Hi Family!

After a serious setback and four days in the hospital with hyponatremia (an abnormally low level of sodium in the blood), I am grateful to be recovering well. Because sodium levels can only be raised slowly to prevent swelling in the brain, it took four days for my doctors to safely bring me into the upper levels of low sodium. I am thankful for two doctors who worked together to find a solution and for the hospital staff who reminded me that recovery would take time. Please continue to pray that my sodium levels will continue to improve.

Recovery now means patient work—rest, light exercise, and time. I could not have come this far without my beautiful wife, Rebekah. Her prayers, encouragement, and steady love have strengthened me when discouragement tried to take over. Whenever you read Proverbs 31 about the virtuous woman, you are reading a very accurate description of her. I especially cherish our evening walks, hand in hand, talking together. We are already up to a mile and a half!

Last week we met with three different medical teams at U/M. After blood work, CAT scans, and exams, the consensus is that I am healing well. We also received additional guidance on preventing hyponatremia. In October I will undergo further testing, with the goal of reversing the ileostomy in November.

This past weekend I was able to lead a board meeting for our church, officiate a wedding for a wonderful couple, and preach on Sunday morning. What joy it was to worship again with our Woodland family! From the very first song there was a powerful sense of the Lord’s presence. I looked across the congregation and saw people with hands lifted, singing joyfully. During Communion and prayer with Pastor Corey, I was reminded of Jesus’ words: “Remember me.” How could we ever forget such an amazing expression of God’s mercy and grace, given through Christ’s sacrifice at Calvary?

My message was about how God uses our pain to make us more resilient. He draws us closer to Himself, to one another, and makes us more like Jesus. Our suffering makes us more compassionate, more effective in sharing the Good News. It authenticates the Gospel in our lives. Truly, God reveals Himself as the Lord who heals—sometimes through the body’s God-given ability to recover, sometimes through answered prayer, and often through the wisdom of medical treatment. However it comes, healing is always an expression of God’s nature and love.

I am deeply grateful for God’s love shown through so many of you—our Woodland Church family, friends, and loved ones who have persevered in prayer for me. Thank you for the many cards, messages, and humorous stories you’ve shared along the way. They have brought me so much encouragement and joy. I truly love you with all my heart.

As I continue this journey, I count on your continued prayers for us.

Peace!