The writing ends as if in mid-thought, before he had a chance to finish and attach Bible verses to it.  But as usual, it’s filled with Dana’s heart and wisdom.  I pray that it will lift us up.

Here’s Dana’s final Journey, written November 2 or 3.

I heard and watched a song on YouTube my first day in the hospital called ‘Miracles.’   It begins:

The One who made the blind to see
Is moving here in front of me
The One who made the deaf to hear
Is silencing my every fear
I believe in You
You’re the God of miracles
The One who put death in its place
His life is flowing through my veins

At the live worship service in the video, a  pastor stood and shared that the husband-and-wife authors of the song went to their church, and had written the lyrics the day after their baby died. The leader, who has witnessed many miracles,  told his church that the parents wrote the song to honor the One who is constantly loving, but who chose not to heal their baby. The song is all about the goodness of God.

Tuesday, the night before I went to the hospital, my old friend Mark and a woman named Miranda, who had recently been healed of cancer, came to our house. We joined hands, and the three of them prayed for my immediate healing.

I loved it. Everything reminded me of God… my wife, an old friend, and a new friend were praying for a fellow brother in the Body of Christ, just as so many of you have prayed earnestly through the last days… and weeks… and years.

Our nurse friend Maria called Wednesday morning and told us my room was ready. I asked her, “Maria, can you do a Complete Blood Count first? Many, many are praying for us, and some friends prayed in our home last night for instant healing.

She replied, “Of course, Dana. That’s what we always do first.”

When I arrived, Maria told me she had told others my message. She claimed that I had ‘The Best Friend Ever,’ (Jesus) and that no one should be surprised if there is a miracle.

Soon though,  I texted Mark and told him my platelet counts were still very low, and that they were preparing me for surgery to start the whole transplant process. After surgery, I read his reply that they were still lifting me up in prayer, but I am sure he was disappointed.

Mark has witnessed many healings, including Miranda’s, who confused the doctors when she reported for a surgery she did not need. She told them Jesus had healed her. After much pushing and prodding and several CT Scans they sent her home.

Mark and the others were simply being obedient. A missionary friend from Africa had called him Tuesday to see if he would pray for me before I went to the hospital Wednesday. Mark called Miranda and they came to our house as servants of God, and prayed with faith, hope, and love.

I have learned to be content with the Lord’s answers. The truth is: He is more than enough. But how does a parent write a praise song to our miracle-working God when their baby dies? Their church leader recognized the faith of these parents, who honored ‘Our Best Friend Ever’  by writing a beautiful song in their grief.

This is the God we serve, and so we give Him our best. Give Him the best honor you can, the richest praise you can, the deepest trust you can. This attitude should consume our thinking and our lives.

At work, work as unto the Lord, and not just for man. In community, be the best neighbor you can. Do not annoy others with your faith, but let your light shine that they may see your good works and glorify the One they might not even know.

Our stories of God’s goodness should be known somehow… for they show that God is love. So if I dance, I dance with all my energy… for Him. If I play, I play with enthusiasm and joy… for Him. If I live, I will live to honor Christ. If I die, I pray He will be honored too.

“I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Jesus is with us! He lives in us! “Christ in you – the hope of glory,” Paul wrote. Jesus urges: ‘Live in this truth! Be bold; do not be afraid! I am the Conqueror! If I am with you, why should you fear? Don’t you know I am above all? Even in death, do not fear… because I am with you.’

I cannot overcome without His presence; fear is a constant enemy. But Jesus says, ‘Don’t give in to it.’ He has given us what we need. “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.” (II Timothy 1:7)

God works in unpredictable and mysterious ways as He helps us overcome. The disciples were fearful as Jesus told them He was going away. He gave this promise: “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate to help you and be with you forever — the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept Him, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. But you know Him, for He lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.” (John 14:16-18)

I want to thank Steve Wolf for all his help with The Journey over the years. I sent this writing to him on Tuesday, checked into the hospital on Wednesday, and should have already started chemo by the time you receive this email. I hope to write again in a few weeks. The doctors say I’ll be in the hospital at least a month. Thanks for all your prayers and love. Paul wrote the words below to help us run the races we’ve been given. I pray He blesses you and your families richly in every way!

The Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. For those God foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the Firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those He predestined, He also called; those He called, He also justified; those He justified, He also glorified.

What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all—how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died — more than that, who was raised to life — is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written:

“For Your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:26-39

The younger generation needs encouragement these days. Many, many struggle with a lack of foundation and purpose. This may seem odd since so many accolades and privileges are showered on young people, but despite the well-intended efforts to build self-esteem and confidence, the lies of the enemy are more frequently believed: “You’re not good enough…” “You’ve got to prove your worth…”

Drowned out are God’s truths: “You are loved with an everlasting love…” “I have created you for a purpose…” Young people need encouragers who not only echo what God says but live authentic lives showing His messages to be true. Words are important, but kids are impacted more by what they see than what they hear.

When Paul wrote to early believers: “Imitate me as I imitate Christ,” he was pointing to the One who is the true Source of encouragement. If our children don’t find their identity in Christ, they will be constantly ‘tossed to and fro’ by the waves of this world. ‘Building up’ that which lasts is a building up of faith in the One who ‘holds all things together.’

David once wrote: “The Lord will fulfill His purpose for me; Your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever.” (Psalm 138:8) Faith means I know this to be true. No matter how bad I look or weak I get or lonely I feel, I can say with confidence: “It’s OK, Jesus is with me and He’ll never leave. He has a purpose for my life and He will work it all out. His love endures forever and by His grace I will trust and follow Him.”

Can young people adopt such a mindset? The answer is ‘Yes’, but only with Christ. In Christ we see the One who gave up everything, was despised and rejected, and yet, overcame. He overcame because He lived in His Father, and He encourages us to do the same.

Have a great summer!

“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” I Thessalonians 5:11

“Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in My Father, and you are in Me, and I am in you.” John 14:19-20

“I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in Me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing.” John 15:5

Watchman Nee (Nee To-sheng) was born in Foochow, China in 1903. After putting his faith in Christ as a teenager, he began to see Jesus as our only hope. Though an exodus of foreign missionaries began taking place in the first half of the 1900’s culminating in full expulsion in 1953, the Gospel was not silenced in China. Multitudes put their faith in Jesus and scores of ‘illegal’ house churches sprung up across the nation.

After the Communist government came to power in 1949, persecution of all Christians increased and in 1952 Watchman Nee was arrested on false charges. He died in 1972, having spent the last twenty years of his life in prison. Many of his writings and translated messages were published and spread throughout the world. His bold exaltation of our Lord Jesus as revealed in the Bible has helped disciples better understand God’s amazing gift.

A short book on Ephesians entitled ‘Sit, Walk, Stand’ has strengthened the faith of Christians since its publication in 1957. Below is a section from the chapter entitled: ‘Sit’.

The Christian era began with Christ, of whom we are told that, when He had made purification of sins, He “sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high” (Hebrews 1:3). With equal truth we can say that the individual Christian life begins with a man “in Christ” — that is to say, when by faith we see ourselves seated together with Him in the heavens.

Most Christians make the mistake of trying to walk in order to be able to sit, but that is a reversal of the true order. Our natural reason says: “If we do not walk, how can we ever reach the goal? What can we attain without effort? How can we get anywhere if we do not move?”… But Christianity begins not with a big DO, but with a big DONE. Thus Ephesians opens with the statement that God has “blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ” (1:3) and we are invited at the outset to sit down and enjoy what God has done for us; not to set out to try to attain it for ourselves.

Walking implies effort, whereas God says that we are saved not by works, but “by grace… through faith” (2:8). We constantly speak of being “saved through faith,” but what do we mean by it? We mean this, that we are saved by reposing in the Lord Jesus. We did nothing to save ourselves, we simply laid upon Him the burden of our sin-sick souls. We begin our Christian life by depending not upon our own doing, but upon what He has done… “I can do nothing to save myself, but by His grace God has done everything for me in Christ” is to take the first step in the life of faith. The Christian life from start to finish is based upon this principle of utter dependence upon the Lord Jesus.

May we see where God has placed us!

“I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know Him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in His holy people, and His incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength He exerted when He raised Christ from the dead and seated him at His right hand in the heavenly realms…” Ephesians 1:16-20

“But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions — it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages He might show the incomparable riches of His grace, expressed in His kindness to us in Christ Jesus.” Ephesians 2:4-7

‘Sit, Walk, Stand’ by Watchman Nee; Gospel Literature Service; ©1957; Bombay, India

Here are statements thirteen and fourteen-year-olds suggested Jesus might give today:

• “Remember, the Bible says: ‘Love one another.’”
• “Have patience with your students; everyone learns in different ways.”
• “Teach your students what is true and holy.”
• “Care about kids’ mental health.”
• “Act and live in the ways of God.”
• “God sent Me to save you.”
• “Tell others to open their hearts for Me.”
• “Guide students to reach their goals.”
• “Look deeper into the meaning of students’ words.”
• “Believe in the potential of your students.”
• “Refer to the Word of God when in need.”
• “Have fun with your students!”
• “No homework!! It makes people sad…”

I think God loves (most of) these answers! He treasures the young people He has created and He wants parents, teachers, coaches, and mentors to guide them in His ways.

“The student is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like their teacher.” Luke 6:40

“And I will give you shepherds after My own heart, who will guide you with knowledge and understanding.” Jeremiah 3:15