" We each face our mountains"

One of the things that has stuck out in my mind throughout this challenge has been the way people have become afraid or ashamed to share their trials because they feel that their situation is not worthy to be spoken of or shared because ours seems so terribly devastating. Well can I just say this:" we all have our mountains to climb". You see just because a person is facing something that appears less challenging by worldly standards it is none the less challenging for them, and hence worthy of attention. Long before the Lord found my family and I worthy of facing this current situation, we found ourselves facing challenges that brought us to the brink of desperation many times. While yes they were not the same in the sense of the possible outcome, they were extremely scary and difficult to manage. That challenge is never made easier when you feel like you cannot express yourself, or ask for prayer because someone else seems to be going through so much more. That is exactly what the enemy would love to see us do, avoid facing our challenge with prayer and the power of God because after all it's not as bad as someone else's. So please don’t be afraid or hesitant to share your trials, struggles, challenges, and tribulations with others, allow your friends to hold up your arms, you may find it not to be so bad after all. When Moses allowed his arms to be supported by those around him, it was then that he became his strongest. No longer was he focused on the struggle or the pain, suddenly he was able to focus on the task at hand, it was then in the heat of battle when he allowed those around him to support him that he heard God more clearly. Please allow yourself the joy of having your arms held up by others, I dare say I struggled under the weight of them for far too many years before He simply made them too heavy for me to bear, only because He loves me, and wanted me to see what I was missing. Please don’t make the mistake I made, the price has been paid by someone else, enjoy the free gift of counsel and reap the benefits of obedience!
Trust me when I say, yes this is by far the greatest challenge Dawn and I have ever faced, however when we were facing financial ruin, or a child’s sickness, or a loved one’s poor decisions, we felt great pain, fear, and even doubt. And while we knew others going through difficult situations that appeared more difficult than ours it did not lessen our pain. If anything it increased our guilt, again not at all what the lord would desire, nor quite honestly would we. In all reality if we were that selfish (which no one has accused us of), the Lord would not find us worthy of this trial, and this is my friends a worthy trial. Again do I want to do this, no, am I asking God to end it, yes, but only when He has finished what He has begun in our lives and not a minute before. If He does end it because of our cry it has all been for naught and that would be the greatest tragedy of all, to stop short of the finish line!
Dawns' recovery from the last chemo has not been going very well, she is suffering from much more pain and a number of new physical challenges. Praise God her sensitivity to cold has been nowhere near what they predicted (just like we prayed), again however in many other ways she suffering far more intently. We see the Doctor on Thursday and prayerfully we will be able to arrive at some solutions. Another prayer point is that the health insurance will quickly approve (we have been waiting two weeks), either a CT scan or a PET scan so that we can see if the chemo is working or not. If not there is no reason to continue those particular treatments which in actuality appear to be dragging her down. You can also pray that AFLAC will pay what they owe us, we have been delayed by them since December and those funds would be very helpful, they are making promises but action does speak louder, amen!
Thank you all so much for your prayers, cards, notes, scriptures, and gifts, Dawn and I feel completely and utterly blessed by all of those who are doing so much to help us. I wish I could invite you all over to see her but unfortunately she truly is not able to see folks, and with the chemo she needs to be protected, thank God she has not gotten sick!
Bless You all
Gene