A Very Busy Three Weeks

Hi Everyone...these last three weeks have been very busy for the McIntyres and I feel badly that in not keeping the blog current, some misinformation has begun to circulate about my health. I apologize and want you to get the "the straight scoop" directly from "the horse's mouth."

Physically, my condition has deteriorated over the last three weeks and recent tests and appointments have given us some reasons as to why. My energy level has been very low due to my blood counts and I have been back to Yale a couple of times for units of blood. I have also had increasing difficulty with mobility. In a week's time I went from unsteady walking to being unable to stand or walk without assistance. Presently I use a wheelchair to get around. When I saw the doctor he was not surprised by these changes in my situation, knowing the aggressive nature of my cancer. He ordered an MRI this week to get a grasp on what was taking place.

The MRI showed that the nerves in my lower spinal area are being compressed due to the cancer growth. The good news is that the cancer in that area is treatable and I have already begun radiation treatments. Even with just two treatments "under my belt", I can already sense a difference in my body and am encouraged.

During these past three weeks the McIntyre's home has been a very busy place. We celebrated Andrea's birthday with a surprise visit from her two sisters. Also, Elise and Krista planned their own homecoming surprise for mom. More recently two of my college buddies visited and we had a great time of catching up and encouraging each other. So between birthday celebrations, visits from old friends, doctors' visits and increasing physical struggles, it has been a busy time.

How am I doing personally? Well, I face some great challenges in the future. Stamina is low and my body is just plain weak. I continue with a very healthy diet to build it up as best I can. I've had considerable pain due to the nerve compression and just getting around the house is about as big a challenge as I can handle right now. However, I look forward to my physical condition improving as the radiation shrinks the cancer away from the nerves and especially as God's people continue to pray for my healing.

While the physical struggles are real and can be greatly discouraging, I want you to know that I continue to be greatly encouraged in the Lord. He is faithful to His promises and has provided all that I need. He is still in the miracle performing business and I ask that as you pray about all these things, that you remember to praise God for His goodness and to ask Him to do a great work of grace that reveals His power and glory with great clarity.

Thanks for your cards, email comments, Facebook posts, offers of help, phone calls, etc. They are all appreciated. What makes me sad is that I just can't respond to most of them. So, please know the grateful heart that receives them even though I don't have the opportunity to respond to them.

A Moment Apart!

Both Body and Spirit are going to be blended together tonight by one event that has just blessed me so deeply and ministered so profoundly, I feel like I could burst! For those of you who say, "That's a little dramatic, wouldn't you say, Dave?" I would respond, "Sorry, you weren't there Sunday night!"

Body: Many who follow this blog are part of Calvary Church and you know that a special prayer service was called for this past Sunday evening to pray to the Lord, asking for a miracle of healing which He is able to perform at any moment. The staff insisted we have the meeting in the FLC because they felt too many people would come to be handled well in the Sanctuary. They were right. So, with this large audience of those who love me and desired to come before God in prayer for me (including so many from Living Hope, our church plant of two years ago), I was in a pretty wonderful place...even though I had experienced a very tough day physically.

In thinking about this service, I had some very specific things in mind that I wanted to share, so I was the primary spokesman that evening. I shared from James 5 about the elders anointing with oil and offering prayer in faith. And the congregation participated silently as the elders came, anointed me with oil and prayed boldly and passionately about that which was the desire of our hearts. It was a stirring time.

Then the congregation prayed in small groups and later from open mics about the request of our hearts for a miracle on my behalf. I was so grateful to be there and to be prayed for in such passionate, bold, confident, and joyful ways. It was remarkable.

Spirit:

But this is where the evening just took my joy to a new level. You see, I had addressed those gathered about the reason we pray so tentatively. We almost hide behind, "if it be Your will" or "according to Your will." It's like throwing that phrase in there makes the prayer "safe" (because I don't want to pray something that isn't God's will). We often times don't know how to balance confidence, boldness and passion in prayer with God's will...as if they were in conflict with each other!

So I reminded the believers that the Bible says we are children of the King who have the unstoppable power of the Holy Spirit who raised Jesus Christ from the dead living in us and inviting us to offer big requests of a God who can do great things. I also shared with them that when I made a request of my dad as a kid, I asked with all my heart. First, because I really wanted whatever I was asking about. But second, I knew that he had ultimate veto power and would decide what was truly best...so I was free to ask with confidence and passion, according to what I knew was important to his heart.

That was something the Lord had just burned into my heart in planning the service and I prayed that it would be shared clearly and understood correctly. To then watch God's people grab it and apply it in prayer was amazing.

Not only did they pray that way for me, but this is where the evening took off into another realm. You see, my long term goal for the evening was that this not just be a prayer service for Dave McIntyre, but a prayer service for people in need who were asking for people to come alongside and lift them up in prayer. And that is what they did! I was so blessed to see our elders ministering in powerful ways as people came up and shared requests with them; they summarized the requests to the congregation and scores of people would jump to pray for that person in a huddle. The requests kept coming and the people kept rejoicing in the privilege of praying boldly before the Father. I praised God as I saw prayer circles all around the FLC, knowing they were bringing the requests of their brother and sisters to God boldly and in faith.

My heart was blessed beyond measure Sunday night. As my body struggles, my heart continues to grow and soar in Him.

Please continue to pray -- the down days come and, already since Sunday, moments of fear and frustration and discouragement have come knocking...but we've sent them packing each time, thanks to His grace.