Many of you saw our recent email asking for prayers.  In August we received the news that Joseph has high risk/aggressive prostate cancer. As you can imagine our lives were turned upside down and it became a whirlwind of appointments, scans, bloodwork, research and numerous calls to find a surgeon who could see him ASAP.  On September 12th he had surgery to remove the prostate and is on the road to recovery. The pathology report done after the surgery showed the cancer had spread into the thin capsule covering the prostate and the right seminal vesicle but this capsule, both sides of the seminal vesicles and the lymph nodes were surgically removed. The margins/edges of the prostate were clear/benign, so the surgeon has removed all the cancer!  There will be regular PSA tests to monitor if the PSA is below the appropriate/undetectable level and does not increase at any time. We are sooooo thankful that the reports show the surgeon removed all the cancer and no radiation is needed!! Praise Jesus for His merciful love – He is healing Joseph and we are praying for no recurrence of cancer. 

It has been amazing to see the Lord’s very real presence through this all.  From finding the cancer, being connected with top urologists, surgeons, gracious technicians and nurses.  We have truly felt the prayers of so many carrying us through a time where we were in deep shock and sadness. We are so thankful for the love of family and friends in prayer, meals, help, gifts –we are blessed with love.  Thank you!

The Lord is compassionate and gracious,
    slow to anger, abounding in love. Psalm 103:8

(Joseph’s thoughts) …. After the shock of being diagnosed with prostate cancer, an overwhelming fear of the unknown overcame me. 

1 John 4:18 says that perfect love drives out fear.  So, my focus was trusting in God’s love for me in this journey with prostate cancer.  In Psalm 103:8 the Hebrew word for love is “hesed”, which means faithful love, loyal love, steadfast love or unfailing love.  In my meditation and study, I learned that when Biblical scholars translated the Old Testament into Greek (The Septuagint), they did not translate the Hebrew word “hesed” into the Greek word “agape” with stands for God’s unconditional love.  But instead, the majority of time “hesed” was translated into the Greek word “eleos”, which means mercy. 

When someone is in need of forgiveness or acceptance, it is “agape” – God’s unconditional and sacrificial love that humans need.  But when someone is suffering and could potentially suffer more, it is “hesed” love or “eleos” in Greek—God’s merciful love that suffering people need.  This is exactly what I needed and received from God and from many Christian friends.  This meditation has ministered to me deeply and changed me from the inside. 

The love that I needed to face all the multiple circumstances and fearful unknowns was God’s merciful love that casts out my fears concerning my cancer diagnosis.  I am thanking God for his kindness and merciful love.  May God use me in the future when I interact with suffering people.  May God’s merciful love be manifest in me to bring comfort to them.