Feasting as War

Updates: 

• Monday, December 2^nd, will be a significant doctor’s visit. The results of my PET scan will be explained in detail.  
• It is clear that the majority of my cancerous areas are decreasing. The question is, are they decreasing at the expected rate for where I am in my treatment plan? Am I ahead of schedule? Right on time? Or behind? Only my oncologist can give an accurate assessment, and that will take place on Monday. 

Prayer Requests and Praises:

• I was able to enjoy the greatest Thanksgiving Day ever. It was full of reading, laughing, story-telling, and feasting. We always read the prayer together for feasting found in Every Moment Holy. “To gather joyfully is indeed a serious affair, for feasting and all enjoyments gratefully take are, at their heart, acts of war. In celebrating this feast we declare that evil, and death, suffering and loss, sorrow and tears, will not have the final word.” 
• Please pray that I am “on time” or ahead in my treatment schedule. I am thankful the cancer is reducing, and now the need is for it to reduce at the proper pace until it is completely gone!

What I am Learning: 

• As mentioned before, Pastor Heath encouraged me to read the book of Philippians and write out its implications for suffering. Here are seven truths for Christians about suffering from chapter 3 of Philippians. 

1. Suffering and pain allow me to see the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:8).

“Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord…” 

2. Suffering loss allows me to gain Christ (Philippians 3:8).

“… For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ” 

3. Suffering allows me to know Christ and the power of his resurrection (Philippians 3:10).

4. Suffering allows me to become like Jesus in his death and is a means by which I may obtain the resurrection from the dead (Philippians 3:10-11).

“That I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.” 

5. I can press on through suffering because Jesus has made me his own through his suffering (Philippians 3:12).

“Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.” 

6. I can press on and strain for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:13- 14).

7. Suffering teaches me that my citizenship is in heaven and God will one day transform my body into a glorious body like his by the power that controls all things – including my circumstances (Philippians 3:20-21).

“But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.” 

What Has Been Encouraging: 

• The practice of journaling has been a source of encouragement to me. I am not overly strict in the discipline to make it a burden but rather journal as my heart is heavy or as time permits. I never write more than a few paragraphs. 
• Journaling thankful lists has been a means by which the Lord brings his peace which passes all understanding. A self-imposed goal of writing out ten items of thanksgiving brings a flurry of joy which overcomes anxious thoughts. This excellent sermon on the 9^th commandment has spurred me on to replace a lack of content with a full notebook of joy.