For all our best laid hopes and plans, it’s the things you don’t see coming that have the most profound impact in how life unfolds
Sara and I have a few detours thrown our way over our lifetimes, which has helped us to live feely in the present and not too dismayed when times turn a bit darker. Over the past few weeks, we have been caught in an ever-declining health situation that came on rapidly and will leaves it imprint for some time to come. I know most people don’t read this blog to hear about my health situation, and I don’t want to share all the details hear for the world to read. At the same time, I have a world of friendships and I just can’t keep up with all inquiries more personally.
I woke up on September 14th with severe pain in my back. I have had some back trouble from time to time, so that wasn’t a huge surprise, but as we prayed and sought treatment, the pain only increased to excruciating levels. Nothing seemed to slow it down, not an epidural, targeted injection, or physical. The scans we had didn’t unveil a cause worthy of the pain.
Nearly passing out from pain one day, Sara finally took me to the ER, early last week. During their rigorous tests they found a suspicious lesion on one of my vertebrae in the middle of my back. It was decomposing. The next day, I was on the operating table to remove the vertebrae for a biopsy, rebuild that part of my back and then fuse it to hold together.
The larger issue is what caused the deteriorating vertebrae. The biopsy has indicated multiple myeloma which is which is a cancer in the white blood cells. Fortunately, it is treatable, and the prognosis is good to manage this condition in the future. We’ll begin that today and hope that in the next two to three months we find the right combination of drugs to restrain this disease while my back heals from the very brutal surgery it just has endured.
So, quite quickly we entered a new season of our journey, learning to embrace Jesus’s love, light, and healing in these new challenges. He has been part of all of this from the beginning, leading us by his goodness and putting together the medical team we needed. We have no idea how long this stretch of our journey might demand all of us, whether it will be a few weeks, months, or longer. That’s not in our hands. It could also just go away tomorrow. We are not looking forward any of it, but we’re not afraid of it either. God works some of his special triumphs out of desperate situations.
We managed to return home Wednesday after my eight-day hospital stay. What’s evident now is that this medical battle ahead of us is going to take significant time and energy. It takes almost all we have each day just to get work though my treatment demands and navigate the pain. Recovery has already been arduous with pain and complications. Who’s to say what the next days and weeks will contain?
It is obvious now that this medical need is going to take almost all our time, energy, and resource for the foreseeable future. Thus, I’m going to be taking a leave of absence from writing, email, and podcasting as I give my full attention to what my body needs. We’ve tossed all our plans into the wind and we trust that God will show us the way forward.
How are our hearts through all of these? They’re great, well-covered by Jesus and his love for us. We are both so glad we have each other to lean on at a time like this. Our faith in the Lord stands resolute, confident that in his ability to work good out of tragic circumstances, and that pain is only another lens to see his beauty in the word.
We appreciate your prayers, concerns, and friendship. We will also appreciate your patience as we need to expend our resources closer to home these days. I know most people don’t read this blog for updates on our personal needs, but it is also true that Sara and I have a family that covers the whole world. So, we will provide some updates here in general terms. Our internet/messaging load is already greater than we can keep up with.
We are taking this one day at a time. We could wake up tomorrow completely healed and that may allow us to get back to those things God has asked of us. Or, that my happen over a few months. At this point and we are making no assumptions. We wake up each morning seeing what he has before us and what we need to do that day to deal with our circumstances and still find ways to put his love in the world. Sara has been a rock through this season in caring for me as well as sorting through all the medical information. She will need continued strength, rest, and joy to hold her. Please pray for her.
In the end, nothing has changed. Every day, every breath is in his hands, no more today than it was before all this began. We are confident that he has a way through this and that we will be here to accomplish his purpose for us in the earth. So, I guess we’re on a new journey together not just Sara and me but the Lifestream and God Journey families. So, buckle up. Let’s see how God glorifies himself here and anticipate with gratitude his power to do all things well.
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Having enjoyed being a recipient of your friendship and “eldering” in the world, I leave you in peace to heal, as I too, am well, in his hands. My prayers won’t cease, and God willing, many more conversations in the future! Please let Sarah know we love her and pray for her also.
Father has been putting you on my heart, Wayne. Obviously, praying for healing, recovery and pain relief. However, I’m sure that whatever He leads you both through, you have a wellspring of faithfulness to and intimacy with Jesus that will serve you well.
Continued prayers for you and Sara, my friend. Looking forward to your complete and total healing that is in Father’s hands.
Hi Wayne. Thanks for the update as I am a person listening to the podcast and bless you and Sara for sharing your journey and walk with Jesus. Learning to live in his unfolding reality with you and growing in hearing him with “palms open” rather than clenched or “white knuckling”. Know that your life is an encouragement. Blessings, Sue
Our love and prayers are with both of you.
Richard and Dawn Johnson
Jeffersonville Indiana
Hi Wayne
As always you are ahead of the curve when it comes to all things related to the Christian walk. I’ve been listening to you for not less than 15 yrs. Thank you richly for all that you have said and written!! I live in Liechtenstein and perhaps one day we will meet – someway or somehow. Btw, Wayne, we are exactly the same age!! fyi. But I digress…
Now,….may I say something! Regarding your back—-here are some suggestions so that you can become better real quick and effectively. FIRST OF ALL…the Hospital route WILL KILL you eventually. Some of the staff are well meaning but they absolutely IGNORANT know nothing about Nutrition and Natural Biological Approaches, i.e., Light and sound therapies, Energy medicine – precious stone bracelets to harness right spin energies, Homeopathic medicine, Chiropractic treatments, etc. to solving health problems, 360. They will give you shots most likely with graphene oxide, aluminium, mercury, vanadium, barium and the forever other dangerous chemicals, ad infinitum I have 2 of my closest friends dying right now of cancer and the REAL reason for that is that the doctors are draining their energies via shots, MRI’s / radiation poisoning and unnecessary surgeries. It’s evil, evil and evil again. The hits just keep coming and they are the dumbest of all health oriented people. It’s insane Wayne…I could go on, and on, and on, and on… anyhow, they know nothing except the Rockfeller petrochemical drug route – all classes. This is awful, awful, awful and then again AWFUL. May I encourage you to watch this one video by Charlene and Ty Bollinger about Big Pharma and also about cancer… Go here: https://go2.thetruthaboutcancer.com/agq/episode-1/ Also, this revealing document about what these evil-doers are doing to kill us – food, water, medicinally etc., you won’t believe it!! – Go here: https://archive.org/stream/the-secret-covenant7/The%20Secret%20Covenant_djvu.txt
So, here are some quick solutions that I have found very helpul.. VITAMIN D3 starting from 50,000 to 100,000 or even more i.u./day. (Magnesium Complex – https://www.bioptimizers-b.com/) Omega 3’s with DHA bigtime!!) and lastly…get your vitamins and all other things healthwise from this brilliant – bio-engineer scientist – lady Christine Rahm . https://therootbrands.com The big 3 are imho. 1) Clean Slate (Heavy metal chelator)- 2) Relive Greens, 3) Crush and possibly a 4th – Restore. Again, these are personal suggestions fromm e but like you I am 71yrs. old, great health and I lift heavier weights better than 25yr. olds do. go figure – end of story –
Alright, enough said. God bless you and please allow some of us who are in the know regarding health and all the B.S. out there about natural health remedies, politics, finance, medicine, history etc. – pop some good information your way so that within 2 weeks and 1 month you will be back to normal and possibly BETTER – my friend..zzz.
Okay, Wayne, we appreciate you and highly esteem what you have done in your ministry to have exactitude in many areas of the Christian life and walk, genuine applicability to solving spiritual hang-ups and long entrenched pyschological inhibitions, etc. You are one of the few brothers out there THAT GET IT, i.e., the christian life and what to expect and so on. Go for it brother and do solve this problem of your back and likewise other health issues. I’ve given you some terrific leading information so run with it…expecially with the rootbrands stuff. I met with Christine in Zurich the other day and this woman is SO SHARP it is beyond description. We need people on the ball who know what they are taling about and how to SOLVE HEALTH PROBLEMS..etc. Btw, there is no financial incentive on my side, anywhere – I could care less. Just that you can experience what I have experienced over the last couple of months with my health, etc. The clean slate product has solved my dizziness, brain fog, energy depletion and so many other things. Ok, I stop cuz I will sound like an advertissement that drives everybody to drink…zzz,
So that’s it!
Take care Wayne and God Bless you and your wife and your super ministry!!
Respectfully,
Jim from Liechtenstein
Jim, I noticed lots of people take very different and passionate responses to medical needs in their lives. Those who follow Christ claim often that what he has shown them is the only way to approach these things and all others are wrong.
I love that God has provided us so many options and still asks us to follow his Spirit as
We walk through circumstances like this. Pain and medical need is an intensely personal reality and I hope you give grace for people to see these things differently than you do.
What I have noticed about peoples medical choices is they are absolutely convinced theirs is the best or only way to deal with their crisis, and that all other approaches will eventually kill them. What I know, is that all approaches will eventually kill us. It it is for men to negotiate the dark realities of this world inside the light of his unfolding kingdom. I know of no one who gets out of this world without suffering and pain and death. So yes, all approaches may kill, but those that remediate the pain seek to bring healing in life in the best way, we see God doing it is the approach we almost take.
In the end it is God, we are trusting not our medical approaches or the wisdom of humanity. I pray that God will lead you with grace and freedom and the same way he leads us.
Dear Wayne & Sara,
you both have been a blessing on my journey closer to Papa. Now my prayers are with you for this new season of your lives that you find comfort, joy and peace in your daily communion with Papa.
Blessings from Germany, Michael
Hi, just wanted to let you know, that I feel with you and hope you will get well soon. My best wishes! You both have been an blessing.
Praying for you Sara and for the doctors! You have been such a blessing to me for the 15 years since I first stumbled upon the Lifestream website, which led me to reading “He Loves Me”, and later to The God Journey podcast. You have become like a distant mentor to me and I am thankful for God bringing you into my life!