Monday November 26th

Tom and I went back to Little Rock today for more tests. I had a CT scan on my brain and both arms and shoulders.

Great news...my brain and my left arm were normal - no cancer!!! We are praising God about this wonderful news. Yeah. Thank You, Lord!!! I started telling people yesterday "that we have good news...they didn't find anything in my brain!" and realized I needed to reword that a little. :-)

The right shoulder and scapula still showed lesions, but my oncologist could not determine how deep it was or what kind of cancer. She said our next step is to go to an orthopedic surgeon who will read all the tests and scans and decide what is going on and what we should do about it. There was a hint of confusion and kind of a question mark in her words when she discussed the scan. She said the surgeon would be more qualified to know what the lesion is.

A lot has happened in the past 5 days. Thursday was a nice day with family and friends celebrating Thanksgiving. Friday we had a little more time with Jesse before he went back to Nashville. But then on Saturday it all hit me hard. I spent most of the day kind of numb and crying on and off. I told the family I would not stay this way but I just needed to process it or something. I was a mess, but my Tommy said there's no right or wrong way to handle our news, and that I had the freedom to figure this out however I needed to. He is incredible. Let me just say again how much I love him and how strong and supportive and wonderful he is! I am blessed!

Then about 4 in the afternoon I decided to get my Bible out and started reading the Word. I came to the story of the woman with the issue of blood. She had it for 12 years and the doctors couldn't help her. She reached out and grabbed the hem of Jesus' garment and was healed. (This story is in Matthew 9:18-26, Mark 5:25-34, and Luke 8:40-56.)
That story just encouraged me...she pushed her way to Jesus and believed He could heal her. I began reading more things and my spirits rose the more I read the Bible.

Saturday night I met with some other women, friends that I know through Mary's school. They all prayed over me, which was wonderful. One woman came to me and said "I feel like I'm supposed to remind you about the story of the woman who reached out and grabbed the hem of Jesus' garment. Keep reaching out for it. Keep reaching for Jesus."

Hmmm...amazing coincidence. :-) I told her I had just read that about 1 hour before we met with them. That is the Spirit of the Lord moving quietly.

Then Sunday we met with some other believers who prayed over me. An older man named Harvey especially has a gift of faith and talked to us about praying and walking in faith about this healing. He was very encouraging.

Sunday night I met with my precious women's prayer group . Betsy and 2 college girlfriends also came to that gathering. We read lots and lots of Scriptures, then they prayed for me. A very sweet time...they are so important to me.

By the end of the day I felt full of hope again... a much different countenance than the Saturday Lisa. I went to bed full of peace and hope.

When I read my emails from friends, 2 more people told me that they were wanting me to remember the story of the woman who reached out and touched Jesus's garment, and had prayed for me with that verse. It just keeps coming up.

SO...that's where I am today. Full of peace, full of hope in the Lord. Trying to reach out and "touch the hem of Jesus' garment". I'm not sure what that means when I can't literally touch it. But I think it means to keep reading the Scriptures and putting my hope in Him, instead of filling my heart with anxiety and despair that is fruitless. I will spend this day in praise for the good reports of yesterday and I will continue to pray for a radical miracle. At the same time I will be prepared for whatever answer the Lord gives me. I trust Him and I love Him with my life.

O God...thank You, thank You for this day. The sun is peeking through, even though the air is now turned to winter. You are such an awesome God! Thank You for my good reports yesterday and thank You for the hope and peace you have filled in my heart and in our family's hearts. We need You and lean on You for this day. Thank You for Your amazing faithfulness. I will praise You this day...this is the day that You have made.
In Jesus' Holy Name. Amen.