Trey Tuesday - October 29, 2013

I Wonder...

About 80% of the dictionary definitions of wonder involve emotions or reactions of amazement, surprise, admiration.  Only 20% deal with feelings of doubt and curiosity.

How true is that in your life?  Are you 80% amazed by life and 20% uncertain?

I wonder what you wonder....Not the scratch your head at your boss/friend/spouse/child's behavior-and-comment-type wondering...but what you really look at in wonder....

As we pray for Trey this week, and await his test results, let's spend 20% of our time and energy and emotions on wondering about the outcome.  And then let's lavishly spend 80% of our time and energy and emotions on wondering about God's divinity, His goodness, His tender loving care for Trey and Jay and Rachel and Joe and Bella - and for you!  :)

Of course, please pray that the doctors are amazed by how clean Trey's scans are!  And that the doctors create a "safe" and "easy" plan for Trey.  Please also pray for clarity of mind and comfort and strength for Jay and Rachel to take it all in.

This is a short prayer letter this week so you can spend the other 80% of your reading time in wonder of God in His Word! :)

"And when Jesus heard it, He wondered, and said to those who followed, 'Verily I say unto you, Not even in Israel have I found so great faith."  Matthew 8:10 (Even Jesus wondered!!!)  :)

"As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet Him."  Mark 9:15  (When was the last time you were overwhelmed with wonder at Jesus? or with any of God's creation?)

"'Great and wonder-ful are Thy works, O Lord God, the Almighty, righteous and true are Thy ways, O King of saints"  Revelation 15:3

"Therefore once more I will astound these people with wonder upon wonder"  Isaiah 29:14

"And all the people saw him walking and praising God; and they were taking note of him as being the one who used to sit at the Beautiful Gate of the temple to beg alms, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him."  Acts 3:10

"For to us a child is born, to us a Son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonder-ful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."  Isaiah 9:6

Trey Tuesday - October 22, 2013

A Call to Arms/A Call to Pray

This is a big week for Trey, with perhaps bigger weeks to follow!
Let's get out our Terrible Towels and rally for our Young Warrior!
For Trey Tuesday this week let's help Jay and Rachel (and all of Team Mitlo One!) prepare for battle against the enemies of fear and confusion and doubt.

"let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us" Hebrews 12:1 NIV
"let us strip off every weight that slows us down" NLT
"let us lay aside every weight" KJV

What's holding you back?  Think like our Young Warrior!  "It's Running Day!" declares Trey as he dons his shorts in 40° weather!  :)  And Jay writes the other day:  "Right now Trey is standing naked in front of the tv with both feet in a plastic pumpkin."  Is Trey hindered?  No!  He certainly knows how to strip off every weight that slows him down!  :)  I don't even think he even knows he has a heavy weight that he carries.  To Trey, every day is Running Day!  Let's prepare for battle on behalf of Trey this week!

Trey has a very important scan tomorrow, an MIBG scan to determine where the cancer is active in his body.  Thursday he will need a bone marrow biopsy to check for cancer in his bone marrow.  Please be praying for miraculous results of health of strength for Trey!  And peace and comfort and strength for Jay and Rachel!  And patience and peace for Joe and Bella!

Let's all wear our Team Mitlo One wrist bands and t-shirts this week so we remember to pray!

Get out the face paint - we declare war!

Sound the stadium horns - this is the week of reckoning!

Come on, team, let's run this race for Trey!

"But I pray to you, LORD, in the time of Your favor; in your great love, O God, answer me with Your sure salvation"  Psalm 69:13

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nf6kPsDm7B0

Lincoln Brewster:  Today is the Day

Trey Tuesday - October 15, 2013

God Willing? - or I'll Do It Myself!

How's your prayer life and your faith walk?
We pray so specifically, wait so patiently and yet nothing happens.
What went wrong?
Yes, we know that God always answers our prayers...either yes, no or not yet.  And God is never late, but always on time.  So what do we do while we wait?  "Be still and know that I am God," God says in Psalm 46:10.  So we sit and wait, right?  We don't want to rush ahead of God and doubt His provision....or do we?  Or do we work out the answer by ourselves, planning and making sure all our bases are covered?

Trey was diagnosed with cancer.  What do Jay and Rachel do?  What do the doctors do?  What does Trey do?  Pray and then sit and wait?  (Trey DEFINITELY doesn't sit and wait for anything!)  :) No, they all do what they can.  Treatments, prayers, tears, tests, prayers, giggles, surgeries, prayers, memories, therapies, prayers, praises and repeat!  :)  It is a delicate balance of prayer and waiting and then doing what we can:  "But we prayed to our God and posted a guard day and night to meet this threat." Nehemiah 4:9    Nehemiah used both faith, praying to God, and human effort, posting a guard to meet the threat.  A combination of God willing AND doing what you can.

So as we pray for Trey this week, yes! Please pray!  :)  For his health and strength and his Tumor Board and their decisions.  For Joe and Bella and their spoken and unspoken fears and wonders.  And for Jay and Rachel as they process and adapt to a new plan for Trey. 

And for you:  After you have prayed, and while you are waiting, what can you do?
"We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ."  I Thessalonians 1:3

Trey Tuesday - October 8, 2013

Out the Spout!

"Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’"  John 7:38

What flows from your heart?

Do you have bitter waters flowing out the spout of your mouth?

Are there attitudes and agendas which bias your conversations?

God has given us Trey as an image of great inspiration!  :)

Have you been blessed to spend some time with Trey?  Or to have read his stories/tales/escapades?

Trey lives out loud!  Both literally and figuratively!  :)  He believes in a John 10:10 lifestyle:

Jesus said, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."

Yes, cancer (the thief) tries to defeat us, but God has given us life!  God has given Trey life - a few times now!  :)  And Trey intends on living every second of it!
How about you?

Please let your prayers flow this week for Trey:

For his hearing - that the doctor will have a good action plan to help Trey and his family with Trey's hearing loss!

For Trey's CT Scan coming up on Thursday - for no new growth - the results to be stable!

For his treatments - that Trey can continue his typical treatment plan!

For everything else a typical "healthy" preschool boy could encounter - his safety, his health, his siblings, parents, teacher and classmates!  :)

"The LORD will guide you always; He will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail."  Isaiah 58:11

Trey Tuesday - October 1, 2013

No Shut Down Here!  :)

"The eternal God is your refuge"

Deuteronomy 33:27

Cancer and debt and standoffs are realities despite our deepest wishes.
"But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of His heart through all generations."
Psalm 33:11

Pain and suffering will always exist this side of heaven.
"But from everlasting to everlasting the LORD's love is with those who fear Him" 
Psalm 103:17

BUT>>>>Despite our circumstances or point of view, the power of healing is always possible!  :)
"The grass withers and the flowers fade, but the Word of our God stands forever."
Isaiah 40:8

Loving relationships always strengthen us!  :)
"For the LORD is good and His gracious love stands forever"
 Psalm 100:5

The unity of Team Mitlo One and the joy and hope spread by Trey, encourage us all!
"Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever."
I Chronicles 16:34

Focus on the Truth, keep in touch with the Author of Truth and trust in His Goodness for Trey, for the Mitlos, for Team Mitlo One and for our country!
"Your word, LORD, is eternal; it stands firm in the heavens." 
Psalm 119:89

Keep praying to our Eternal God and Father and Lord of ALL!!!  :)
"Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen."

Ephesians 3:20-21