Update on Jewel

As I continue to travel the world in my role as CEO for the World Evangelical Alliance, I encounter hundreds of people every week. A day does not seem to go by that people do not ask me about Jewel.

A great example was here in Hawaii this week, where I was speaking at the Baptist World Alliance Global Congress. I was deeply moved as the senior leadership of BWA and leaders of other Christian communities inquired about Jewel.

It is always an encouragement to tell people about the progress that Jewel is making and thank them for their prayers.

Since its been way to long since I have updated this blog, I thought it would be helpful for you hear directly from Jewel. (Her reflections are below.)

On the Journey,

Geoff

Update from Jewel

Thank you so much for continuing to pray for me. Your emails and phone calls continue to encourage me.

I have had my six month check up at the cancer clinic and they have given me the stamp of approval! I am cancer free!

This is a strange time in the process. God has blessed me with a strong healing body. I am living with 60 % of my energy having to take one to four hour naps in the day time. I am able to live with a very gentle schedule breaking my larger strength-draining task over a number of days. I am able to do 30 min of gardening. My chemo brain is fading but at times it is evident that I am still struggling with memory loss. I am able to eat everything as my insides have stopped burning. It is so wonderful to be able to eat all of these great veggies and fruit in season.

I am actively persuing a body cleanse to rid my body of all the toxins from the chemo and radiation. This has quickly and radically helped me. How wonderful to have my radiation burns finished and my skin healed up.

Instead of focusing on what I do not have enough energy to do. I have been asking God, how to live smart. He has answered in so many creative ways. It is deeply reassuring to have a God who helps me each step of the way.

I would appreciate your prayers that I will continue to mange my time and energy well as I try to pull my life back together.

Love, Jewel

Update #43

Here I sit in meetings in Washington connecting with all sorts of interesting people with the hope of advancing God's Kingdom.

But my thoughts continue to drift back home thinking about Jewel as she completes her last radiation treatment today.

Then an email comes from Jewel with a quote from her journal. Jewel writes:

“I am deeply grateful to the cancer clinic for all of their professional expertise and treatment that they have given me. I have just finished my last treatment of radiation. What a relief to have these treatments completed. I am now in the “recovery mode”. Each day I feel my body being knit back together. This is an amazing process and I am truly thankful to God for His healing hand.

In this last five months I deeply understand more than ever that while God will always answer our prayers in His own way and His own time. I truly believe that God will answer all of my questions when l I see him face to face and can understand the answers. I now know with clarity that in my times of struggle God offers me Himself, His presence, His companionship, His comfort, and the reassurance that no matter what happens in life, He is wise, good and righteous. As I held onto the hand of God in the toughest moments this understanding flooded my every cell.”

It is such a privilege to be married to such a godly and wise woman. She has taught me so much as we walked this journey.

I'm so glad that Jewel's close friend from Chicago will fly in tonight to spend the next few days catching up and "celebrating" the end of her radiation.

For me, I get back to my meetings to try to change the world. :-)

Yours on the Journey,

Geoff

Update #42

Update for Prayer

This next week I begin travelling and Jewel will continue her radiation treatments. She has now received 8 of the 25 treatments. Prayer for endurance and strength for Jewel would be appreciated.

I would appreciate prayer for the following travels. (Jewel’s sister from California and another friend from Chicago will stay with Jewel while Geoff is travelling.)

Jan 11-14 Tennessee (Meetings with WEA Partners and Lausanne Cape Town 2010 Leaders)

Jan 14-15 Travel to New Delhi, India

Jan 16-18 Micah Challenge International Board Meeting in New Delhi, India

Jan 19 Evangelical Fellowship of India

Jan 20 Travel to New York

Jan 21 Meetings with WEA Partners in New York

Jan 22 Travel home

Feb 1-5 Washington, DC.

• Presidents Prayer Breakfast
• Private meetings with political and faith leaders from different parts of the world

Feb 21-23 Phoenix

• Entrepreneurial Leadership Summit

Feb 26–28 Madrid, Spain

• Spanish Evangelical Alliance Congress

Thanks for your prayers and support.

Yours on the Journey,

Geoff