Hi - This is Amy writing. It's 2:00 on Sunday afternoon. Rhonda slept pretty well last night and is having a good day so far. She has checked a few emails, added to her blog, showered and walked two laps. She is finding that she needs to pace herself and rest often. Her white blood count has come down more which is good, but which will make her tire easier. As of 1:00 today, they are taking neutropenic precautions with her. This means she must wear a mask if she leaves her room and must be very careful with visitors. She considers this news exciting because it means she is making progress! I'm guessing many of you may be trying to call (we often have the phone turned off) and would love to come visit. Thank you for your caring and understanding - I know it is hard not to be able to be in touch with her! Please feel free to email and reply on her blog. Please continue to pray for her to stay clear from any germs while her white blood count is low.
I just finished reading Spurgeon's sermon on Romans 8:23 to Rhonda, and she is taking a quick nap. I want you all to know how beautiful she is here. Her caring and comfortable demeaner with the staff (they all love her), the ways she displays her faith and delight in God, and the picture of love and community seen by all around her are a delightful fragrance of God's grace and work.
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Rhonda,
You have a host of saints praying for you as you continue to plug away toward this goal of ZERO white blood cells.
We are asking God to be close and real to you, for you to be encouraged by friends and family, and for a "ghost town" in your WBCs so you can move on to the next phase of treatment.
I am so moved by how you are resting in the loving care of our Father. You are living out an extreme faith right now and all who see you praise God.
Love, Lisa
Hi Rhonda,
I just got this link to your blog from Jeff Turner. We prayed for you at the 5pm service last night.
I have been praying for you daily - that your Father would comfort you with the presence of your friends and family and that He would give you peace and rest and hope and healing.
You are a strong, beautiful and wonderful woman - and it is obvious that many people are surrounding you and reminding you of that daily.
As you know, I have my own story to tell about cancer and community and healing. Maybe this chapter of my story will encourage you...
Three years ago, right before I had my surgery, Linda Cappellari sent me a “Thinking of You” card in the mail. And in the card was a verse written on a yellow index card.
The verse was:
Duet. 31:8 “The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you. He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”
Well, God had spoken that verse to me months earlier one morning at 3am when I was lying awake in bed and wrestling with a hard decision, so when I read it on this yellow index card, I knew it was straight from Him.
I carried that card with me to the hospital and even had it in my hand until they pushed me in to the O.R. I visualized the Lord “going before me” in surgery, lying on the table, having his arms splayed out and tied down, inspecting the surgical instruments and IV’s and equipment surrounding Him, looking into the eyes of the doctors and nurses. And then, I visualized Him hopping off the table, and saying, “OK, Suzanne, it’s all set. I’ve checked it all out, and it’s going to be fine. Oh, and don’t worry, I’m not going anywhere, I’ll be here with you through it all.” And He was.
And two days after surgery, I wrote this:
Sifted and shifted,
Shaken and strung out.
Splayed and split
to splinters
by a two-inch slice where
Silent space is formed,
and truth unfurls
on a yellow card.
~smi 8/24/05
I hung onto that card and had it with me for all 33 radiation therapy treatments. I would visual the Lord going “before me” to each treatment, that He would climb up on the table and lie there in my place with His own “dot tattoos” marking his body, making sure the machine was set correctly, and then He would hop down and say, “OK, you go ahead, everything is set. Oh, and I’m not going anywhere. I’ll stand here beside the table while you lie there.” And He did.
I then carried that yellow index card in my purse, and months later when my purse was stolen, the thing I was most upset about losing was that yellow card! And then I realized that I didn’t need the card anymore - that I really never needed it - the verse was written on my heart, and no one could take it away from me.
So, I'm passing this verse on to you now... He is going before you and is beside you (and behind you and above you and underneath you!) He has experienced everything that you have yet to experience - He is paving the way for you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.
I love you!
Suzanne Isenberg
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