Praying Afresh

Updates: 

• I’ve been told that chemo can have a “cumulative effect.” I’m not sure if that is what I’m experiencing this week, but my body has felt more “chemo crummy” than usual. It is hard to describe, but essentially my body feels “weary and heavy laden” at times. 
• I will be getting another PET scan at the end of November which is my half-way point. This will give concrete results that show whether or not the chemo is effectively killing the cancer. They expect either a partial response or a complete response.

Prayer Requests and Praises

• Please pray that when I get my PET scan in November the cancer will be completely gone. I did not realize this was a possibility until today. This is the ideal scenario.
• My liver enzymes are elevated, and they are monitoring them. If they continue to increase, it could require a reduction in my level of chemo. Pray my liver continues to process the chemo without more difficulty.

What I am Learning: 

• The Lord is reminding me how to pray more biblically. I have been continually meditating on the Songs of Ascent, and it is starting to shape my prayers. My goal is to memorize all the Songs (Psalms chapter 120-134) by the end of my treatments. Lord willing, my treatments will conclude by March 1^st. I would love for someone to memorize them with me! Let me know if you are up for the challenge. 
• One way the Lord is teaching me to pray is by “reasoning” with God. There are numerous times in which David offers to God reasons why God should act on his behalf. He had intense humble boldness. I have selected these three verses as examples from the helpful book Psalms for Trials by Lindsey Tollefson. 

Turn, O LORD, deliver my life; save me for the sake of your steadfast love. For in death there is no remembrance of you; in Sheol who will give you praise? (Psalm 6:4–5)

Lord, where is your steadfast love of old, which by your faithfulness you swore to David? Remember, O Lord, how your servants are mocked, and how I bear in my heart the insults of all the many nations, with which your enemies mock, O LORD, with which they mock the footsteps of your anointed. (Psalm 89:49–51)

For your name’s sake, O LORD, preserve my life! In your righteousness bring my soul out of trouble! (Psalm 143:11)

• A prayer of reasoning could sound like this: “God, you are the Lord! You can demonstrate your power in a mighty way. It would be a great testimony to your glory to heal me because so many people are praying. Don’t you want to answer all their prayers? Don’t you think it would be better for me to praise you instead of going to the grave? For your name’s sake, O LORD, preserve my life! In your righteousness bring my soul out of trouble!” 

What Has Been Encouraging: 

• The number of children praying for me has been a delightful surprise and a source of encouragement. Several children regularly request to pray for “Pastor Sean” or “my daddy’s friend Sean.” A couple families even made me personalized drawings. One child drew a picture of me riding on top of a lion. I have never done that, but who knows what can happen after my treatments are complete! 

• The other night before bed, I read Chandler the story about how Jesus welcomes the little children. Jesus loves kids, and he says that we should become like them when it comes to our faith. The sincerity and dependance that a child often exhibits are qualities true faith also possesses. May we all fully trust in the Christ who loved us to the point of death and rose from the dead on our behalf! 

 “But Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.’ And he laid his hands on them and went away.” (Matthew 19:14–15)