplies or skills but all help with prayer, love and encouragement.
We have learned about an application involving carrot juice, pure and organic being especially effective with tumors both cancerous and benign. So we started this treatment on Friday 8-3-18. After an overnight fast Elise drinks an 8 oz glass of carrot juice before she eats so that it goes to work in her system ahead and undisturbed of anything else. Then we follow it with food and more hydration. As she gets stronger she would like to extend the fast on just carrot juice until she can go 24 hrs or longer to get the full effect of the juice and the fast. Right now she is doing what she can at this level.
Sometimes rest is hard to come by for her. We just went through 3 nights of restlessness and the effects of that on the daytime hours can be punishing. Rest, food and hydration are the daily building blocks for her to be active and when anyone is missing it is difficult for her at best.
Right now she is up and about folding laundry, getting her hair done, doing the books, and moving around on her own quite well. Having suffered 3 bad nights of sleep in a row this is nothing short of miraculous judging by the same kind of events on a lesser scale. Again another "Divine Intervention".
For those who don't know:
We have an appointment with the Mayo Clinic in Mn to get a review of our tests, maybe more tests and then a consultation. The more info the better but still second hand to God or at least under His anointing. I think more will be revealed from this visit.
Being that we have never suffered this kind of incident in our lives either of us knew where it would take us spiritually or how we would respond. Anyone who suffers does so in there own way based on belief (faith), mental strength, and physical stamina. I cannot imagine what Elise is dealing with on all three of these levels but I can be certain that she is trusting the Lord for her deliverance and restoration. She has never been one to complain about anything throughout our lives together, and this remains unchanging except for the fact that she would like to be able to do, what she considers, her household chores. And yes when she feels good she still bumps me out of the way. The difference between a man doing a woman's chores and a woman doing them herself is like night and day. Case dismissed. I do my best looking for her to instruct me on how to do them better.
I have found that no matter what happens in our lives God is there to "open new doors" for us to experience new "intimacy's" with Him. Nothing happens to separate us from the Love of God but only to "draw us neigh so that He can draw neigh to us". His sole purpose is to constantly bring us into His presence deeper and deeper, every instance, every moment, every incident, good or bad, His purpose is to deepen our intimacy with Him. His Word say's "He will turn even the evil worked against us into good" and that's just what He is doing, and if we "fail not" we shall see the "salvation" of the Lord in every situation.
How has this effected me?
I have never "cried out unto the Lord" as much in my life as I have for my "Beloved" during these last several month's. Many times a day with weeping and great deep groans that cannot be uttered. On one occasion around Tues I came out of the bedroom having taken Elise in for a rest, I broke down in weeping with great uncontrollable groaning. But this time I didn't stop it or try to control it, I "entered in" letting it "consume" me for the moment. I was for the first time in this experience of supporting her through her suffering, overcome (though many, many times I wept bitterly in prayer afore hand), and let it carry me, broken and without knowing what else to do into the depth of "praying in groans". Soon they became unspeakable words then words in another tongue. This is very rare for me but now I see the pathway to that kind of praying. First I realized the depth of compassion I have for her. Second that compassion became passion. Third I experienced the depth of intersession in prayer that this type of grief/crying out brings. God comforted me in a way none other could by giving me the expression of a tongue for those few minutes. He is always there to comfort us every moment of the day especially when we "enter in" to His presence casting all our cares upon Him "for He cares for us". This is a life changing experience for me, and I realized that all the previous encounters with grief and weeping for Elise since this started was merely an experience to bring me to the "right kind" of seeking a deeper intimacy in God through that kind of prayer. Once again God leading His own to a taste of His glory here on earth. "Seek and you shall find". Life is good when God is in the lead.
I hope that this brief update will both give you direction and instruction in how to address these "afflictions of the flesh" with new hope of God's intervention and a new intimacy in Him through prayer.
God bless and keep you delivering you from all your afflictions in Jesus name!
Love to all through God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ
J&E

 

Update on Elise 7-27-18

Elise and I just returned last night around 7 pm. from a needed hiatus to see and visit all the Children we have, except Mike as he was working on a project. My Brother Al had a small get together with my Brother Bart and his wife Eileen, and my Sister Sandy and her husband Bill.
There was much laughing and crying as we received the comfort and fellowship that only family can give in a poor situation. Hugs were plenteous as was holding hands and the expressing of sorrow or confidence.
All showed love and concern. We rested in that.
As for the family and those who read this goes many did not expect to see her in the actual condition that she was in. Here was a strong independent woman/mother now needing to be helped around most of the time just to walk. By the grace of God several times on the trip/visitations she was able to fend on her own howbeit there were times that she needed to be helped, or at least stood near for safety reasons. There were even times at my Brother Al's and Linda's house or at the campground and Sarah's and Kristian's house that she had enough strength and balance to walk freely, even great distances (distances being from the bedroom to the dinning room table or 800' down a road). There were times when her strength and stability were almost normal, but there were also times when it was lacking and difficult.
Her best times were at my Brother Al's house. The several days we were there she had a remarkable recovery so prompting us to name that place "Al and Linda's House of Healing". Was it the trout caught in Lake Superior? The hand rubbed, vac sealed rotisserie grilled pork loin? Or was it the great fellowship one gets when we spend time with family? Whatever it was God's anointing was on it and He was there.
We also received the same benefit from our Children's domiciles. Seeing Children and Grandchildren, sharing in their joy and concerns, seeing them all participate in the care of Elise, was a blessing of the greatest kind, God using each and everyone of them to encourage us and make us smile. "A merry heart doeth good like a medicine" was the order of all the time visiting, and we are thankful that so many of them took the time to sacrifice the distance and drive to be there for us. They also sacrificed their homes and apartments to make us comfortable, and food/homeopathic helps to give Elise the best of chances to succeed against this obstacle.
As to how she's doing?
Man's effort:
Again the need to understand that aside from a couple of prescriptions (high blood pressure pills and low potassium pills, which has no effect on the tumor,) there is nothing they can do but operate. Do to the deep position of the tumor that is very risky. The side effects could be devastating for the rest of her life aside from the hand of God intervening.
As part of "man's effort" we are partaking in God given herbals and oils. We don't believe that anything can work outside the "anointing" of God but they comfort us to a degree, alluding to the fact that we are doing something until God heals her. God did ordain them to be "upon the earth" and they have been used for thousands of years just for that purpose. We always use them "in the name of Jesus" that He would work His design through them and effectuate His divine results through them. So our part comes "in Jesus name" no matter what we use, for our comfort and effort, but it's "in Jesus name" that we put first and rely the most on.
God's intervention:
From the beginning of this whole affliction we have seen God's hand in it both divinely and using our "in Jesus name" applications. The fact that this affliction has existed for 20-30 yrs and is just now being made known is a miracle in itself. This could of been a more aggressive type that could of showed up in the middle of our child rearing days! God is good all the time.......
This incident has pulled all our family and friends together in a greater intervention through prayer that seemed not necessary before. It has also taught us that all battles are not in the flesh but in the heavenly's not against flesh and blood but against powers of darkness. Anyone who feels that the answer to this is in the hands of man and not God's intervention alone, (no matter how He orchestrates this) please don't continue to confuse the "prayer of faith" with the surrendering to man's plans and sidelining God. Faith puts God's will and ways first, man is only a gap filler till God moves. I believe that God uses any means that we choose to apply to our needs, He is the "Lord God Almighty" and can (and does) use doctors and guides/anoints them too, but if we put the doctor first and then ask God to help we are in error. He will because He is "Unconditional Love" which allows Him to "intervene" on our behalf even if it starts Him in second place.
The end of our trip home left Elise ill nourished and dehydrated so her symptoms flair'd up, and the same as on Fathers Day, when she went into the Fast Pace Clinic then to the hospital. Feeding her something and hydrating her "in Jesus name" roused her around from physical exhaustion and the thought that she was dying. Again "God is good, all the time". Here we are 4 hours later and she is resting listening to the Psalms, still a little weak and shaky but a far cry from what she was going through this morning.
So as not to make this representation seem small here are a couple of things she is experiencing:
A dizziness like a bad vertigo, even to the point of vomiting.
Loss of strength and weakness that makes it difficult to stand or walk unless assisted.
Headaches both pounding or sharp.
In spite of these there is the need to get up to use the bathroom every half hour or so always assisted.
The knowledge that only God can fix this as all the "presented" help of man is not an option.
But...........
In all this she still has great days when she can walk around on her own, wants to do laundry or make a meal. Again God does not leave us hopeless but proves His power over and over again.
The difficulty I have in all this is the fact that we have seen so many miracles in our lives that it's mind boggling. People coming out of sure death coma's. A man who had no blood to his brain for 1.5 hours and after surgery he was in a vegetative state came fully functional by the laying on of hands and "in the name of Jesus". The dead raised, food multiplied many times, the working of miracles, injuries healed, being delivered from sure death and more than I can begin to tell. Life in Christ has at best been incredible and at least truly amazing. Now the heavens are like brass and outside of faith the experience of praying seems futile, (though it is not at all). When I used to "walk and talk with God (an experience all believers should have regularly), now there seems to be (but not fully) a "missing of the we small voice" in my heart to listen to. There is still revelation on a regular basis but not having to do with my Wife's condition. Odd to say the least but in no wise changing my heart toward God or making me ask why. My question to Him would be "how will you glorify yourself in this"? If all things exists by Him than all things exist to glorify Him. "Even the evil worked against us will be turned to good".
So there you have:
My Wife's condition
Me and my position
Doctors and mans answer
Then God's Unconditional Love, His ways. His will, and His answer to come.
I choose God's Unconditional Love. Period!
Thanks for praying. Keep it up as we thrive on it's continuance and God's faithfulness. God bless you all in "Jesus name."
Love
J&E in Tn 









 

Update on Elise July 12, 2018

We are learning how to "trust and obey" and "be happy in Jesus" because there is no other way. Abiding our time waiting on the Lord to "finish the good work He began in us" and cleanse His Holy Temple (Elise).
Most of the time she is able to get around on her own even though I am always by her side to stop her from falling, a condition caused by the low potassium or growth in her brain. We don't know which is causing the most amount of trouble but God knows and He can "make whole again" with as little as the speaking of His Word.
Specific prayer for the "falling over" movement whether sitting or standing is in order as a specific including divine healing as a base.
Another specific request would be the sometimes unexplained, out of nowhere, seemingly for no reason headaches she gets. Most the time they are aggravated by sleeping on the back of her head where she whacked it, but it seems to be all healed up. Might also be form being hungry or dehydrated. Still sorting that out.
For sure she is doing better a little at a time day after day. There are setbacks so it seems, but still the general direction is onward and upward with God as our hope, confidence and healer.
God bless you for your faithful prayers.
Thank you again.
Love
J&E in Tn

The Challenge ..........

Today in service I was given a task from the Lord to do having to do with Elise and all those praying for her. 
Being that God wants us to "draw neigh" to Him so He can draw neigh to us this little practice might just accomplish that.
Regardless of your prayer practices or "style" all prayer proves the level of intimacy we have with God the one we are praying to.
So here is the challenge:
I would ask those who are praying for my wife Elise or anyone else for that matter to implement this action the next time they "feel inspired" to pray again for Elise or anyone else.
1. Find a quite place where you will not likely be disturbed for a period of time.
2. Kneel, sit, stand or lay on your face before God.
3. Lift, or fold your hands with a sense of submission to the Lord.
4. Relax, breath deeply and begin to think of the one your praying for.
5. Let the Holy Spirit lead you into you heart breaking for them. Start with words that you think of. Then let God lead you into weeping, then groaning without words if that comes, then distress for their condition, tongues may follow whether or not you ever had that gift before.
Romans 8:26,27

26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

 I guarantee that if this progression follows your prayer time for others in need, you will find a very satisfying and a powerful faith filled prayer time that will lead you to expect a "seen"answer for your prayers. 
When done with regularity this mode of seeking, interceding prayer will grow from a fledgling seed to a mighty tree able to carry the burdens of all that you pray for.  
Prayer is the "privilege" of those that want to "talk to God" claiming His fellowship and conversing with the most High.
Soon you will be having this "intimacy" with Him no matter what you are doing "praying without ceasing".
"Ask, seek and knock!" God cannot fail. 
Love
J&E in Tn