Oh how the summer has flown by! Here at the Moody homestead the grass is fading into that ugly brown while the weeds keep on growing. The bugs that keep on flying are beginning to be fewer and fewer. The sassafras trees have that first red leaf of the season- all this could mean only one thing. FALL! It is my favorite time of the year for sure. Especially around here with all the trees… and smells… and crisp air. Its simply the best.
I apologize for being so silent the last couple of months. Mostly we have been busy with all aspects of life. I could go on about the details of Gods provision but that would take more time than we have today… so I’ll stick to the highlights and save the details for heaven when we have the time!
First up, Karyns health. In mid July she made her first “checkup” trip back to Hope 4 Cancer in Mexico. The three day testing/results/visits went well for her. Her mom decided to join her on the journey as I had demands of the job (yes I have a legit all out normal job now!). They were able to tell her that all was stable- nothing new to report. This was good to hear! She was prescribed to continue down the road she is currently on. This includes the hormone blockers prescribed by the IU Dr. combined with the holistic protocol set up by the staff at Hope 4 Cancer.
More recently, we had the best news we have ever had in the last 4 years of our journey. Until a few weeks ago- every scan, biopsy, poke and prod resulted in one version or another of “its worse” or “it has spread” or “it has become more aggressive”. But that all changed.
Karyn went to her post scan consultation with IU. She has to go alone due to COVID 19 regulations now, so I went to work, and expected a call.
I got the call- stepped into the side room. Karyns voice was completely straight. This means its worse I thought. She always has a straight tone when it was bad news.
“Ok” I said closing the door behind me to hear the call well “what do we have?” I was all manly on the outside but completely being held together by threads of Jesus on the inside.
“Well, I’ll just read it to you.” She said.
Oh no. Bad sign #2…
She continued, “There is no indication of new disease that could be found.” A pause.
“Oh, that’s good right?” I asked- this was actually kind of positive. Even Mexico said that much. However, I could sense a “but” coming. I was right.
“Wait, one more thing.” She still used the straight tone. Here we go- I took a breath and readied myself for that all too familiar blow to the gut. “There are signs of remodeling where the disease was located.” We skipped a beat. I could hear her smile- if that is possible.
“You mean its not only stopped progressing, but actually healing?” I asked rather stunned.
“Yes.” I could hear the tears. Smiley ones. I started to do the same. I asked her re-read it.
Then I had smiley tears. Giggly ones. She reported the IU Dr. was shocked and stoked for us as well.
Four years of trudging through it all- absolutely no hope medically speaking. We kept moving as God directed. And finally there is a possible end to this valley. Or sunlight through the trees… a sprout in the desert… however you want to visualize it. It is a truly blessed feeling.
We know there is still cancer in there doing its thing- but we all realize God may just have shown us how to heal. Needless to say, I announced it to my dad (who saw me crying and assumed the worst) and to all the guys at work. Everyone was excited for us.
A common question that Karyn has been asked is along the lines of: “What did the trick do you think?” So, I will address this in this post- please continue on with next phase of our summer update…
Vacation: a complete gift.
Our funds are low. We can float life just fine but thats about it. At the beginning of July, I knew as a family we needed a vacation together. We also cannot afford to not do something. Something fun. I needed an escape and usually when I need one everyone else is overdue. I reached out to Wind River Ranch in Colorado.
Back in 2017, (1 year into this journey) we were given a trip through church to this family dude ranch in Colorado. It was beyond refreshing, life giving and life altering on many levels. We were able to rest- truly rest, then and that is what we needed again.
I emailed the director via a personal friend that is very well aquatinted with the Ranch. I told him the short version of our situation. Health issues, job loss, finances and no rest to speak of. I offered to come and volunteer to work the week on the ranch (something I could find relaxing to be sure!) if my family could join in the normal family week as the only funds I had would be spent on just getting there (hopefully!). His response was humbling.
“Come. Not to work- just get your family here. Contact the office for the dates, but just come.” I cried. Karyn cried when I told her. This was a massive gift for us. But how to get there? Some of my family emailed me a few days after finding out about the trip said this- “we have all pitched in and we are flying all of you to Colorado.” I cried again. Looking back- I did not realize how thin I was on the inside.
Then what about the rental car, and some food money… done. God had someone drive up to my house (yes I knew them. It was not scary!) and hand me an envelope with cash. Manna once again. Ok, I guess I don’t need anything when God is my provider!
So, in late July, two weeks after Karyn came home from the Mexico checkup- we all got on a plane bound for Colorado!
I would like to take a little time to explain our vacation to you all. For reasons you will see by the end of this post. We arrive at the ranch, pull up in our car. The traditional greeting you receive when all the guests arrive is insanely fun and hospitable. I expected a different kind of year at Wind River Ranch due to the regulations COVID 19 has placed on our “normal”. Social distancing, and all this. But when I stepped out of our rental car, the assistant director was right there. I recognized him from the trip before, and he knew I was the ‘email guy’. He gave me a massive two armed hug and held me tightly for a full few seconds. “We are so glad you and your family are here.”
We both knew this was out of bounds for social distancing but nether of us cared. If God had for us to get the flu, well, we’d get it ether way, hug or not. (The rest of the week was very carefully constructed within the social distancing requirements by the way. The staff there was incredible and handled the changes with top notch grace!)
The week was great. Beyond great. Karyn was able to ride horses again PAIN FREE! To those that know her well, this was one of the things that she wept about the most. I don’t understand it, but then again I am not a horse person. She rode daily with and without the kids tagging along.
There was an instance for her, that one of the local staff invited her to her local church for a prayer night to pray over her healing. All day we debated, but through some prompting of the Holy Spirit (like waking her up from a nap and having an urgent “go” on her mind counts for that…). She went while I stayed back with the kids for the evening. When she came back, she was different. She was free. She was lighter somehow. I will not engage in the details of that evening, but she was so glad she went. I am as well. We were blessed by that night.
However that whole week I was struggling with Ezra. But mostly I was struggling with me. I was struggling with… something. I couldn’t find what it was. Each morning I was praying about it. Until Later in the week. In the evening it all came out.
One of the last nights there, there is a sharing time. Folks stand up and you can share about the weeks blessing to your family. Eventually, my calloused heart finally softened and I stood to speak. All I said was a verse. And I butchered even that. “You know in scripture, it talks about Christ came, not to be served, but to serve and give Himself as ransom for many…” I cant really recall my words after that. Because it call came to my head right then. In 7 months I had been told my wife would not likely live well in the coming days. I spent more money than I had on a trip and treatments, (God paid for it by the way!) I lost my job. I blew out my elbow and wrist trying to work at what income I had. I watched as my wife wept constantly in intense pain for weeks on end. I worked to hold together my kids emotions- and my own. Missed church for months on end. And was blessed beyond measure by it all. I had buried so much, carried a load so big for so long I was just… used up. As blessed as I have been, I still had nothing left inside. I realized then, this is why I wanted to go to Wind River Ranch- my family would be well taken care of by the next level staff, and I would get a chance to just stop. Stop and breath. I had been carrying it so heavy for so long I had a hard time letting it go.
When the group ended for the evening, everyone was mingling and talking I just sat there. One of the staff walked up to us and grabbed us and announced that they were going to pray for us now. (This was NOT in the plans for the evening!) All of sudden, most if not all (I guess, as I could not see but it filled 1/2 a basketball court) of the people on that Ranch gathered around us and just prayed for us for thirty minuets. When all were done, one lady I had hardly spoken to the whole week grabbed my arm and pulled me into a hug. The second “outsider” hug I had received that week.
She told me in my ear, “I know being the caretaker is hard. It can sometimes even be harder than what the patient has to deal with. God put this in front of you. There will ALWAYS be enough to pour out- He will make sure of that. Don’t worry,” she said pulling back and looking at me in the eye “there will ALWAYS be enough to pour out and keep on serving.”
Truth that I needed to hear. Truth that we all need to hear.
A few weeks after our trip we received the news of signs of healing as I mentioned earlier. A few weeks after our return there was finally a long awaited merger (with a great company) involving Moody Meats- where I have been filling hours as a meat cutter/sorta manager. I was asked to be plant manager of the Ladoga facility. I accepted humbly, hoping I could handle the task. My commute is the same, the staff are the same great staff, with the same services and so on. It is definitely good to have a real, full time job again with a hope and a future (ref Jeremiah 29:11)
I told you what most people have asked us ‘what did the trick'? What is healing Karyn? Well, it is the same thing that paid for the Mexico trip. It is the same thing that offered me a real career. It is the same thing that Jesus said in the Gospel so often- “Go,” He would say, “your faith has made you well.”
Karyn would say prayer. I do agree. However, I think real prayer begins with faith. I think that it is the utter reliance, beyond a doubt, trusting always, knowledge that makes the “not possible” possible. We needed a mountain to move. The last scan showed us that it has been nudged out of place- and God willing working its way into the sea.
Our next steps are not especially clear. Despite the very amazing excellent new of signs of a reversal, the Dr. Staff at Hope 4 Cancer have recommended to us the IPT treatments. (This is the targeted Chemo treatments done on sight in Mexico. It would be two 8 week blocks of time of treatments and cost near the $60k area.) We have sent an email basically asking why this recommendation has been made given the recent good results. (In our practical minds if something is working- why change it?). We do not know why this was recommended at this time. Karyn has a trip planned, the final 3 day checkup, for the end of this month. We hope to have some clarity soon. If we do not change anything as far as treatments, the medicines not covered are roughly $7,000 +/- per 3 months. I do have a good job now, but not nearly that good! This is on my mind and I do struggle with anxiety about providing our needs. However, that is not within my job description is it? “Trust in the Lord with all your might, and do not lean on your understanding. In all your ways knowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5-6) Those are my marching orders. (Those are yours too.)
Given the last 7 months of incredible provision, my anxiety is not needed for the mission to be successful. The plan is perfect. We are to just go on the ride of our lives with the Father at the wheel….
Two phrases Jesus said are truly becoming my favorite. One I mentioned earlier. “Go, your faith has made you well.”
The second I am so longing to hear-
“Well done, my good and faithful servant.”
Thank you all for praying. Thank you all for loving on us. Thank you all for the help. God be praised forever and always.