Much has happened in the last few weeks. I am now back in West Virginia, having flown home Saturday June 11. I have enjoyed being back in my home, savoring the gorgeous visual splendors of summer in Appalachia. I drink in the sights of trees everywhere, of all varieties, fully leafed out, shimmering and waving in the breezes; trees in my yard casting shadows into the lush lawn, bushes forming enclosing walls on the edges of the yard, arching and reaching and sheltering. The day lilies are continually in bloom this month and though I have missed several earlier blooming trees and shrubs, the wild roses I rooted from cuttings and planted several years ago along a section of back fence are thriving and blooming profusely, casting their long reaching arms along the fence. Along with the sights, the weather has been perfect, in the 70-80 degree range.

Before I left CA, however, after a week of sickness and cancellations of appointments, I had a busy final week making up for lost PT sessions, meeting with friends, and final doctor appointments. The appointment with my oncologist indicated everything is fine on that score, for which we thank God. But in other meetings with doctors I learned there is abnormal bone growth into the soft tissues around the bone at the upper end of the femur (called Myositis Ossificance), that the NSAID drug prescribed for me to treat it, which I had begun to take, was nixed by my cardiologist because it adversely affects heart function, and that my only other option is low dose radiation to reduce this process. And the pain it apparently produces. The pain, from this source or wherever, along with some weakness of muscles is probably the reason I haven’t progressed further in my physical therapy and recovery to normal walking. I need your prayers for God’s intervention for healing of this problem and the ability to get back to normal walking with no leg pain.

On June 10 I was reading Psalm 124 and wrote:

I cry out to the Lord again…another medical/physical issue has arisen and only God can bring a solution, a living, working solution to my problem. Reading through the Psalm I reinterpret it for my situation. I do not have a flesh and blood enemy pursuing me, but I do have an Enemy which works to destroy me. I read the psalmist’s accounts and make my own personal application. If God were not on my side (and I on his) then I would be destroyed by the billows and waves of troubles flowing over me. I read this testament to God’s intervention as my own.

“If it had not been the LORD who (is) on my side when these troubles in my body rise up against me, then they would have swallowed me up alive, the waters would have engulfed me, the stream would have swept over my soul, the raging waters would have swept over my soul.

Bless the LORD, who has not given me over to be torn apart by these troubles and the enemy of my soul.

My soul has escaped as a bird out of the snare of the trapper. The snare is broken and I have escaped.

My help is in the Name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth.” Psalm 124 (my changes)

It is always the word of God which holds me up, holds me together, gives me peace. I humbly thank God for his mercies to me. All his mercies to me. Though I haven’t yet physically “escaped” this trap of the enemy, my hope is definitely in the LORD “who made heaven and earth”. He did that, he can do all things.

My busyness at home is moderated so I do not over do. And oh do I have much to do! One week before flying home to WV my laptop computer crashed and the experts told me the hard drive was “kaput”, nothing was retrievable. So now I am reconstructing everything not backed up (and unfortunately my last backup was weeks prior) from other records and files. Alas, I have learned a hard lesson. The computer I use in the Mustard Seeds’ office here was also on its way out but all data was able to be saved and reinstalled with a new hard drive. We have an enemy but our God is greater. With his help I will get through this without too many lumps.

This past week we hosted our first Mission as Life team and it was a good week. The next nine weeks we will host several hundred more Mission as Life volunteers as they make their way to the beautiful green mountains of southern West Virginia. Pray for these teams, our staff and the families here who will be working with them. May God be glorified in all our hard work.

Jacque

Perhaps I was being a bit optimistic in my goal setting. When I set up my 4 weeks of outpatient physical therapy sessions, I was asked what goals I wanted to set for myself. My biggest one was to walk normally without the cane by the end of those 4 weeks. Well, this marks the end of 4 weeks, although because I was sick this week and missed my scheduled sessions of PT, 3 sessions are rescheduled for next week, and I am far from walking normally without my cane. I have done some walking without it but it is not straight and normal in any sense of the word. I still must build up strength in muscles which, when I think of it, and Randy also mentioned it, have been used improperly for many months. Back the end of last summer (before we knew the damage to my femurs) I began to have pain in my legs and started walking abnormally; I’ve been walking incorrectly since at least August.

I know I have been making incremental progress. I just had hoped I’d be further along by now. And I’m still having pain in my left leg. So all in all, your prayers for me are very much appreciated.

Though I am going to miss my families out here in California, I am looking forward to being back with Randy in West Virginia. I fly back Saturday, June 11, just in time for the first incoming Mission as Life team, kicking off our summer Volunteer Ministry of Home Repair for the needy, elderly and disabled, as well as VBS programs put on by various of the teams coming throughout the summer. Everyone is in high gear.

Also kicking off our summer, starting this Sunday, is 16 hours of prayer daily by Mustard Seeds and Mountains’ staff (in 4 hour shifts per person). Of course, Mustard Seeds is also instituting a Rend the Heavens Prayer campaign in McDowell County. We are encouraging God’s people in the County to seek His face daily in line with II Chronicles 7:14. We want to see His people strengthened and emboldened to stand against the darkness around us, living in the power of God, and then see God’s spirit poured out to change lives. It will only happen by concerted and fervent prayer. If you’d like to join us in this campaign (and include with McDowell County your own community in your prayers) you can get more information by writing us at Rend the Heavens, P.O. Box 686, Northfork, WV 24868. I have a strong feeling your area could use this too.

Pray for all of us as we seek to work alongside God, whose co-laborers it is our privilege to be. Another prayer request is for my oldest son, Jeremy, who will be leaving this Tuesday, June 7, for a 3 week missionary trek to India with his uncle, Daniel Rickett. Please pray, of course, for their safety and good health, but also that God would accomplish in and through them His plans. Pray also for Monica, his wife, back home with 3 young children during the 3 weeks of daddy’s absence.

One more urgent request is for Bryon Thomas and his family (a young couple raising support to join us on staff at Mustard Seeds). We just learned Bryon’s mother was killed in a head on car collision. Hold this family up before the Lord.

Thank you for your prayers for us as we continue to follow where He leads.

Jacque