What a Blessing You are!

You have no idea what a blessing each and every one of you are to me. God has used you in ways you have NO IDEA! You are indeed sad for us and wanting to help so badly in any way possible. I want YOU to know that God is using your prayers and groanings in your Spirit in a powerful way, even if you haven't signed up for anything to help out with, God hears your aches for us and has been responding tremendously.

Your outpouring of love is spiritually tangible and if my spirit could be any higher I'd be touching Heaven right now!

My boys are joyful and smiling -- praise God
My hemoglobin is still rebuilding itself (healthy cells rebuilding while I've got leukemia!?) (this was yesterday)-- praise Him and don't worry when they will drop down as the chemo takes care of that eventually, but it was just another confirmation that I did catch this early and I was very healthy coming into - go ahead, praise Him.
My white blood cells are zero -- yes, praise God b/c that means the chemo is WORKING -- yes praise Him
I'd had a platelet transfusion earlier day before yesterday at 8:30 before the
surgery and they had gone from 30k before the surgery to 24k at 2 pm. They didn't check until the next a.m. at 6 a.m. and I was surprised they were stable at 60k! -- Praise Him

The hemoglobin will eventually go down due to the chemo (like this morning I need a RBC transfusion because they did go down to 7.8), that's ok - praise Him - it is working and He is faithful. I'm in the right place and the perfect time and He will get me through all the ups and downs.

My son's soccer team was named by the teammates and when they named it in early Sept. I thought, "No Fear? How do you use that?" Now, I have no fear and God is using this whole thing as a total ministry to show the LOVE of God through his people (that's you and my sisters and brothers at Church and elsewhere), to show the strength and hope that can only be found when you trust in Jesus as your Savior--and don't you know I am sharing with every nurse and doctor and technician that I am in contact with here. Would you believe (in
the past), the staff is so amazed by me (really God in me) that they introduce me to other patients that they know I can help? I'm sure that will happen again eventually. God is so, so, so GOOD! It is a privilege to be given these hardships, much like the persecuted hold an incredible privilege as they fellowship in the sufferings of Christ for His glory!

I hope that encourages you tonight and puts JOY in your heart as you contend with me in prayer and turn to God's Word and praise Him, rejoice in the challenges dear ones! 1 Peter 4:12-13: "Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed."

James 5:10-11 Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job's perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy."

I ask you Sisters and Brothers in Christ, to persevere and continue praying for us, even after the newness wears off, even if it seems impossible for it to continue (as we're in it for a long haul) and I know you're all so busy. I don't want your lives to be turned upside down because of my hardship, but to be aware that this is true life and you can be a part of that...because you will be amazed, and I can't wait to share with you, all the goodness of the Lord, all that God is going to do through this trial and ministry--yours and mine--
for His glory!

Thanks so much for reading!
Krista English