Dearest Friends,

I didn’t think I could bear anything else right now, but my loving Father had a different plan and though I can not understand it, I accept it from His hand and trust Him to bring us through it.

I told some of you earlier this week about Hal’s pneumonia and Katie and others in the family sick, and two children having tonsillectomies today (they are home and utterly miserable, poor things) and another on Monday, all for sleep apnea. Oh, the business is pretty wild this week, too. Katie hasn’t gotten any better, so as soon as we got home from the hospital this afternoon, I took her to the doctor. While I was there, the radiologist report from Hal’s x-ray Wednesday for the pneumonia came back.

Hal has a large mass in his chest. Our wonderful doctor got him immediately in for a CT scan this evening and we are now awaiting the results. We don’t know yet what we are facing, but it doesn’t look good.

I am exhausted. I am devastated. Hal and I are best friends, partners in business, co-authors, constant companions, happy parents, and we have the best marriage on earth. At this point, I am clinging to the Lord; trusting Him to do what is best; trying hard to just hold His hand as a child trusts his parent.

We would be very grateful for your prayers.

I am thinking about this hymn a lot:

How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith in His excellent Word!
What more can He say than to you He hath said,
You, who unto Jesus for refuge have fled?

In every condition, in sickness, in health;
In poverty’s vale, or abounding in wealth;
At home and abroad, on the land, on the sea,
As thy days may demand, shall thy strength ever be.

Fear not, I am with thee, O be not dismayed,
For I am thy God and will still give thee aid;
I’ll strengthen and help thee, and cause thee to stand
Upheld by My righteous, omnipotent hand.

When through the deep waters I call thee to go,
The rivers of woe shall not thee overflow;
For I will be with thee, thy troubles to bless,
And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.

When through fiery trials thy pathways shall lie,
My grace, all sufficient, shall be thy supply;
The flame shall not hurt thee; I only design
Thy dross to consume, and thy gold to refine.

Even down to old age all My people shall prove
My sovereign, eternal, unchangeable love;
And when hoary hairs shall their temples adorn,
Like lambs they shall still in My bosom be borne.

The soul that on Jesus has leaned for repose,
I will not, I will not desert to its foes;
That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I’ll never, no never, no never forsake. 

Amen.