Recent TweetsHi friends:
Grace had an appointment with Dr. Ness in clinic yesterday, and we saw Dr. Dure as well, who both gave us an incredible amount of time and continue to be determined, thorough and caring. We are grateful for their work!!
The IVIG treatment two weeks ago has helped some with Grace’s symptoms, but not as much as last time. Grace is starting another 4-day round of high powered steroids :-(. We don’t like steroids.
This morning’s PET scan was “negative,” showing no sign of a tumor or “hot spot.” Is this good? It seems so, but we are back to no “cause” for Grace’s condition except a possible virus from before Christmas.
Plans are to continue treating Grace following the protocol set out by Dr. Pranzatelli, OMS specialist in Illinois who has done much research, which includes IVIG, dexamethazone (steroid) and rituximab. Dr. Ness continues to share Grace’s situation with others around the country and is ordering other tests from Mayo.
Again, we cannot completely say what your love and prayers mean to us. Thank you for continuing to pray with us for Grace’s complete healing, thank you for the encouragement you give along the way.
Yay for spring and Grace’s perm looks really cute.
🙂 Lynn
Oh God, You are my God, and I will ever praise You!
Hi friends:
Thank you for continuing to pray with us for Grace. She is a small step better since the IVIG treatment Thursday/Friday of last week. We are hopeful that the treatment will continue to improve her symptoms.
Grace has much bigger hair today than a week ago. Re-perm was indeed effective. Small girl, big hair. 🙂
Enjoyed the beautiful day….
Lynn
“…a time to heal…” Ecclesiastes 3:3
Friends:
Plans are for Grace to be admitted to Children’s Hospital on Thursday for a two-day IVIG treatment. Grace had this treatment about 6 weeks ago and it greatly subdued her symptoms for about two weeks. Any relief will be welcome, but we are praying for permanent relief.
And, speaking of permanent, planning to have Grace’s hair “re-permed” tomorrow.
🙂 Lynn
“Come, Thou Fount of every blessing, tune my heart to sing Your grace.
Streams of mercy, never ceasing, call for songs of loudest praise.
Teach me some melodious sonnet sung by flaming tongues above:
Praise the mount, I’m fixed upon it, mount of Thy redeeming love.”
Home from another MRI and quick visit with Dr. Ness. No initial significant changes on the MRI. Tenative plans are to have another IVIG treatment to relieve Grace’s symptoms, but not sure if that will be this week or next.
We are way too familiar with Children’s Hospital. 🙂
Still praying for wisdom, strength and healing…
Lynn
Psalm 121
It’s been a rainy, but better, day at the Champion house. Although we’re not seeing improvement yet in tremor, eye movement & balance, Grace is not feeling as badly as she did last treatment. Same, expected side effects, just not as much. And so, our definition of a “good” day is currently “less bad” and we are grateful for it. 🙂
Plans are to have additional tests next week, still looking for cause of Grace’s condition, as well as see Dr. Ness in clinic.
“Blood vials drawn” count = 47.
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which is beyond all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7
Thank you for praying with us.
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Grace has had a difficult week with nystagmus (eye movements) and tremor as bad as it has been so far. She has also dealt with headaches, body aches, trouble sleeping, etc., which may be from the treatment or the steroids, and just generally being worn out with the whole situation. Today has been the most promising day of the week as it’s been a beautiful day, and Grace even got on her horse, Tristan, for a bit.
Many of you have been through (are going through) illnesses, as well. This is certainly the most difficult thing that has come our way. We have learned medical terms we do not want to know. We have been blessed by support and encouragement from so many, and much prayer for healing on Grace’s behalf. Several times I have met someone (for the first time) who said, “I am praying for your daughter.” Plans are still to have another rituximab treatment mid week. Thank you for praying with us for Grace’s complete healing. “Where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of Heaven and earth.” Psalm 121:1-2 |
Hi from Illinois:
Last night’s “welcome to Springfield” was 20 degrees and windy, much snow on the ground.
This morning, Grace saw Dr. Pranzatelli, who examined and questioned for about an hour and 1/2. Then, another spinal tap under general anesthesia and blood drawn for more detailed sub-assessments that the specialty lab here is set up to handle.
We don’t expect to hear from any of these tests today, but probably first of next week, with some of the tests taking 4 – 6 weeks to come back. Dr. Pranzatelli will help Dr. Ness and Dr. Dure lay out the next treatment.
Grace is keeping a count of blood drawn: as of today, 38 vials. 🙂
I read through the many emails posted on FBC Trussville’s website on the way up here. You are a constant encouragement to us. Thank you!
Grace says “hi.” 🙂
“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose hope is in Him.” Jeremiah 17:7
From time to time I am asked about the importance of the “Sabbath” in our world today. Unfortunately, there are many who feel the ministry of Jesus completely abolished the Old Testament and the teachings and principles that God placed for His people. To a degree this would be correct, but it is also true that Jesus completed or fulfilled what we find in the Old Testament. “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. Matthew 5:17 (NIV) Some would say this verse means Jesus completed the requirements of the law which we could not complete.
Today, we see people who follow Christ who have completely done away with the “need” for rest, worship and fellowship with fellow believers. The thought is that everyday in Christ is a day of rest, so one is not any more important than another. Likewise, coming to church on Sunday is a point of convenience since we find our rest in Christ. We find many who attend church if not out of town, visiting with family, traveling with ball teams, working, decorating tomb stones, visiting parents, seeing the kids, going to cheerleading competitions…even though there is not a team around, gone on business, attending family reunions, going to football games, going on church trips, getting home from football games, gathering with friends, taking a Sunday School class trip…well you see the point. These are not bad things—but if we’re not careful, we may eventually find ourselves not attending church at all. Hebrews 10:24-25 encourages us to be very careful to protect our time together as the body of Christ. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another–and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
The issue of concern centers on two perspectives on Sabbath keeping: one physical and one spiritual. The physical aspect centers on our bodies being creations of God and the rest requirements of the Sabbath being His operations manual for the refreshing of His created bodies. The specific day and time each week is determine by the individual but the manual says we should do it for our health. That is the physical side of the Sabbath.
The spiritual side of the Sabbath stems from the law of Sabbath observance. The purpose of the law was to reveal the requirements of a holy God and the inadequacy of any man to measure to that standard. The work of Christ was not to erase all biblical requirements for a holy life before God but rather to accomplish those for us. We find our rest in Him because our position before God no longer rests on our ability to carry out the demands of the law but rather on Christ carrying out those demands for us. Both Colossians and Hebrews refer to Sabbath in that spiritual sense.
Jesus said in Mark 2:27-28 that “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.” Simply put…we need the Sabbath.  We need the rest, worship and fellowship.
The Old Testament Sabbath was on the last day of the week.  After the resurrection of Christ we see believers worshipping together on the first day of the week, Sunday. Why? …because they were gathered together to worship a risen Christ, which occurred on the first day of the week. Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. John 20:1 (NIV)
A few examples of this new practice in the early church would be:
On the first day of the week we came together to break bread. Paul spoke to the people and, because he intended to leave the next day, kept on talking until midnight. Acts 20:7 (NIV)
On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made. 1 Corinthians 16:2 (NIV)
On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” John 20:19 (NIV)
Even in this day God desires for His church to set aside a day each week to worship and fellowship together. He also desires individual believers to set aside time each week to rest physically and to renew that personal relationship with Him.
One of the hot topics among Southern Baptist is the view of our salvation known as Calvinism. These thoughts are not intended to be a theological dissertation (of which there are many) of Calvinism or an argumentative thesis explaining why I am troubled by this becoming so prevalent in our churches.  It is just a few thoughts to consider as your reflect on your views.Â
 Unfortunately, throughout those years the adherents of the differing positions battled rather than working together as brothers and sisters in Christ. Each side holds to the foundational beliefs of the Christian faith: God the Creator is the only true God, His Son Jesus gave His life as payment for the sins of people (no one is saved apart from this Divine payment), Jesus was resurrected from death, God’s Holy Spirit lives in each believer today, believers must obey the instructions of God as taught in the Bible, the Bible is authoritative as the inspired Word from God, each believer is responsible for sharing the good news of Christ’s atoning sacrifice, God will end human history and bring all believers to live with Him eternally. These common beliefs should be enough to pull the sides together for Kingdom work but this is often not the case. When theological debate begins to divide, a red flag should be raised. I have many friends that hold to the “Calvinistic” view of salvation and they, of course, are wonderful people who love and serve the Lord with all their hearts.Â
As it relates to this subject, I am personally always brought back to my understanding of God’s nature and character. In other words: Do I think that God would create a life and then condemn it to hell for eternity?
 With any subject, you can look at different verses of scripture that seem to indicate various things.  I will share a few of them before I close that indicate to me salvation is available to everyone and God desires for everyone to have a personal relationship with Christ. “Proof texting” can be used in all subjects and can be debated until this life is over. As I study the existence and torment of hell it is hard for me to believe that our loving Father, who has created all of us for a relationship and provided His only Son as a sacrifice would freely and willingly send someone to hell. He doesn’t! Mankind does when he rejects Jesus as the Savior of the world. Does God have a foreknowledge of who is going to say “yes” to His Son and who will not? Absolutely. He is all-knowing, but it is hard to see Him condemning someone to hell regardless of their desire to walk with Christ.Â
 Here are a few verses to consider:
 Romans 1:16 (NIV) I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.
 1 John 2:2 (NIV) He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.
 John 3:16 (NIV) “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
 2 Peter 3:9 (NIV) The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
 We could go on for awhile but you get the point. I personally wouldn’t encourage anyone to lose a lot of sleep over something that can be so easily argued from various points. I would ask that you to evaluate your love and concern for the lost!  How many people have your led to the Lord in recent days? Do you live your life in light of a lost world that needs to hear the message of Christ? Regardless of your views of how we come to Christ…we must all share Christ with the world!
