June, 2008
Greetings Friends and Family!
I want to thank you for your continuing love, prayers, and support for me and my family. God continues to be faithful to all His promises and true to His Word. I got my blood checked yesterday and my PSA was 0.5 with no rise since last month. Praise the Lord! As most of you know, my PSA has risen over the past several months. For a man who no longer has a prostate gland, this is not good. After two years of treatments for prostate cancer, we were looking for two years of "undetectable" PSA (0.1). This was the case for 18 months, but then it bumped up to 0.2 which is still considered "undetectable." Then it rose to 0.3 which the doctors say indicates "reoccurrence" of the cancer at the biological level in the blood. Further tests showed that it was not metastasized anywhere in my body which was good news. The plan is to watch the PSA levels each month, and if/when it gets to 1.0 then I will go back on hormone therapy. So, we're watching. It rose to 0.4 and was there for three months, then, last month it rose to 0.5. This month it was still 0.5 and this means that it is rising much slower than my oncologist at U.C.S.F., Dr. R, thought that it would. So, bottom line? I'm thankful to be alive! And, I'm living each day to the full! I want my life to make a difference in my family, with my friends, through my church, and for my Lord. I've been thinking for the past few days, about three words. The few days leading up to my monthly blood tests are always a tender time. These few days were extra tender with the passing of a dear friend, Katie Andrews. Our families have camped together for years, and I will cherish those memories.
So, for these past few days I've been thinking about these three words: Reoccurrence, Recession, and Renewal. I'm sorry if I sound like a preacher, but I am one! But more importantly, I'm a Christ-follower, and like you I get to choose what I will think about and focus on in my life. The older I get, the more I realize the importance of "focus." What are you focusing on? What are you thinking about these days? For me, I could choose to focus on "reoccurrence" and be filled with fear. The enemy loves to attack me with thoughts of the "what ifs" of my fight with cancer. From losing a few pounds from eating healthy, to occasional aches and pains from getting old, the enemy is never slow to bring thoughts of impending doom. But I will not focus on "reoccurrence!" Like you, I could choose to focus on "recession" and get discouraged. I know that by a technical, economic definition we are not in one. A friend of mine explained this to me yesterday, and I almost understood it. But still, for most of us, these are tough times financially. I'm not complaining, it's just reality. Our giving is down at New Life and I'm sure it is not because of a cooling of our passion for Christ or a waning commitment to His kingdom work. It's because times are tough. As of the writing of this update, in the past 21 weeks, we've been under in our giving required to meet our budget 12 times, resulting in a $54,000 shortfall. We're only down 4.22% for the year, but it is looking like a trend. So, we're praying a lot, tightening our belts, cutting where we can, and then praying some more! But I will not focus on "recession!" I'm choosing to focus on "renewal," and be filled with hope! My God is a God of renewal!
As I write this, I'm looking out into my backyard (and realize I need to mow my lawn!) but I also see the flowers coming to bloom, and the fruit trees with lots of leaves (of course my fruit trees don't produce fruit!) but it's a perfect picture of the renewal of Spring. I believe that God wants us to be in continual renewal! And, this is only possible because of our hope in Christ! If we will keep our focus on Him, He will be renewing us by His power and for His glory. It's so easy to lose focus, especially when you're facing cancer or financial hardship. Now is the time to keep our focus on Jesus! I want to leave you with a few verses that I read this morning.
2 Corinthians 4:14-18 (NIV) 14 We know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in his presence. 15 All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God. 16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. Reoccurrence? Recession? Or, Renewal? I'm choosing Renewal! May you fix your eyes on Jesus today, may you keep your focus on the promises of God, and may He renew your socks off!
So, for these past few days I've been thinking about these three words: Reoccurrence, Recession, and Renewal. I'm sorry if I sound like a preacher, but I am one! But more importantly, I'm a Christ-follower, and like you I get to choose what I will think about and focus on in my life. The older I get, the more I realize the importance of "focus." What are you focusing on? What are you thinking about these days? For me, I could choose to focus on "reoccurrence" and be filled with fear. The enemy loves to attack me with thoughts of the "what ifs" of my fight with cancer. From losing a few pounds from eating healthy, to occasional aches and pains from getting old, the enemy is never slow to bring thoughts of impending doom. But I will not focus on "reoccurrence!" Like you, I could choose to focus on "recession" and get discouraged. I know that by a technical, economic definition we are not in one. A friend of mine explained this to me yesterday, and I almost understood it. But still, for most of us, these are tough times financially. I'm not complaining, it's just reality. Our giving is down at New Life and I'm sure it is not because of a cooling of our passion for Christ or a waning commitment to His kingdom work. It's because times are tough. As of the writing of this update, in the past 21 weeks, we've been under in our giving required to meet our budget 12 times, resulting in a $54,000 shortfall. We're only down 4.22% for the year, but it is looking like a trend. So, we're praying a lot, tightening our belts, cutting where we can, and then praying some more! But I will not focus on "recession!" I'm choosing to focus on "renewal," and be filled with hope! My God is a God of renewal!
As I write this, I'm looking out into my backyard (and realize I need to mow my lawn!) but I also see the flowers coming to bloom, and the fruit trees with lots of leaves (of course my fruit trees don't produce fruit!) but it's a perfect picture of the renewal of Spring. I believe that God wants us to be in continual renewal! And, this is only possible because of our hope in Christ! If we will keep our focus on Him, He will be renewing us by His power and for His glory. It's so easy to lose focus, especially when you're facing cancer or financial hardship. Now is the time to keep our focus on Jesus! I want to leave you with a few verses that I read this morning.
2 Corinthians 4:14-18 (NIV) 14 We know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in his presence. 15 All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God. 16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. Reoccurrence? Recession? Or, Renewal? I'm choosing Renewal! May you fix your eyes on Jesus today, may you keep your focus on the promises of God, and may He renew your socks off!
Amazingly Graced,
Pastor Ron Salsbury
