Radiation Update from Greg, August 2015

"With hope against hope, Abraham believed....and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him.         Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead--since he was about a hundred years old--and that Sarah's womb was also dead.        Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had the power to do what he had promised."                                                                                                              From Romans 4:18-21 Greetings Friends, These days I think about Abraham a lot. He was 99 years old when God told him that Sarah would bear a child. At 89, Sarah wasn't a spring chicken either. They both had a chuckle about the whole idea. But as unbelievable as it sounded, the Bible says that Abraham moved forward--believing. I take much joy and courage from that whole encounter. This is just a quick update on the radiation I received in May on the tumors in my sternum and kidney bed. Two months later (in July) we scanned them. The tumors were slightly smaller but they were still there. My radiologist (a great guy--I really like him) said the results could be viewed as good or bad: bad because the tumors are not gone; good because they haven't gotten any bigger, but smaller. My oncologist thinks it is a little too early to determine the whole result of the radiation and that the tumors could still shrink more. Also, a scan cannot tell if a tumor is alive or dead--a scan can only see if it is there. The radiation was not difficult or painful at all, so I have decided to also radiate the tumor in my liver. I went into the hospital this week to have them plant three markers around the liver tumor so they have something to guide them during the radiation. (Your liver "floats" inside of you every time you breath, so it is necessary to put markers around the tumor so they are able to follow it with the radiation as it moves.) Also, because they were already inside the liver we decided to biopsy the mass at the same time. Although we assume it is kidney cancer, it would be good to know for sure. I'm a little sore this week from the needle invasion but getting better every day. Overall I am feeling well and going about my daily activities, grateful for the energy I have and how good I feel; most days I take a nap in the afternoon and I'm ready to go again. Like Abraham I find that I spend my days believing, hope against hope, in what seems impossible to us but possible for God. An interesting thing is said of this story in Hebrews 11:1l. "And by faith, even Sarah, who was past childbearing age, was enabled to bear children because she considered him faithful who had made the promise." Is it true that our faith has a role in how God works in the world even today? And because Sarah "considered him faithful" she was able to bear Abraham's child? Does God look around for people of faith when he wants to show himself to the world?

I thank you for keeping me in your prayers! Blessings to you, Greg