Joe Rison

Wow, I don't even know how to begin this.  My sweet husband Joe Rison is in the battle of his life.  He is diagnosed with adenocarcinoma of the lung. It is a gut wrencher, but treatable.  For that alone I am very thankful.

This started about 6 months ago, injured back, recovered within a few weeks. In March he played golf and was in significant pain, quit most strenous activities and thought it would get better. By May 9 we were in Dr. Bob Remendinos office with what looked like a minor therapy problem. He just never got any better. While still going to work, he started to have weakness in his legs, by June 8 he was having trouble walking, by June 9 we were back in Remendinos office and after another MRI, he discovered a tumor in his spine. Sucker punch one. Dear Bob Remendino, a brilliant and caring friend, scheduled him for surgery the next day. He would have been paralyzed within 2 days without it. Dr. Bob and his sidekick whiz kid Dr. Nasr perfomed a long 6 hour surgery while we waited and prayed. They completely removed his 11th vertebrae, installed a cage in its place, fused, and bone grafted for support. His back looks like a train track but he can WALK!!!

The cancer has metastasized from the lung to the spine therefore the stage 4. Its not a good diagnosis, and the only way I have processed this is by prayer that is covering me moment by moment. However, If you know my Joe, he is a very positive person not only for himself but for you too. An amazing quality along with 1000's more. Joe is also a deeply spiritual man, a journey we began together nearly 20 years ago. We both feel that God has been preparing, teaching, and moving us to face this. Everything we believe, have professed, claimed and prayed for others and have taught our children is being challenged in this moment.  This is where faith is tested and refined and we are equipped for the fight.

If you know me, I'm a control freak. A trait that I continually give over to the Lord. I like to know what the deal is and fix it. I'm outta my league on this one. However, each day, as devastating news has hit us once after the other, we have been equipped powerfully. I have never felt so equipped, carried, redeemed, loved, and prayed up in my life. I have been in a prayer group for nearly 20 years, I have prayed for people going through awful things, I always said, "How do they do this, I couldn't do this, I would die if I had to face this".  Karen Chaffin always said to me " You are only equipped when you are in the fire Debbi, not before." I understand that now, wow, what a mighty God we have.

I pray that you will not grow weary in prayer for us or anyone else. Prayer moves mountains, of that I am assured even though I stand at the precipice. From one who has received the drug of prayer in a time that I needed it the most, I can tell you, we can feel it when the prayer is bountiful.  Enough said.

Our faith is great, Joe has proclaimed his love for the Lord with his mouth, served Him and loved Him in ministry. A few days into this nightmare a dear prayer warrior friend sent me Psalm 91 to pray over Joe. We do it every day. Psalm 91:14-16 "Because he loves me," says the Lord, "I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him, With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation."

This is our prayer, from the living word of God.  Praise be His name.