December 27th 2007
This is Christen’s first full day with the knowledge that she is likely dealing with bone cancer. Debbie and I had to spend a bit of time researching treatment options and shopping for the family. It has been amazing to see what God has done in just one day of dealing with this new reality. So many people -- family, Patty, Bob and Jane, and many others have called, e-mailed, given us advice, encouragement, offers of help, and just a simple hug all of which meant so much. Patty and her daughter Lisa have been a great help with research on Christen's condition.
We saw several stamps of God’s hand on our day. We dropped off our blue Honda at Alpha Omega because we are having trouble with it and we would like to drive it to
All the while, the kids where at home, and Wendy, Tonya, and Mary Ann all stopped by, fixed dinner and delivered Christen’s friends Shaye, Abigail, Laura, Ruth, and Rachel. It was such a wonderful thing to see 8 girls sitting around the dinner table laughing and having a great time together. Their friendship with Christen has been like medicine for her. What an awesome thing to feel the love of Jesus through His people.
Please pray for wisdom as we consider different treatment options and facilities, and for our appointment tomorrow to consult with our doctor and on Monday to visit the bone cancer specialist.
We know that we have a great God who is overseeing all things, and has Christen in the palm of His hand. How grateful we are for that.
17 comments:
Thanks Steve and Debbie for starting this. It is a great way for us to share Christen's story with others from different churches and different circumstances. It is also a wonderful way for us to know how to pray, and how to help you and your family.
We love each and every one of you, and are praying for each of you. Hang in there Christen.
Praying for you,
Jennifer Wellington
Showers of blessings...that's what you have experienced today! Expect more from our loving God who loves to shower us with His blessings! Each one of your children will not be forgotten or overlooked. You are ALL in store for showers of His personal love for each one of you! You know you have our heartfelt prayers and hard working hands and feet, if needed! We are here for you! In His Love and Grace, Mary Ann and Jack Lash
Dearest Steve, Debbie, and Christen,
First and foremost, please know that the Zimmerman family will vigilantly pray for your throughout this illness and the necessary course of therapy.
I'm not sure how much of my life experience you are aware of as we've spent such a limited amount of time together; however, there are some specifics that I know the Lord wants me to share with you and Christen NOW.
I was diagnosed with Ewing's Sarcoma in December 1978. I was 8 years old. My primary tumor site was my second left rib. I was treated with radiation therapy and multi-agent chemotherapy (Adriamycin, Actinomycin-D, Vincristine, and Cytoxan) from Jan 1979 through August 1980. The Lord used the seminal clinical trial in the treatment of Ewing's to exercise His dominion over every single solitary cancer cell in my body, and most importantly, He used this experience me to bring me into a life transforming relationship with Jesus Christ.
I have been privileged throughout my professional life to serve infants, children, teenagers, and their families facing similar, yet different malignancies.
While I hope I did not overstep, I have made contact with the Pediatric Oncology team at Dartmouth in Lebanon, NH where I most recently served as the program's nurse practitioner. In particular, I spoke with the pediatric oncologist I would entrust Abel's cancer care to if the Lord ever called us to walk such a journey.
Armed with very limited information, I walked away with much that I believe you, Debbie, and Christen would find helpful especially knowing that you have consults scheduled as soon as Monday. Would it be possible for us (me, you, and Debbie) to meet together by phone tomorrow?
I offer all I have to give in Christ, professionally, and personally to your family and to Christen. She may find it extremely helpful to have someone with whom she can talk about such weighty content who has walk the walk without immediate concerns for other's feelings.
You let me know what is best for you and your family. If you need an objective set of eyes or ears during appointments, just say the word: God will provide a way!
Our home phone number is 678-445-1541 and my cell phone number is 770-313-1730. Please call. If I don't hear from you early in the day, I will try to reach you during the afternoon hours.
"He will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast upon Him." Isaiah 26:3
To God's ultimate glory and Christen's ultimate good,
Stephanie Zimmerman
Hello, there Lunsfords. It's wonderful to see God alive and active in you right now. I would amen my mom's comment...expect more. This is just the beginning. May you know Him more, depend on Him more and call out to Him both in praise and distress. We love you guys dearly, and won't forget you in our prayers! Ben and Michelle
Thanks for the blog :-) My family is praying hard for you all, especially Christen.
Dear Steve, Debbie, and Christen,
We do have a wonderful God who loves His people. This is the first I've heard of what is ging on. I am adding Christen to my prayers. May God be glorified in all. "But May the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you." I Peter 5:10
Love to all of you,
Kathy (and John)Bennick
Dear Christen,
We are so thankful for this opportunity to pray for you! We are lifting you up before the throne of grace. May the Lord be pleased to bring you healing and encouragement.
Love,
the Buckleys
i'll be praying and have been telling some friends here about it....keep us posted, i'll be checking this regularly. wishing you peace,
josiah
Dear Steve and Debbie, and all the kids,
I just received news of Christen's condition from Dawn Teates. I am so sorry to hear this news (the curse is horrible!)
Please know that our family is praying fervently for you all as you walk through these very hard times. The Lord is my light and my strength. He is my song and has become my salvation. Whom shall I fear?
May you feel the very real nearness of the Lord, dear ones in the Lamb. May you know the joy of His Fatherly embrace and compassion, especially in those darkest moments of the night just before the sun greets another day.
We know the Lord loves to glorify His name, and so are praying that He will be most glorified in bringing a complete healing to Christen!
Chris has been led to pray for four dear believers who have all recently been given very painful, difficult circumstances, and we have seen His kindness in answering those prayers, along with the many hundreds who have also been praying. He is good...all the time.
"I will cry to God most high, to God who accomplishes all things for me." Psalm 57:2
"You have given a banner to those who fear You, that it may be displayed because of the truth, that Your beloved may be delivered. Save with Your right hand, and hear me."
The Lord has given you a banner in Christen's cancer, to hold forth to this world that we serve a great a mighty God, whose love is immeasureable and everlasting. He is our joy, and life, and hope, and peace in Christ Jesus!
You all already have a powerful testimony--may many lost come home, and weary saints be encouraged through the truth of the gospel being so graciously and powerfully displayed in your lives.
We will be in touch soon. We love you all, and miss you!
That His name may be highly exalted,
Tracy for the whole Klickaclan
I just wanted to check...
Did Christen get the flowers we sent?
Dear Christen and family,
We are praying for you all and know that our all-powerful God has ordained this hard place for His glory and your/our good. You are such a testimony to His faithfulness! We love you and are praying fervently that He will reveal Himself to you in glorious ways! Tom, Gayle, and family
To whoever sent the flowers to Christen today in Jesus name, I say a heartfelt thank you. Yes they did arrive.
Steve
Oh Christen, You have been in my prayers and thoughts nonstop these past couple of days. I am storming the gates of heaven for you!! Our God is a mighty God!
Love you,
Sally Poe
Steve, Debbie, Christen, and family,
We are praying so fervently for Christen. Saying "we're praying" is no small thing. Over the past 4 years I've seen things with my eyes that I never thought would be possible. The power God unleashes when His people pray is phenomenal. What an amazing privilege we have to pray for one another.
These people you call your church family and friends are some of the most powerful tools our heavenly Father has used to bless my socks off and cause my faith to grow. God loves to take us to the brink of what looks impossible only to magnify Himself by bringing life from the dust. That's how He works.
Five separate times we've sent Jeffrey and Brandon off to face real bullets and bombs. Steve, you've seen Brandon's video of his fiery trial. He shouldn't be alive today. Yet not one hair on his head was singed because God's people cried out on his behalf and the Lord heard those cries and was faithful.
Each time we've sent our Marines off to war, I've had to remind myself that there's no safer place to be than the center of God's will. Christen is in that place now. Don't fear what your eyes may see. Listen to His voice in your heart saying, "I am worthy to be trusted." In the weeks and months ahead you will undoubtedly be tempted to only see the waves and not see Jesus. Don't falter like Peter. Keep your eyes on Jesus. HE WILL NEVER FAIL YOU NOR LEAVE YOU.
My personal experience tells me your family, as well as all those looking on, are getting ready to witness what I've affectionately termed a God "wowing". Brace yourselves. Your faith will never be the same.
On a practical note, due to all our travels to Camp Lejeune over these past several years, we've accumulated a large sum of hotel points that can be redeemed for free nights. A large portion of those points are getting ready to expire on the 31st. I've been wracking my brain lately trying to figure out how we could use them but Tracy's just too busy with his new job to get away. If you think you all could use them when you travel up to Philly just let me know and I can possibly get 1 or 2 nights for you free of charge. If there's anything else we can do just let us know.
We love you all and will continue to cry out to the Lord on Christen's behalf.
Walking by faith,
Kathy
Steve, Debbie, Christen, and all the Lunsfords...
Just a note to say that Natalie and I and the kids are all thinking about and praying for you all in this difficult time.
When Shaye-Bird sent me the text informing me of Christen's doctor visit, I bowed my head and prayed, and will continue to do so for you guys!...
We will pray for strength and healing for Christen and continued resolve for the rest of the family!
Kevin & Natalie Baker
Dearest Christen, You have been chosen to walk a very special road with our Lord. You will never be the same as He brings you greater understanding of the fall and its truly devastating effects on human life and history, and, as a result, a closer walk with Him. The personal knowledge of this, the personal insight that many do not have at such an early age, is a great honor, and I know that you must be especially precious to Him for Him to entrust you with it. Be encouraged! Many have walked this path and found Him faithful, kind, gracious beyound comprehension. He will be your strength. He will carry you when you ask Him. He has a future and a hope for you! Cling to Him as you go through this new and strange circumstance (this peculiar adventure called life) and He will be true, as He always is!
Our love and prayers are with you, for endurance, for wisdom, for a short and successful battle! But more importantly, He is never far! Nothing can separate you from His love, not famine, not cancer.
Anette (for the Veldhuyzens)
Well, even though you are technically "far away", you'd never know it by the atmosphere last night. It was just like you were here. Many of us were gathered at a family's home for a New Year's celebration. Within 10 minutes of heralding in the new year (complete with screaming, bubbly cider, and a wacky chorus of 'Auld Lang Syne'), one of our own announced, "Let's start off 2008 by praying for Christen." For the next 5 or 10 minutes old and young alike were offering up prayers to our heavenly Father on Christen's behalf.
What an amazing testimony to the selfless mindsets of many of our young people. As an adult in their midst, I was so proud to be a part of this new generation of believers. You all may have been in Philly, but you definitely were here in our midst in our hearts.
The Lord sure loves your family and is constantly showing us that through each testimony of His loving grace and provision. We will all be praying for you tomorrow as Christen has her surgery. You are not alone.
Blessings and hugs,
Kathy
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9
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