Thankful Thursday: Ken and Joni Tada

It's Thankful Thursday! I haven't taken part for a few weeks, and I'm very grateful to be back today! Thank you, Laurie, at Women Taking a Stand, for hosting this month of August!
I wrote to you in June of Joni Eareckson Tada's diagnosis of breast cancer, and her subsequent surgery.  These last weeks Joni has been doing very well.  The surgery was successful.  We praise God with Ken and Joni for the wonderful work He has already done: for her bone scans which revealed no cancer, for His help through the prayers of many to maintain a hopeful, uplifted attitude. Her cancer is Stage 2 and has involved some lymph nodes, and so there is a need for chemotherapy.  This afternoon (August 5), Joni will begin 18 weeks of chemo treatments, every 3 weeks. (Twice as long as mine, but on the same schedule. You can read my cancer testimony here.)  Please be in prayer for her and her family.

Thankful For Wonderful People

I am so thankful for people like Joni and Ken in this world!  Thankful for Ken's faithfulness, and servant heart.  I'm grateful for his humility and example.  I am grateful for Joni's "approachability"! For her "realness".  For her absolute reliance on our Lord and Savior.  For her faithful, diligent fruitfulness and work for the Lord throughout the years, and continuing to say thankful things, no matter what she goes through.  She continues to display a positive outlook, is "up" and is trusting the Lord.  Despite her ordeal, she is an amazing inspiration and so encouraging in her writing at Joni and Friends in Joni's Corner (her blog where she keeps us updated).  Reading her updates, the Scriptures she finds encouraging, the words from hymns that have been especially meaningful to her, and the lessons that the Lord's been teaching her so far on this journey through cancer, is not depressing, but so uplifting, encouraging, and faith-strengthening.  I know she's going through a lot--reading her updates dug up deep emotions and memories for me and not a few tears.  She's battling fear of an uncertain future and preparing, as best she can, for what she's about to go through, but in the midst of all that, she's a pure and beautiful example of a faithful child of God leaning on her Savior's breast, resting in His promises, and knowing by faith and from experience that He will never leave her and will be able to take her through whatever she has to endure.  She and Ken shine as they seek to bring Jesus Christ glory every step of the way through this journey:  one they've never been on before.

Please Pray

Please pray for Ken and Joni Tada today and in the days and weeks to come. Pray that the treatments will do what they are supposed to do, that Ken and Joni will see God mightily work in people's lives as they share Christ with many who they'll meet (medical staff, other patients and their family members, etc.), that there will be little to no side effects from the chemo (no sickness, no mouth sores, no sleeplessness, no agitation, no depression), that she'll accept losing her hair with grace (and find a great wig!), that she'll be able to keep food down and even enjoy it (and also eat the healthy way she's learning about now and that it will help), and that the "chemo brain" which is inevitable will not affect her spiritual life, her ability to meditate on Scripture or her future work, and that she will have peace and rest of soul, mind, body and spirit.  Pray, too, for all her caregivers, especially Ken, through the weeks and months to come, and for strength and encouragement for all.