Praises & Prayers

Ava was rushed to Lurie's earlier this evening for fever, cough and vomiting. Main concern was pneumonia, but chest X-ray did not show this, and her ANC is high (which is a good thing). Fever has not returned after Tylenol and Ava is doing better, so she was discharged around 2am; they will spend the rest of the night at the Ronald McDonald house before going home. Thank you for your continual prayers for Ava; we praise God for her discharge and high ANC which means her body is better equipped to fight infection. Not sure if it was something viral that set this off, but we continue to pray for Ava's health and no hospitalizations. Really, we continue praying (as all of you do) that Ava is healed of cancer completely!

As it seems more likely that a BMT (bone marrow transplant) is on the horizon, Mike and Esther are looking into the best location for this to take place. Mike is flying to Seattle this week to meet with doctors there and see if Seattle is a good fit for Ava. One of the things in discussion is what kind of transplant would be best for Ava: donor vs. cord blood transplant. Right now, there is a donor with a 7 out of 8 match, but no donor with a perfect match.

Seattle would not be covered under their insurance, which would mean really high out-of-pocket costs, yet if this is the best place for Ava, how can they let cost dictate her care? Please pray for safe travels for Mike and that God would grant Mike & Esther insight and guidance surrounding Ava's care.

Just a comment about prayer: sometimes it's hard to know how to ask for prayer. Meaning, do we specify certain requests or do we just share the situation so you can pray as you feel led and burdened in your own heart? We've done both and I don't think there's a right or wrong way. We appreciate all of you praying for Ava, and I know that specific prayer requests can be helpful in guiding prayers for Ava and shedding light on the concerns weighing on our hearts. On the other hand, there are times where I'm reluctant to specify requests, because I don't want to be too directive in how we "expect" God to work. His ways are higher than our ways (Isaiah 55:9). His love for us is equally beyond us in tenacity and measure (Psalm 103:11,17). So while we may pray for the medical team to have skill and wisdom, we pray more to have an openness that allows God to work in whatever way He chooses, for He knows best and loves us perfectly. We trust Him. When our hearts falter and our faith is small, by the grace of God, we will choose to trust Him and lean on Him for even more faith.

Thank you for all of your prayers. Thank you for the specific prayers, the "bigger picture" prayers, and the prayers where you don't know what to say but can only sit and lift up your heart. They are all appreciated and heard by our Father. And when we don't know how to pray, Paul's prayer in Ephesians 3:16-21 is a good one to turn to:

"I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen."

We pray this for all of you: family, friends, supporters whom we've never met. May the Lord strengthen you with His power in your inner being, that Christ would dwell in your hearts through faith. May you be rooted and established in His love, experiencing in community the amazing, unending love of the Father that surpasses knowledge. May you be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. We pray that our Lord would do immeasurably more than you can ask or even think, to the glory and praise of His great name.

Thank you again for walking with us. We are grateful for your fellowship on this journey.