This update is long overdue and if you have been a regular reader here then you know this email ends the longest period that I have been silent since we began sending regular email updates many years ago.
First, I want to say a special 'God Bless You' to everyone who has written to
inquire about us. We have appreciate your care and concern very much.
What we have faced is not unlike what many others have or are currently facing. I am grateful that we serve a God who understands each and every fact, every pain, and every nuance in every situation that you and I will ever be confronted with. My ministry leadership and board and of course our pastor have been apprised of what I'm going to share with you, often as details have unfolded. I'm thankful to be connected to some great people, especially during rough times.
I
am going to condense this as much as possible but I feel I owe those who love us and have stood with the ministry some details of what we have been through and why I've been silent. This is a communications ministry but I just couldn't get clarity from the Lord about laying out the details until now. For me, it is often hard to express what is happening while in the midst of a storm - something I probably need to be better about.
FREQUENT, CONSTANT, OVERWHELMING ATTACKS
B
eginning in 2016 and building in intensity until early last year, Melanie began to experience some excruciating stomach and intestinal pains. These attacks escalated from frequent, to constant, to overwhelming. Of course, we and our family were very concerned. This was a matter of constant prayer.
What was happening with our wife, mother, and grandmother?
The kind of discomfort she was experiencing could not be ignored and wasn't just something temporary - it was every day, all day. Of course, in the natural, one thinks of the possibility of very serious, even life-threatening illness. Physicians were consulted. We needed answers. But answers weren't easy to come by.
Multiple tests didn't immediately reveal the source of the problem but thankfully they did produce a clean bill of health for Melanie in many areas. However, she continued to be miserable each day and we remained in the dark on what was causing the issue.
Befuddled, her doctor ordered more testing and recommended a specialist. During an endoscopy procedure it was revealed that Melanie's stomach lining was inflamed. She was suffering from an extreme case of a condition known as Helicobacter Pylori or
H. Pylori
.
As I have come to understand it, H. Pylori is a bacterial infection that in advanced cases coats the stomach lining prohibiting its natural function. Besides being the source of ulcers, a full infection impedes its victim from taking in essential vitamins and nutrients. While we were relieved to finally have a diagnosis, we learned immediately that the road to recovery could be months and possibly even years.
Melanie has lived with the Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibro Myalgia since 1989. However, through all of the travel, the crazy hours and schedules we've kept, her position on the Take A Stand board, and also being the ministry's office manager, Melanie has been remarkably resilient. Being a wife, mother, grandmother, and homemaker isn't simply or easy for those in the kind of ministry we've conducted either. Just consider that the subjects we've taken such as the Cults, Occult, Eschatology, Apologetics, and in the early days the Rock Music industry. These are lightning rods for spiritual warfare and intense satanic attacks. But regardless, Melanie has remained resolute in service to the Lord and to the ministry and for that I'm deeply grateful.
Yet, H. Pylori had her flat on her back and writhing in pain.
The infection had cause extreme anemia and the large doses of iron and other nutrients prescribed would not replenish and energize her system until the stomach bacteria was defeated. However, that was going to be a chore.
Immediately she began the first two-week round of medication intended to fight H. Pylori. Then came a month-long mandatory wait until she could be tested (while still in the throes of the H. Pylori pain and accompanying nausea).
The test indicated that H. Pylori was still present. So next was an even stronger two-week regimen of medication, which intensified her nausea. In fact, I have never seen anyone suffering with the flu in as much discomfort. It was awful. Have you ever heard the expression that the cure is worse than the disease?
By now, it is October and with less than two weeks before our scheduled trip to lead another tour of Israel, Melanie tested negative for H. Pylori. Great...finally...victory... or so we thought.
We praise God that she was able to successfully do everything and go everywhere that our tour did while in Israel. It was miraculous that her pain and fatigue were minimal during the trip and I know it was God's hand sustaining and seeing her through.
However, when we returned home at Thanksgiving, Melanie began showing no improvement and soon was again as ill as she had been before going to the Holy Land.
We read all we could, finding that the recovery and experiences of others afflicted with this insidious thing were varied, often conflicting, and not the least bit encouraging. Though Melanie has tested free from the H. Pylori bacteria once more, the symptoms remain. Something like this evil affliction takes an emotional toll as well. Many of you understand how that factor can sneak up on you and cause even a person with strong faith to cry out 'God, when will this ever end?'
Some days, she simply could not get out of bed, let alone come to the office. All the while, I am trying to spend every possible hour attempting to finish the documentary film (
Home Invasion: The Rise of Surveillance Society) that had consumed most of my attention for over a year. One of the most confounding things has been that from day to day and literally from hour to hour we don't know how Melanie will feel or what she'll be able to do. With one of my older granddaughters working and one moving out of state, yours truly has become the cook, house cleaner and gardener too. Lord knows, I should have lost several pounds over these last few months considering my cooking prowess!
WHAT ABOUT THE MINISTRY?
Over the last couple of years, I had purposely slowed my travel schedule with the objective of spending more time developing our video ministry. Little did I know that the reason I would be limited my road time would be for something far different. With that said however, I'm glad to say that I have been able to keep all my obligations for speaking and media appearances during the winter and spring seasons.
I am also excited about several upcoming conferences and church meetings that are on my calendar and about my future schedule. I've got writing to do, videos to produce, radio with
Olive Tree, and new messages to preach. There are lost people to reach and as of this moment there is still time to reach them with the Gospel. That was the heart of our mission and calling in 1983 and it remains the same today!
WHERE ARE WE NOW?
We are following doctor's instructions with vitamins and nutrients to build Melanie's strength and she'll be seeing another specialist soon as well. Counsel, advice, training and experience all count. Praise God! However, I am firmly convinced that God could touch and heal any affliction in an instant and we are continually trusting Him to do as He sees fit and to lead and guide us through.
The Word proclaims that "that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose" (Romans 8:28). This is an absolute truth - no matter what we believers may face. In the midst of so much negative, I've tried to be cognizant of what God may be communicating to us through this trial. He's always speaking. The question is,
are we listening?
God's supernatural comfort and peace has been enormous to me and I am cautiously optimistic that we are at long last seeing glimmers of hope and normalcy. But we likely still have a long way to go.
Again, I want to thank you for praying for us. I believe many more folks will now be praying specifically for Melanie, for me, and for the ministry after reading this email. I'll endeavor to post updates in future emails and on our website as situations warrant.
Praise God that He is on the throne and we remain faithful in taking our stand on His Word!
