In the Morning I Will Sing of Your Love

What an amazing opportunity tonight to worship Jesus among 10,000 believers in St. Louis, and specifically some pretty special Ridgies! Wendy has been looking forward to this event for weeks, and her physicians were so great to allow her flexibility in her treatment schedule this week to attend!

Wendy happens to be "in the know", or at least related to someone that is (THANK YOU, Aunt Sue!), and was afforded a great blessing tonight: an opportunity to meet Kari Jobe!! (And weren't Chris and I just blessed to be in the right place at the right time!) We donned our orange (coincidence? I think NOT!) bracelets giving us the right of passage and hopped into line before the concert!

ORANGE BRACELETS!

Kari was so sweet to allow photos with everyone, and spoke with Wendy for a few moments. She was very kind. What a fun way to start off a night of amazing worship to our King, Jesus! Who knew that during Kari's worship set, we would be reminded that OUR GOD IS BIG ENOUGH to heal cancer!!! Kari Jobe was so moved by Wendy's story that she told 10,000 PEOPLE at Outcry that God was BIG ENOUGH to heal WENDY's cancer! God is big, mighty, and He just might STOP (life) to get our attention; that we are humans, in need of our Savior, in need of His grace! (What?! Did Kari Jobe just acknowledge God's interruptions in our plans! Again, NOT a coincidence!)

God is moved by faith. God is moved by expectation. God wants His children to boldly come to Him with our needs. We are His children. He is the King, and He is fighting for us. In these early morning hours, shortly after joining the angels in worship around Your throne, we lay Wendy's tomorrow at your feet, King Jesus. In a few hours, Wendy will be receiving her 2nd round of chemotherapy, and we BOLDLY ask for Your protection on her body, Lord. We ask that You strengthen her, that You give her peace and rest, that Your healing would overtake her body, and that You will secure the gates against the evil one.

Friends, some specific prayer requests as Wendy enters this 2nd treatment:

• That she may continue to have as few side effects of chemotherapy as possible. That she will NOT have nausea, vomiting, weakness or other symptoms that prevent her from doing the things that she loves with the people she loves. 
• For her white blood cell count to be (and remain) at the appropriate levels. These little boogers were a little low before her 1st treatment, and can effect both her ability to receive treatments, and her body's ability to stay healthy! They are important little fellas, so they deserve a mention of their own!
• That she may be at peace as she begins to lose her hair. (There are some very initial signs that this may be coming.) Also that her family and friends will bring comfort to her during that difficult change. 
• For Andy, Ashlyn, Taylor, Luke, Hal, Nancy, Trey and other family as they walk beside their wife, mom, daughter and sister during these treatments. It is a helpless feeling to not be able to DO something to make this go away for someone we love. Specifically, for the kids as they continue to process the "why" and "what does this look like" of mom having cancer. 
• Also, pray for the Helton family as they gear up for back to school! One in high school, one in middle school, and one in elementary school makes for a busy back to school schedule and a little anxiety for all! 
• Finally- Wendy is acutely aware that God is using this diagnosis in her life FOR HIS GLORY! Pray that God will spread hope of the gospel through Wendy during this time. Pray that seeds of faith will be planted, and new believers harvested as a result of this interruption! 

"Allow our hearts to still be singing of your love in the morning, Christ Jesus. Thank you for the blessing of today. Thank you for the blessing of the cross. Thank you for the blessing of our sister and friend, Wendy. Be her fortress tomorrow, God. We will praise you in the storm; please accept our sacrifice of praise."

"But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble.You are my strength, I sing praise to you; you, God, are my fortress, my God on whom I can rely." Psalm 59:16