The Power of We
There is a billboard near I-25 not far from Presbyterian Hospital in Albuquerque that boldly displays the words, "The Power of We." I'm not sure what company or product they are promoting. Frankly, I'm not that interested. I do, however, think that phrase contains truth especially when applied to the body of Christ. The old preacher aphorism is true: we can do far more together than we can alone. The journey that Cindy and I are presently taking has made us appreciate far more the beauty and power inherent within God's church. This is a journey no one should take alone and thankfully many of you have come alongside us to help. To us, you are the hands and the feet of Jesus and your acts are empowering us to walk victoriously through the valley.
Good people with good hearts are doing what Jesus would do. You are blessing us in very practical ways like making sure our grass is cut and hedges are trimmed. In fact, our yard is looking so good people in the neighborhood must think new folks have moved in. You are bringing meals to the house. Cindy is an awesome cook but frankly I do not believe we have ever eaten so well!Some of you found out our freezer was on the blink and so you got together and made sure we had a new one in our garage. Others of you are helping with our children. Several ladies found out it was Trey's birthday and so you organized a birthday party for him. The ladies ministry made Cindy a wonderful prayer blanket and presented her with a Bible. You gave us a prayer pager and many people call on a daily basis. Many of you have sent cards and numerous other expressions of love. Our shepherds came to the hospital and anointed Cindy with oil and prayed over her. Friends from Atlanta came to help with our boys and the women threw Cindy a slumber party at the hospital. Truly the bride of Christ is beautiful to behold!
Let me say a word about Cindy's progress. On Friday the doctor came in and said, "Today I am giving you a three-hour pass. I want you to leave the hospital for awhile. What do you want to do?" Cindy said, "I want to go to Cracker Barrel!" So Cindy got ready and we met hwe mom and dad and our kids at Cracker Barrel. Although the trip made her very tired we believe this is great progress. On Thursday Cindy began another round of Chemo. She is now half-way through the second round. Other than a lot of nausea associated with the drugs she is tolerating it all pretty well. As I say so often please be in prayer as to the Chemo's effectiveness. No definitive word yet as to our homegoing yet I feel it it is close. Thanks for walking with us.
kevin
Good people with good hearts are doing what Jesus would do. You are blessing us in very practical ways like making sure our grass is cut and hedges are trimmed. In fact, our yard is looking so good people in the neighborhood must think new folks have moved in. You are bringing meals to the house. Cindy is an awesome cook but frankly I do not believe we have ever eaten so well!Some of you found out our freezer was on the blink and so you got together and made sure we had a new one in our garage. Others of you are helping with our children. Several ladies found out it was Trey's birthday and so you organized a birthday party for him. The ladies ministry made Cindy a wonderful prayer blanket and presented her with a Bible. You gave us a prayer pager and many people call on a daily basis. Many of you have sent cards and numerous other expressions of love. Our shepherds came to the hospital and anointed Cindy with oil and prayed over her. Friends from Atlanta came to help with our boys and the women threw Cindy a slumber party at the hospital. Truly the bride of Christ is beautiful to behold!
Let me say a word about Cindy's progress. On Friday the doctor came in and said, "Today I am giving you a three-hour pass. I want you to leave the hospital for awhile. What do you want to do?" Cindy said, "I want to go to Cracker Barrel!" So Cindy got ready and we met hwe mom and dad and our kids at Cracker Barrel. Although the trip made her very tired we believe this is great progress. On Thursday Cindy began another round of Chemo. She is now half-way through the second round. Other than a lot of nausea associated with the drugs she is tolerating it all pretty well. As I say so often please be in prayer as to the Chemo's effectiveness. No definitive word yet as to our homegoing yet I feel it it is close. Thanks for walking with us.
kevin
posted by Kevin Owen | 3:32 PM
25 Comments:
Such good news that Cindy got to leave the hospital for awhile! Please know that we continue to lift you all up in prayer daily. We love you.
Lance and Jamie and Family
From: Scott and Tonya Wesson and family
To: Kevin, Cindy and family, Bob and Barbara
We attend the Spanish Fort church and Bob and Barbara are dear to our hearts. It is thru them we have gotten to know your precious Cindy, and we will continue to pray for God to work His powerful healing on Cindy so you all may be home together very soon. much love from our family to yours.
You don't know us, but you know our family, Aaron & Lori Robinson. They have given us your blog address so we could keep updated on what's going on with you all and can pray for you. They were visiting with us the weekend Cindy was diagnosed and asked us to pray and we have been. Know that there is a family in Lubbock, TX lifting you up and praying boldly for healing.
Eric & Gina Robinson
Kevin,
Your writing about Cindy's cooking got me to thinking about the time she cooked chili for us when we were stuck in Atlanta for the "Super Storm" back in '93. It was great to stay with you guys through such an amazing winter storm. I still can't believe we tried to go to church that Sunday morning with 3 feet of snow on the ground and 6' drifts!! It was an interesting weekend to say the least. I thought we were going to go stir crazy being stuck in the house all weekend. Cindy was great about taking care of us while we were stuck.
Glad to hear that Cindy got to get out of the hospital for a while and enjoy some freedom.
Dear Kevin and Cindy,
I'm glad Cindy had an opportunity to leave the hospital for awhile. It does the soul and body good when you can get some of God's fresh air!
We pray for you and your loved ones each day. The people that I work with are also praying for you! It never fails that each day I work someone stops me and asks me how Cindy is doing! They know you by name and are lifting you up in prayer as well.
Stay strong and know that God is present during your struggle.
In Christian Love,
Anne Marie, Mike, Dustin, Kyle, and Travis Van Horb
Our prayers are with you all.
Hey! GREAT news! I would have picked an ITALIAN restaurant, but hey! folks from Alabama pick Cracker Barrell Ha! Ha!
Seriously...it was a wonderful treat, albeit short, and just a taste (no pun intended!) of what the future holds for YOU...lots and lots of fun meals at Cracker Barrell! We continue to pray for all of you...the little kids in my Sunday Bible classes (3, 4 & 5 year olds) were so cute...ALL of their prayers included prayers for Cindy! Wait 'til you see the "flowers" they made for YOU! God is with you and we are all learning many many lessons...some of which we really didn't want to learn! With BIG love and many BIG kisses, Teri & Paul
Kevin!
I love this blog thing, it is awesome because I think of all of you everyday & I wonder how things are going, this makes it easy to follow the progress of Cindy. She is a woman of strength (& still a Georgia Peach)! There are times along lifes journey that can test the spirit deeply and you all are experiencing one of those times right now. Hold on tight! I am so anxious to hear Cindy's testimony after all of this is over! Your & Cindy's Faith is to be admired! God does give us special friends doesn't he? We are never to far away if you need us. I thank God for the Owen Family. We are praying without ceasing and HE IS ABLE! Tell Cindy WE LOVE YOU HER, Keep the Faith, Love & Prayers from Georgia, Beverly & Jim Aldridge
Kevin and Cindy... our prayers and love is with you..Linda and I can remember those days in Olney when Cindy was one of our youth group leaders.. We spent a lot of lovely times together.
May God continue to Heal and Bless her and keep you and the boys safe. Give Bob and Barbara our love also...
Bob & Linda Teel - Springfield, IL
Kevin and Cindy... our prayers and love is with you..Linda and I can remember those days in Olney when Cindy was one of our youth group leaders.. We spent a lot of lovely times together.
May God continue to Heal and Bless her and keep you and the boys safe. Give Bob and Barbara our love also...
Bob & Linda Teel - Springfield, IL
I'm so happy that Cindy got out into fresh air! I so look forward to the day when she just marches back into our Ladies class victorious and looking beautiful as ever. You are all constantly in my thoughts and prayers and I love each one of you.
Love,
Kim Scott
Well, Kevin, you can take the girl out of the south, but not the south out of the girl! Wish we could have been there to gather around that Cracker Barrell table with you guys. We miss you all very much and love you even more than that. Give Cindy a big hug from Georgia - then ask her to give you one, too. Much love and many, many prayers from us to you and yours.
Ricky, Stacy, Cole, Jack, and Ty Gray
Kevin and Cindy - Please let Cindy know we are praying for her. She is on our prayer list at Sycamore View in Memphis.
In Christ,
Keith and Kim Fussell
Kevin,
Melanie Snell forwarded your blog address to me so that I, too, can be updated with the news of Cindy. I will continue to pray for her and to ask that God would not only heal her to complete health, but that Cindy will continue to be a mouthpiece for God now and after she is home.
Isn't it great when you realize that the body of Christ really does care for not only the those who are not in the body, but for the body itself? God is amazing and He is good.
Praising Him for His protection and love of you thus far,
Shalee Shields (substitute singer at Pepperdine)
Kevin and Cindy, to say that you have touched our lives is an understatement. Bobby and I are praying for you and we are hoping that you will be able to go home soon. You both are truly amazing people. We will be checking on you through this web page. God bless you both and your family. Love Bobby and Beth (Hopper) Story
Gotta love Cracker Barrel - Praise God for this good news, and for Cindy picking a place with the best "comfort food". Of course, Susan would have suggested Cindy wait until Saturday so she could have the lima beans, but...
Anyway, your blog reminds me that real comfort food comes from those hands who serve the Lord, and are serving Him by serving you and your family. Praise be to Him!
Chris Susan Kyle and Kendall
Cindy,
I am a new friend of John and Karalee Harris in San Antonio. I have read all the posts and can see that you have chosen the path to LIFE. Psalms 91 is a favorite of mine. The last verse says that "He will satistfy you with LONG LIFE and show you His salvation." The Hebrew word salvation means alot more that just eternity with God--even though that is a great part. It means that we can have a complete life on Earth. Complete health, complete peace, to completely have every need meet.
God is faithful to those who seek after HIS face. He will be faithful to the promises He made for you.
Blessing, Cyndie Finley Psalms 16
Kevin and Cindy, Green Lawn Church of Christ in Lubbock, Texas, is praying for Cindy's recovery and for you and the boys. My husband often wanted us to read James 1:2-3 to him; my prayer is that you will find it as encouraging and comforting as he did.
Jan (Kimberly Scott's and Jennifer Salyer's aunt)
Kevin - Been a long time from F-HU days . . . but wanted to share the encouragement that Marsha (Mulvaney) had cancer back in 1989-90 before we went to Africa - and continues to be well. I know how hard the treatment process is, and am praying for you all.
Peace, Greg Newton
If anyone knows what cabin fever is, Cindy does. It always does the soul good to get out and see Gods world. It is so uplifting to see the blue sky and and clouds, the sun shining and the other things outside her room. We are thrilled to here that she got that 3 hour chance and pray that each gets longer. We are proud of her choice to eat some good southern food although they don't have the "throwed rolls".
Love all you and are praying for each and everyone of you.
Doug and Nancy Salyer
Cindy and Kevin:
I have never met you. Your wonderful friend, Lila, is also a wonderful friend of mine. I am in Korea--half the world away. If you have any doubts, which I'm sure you don't, about the power of our God, here is PROOF of the POWER of the WORD, I pray for you every day. This world is only a glimpse of what awaits us. We have to concentrate on "the ULTINATE." We are here, we are gone. Our God, our FATHER, knows what is best. You are wandering in the desert of modern medical knowledge. The doctors know a tiny little bit about our bodies; they know nothing about our souls. I pray for you. I pray that God's will be done. Don't focus on the medical developments, FOCUS on our FATHER. First Thessolonians 5:16.
John Viebranz
jbieds@hanafos.com
Kevin,
I just returned home (and to my computer) after a week away. I was so happy to find this blog address in my messages. I will be checking in regularly. Thank you for doing this. We all crave information on Cindy. I hope that it goes without saying that Jack and I are praying many times every day for Cindy, you, your boys, her parents and brother. Give her a hug from us. Lots of Love, Beth Vanderpool
Kevin and Cindy--
You are in our thoughts and prayers daily. We love you so much!!
Richard and Bonnie Algire
Dear Kevin, Cindy, and family,
Our thoughts and prayers are with you and we are so happy when you get good news!
We had a preemie baby 9 years ago, actually 2 (twins), and Weston was gravely ill and we were told he would not live, after several months of surgery, treatments, he did live thanks to thousands of prayers offered up for him.
God healed him and he can heal Cindy. Sometimes he allows these things to happen so that we will draw closer to Him. I imagine you have in a big way. I can't imagine Steve being that ill. That would be harder than a newborn baby!
I loved hearing you say that next to Cindy, Kay is your closest friend. I love Kay and she was the best roomate ever! We don't get together as much as I'd like but, when we do, it is if we had never been apart.
Much Love,
Always in Him+
Steve, Lydia (Stetler), Haley, Somer, Weston and Emily Howe
Kevin,
Just want you to know that you and Cindy are in our prayers continually. Thank you for taking the time to maintain the blog to keep those of us in distant places apprised of what is going on.
I was so pleased to see your mom and dad in Tennessee recently and they filled us in more on the journey you are on.
I am so glad that Kay has been able to come and spend time with you and that Cindy's parents are there with you both.
It is self-evident from the comments posted to this blog that you and Cindy are much loved.
There is a power in prayer and it is clear that God is very busy right now listening to so many prayers being lifted up for Cindy's recovery and for you and your family. We add ours to the multitudes.
Love to you both,
Ted & E'Von Owen
Post a Comment
<< Home