I've been posting the updates about my friend Christine on my blog since I asked for prayer so many months ago. People still stop me and ask how she is doing and mention these updates. So here is another one that requires prayer.
Christine
Neall’s Brain Tumor Update #26
This is a quick
e-mail to solicit your prayers in our behalf as we journey back again to the NIH
for another MRI and checkup. It has
only been 3 months since we were last up here and they told us that an area of
the tumor bed showed some subtle changes from previous MRI’s. Because of the potential tumor growth
they wanted us back sooner. This
MRI may reveal if there has indeed been some tumor progression. We, of course, we hoping and praying that
it is not and perhaps only gliosis or continued healing from the surgery. We were scheduled to go back up last
week but plane delays forced us to cancel the appointment after we had traveled
to Little Rock and gone through security for the trip. We trust that there was a purpose as
“all things work together for good.”
Christine
continues to nurse Ella and with very busy summer plans, we elected to wait till
this MRI to consider our options.
God has guided us to this point and we continue to trust him for the
future. Please gray for his
guidance.
Our summer was
indeed very busy with work at OHA and around the house and garden, traveling to
family reunions, and with planning and leading a trip to ASI with a choir and
string ensemble from Ouachita Hills.
It proved to be a highlight of the summer with Kevin and Shelly Powell
also coming on the trip and Christine and the children joining us the
2nd weekend in Orlando Florida.
We are very blessed that Christine continues to have no deficits other
than the speech aphasia which can be more pronounced when very tired – an event
which seemed to happened more frequently with our exhausting summer
schedule.
We just
celebrated Elliot’s 4th birthday in August. On his birthday he essentially mastered
the skill of coasting downhill on his bicycle without training wheels –
accompanied by skinned elbows and bruised knees which cut short his
endeavor. However, when he received
his scooter a few days later, his interest renewed and he mastered the skill
this time on the scooter. Ella
continues to develop she approaches her 2nd birthday in
December. Although her vocabulary
is limited she clearly communicates her wishes.
When
we recently told someone about Christine’s brain tumor, he responded with great
earnestness, “It’s in the mind!” It
made us chuckle because, quite literally, it is. However, the importance of our thoughts
should not be underestimated.
I have been studying habits lately and particularly habits of
thought. This morning I read these
two encouraging quotes on the power of right thinking:
No one but yourself can control your thoughts. In the struggle to
reach the highest standard, success or failure will depend much upon the
character and the manner in which the thoughts are disciplined. If the thoughts
are well girded, as God directs they shall be each day, they will be upon those
subjects that will help us to greater devotion. If the thoughts are right, then
as a result the words will be right; the actions will be of that character to
bring gladness and comfort and rest to souls.-- 2MCP 655
As we are not our own, as we are bought with a price, it is the duty
of everyone who professes to be a Christian to keep his thoughts under the
control of reason and oblige himself to be cheerful and happy. However bitter
may be the cause of his grief, he should cultivate a spirit of rest and quietude
in God. The restfulness which is in Christ Jesus, the peace of Christ, how
precious, how healing its influence, how soothing to the oppressed soul! However
dark his prospects, let him cherish a spirit to hope for good. While nothing is
gained by despondency, much is lost. While cheerfulness and a calm resignation
and peace will make others happy and healthy, it will be of the greatest benefit
to oneself. Sadness and talking of disagreeable things is encouraging the
disagreeable scenes, bringing back upon oneself the disagreeable effect. God
wants us to forget all these--not look down but up, up! 2MCP 662
Scripture has this powerful promise.
"Thou
wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee: because he
trusteth in Thee." Isaiah 26:3.
Thank you for
your continued prayers for health and healing of this malignant brain
tumor.
Sincerely,
Rob and
Christine Neall
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