Monday, June 22, 2009

Deeper

This weekend Earl & I went to a Young Adult's Retreat called "Deeper" with a bunch of awesome people from Calvary Temple. We were at the Calvary Temple Camp at Red Rock Lake in the Whiteshell. This is us enjoying the sun and doing some canoeing. I hadn't been on a canoe in 3 years and loved it-even though Earl did a lot of the work. :)
The last 2 weeks have been intense. The tumor in my left leg has grown tremendously. When we left Redding, it was really small and we were super excited about how it had gotten so much smaller while we were there. Within about a week of coming home it felt about 4 times bigger. That is completely insane-it hardly seems possible. The tumor is so large now, that it is causing a lot of pain-especially nerve pain at night.

Earl & I are desperate and so hungry. We are pursuing healing at all costs. Therefore we've started to focus on inner healing. We're starting to understand the importance of that. Everyone has wounds and lies that for whatever reason, they have grown up believing. It's so amazing when you go through the lies that satan has tried to deceive you in, and find the truth, how freeing it is. All of us have opened up doors where we have allowed satan to come in and deceive. When we shut those doors and command satan and his lies to leave, not only does inner healing happen, but now physical healing also has a chance to happen. That is something that we are going through and learning. As much as it's hard-it's totally worth it.

This last weekend was totally amazing. The friends that we've made through Beyond and who were at the retreat, are so encouraging. Saturday night, one of my friends went up to a bunch of people and invited them to come and pray for me. I truly don't know how many people came up and surrounded me, probably about 15-20. They were crying out to God and asking the Holy Spirit to heal. I felt so loved-I know the only way I'm healed is through God doing a healing miracle. Here my friends were agreeing and believing with me for that miracle. The thing is, about half of the people I had never met before and some of them, I still don't know their names! After praying and praising God for a long time, the Holy Spirit revealed to one of my friends the strategy that He wanted to use for me to be healed. She was reminded of the passage in the Bible where Jesus is in the Garden of Gethsemane and he asks his disciples to pray for Him. When He comes back to His disciples, who are asleep, He asks them if they could not even stay awake for just one hour? Matthew 26:40 My friend felt that the Holy Spirit was saying a similar thing-Could we not pray for just one hour? Even more specifically, she felt people needed to pray in tongues for one hour every day, until total healing happened!


So immediately my friends look at their watches and start praying. I lay on the floor cause it was about midnight. A bunch of them lay on the floor, put their hands out and started praying. How beautiful-what love! An hour later we went to bed and the next morning from 8-9 the same thing happened. These friends have committed to this until healing happens. For those that are able, we are going to try and meet once a week to stay accountable. Our friend asked that we post this strategy on our blog so that everyone who wants to can join us. Gladly email us with questions.

God is so good. Yes, the pain is bad, the tumors seem to be growing and I am constantly fighting fear and yet I know God wants to heal me and I've got a group of friends who are pressing in for me. The battle is being won-satan is being defeated!!

So this is where we are at. Thank you for understanding that this blog is like our journal. We are learning and growing and are using the blog to pour out our thoughts, feelings and experiences. We are not asking that everyone agree with what we are saying-we are just pouring out our thoughts. We do not in any way, want this to be a place where theological debates are held, but rather, a place where, if people want to, they can read about the lives of two people who are fighting through and defeating cancer. We want the blog to be a place of encouragement for everyone-where only encouraging, life-giving words are spoken by us and others. We love you all!

And just an encouraging side note, the back pain that I've been battling has been about non-existent since Saturday night since people were praying-God is so good and prayer works!!
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14 comments:

Michele said...

Ramona,

It's been ages since I've responded to your posts but I've read every single one.

How beautiful to hear how God has put a group of people in your life that are willing to physically stand beside you, pray and cry out to God on your behalf. Tears filled my eyes as I imagined the scene...isn't it amazing how God works?

I have still not met you, but I've been watching since you started this blog. I have prayed for you so often, I've lost count of how many times I have cried out for healing for you. I love your blog...you say what's on your mind and you document your journey. Along with that, you're taking us on a journey too!

My heart cries out with you and your friends...may the God who knows our every thought hear the cries of the many and let healing continue for you and for Earl.

Be blessed! Love, Michele (Jobina's sister)

Lena said...

Hi Ramona,
You probably do not know me, but I am friend of Tiphanie's. I have been following your blog for awhile- and I just thought I should finally comment. This post was so encouraging to me- and I really felt that I needed to tell you that the fight you are fighting isn't just cancer

"For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places."
Ephesians 6:11-13

your fight is so much more than that, so i want to encourage you to fight and rally people around you with a strategy to war in prayer- and simply ask Jesus to show you what you need to fight against. Your friend who talked about having a strategy was dead on!

Your determination to fight and keep going is such an inspiration to me- and I know God is using you to minister to many others through your incredible faith and dependence in Christ.

Thank you for your transparency and putting your heart out there for all to see. I will pray for you, thats for sure! I am looking forward to seeing God move those mountains!

Blessings

Lena
http://small-inspirations.blogspot.com/

Pamela said...

Thanks so much Ramona for writing, I love hearing your hearts cry, desires and hopes.
A verse that came to me while reading the last part was that God has not given you a spirit of fear but of power and of love and of sound mind. And the verse that says Love cast out all fear. I'll be praying for you that you will be able to stand up and place the amour of God on everyday. Our battles are not with the physical realm but that of the spiritual realm. So be strong in the Lord and His Mighty power! You are an amazing child of God, both you and Earl. I love you both very much and am very privileged to have gone to school with you and grow up with you. Many miles separate us now and we don't have the same kind of relationship as we did, but for my part my love for the two of you and your families has grown immensely over the last few years through reading your blog. Thank you so much for blogging for helping us understand what you are going through and facing. You guys are blessed and will always be.

Satan may come in and tell you things but they carry no life. God may come in and tell you things and they only carry life. I pray that you have spiritual earmuffs on that you can only hear and read life giving words Ramona. Hugs and more hugs.

Anonymous said...

Amen! on the inner healing part. I so totally agree how vital it is. and it is so freening as you said. I am so happy for you guys! God has many more wonderful things in store for you guys! I believe it!
Jeannie

Anonymous said...

I am praying for you whenever you come to my mind. Love reading about your amazing faith in our great God!! You are so courageous in baring your souls to others, you do not realize how many people you have helped. Thank you!

Mark 5:25-34 A woman who had had a hemorrhage for twelve years, and had endured much at the hands of many physicians, and had spent all that she had and was not helped at all, but rather had grown worse— after hearing about Jesus, she came up in the crowd behind Him and touched His cloak. For she thought, “If I just touch His garments, I will get well.” Immediately the flow of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of her affliction. Immediately Jesus, perceiving in Himself that the power proceeding from Him had gone forth, turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched My garments?” And His disciples said to Him, “You see the crowd pressing in on You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’” And He looked around to see the woman who had done this. But the woman fearing and trembling, aware of what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth. And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace and be healed of your affliction.”

You can touch Jesus with your faith just as this woman did!! Your faith draws the same healing power out of Him now as it did years ago in this story. PTL!!

Anonymous said...

Good Morning Ramona & Earl,
Thankyou for sharing again. Such a difficult battle, but also such amazing victories along the way. We continue to pray and believe! I'd like to thank your wonderful friends for their committment too.
Love, Linda G.

Anonymous said...

we stand in agreement 100% i'm so glad to see that you are not giving up, and that you are pursuing complete healing, and also glad for the way you share your journey and your growth; i know you have inspired so many people. i check your blog so often, and am waiting to read that you have been completely and supernaturally healed!!! i expect to read this very soon...jennifer loewen.

Brigitte said...

all our love as ever,
we love you and in our way pray for you
brigitte & lilou

Anonymous said...

With you 100%

dad

Janet Hamm said...

Hi Earl & Ramona,

I was cycling in the rain this evening and got to see the most beautiful rainbow - a complete arc in the eastern sky. It was the brightest in the south, where I imagined it was shining on you, and I prayed for God's promise to be evident in your lives.

I've wanted to tell you for awhile that the song "While I'm Waiting" reminds me of you as you wait for healing. I have no idea if the song is familiar to you or not (I heard it in the movie "Fireproof") but here's a link if you need it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFwZ7Ekg080

Blessings and peace,
Janet

Crystal Dueck said...

Thank you Jesus! I love hearing how you keep pressing on for me and how you keep going deeper.

Anonymous said...

Ramona and Earl,

You are never far from our thoughts or conversations, God calls me to pray for you often and I do.... but I have been convicted to pray more intensely for you, more than just a convenient whisper in the middle of what I'm doing but to sacrifice time and energy to seek God on your behalf; especially re: the issue of fear. I can only imagine how strongly I would covet as many people's prayers as possible if I were in your shoes!!
Lately in various ways/settings I've been learning about waiting and how so often we just want the waiting to be over so we can "go on with life" but somehow there is a purpose in the waiting....and it seems to be finding Jesus and his healing ...my spirit agrees so much with what you posted about the inner healing that you are seeking and experiencing in your hunger for Christ and seeing His power at work in your body. I get tears in my eyes when I think of how beautiful you becoming in Him. I am so glad for the wonderful friends He has surrounded you with in this critical time. Thank-you Jesus! Thank-you EArl and Ramona for being so open and vulnerable on your blog so that we can in a small way learn alongside you.
Love, Christy

Anonymous said...

Ramona and Earl,
It floors me beyond words how you are allowing this horrible, horrible thing to draw you closer and closer to God. It is so awesome, and so powerful, what a testimony you two are. Thank you always for your honesty in your struggles.
I continue to pray for complete healing for you, and may that complete healing bring you even closer to God, always your heart's desire.
Ilse

Anonymous said...

Earl and Ramona, So happy to hear of all that God is doing in your lives. I too will stand in prayer in tongues one hour a day. I do believe you will be healed. There are so many healing scriptures in the word of God. They are His promises to us. During this difficult time by sharing your pain and growths you are helping a lot of other people by encouraging them with your faith in God and essentially through your intimacy with Him. Be blessed and healed in body and soul and know their are thousands of people standing with in prayer for healing. Love you two. Anne-Marie Traa