Houston, Here We Come

Updates:

• Jenny and I flew to Houston this week and met with the bone marrow transplant team at MD Anderson Cancer Center.
• The trip was clarifying and has determined the next few months of medical treatment for me. The doctors reiterated how aggressive my cancer is and emphasized the need for a high-intensity treatment plan. We will be making plans to travel to Texas when the time comes for me to get the transplant.
• I will proceed with another cycle of chemotherapy this upcoming week, and it is critical that it reduces the mass in my lung to prepare for the transplant.

Prayer Requests and Praises:

• Jenny and I are so thankful for the trip to Houston and the clarity it brought. I felt the Lord’s care in a tangible way, unlike anything I’ve experienced since my diagnosis. I still don’t know what the future holds, but I do know that God is with us.
• Please pray that this new round of chemotherapy is successful and that the mass is completely reduced. For the transplant to proceed, the mass must be eradicated.

What I Am Learning:


• The Bible tells us to pray when we are suffering and when we are sick:

“Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise.” (James 5:13)


• One reason to pray in times of suffering is that God hears and understands our groaning. Regardless of how we feel, God is interested in our pain. He cares about our troubles and wants us to seek Him for help. God heard the groaning of the people of Israel when they were in slavery. He had compassion on them and responded to their cries.

Give ear to my words, O LORD; consider my groaning. Give attention to the sound of my cry, my King and my God, for to you do I pray. O LORD, in the morning you hear my voice; in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you and watch. (Psalm 5:1–3) 


• God heard David’s cries repeatedly throughout his life, as he fled from his enemies and hid in caves. God heard the groaning of Jesus on the cross and vindicated Him. It is good and right for us to pray with David, saying, “God, give me your ear.” “Lord, lean down close and listen to my plight.” “Jesus, please pay attention to the misery I’m experiencing. I need You.” No matter what trial you’re facing, “in the morning,” God will hear your voice. Watch and pray.

What Has Been Encouraging:

• The caring sovereignty of God has been encouraging. My story is different from the astronauts aboard the International Space Station, but the words of Butch Wilmore ring true for my circumstances. If you haven’t heard his explanation of trusting God even when bad things happen, you should watch the video below. He cites Hebrews 11, which recounts the faith-filled heroes of the Old Testament. Some of their stories have good endings… and some do not. Regardless, God was working powerfully in their lives. Be encouraged and take a few minutes to watch Heath Lambert explain the astronaut landing in “The Biggest Story of the Week.” You can watch it here.

[32] And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets—[33] who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, [34] quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. [35] Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. [36] Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. [37] They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated—[38] of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. (Hebrews 11:32–38; note the shift from “good” outcomes to “bad” ones in verse 35)

Medicine, False Hope, and God’s Protection

Updates:

  • I have now had two weeks of back-to-back chemo! I am fatigued, but that is to be expected.
  • My new chemo plan includes an immunotherapy drug, which I have never had before. This immunotherapy treatment is a newer type of therapy that has proven effective in recent years when combined with chemo.
  • I will continue my treatment plan for four more weeks and then receive a PET scan to track my progress.

Prayer Requests and Praises:

  • Next week, I begin discussions with my transplant doctors and their teams. Please pray for wisdom for everyone involved, as this is a new frontier for us.
  • I have been gaining weight this week, which is a big praise! I need to gain as much weight as possible for the transplant. It is often difficult to eat while on chemo, but I have had several good eating days.
  • Please pray that this new chemo is successful and that my mass is completely reduced.

What I Am Learning:

  • I am meeting lots of different people on this journey. I spoke with a lady this past week at the hospital who told me about her husband’s cancer journey. Her husband has stage four kidney cancer, and she has been an oncology nurse for many years. She explained how she had great hope because of the newer immunotherapy treatments available. She is placing her faith in medicine. However, her husband’s cancer is still not responding well to the treatment.
  • I am thankful for modern medicine, but it is a terrible object for our hope. There have been many medical advances in the cancer world, but placing our trust in a treatment plan is a false refuge. It is like trusting a house built on sand. It can and will ultimately disappoint.
  • Our hope and faith must be placed in the one who controls every molecule in the universe. Jesus holds the world together by the word of His power. He alone decides who is cured and who is not. When it comes to sickness, we should use and be thankful for the common grace of God in the gift of modern medicine. However, we must remember that if we are healed, it is exclusively because of the Lord.

See now that I, even I, am he,
and there is no god beside me;
I kill and I make alive;
I wound and I heal;
and there is none that can deliver out of my hand. (Deuteronomy 32:39)

“If it had not been the LORD who was on our side—let Israel now say—if it had not been the LORD who was on our side when people rose up against us, then they would have swallowed us up alive, when their anger was kindled against us; then the flood would have swept us away, the torrent would have gone over us; then over us would have gone the raging waters.” (Psalm 124:1–5)

“And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. And He is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything He might be preeminent.” (Colossians 1:17–18)

What Has Been Encouraging:

  • Psalm 91 has been encouraging.

“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the LORD, ‘My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.’” (Psalm 91:1–2)

  • But how can God say that He will protect me from pestilence (Psalm 91:3, 6) when it is clear that I have a serious disease? Pastor Spencer, in his sermon last Sunday at First Baptist, answers this question. Psalm 91 doesn’t promise health, wealth, and prosperity for the believer. It promises that no sickness, pain, or suffering will come apart from God’s intentional plan.
  • Psalm 91 was true for Jesus when He went through His great suffering dying for the sins of the world, and it is true for the Christian who also experiences various trials. It is only the believer in Jesus who can say confidently that all pain comes through the loving hands of God, who is working for the Christian’s ultimate good. God always protects His children in the way that is best.
  • You can watch the whole sermon on Psalm 91 from Pastor Spencer [here].

Pouring Out Our Hearts

Updates:

  • This week, I began my new regimen of chemotherapy. The goal of this treatment is to bring me into remission, preparing me for a bone marrow transplant (also known as a stem cell transplant).
  • I will be on this new chemotherapy plan for the next six weeks, followed by a PET scan. The results of this scan will show my current status and determine whether I’m ready for the transplant.

Prayer Requests and Praises:

  • Please pray that this new chemotherapy is successful and that my mass is completely reduced.
  • Please pray for my family to have perseverance, as they are working extra hard to care for me.
  • New doctors are still analyzing my situation. Please pray that the Lord will give both them and us wisdom.

What I am Learning:

  • As we’ve spoken with several specialists, they’ve stressed the “aggressive” nature of my cancer. This explains why my annual physical in 2023 was perfect, yet within just one year, the cancer spread throughout my body. Jenny and I both recognize the hand of the Lord in my life, given these unexpected circumstances. The Lord has surprised us by allowing this cancer to progress so rapidly. It came fast, spread quickly, and has been stubborn. This situation serves as a reminder that we never know what the future holds—only the Lord knows. We must always walk with Him and draw near to Him when life’s trials come upon us. I have recorded a brief video explaining more of my thoughts on this, which you can watch below.
https://twitter.com/seanperron/status/1898541905589235942

What Has Been Encouraging:

  • Since August, the Psalms have been a great source of life for me. I recently read a blog post about how the famous preacher Charles Spurgeon viewed prayer, based on Psalm 62:8: “Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. Selah.”
  • I knew that prayer is about pouring out our hearts to God, but the way Spurgeon described this action struck me. He writes:

“Pour [your heart] out as water. Not as milk, whose color remains. Not as wine, whose savor remains. Not as honey, whose taste remains. But as water, of which, when it is poured out, nothing remains. So let sin be poured out of the heart, that no color of it may remain in external marks, no savor in our words, no taste in our affections.”

  • God already knows what is in our hearts, and He loves it when we pour it out completely before His throne. He wants us to bring all our fears, hopes, dreams, desires, and requests to Him. Don’t let anything remain in your heart. Pouring out water might seem “messy” to some, but the Lord loves it when we empty ourselves in faith before Him. Are you going through a trial? Pour out your heart to God like water, not like milk. Give it all to Him. If you want to read more about this passage, the blog is titled Praying Psalm 62 with Charles Spurgeon, and you can read it here.

From the Lord

Updates: 

  • A lot has transpired since my last update! We have spent the week connecting with lymphoma specialists from around the country. Jenny and I even took a trip to Houston to visit the main campus of MD Anderson.
  • My open lung biopsy came back with results indicating that I have Primary Refractory Classical Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. This means my previous treatment plan was unsuccessful and my cancer is more aggressive than originally thought.
  • I will be changing treatment facilities and seeing a local lymphoma specialist due to the more unique nature of my case. My new treatment plan will include six weeks of “high-intensity chemo” to prepare me for a bone marrow transplant. Every doctor I’ve spoken with believes I need a bone marrow transplant. I will begin my new chemo treatment ASAP.
  • Several people have wondered why my open lung biopsy was just a biopsy and didn’t remove the growing mass completely. The answer is that the mass is not the primary issue. Lymphoma is a blood cancer. Even if the mass were removed, the cancer would still be present and would simply relocate to another area in my body. The goal of this new round of chemotherapy is to eradicate the mass by killing every cancer cell in my body. The aim is to attack the cancer at the cellular level instead of superficially.

Prayer Requests and Praises: 

  • We are grateful for the clarity provided by the recent biopsy. My surgeon was excellent, and the procedure was crucial for informing the next phase of my treatment plan. We praise God for this!
  • This next phase of treatment is very important, and we need the Lord’s help. The doctors believe there is still a possibility of a cure with a successful transplant. We are grateful there remains a good treatment option! But the Lord is more important than what any doctor thinks or predicts. My family and I would ask that you pray for us during the next several weeks, that God would cure me of this illness. Please pray my body will have strength this next week for the chemo – especially after my recent biopsy as I am still recovering.

What I am Learning: 

  • While it is good that my biopsy was conclusive, it is hard to hear that my mass is cancerous. We had originally planned on receiving two more treatments to complete my original twelve and then be in the clear. We are now entering a more difficult phase than we initially expected. I have had various responses and reflections since receiving the news about my mass. The most important one is that I must confess with Job: “Shall we receive good from God, and shall we not receive evil?” (Job 2:10)
  • The Lord is the Lord, and He is in total control of my life. Our God is in the heavens, and He does all that He pleases (Psalm 115:3). Every twist and turn of my life is ordained by Him and under His sovereign care. Jesus did not stop loving me when I got lymphoma, nor when I realized it was refractory lymphoma. The Lord is kind and faithful to my family, regardless of hard news. He will continue to “keep” my life “from this time forth and forevermore” (Psalm 121). I am confident of this because Jesus died for my sins and rose from the grave victoriously. “He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:32).

What Has Been Encouraging: 

  • My wife is the very best. As we traveled to Houston, she took care of everything. She brought all our medical files, bags, and gear with us. I was completely useless traveling because I am not allowed to lift anything due to my recent surgery.
  • Jenny faithfully and joyfully took care of me, and we had a great time. No one wants to travel to a different city for cancer care, but it was our first trip since I was diagnosed. I am so blessed by the Lord to have a wife who is committed “in sickness and in health!”

Ps. I have been locked out of my Facebook account because I don’t currently look like the photo ID that Facebook has on file (due to chemo). I have tried everything to get back into my account and discovered that Meta is notoriously difficult with customer service for individuals in my situation. I will continue to persist. For now, the best way to get updates is via email from this blog. So sorry!

Recovering at Home

Updates: 

  • This past week I had an “open lung biopsy” to remove tissue from a mass that is growing on my lung. The surgery was very successful.
  • The surgeon was able to get enough tissue for a good biopsy. My doctor will review results with me next week. 

Prayer Requests and Praises:

  • I am recovering better than expected! I have a lot of breathing exercises to do, but they were able to dismiss me earlier than originally anticipated! Praise the Lord! 
  • I am thankful to God that this surgery was successful and the tissue collected was adequate. 
  • Please pray for me as I recover that I will not get an infection, that my strength will return, and that I will get the necessary treatment following this biopsy. 

What I am Learning: 

  • The love of God for me doesn’t change based upon circumstances. His faithfulness remains consistent no matter what the day brings. A church member sent me some verses from Psalm 139, and they been incredibly encouraging. I have thought about it a great deal. 
  • God hems me in all the days of my life. He goes before me into surgery. He loves me regardless of what the biopsy results reveal. He has laid his hand upon me regardless of any outcome. 

         Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O LORD, you know it altogether. You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it. (Psalm 139:4–6)

  • These thoughts are comforting for the Christian. But only the Christian can find peace in them. The peace of God can only be obtained by faith. Do you know peace that isn’t based on circumstances? Or do you fear death? If you fear death, I encourage you to listen to this wonderful podcast by Jay Adams. It is about nine minutes long. It is powerful and can bring you peace through Christ. You can listen to it here or here.

What Has Been Encouraging: 

  • It is hard to sleep in a hospital! Nearly every hour it seems they come to poke or examine you. It is better to recover at home. This is especially true if you have little ones who play teatime. 
  • Our kids don’t fully understand what is happening to me. They just know I go to the doctor a lot. This is as it should be. They can play and bring me plastic cakes without having to be concerned about things too great for them. 

Scheduling Surgery

Updates: 

  • An enlarged lymph node attached to my lung has been a source of mystery for a few weeks now. I have had a series of tests that were all inconclusive. To determine the next steps for my treatment, a more invasive biopsy is required. 
  • Originally the plan was for me to have surgery by Friday. However, I had to undergo more testing this past week to make sure I was ready for the surgery. (Chemo can have a wide range of side effects which make having an invasive surgery more complicated than normal!) Surgery is now scheduled for early next week. 

Prayer Requests and Praises:

  • A lot of testing has taken place and honestly my body feels weak. Please pray for physical strength before, during, and after my surgery next week. 
  • Please pray for a clear diagnosis to come from this biopsy.  

What I am Learning: 

  • The Bible tells us that Jesus “set his face” toward Jerusalem (Luke 9:51). Jesus knew the real dangers ahead. He wasn’t blind to them nor overly optimistic. He knew the depths of the torment he would experience. How was he able to face such darkness? Jesus looked ahead with resolute determination to the “joy” that he would experience on the other side of suffering (Hebrews 12:2).
  • Jesus actively chose to go to the cross, and he did so with the end goal in view. It was for the joy set before him that he endured the cross and despised the shame. When preparing for invasive surgery, I am learning trust in the sovereign care of Christ, who endured much worse. His wisdom is best. 
  • I am not sure what trials you are facing but set your face like flint to embrace them with God-filled joy. As Jerry Bridges has helpfully stated, “Trust is not a passive state of mind, but a vigorous act of the soul by which we choose to lay hold of the promises of God and cling to them despite the adversity that seeks to overwhelm us.”

What Has Been Encouraging: 

  • This might sound a bit silly, but there are two daily calendars that have been encouraging to me. These are Jenny’s calendars that she reads from daily. They are filled with biblical truth, and I enjoy reading them each morning when Jenny flips them. 
  • The first is called Femina and you can buy it here.
  • The second is Elisabeth Eilliot: A Heart for God and you can buy it here.

Real-Time Deliverance

Updates: 

  • I have an enlarged lymph node in my lung that is difficult to diagnose.
  • Once my doctors can determine why my lymph node is behaving abnormally, they will be able to update my treatment plan. I need more testing to be done.  

Prayer Requests and Praises:

  • Please pray for the upcoming tests and their results. Pray that tests would be conducted quickly and would come back clear. 
  • Please pray for me that God would deliver me from all cancer and increase my faith in him. 

What I am Learning: 

  • I am learning two truths simultaneously. First, I am learning to pray (as the Psalms do) for real physical deliverance. Second, I am learning to trust God as my rock even when it feels like deliverance is far off or not coming. The Psalms articulate both important lessons repeatedly.
  • I have found myself praying for deliverance and learning to entrust myself to God, no matter what happens. These two realities might feel like they are in tension, but they are not in conflict. Notice how Psalm 31 captures both a real prayer for physical deliverance and a demonstration of trust in God’s sovereignty over our days. 

For you are my rock and my fortress; and for your name’s sake you lead me and guide me; you take me out of the net they have hidden for me, (God saving in real time) for you are my refuge. Into your hand I commit my spirit; (David trusting God no matter what) you have redeemed me, O LORD, faithful God. (Psalm 31:3–5)

 But I trust in you, O LORD; I say, “You are my God.” My times are in your hand; (David trusting God’s sovereignty) rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from my persecutors! (David asking for real time deliverance) Make your face shine on your servant; save me in your steadfast love! (Psalm 31:14–16)

What Has Been Encouraging: 

  • Some of the testing has made me physically weak, but there are “good days” to be had even during weakness. It is important to seize every good day for the glory of God and not let the looming future (of tests and results) corrupt it. 
  • For example, there are good days in which I’m able to come into the office and participate in meetings like normal. It is also a good day when I’m able to go to the hospital and get a test done because I have no other underlying conditions which prevent me. Even though the test might be difficult, I am still able to do it! 
  • One great day this week was Jenny’s birthday. On the way home from work, I was able to stop by Publix and get her some flowers, balloons, and a cake. We celebrated and watched part of a movie together. What a great day to celebrate the best wife of all the times! Jenny is such a servant, and she serves our family with extraordinary excellence from Jesus. I’m so thankful Jesus saved her and let us get married! 

The Lord is My Rock

Updates: 

  • My medical team has put a pause on my chemo treatments until they can discover the cause of my cough. I had a PET scan this past week, but the results are not conclusive. I need more testing to be done to inform my situation and see if any adjustments need to be made to future treatment.  
  • I am thankful for my doctor and his desire to be thorough. Although I was anticipating getting chemo this week, I do believe it is best to be informed with the most accurate information instead of just proceeding as normal. 

Prayer Requests and Praises:

  • Please pray for any future tests and the results. Pray that tests would be conducted quickly and would come back clear. 
  • Please pray that whatever is causing my cough would be completely healed. 

What I am Learning: 

  • I keep realizing suffering is an opportunity to trust the Lord. It is tempting to view this as a setback and be discouraged by it. However, there is nothing to do except wait on the Lord as I wait for more test results. 
  • During the first part of a PET scan, they inject you with an isotope. They instruct you to sit still in an isolation room for about an hour. During that time, I listened repeatedly to Psalm 62. (I use the Dwell App which is a wonderful app for Bible reading)
  • This Psalm has been a real source of comfort for me. God knows the outcome of every test and he is my rock. 

         For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken. On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is God. (Psalm 62:5–7)

What Has Been Encouraging: 

  • Each time I get a scan, I try to use it as a test for my Bible memory. For PET scans, they wrap you like a burrito and place you in this machine that looks like a giant donut. As the scanner hums over, it is a good time to rehearse the Bible. This focuses my mind and my heart.
  • This time I started with the book of Genesis and tried to recount as much content as I could from each chapter. I was able to make it all the way to chapter 11 by the time the scan was complete (Which is a good thing because I couldn’t remember anything from chapter 12!). 
  • Each chapter of Genesis is filled with God’s lovingkindness to his people who are rebellious and broken. God is so kind to us. He promised a Messiah who would be the one to die in our place and take our sins upon the cross. Jesus is our sure rock because he died and rose again.  

Real People with Real Problems

Updates: 

  • I’ve been feeling rather sick this past week. The chemo has become more difficult.
  • My doctor is concerned about some of my symptoms (e.g. cough) and has moved up the date of my PET scan. I will now be getting a PET scan next week to check on my progress.

Prayer Requests and Praises:

  • Please pray for my PET scan next week. Pray that it will give my doctors insight and come back clear!
  • Jenny has been an all-star at home. She tends to our whole family, and I am so thankful for her.
  • I’ve continued to have lingering night sweats and a cough. Please pray these go away and that God heals me completely!

What I am Learning: 

  • It’s easy to become self-focused after receiving a diagnosis or enduring a lingering sickness. We forget that doctors, nurses, receptionists, and coordinators are real people with real problems, just like us. I have learned one practical way to suffocate fear is to focus on others. Jesus had this mindset, even to the point of death on a cross (Philippians 2:5-9).
  • The remarkable blessing of growing in love happens when we turn our attention away from ourselves and toward others in the name of Christ. Jesus came to earth not to be served, but to serve and give His life as a ransom for many. He even served His family on the cross when He entrusted Mary to John. We can forget our fears more and more as we focus on others to the glory of God.
  • Are you going through a season which requires you to visit the doctor or hospital regularly? Ask yourself the following questions: How can you be a blessing to the medical staff helping you through your illness? Do you know their stories? Have you asked them about their lives when they draw your blood? Do you know their names and how you can pray for them? It is a blessing to serve even when we are suffering. 

What Has Been Encouraging: 

  • I’ve mentioned before that often I would watch Planet Earth with our kids. We completed the trilogy but just discovered an even better series. It is incredible. It is called The Riot and the Dance.
  • This documentary is extremely well written and purposefully glorifies God throughout the show. Be amazed and enjoy! I won’t think of ostriches the same.

Six Truths for Times of Suffering

Updates: 

  • Yesterday I completed my 10th chemo treatment. Ten down, two to go! Praise the Lord! 
  • Chemo wipes me out, but the Lord is sustaining me. 

Prayer Requests and Praises:

  • Chemo becomes more difficult with each treatment. Please pray that my body will respond well, and my nausea will lessen for my final two rounds. 
  • Above all, please pray these last two rounds cure me from cancer and my next PET scan (at the end of February) will be completely clear! We want to return into “normal life” to do more ministry and grow as a family together in a more normal routine.  

What I am Learning: 

  • Early on in my treatments I read through the book of Philippians. Here are six truths from the final chapter which are encouraging for times of sufferings: 
  1. Suffering is an opportunity to expand my joy. “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.” (Philippians 4:4)
  2. Suffering is an opportunity to pray and bring my fears to God with my thanksgiving. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” (Philippians 4:6)
  3. Suffering is an opportunity for me to have more joy in knowing people are concerned and care about me. “I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity.” (Philippians 4:10)
  4. I can face suffering through Christ who gives me his power and strength.
    “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13)
  5. Suffering is an opportunity for the church to share in my trouble and show the kindness of Christ. “Yet it was kind of you to share my trouble.” (Philippians 4:14)
  6. God will richly give me everything I need to face suffering. “And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.” (Philippians 4:19-20)

What Has Been Encouraging: 

  • I continue to be encouraged by your faithful prayers. Jenny and I both love hearing from you, and it is a blessing to know that you are on this journey with us through prayer.
  • There are many of you who are experiencing extreme trials, some more intense and extensive than my own. It is remarkable how God is sustaining you through His Spirit and by the power of His Word. I hear your stories of suffering and see that God is at work in your lives.
  • There is always someone who “has it worse” than we do or who is going through a more difficult challenge. God uses these stories of suffering to bring comfort to His people.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort. (2 Corinthians 1:3–7)