Precious friends, 

It has been a long time since our last CaringBridge update. This morning I am writing from the hospital, where Robert is having his port removed! This is a sweet landmark and we are deeply grateful for what it represents.

Several weeks ago, we sat in our oncologist's office and heard him say those words we had been hoping to hear: "You are in complete remission." Thanks be to God! And how very thankful we are for the army of friends around the world who have encouraged and prayed for us throughout this journey. Thank you for being among them!

Robert has gradually been getting his strength back ... his hair is back for sure! ... and he has never lost his grateful, uncomplaining spirit. This past weekend he joined me for our Revive conference in Indianapolis and we were able to thank 2500 (cheering!) women, as we thank you, for the incredible support and prayers that have carried us over the past eighteen months.

At the end of 2019, just before the pandemic was unleashed and Robert received his first of two cancer diagnoses in 2020, we wrote our first book together: You Can Trust God to Write Your Story. In that book we said:

“As we sit here today, we have no idea what our future may hold. Our story is still being written, and He has not given us an inside track on what the next chapters look like. But our trust is in the One who holds our future.... That gives us freedom and peace, even when we cannot see what lies ahead. ... He has been faithful in each chapter thus far. And we know that He will be faithful in each one yet to come and that His grace will be sufficient for wherever He leads us.  We don't want to tell Him how to write our story for us.... Above all, our desire is that our lives will showcase the beauty and the goodness of His Story.”

Numerous times throughout 2020/21, we looked at each other and said: "What we wrote in that book -- it's really true." We believed it when we wrote it ... and we still believe it today. God is good, He is faithful, and He can be trusted to write our story -- no matter what. 

Robert will continue to have regular checkups with multiple doctors for the next few years. Early on, we purposed to thank God for the good news/reports/scans and also to thank Him for the hard news. One day at a time, He has helped us to do just that, and we trust Him for whatever may lie ahead. 

At the Revive conference this past weekend we were reminded--through tears--that God does not choose to heal every cancer patient, just as He does not always choose to spare His children from seasons of unexpected pain and loss. Seated on the front row of this event was a dear friend who is battling stage 4 cancer. Barring a miracle, she will be Home with the Lord before long. I've attached a video our team produced a few weeks ago, sharing Colleen's story. I hope you'll take ten minutes to watch it  (be sure to have a Kleenex).

Colleen's testimony is a stirring reminder that for those who know Christ, our hope, peace, and joy are not dependent on any temporal or external circumstances, but on the eternal love and grace of God who has promised that "the best is yet to come," that our sins are forgiven, and that when this life is over, we will be forever with the One we love. If you would like to talk to someone about how you can have this same assurance, please reach out and let us know--we would consider it a great privilege to pray for you. It would mean so much to know that the trials we have faced in the past months have brought about blessing and fruit in your life as they have in ours. 

We love you and thank the Lord for you,

Nancy (and Robert)

#heavenrules