 I wrote an earlier post about my oldest son, Ryan. This picture is one I took of him 25 years ago. Every time I was on the phone, he would "enjoy" unpacking his dresser drawers. I will only write one blog this week because there is only one thing I feel capable of thinking about right now. Ryan has had a bump behind his ear for a couple of years. His new wife, Candice, was bothered by it and kept telling him he needed to get it looked at. I loved her before, but I love her in a whole new way now. The bump is a very rare, cancerous tumor. Ryan will have surgery this week and the only purpose of this blog is to ask every one of you to pray for my son, his wife, and for our family. Jim and I have been going about our ministries, doing what we need to do, because God has given us strength for each day. Sometimes the greatest blessings come from the hardest times. I am amazed at the spiritual strength and the trusting faith that both of my sons have displayed during this past week and a half. I told them both, they were putting their mother to shame! I am blessed by the knowledge that my sons have grown up to be strong men of God. I loved Laura Story's song "Blessings" before...now it means even more.Here is what I am leaning on and learning anew in this tough time: Lamentations 3:22-23. "Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning. Great is your faithfulness." The word compassions is plural. I am learning God's love and strength in new ways I had not yet experienced. He is enough for each day...but tomorrow I will need to ask for, and receive, his "compassions" for that day. Isaiah 54:10. "Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed," says the Lord, who has compassion on you." I understand God's peace in a new way. It is a constant presence, or Presence! But this time his peace feels heavier to walk with. I think it feels that way....because it is a greater peace than I normally need for each day. Romans 8:6. "...the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace." When my thoughts are governed by the Spirit, I receive hope and encouragement. When my mind goes elsewhere, I give Satan the opportunity to influence. So i choose to surrender my thoughts to the One who speaks the truth. 1 John 4:12. "No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love his made complete in us." God made us to need each other too. I have been blessed, strengthened and loved by friends and family who have sent encouragement, prayers, Scripture and other help our way. You have allowed God to live in you - and we have been ministered to, through you. When Ryan was just a little boy I had trouble with him not wanting to hold my hand. If I heard it once, I heard it twenty times a day, "No momma, my byself!" (and no...that is not a typo!) He would try to pull his hand away from mine - and that little guy was strong even then! So I taught him that I didn't have to hold him, as long as he held me. Ryan learned to hook his finger through my belt loop and we would cross the street like that. (He didn't know that my hand had the back of his shirt collar at the same time!) I knew how to keep him safe then....and I know how to keep him safe now. I'm asking everyone I know, to pray. I was speaking at a conference this past weekend, once again carried by God's Spirit. I mentioned one of my "life verses." Galatians 5:25 says, "Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit." There are moments when I want to look at God and pull my hand away. I can hear him say, "I don't have to hold you, as long as you hold me." My family is hanging on to God this week...but I know He also has his hand on "our collars" all the same. Thank you for praying...it will make all the difference. And I will write again later....
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Written by Janet Denison
Monday, 06 February 2012 07:30
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Thank you for sharing! This is the Ryan I remember (the picture you posted). I'm praying for your whole family through this time! I'm praying for God's protection for Ryan and peace for all of you who love him so dearly.
P.S. I, too, have a much deeper appreciation for Candice!!
Grace and peace,
Maggie Rowe
I just want you to know that I, along with the entire Knox team prayed today for Ryan, his wife, you, Jim and your entire family. I know you must be so concerned...our hearts are with you and we pray trusting that God holds your beloved son in the palm of his hand.
Sharon Leavitt
Please know that Wayne and I are praying for Ryan and your whole family. Our prayer will for total healing for Ryan, and complete peace for you, Jim, and your family. Your blog is such a blessing full of encouragement for all of us. As Jim has always said, God is on His throne and we all are as close as our knees. We will be there for you all.
Our love to your family, Carole Clayton
I've read of your son's plight on your & your husband's blogs and want you to know I am praying for Ryan and for both of you.
I, too, have a son; 10 yrs ago he went through life-threatening surgery. He is now paralyzed from the waist down, but lives a very productive life. Those days, as well as current ones, are filled with prayers for him . . . and myself! It is only through prayer that I made it through those days. God continues to bless me in unimaginable ways. And he will you!
I, along with many others, will be anxious to hear of Ryan's progress.
Your sister in Christ,
(The Rev.)Gladys Dennis, Vicar
It says, "Even though the winds aren't still, And the waves continue tossing me, From the storm I call His name, For relief from things distressing me, Now so quietly it comes, Strength to find my course again, Though He does so much for me, His sweetest gift will always be,
Peace in the midst of the storm, Peace in the midst of the storm, I cry to Him for mercy, And His great loves takes the form, Of peace in the midst of the storm,
What tomorrows hold they hold, Joy and sadness coming day by day, But I will not be afraid, Though I know some storms will come my way, Let my enemy be sure, I will not be lost at sea, There will never come a time, That with prayer I cannot find,
Peace in the midst of the storm (chorus repeats)
I pray that this will speak to your soul as it does to mind. Keeping all of you close in prayer.
Your words bring comfort to me as I will undergo further testing on my unborn child to determine the severity of her diagnosis of Spina Bifida. I have 15 weeks until she arrives in this world, and everyday is a reminder that before she was mine, she was (& IS) a child of God's.
We are praying for all of you. I have such sweet memories of your little boy and my little girl playing together. Praying God's protection and healing over Ryan; praying His comfort and peace for you and Jim.
Kari and Marc Dingler
We all talk about our faith and know we have strong faith, but when the great storms of life crash into our peaceful lives then we really have to step out in radical faith and trust in knowing that God is always with us. For many years during times of great storms I have focused on the scripture you referenced from Lamentations............ It has been a source of strength because I know that God mercies are new every morning and He gives us enough to last the entire day and we know it starts all over again tomorrow. What an awesome God we worship................ My thoughts and prayers are with you and the family and God does make what seems impossible to us become possible as exemplified repeatedly in scripture.
We witness God’s miracles everyday………………
May God veil your family in His amazing grace of peace and comfort during this great storm.
Praying for you and your precious family! God is big and good~ I pray you all feel His loving arms as he holds onto your collars or as He carries you this week!
Praying!!
the utleys
I look forward to hearing about the love you are able to share with others as you encounter the many new lives you will touch on Ryan's journey to healing.
Praying for all of you this week. I still claim Ryan as "mine" since he was in my 1st grade class. Skeet and I both send our love. God will carry you through.
nancy doss
Our love to all the Denisons -
Lisa and Stan
Our hearts hurt with yours, Janet. Since our daughter has had
cancer, we understand the difficulty of the "not knowing" phase.
Be assured of our continued prayers, Boone & Peggy
The Banky Stocks
It had nothing to do with the cancer but everything to do with obedience. You will walk with Him, cry to Him and then rejoice with Him. His grace is enough. I am a cancer survivor and know Jesus as Jehovah Rapha, my sweet Healer. Stand firm on His word and do not listen to the whispers of the enemy. he is a liar and a joy robber. Asking that the warm healing power of the Holy Spirit pours over your entire family. Be aware of the hopeless people all around you in the hospital. They are desperate for your King. Pam
You have for so long been ministering to us, and even through your pain you are still doing so.
We are also in a medically traumatic situation, and your transparency and faith have been a blessing. We will be in prayer with you for Ryan and his family, esp. Wedn night and Thursday morning. Our God is forever an awesome God.
My entire family is praying for Ryan. You both have ministered to our family for a long time, as we are members of PCBC and I was a part of your Thursday morning Ladies Bible Study for years. Also, my parents are long-time members of Tallowood Baptist and were thrilled when Ryan came on staff! We want you to know how much we love your family because of your faith in our Lord, Jesus Christ, and how you have equipped us how to be faithful through extremely difficult circumstances. We will continue to pray for Ryan and your entire family, that He will continue to bring all of you peace and comfort, and that He will heal Ryan.
Erin and Mac Duncan
Please know that we are praying for Ryan and the whole family during this tumuluous and uncertain time in your lives. I am reminded of a word of encouragement that Jim gave us 12 years ago when we faced so much uncertainty with our sweet baby boy. Jim said he too didn't understand the "why" of what we were facing, but he said "...what I do know is that God is still on His throne...". That is still as true today as it was then. God IS still on his throne. This was not a surprise to Him. I know God equipped Ryan, his wife and all of you for this day and this time. May God grant you His grace and peace that you need for today. We love you all!
Wendy & Chip Waggoner
My second son was just diagnosed with cancer as well and had surgery the week before Christmas.He is 25 and in his final semester of Law School. I know that God is working in his life as well. prayers and scripture have kept us focused. It has been hard, but we serve an awesome God!!!
"We as believers must be just that and live by FAITH. It is tragic and crippling to the gospel and to Christ to defend our right to be sick, poor or unsuccessful. We must not cheapen or shrink the gospel to fit our own unbelief and lack of experience. We must allow the fullness of God to change our expectations until we see the manifestations in our own lives." And I add, and in the lives of our children. God, we know you are able to keep that which we commit unto you, and we commit Ryan (both of them) into your hands. For you are well able to do far above anything we could ever ask or think. God do what only you can do, the miraculous! We give you a yet praise. We haven't seen it yet, but we praise you anyway. We praise you for who you are.
God has certainly been with me through many illnesses and the death of two husbands and a daughter; I know He cares and comforts us at all times.
God bless you and Jim as you experience this deep concern for your son Ryan. I teach with a woman who is a dear friend of mine that you ministered to when you lived in Atlanta. She was in your SS class and had cancer. She has always remembered how your words strengthened her and built her faith. YOu helped her during those dark days. May you be encouraged during this time now and feel His presence every step of the way. We're praying for you here in Atlanta.
I just wanted to let you know that I'm praying for you and your precious family too.
We are praying for you, for Ryan and his wife, and above all that the Father's presence and strong undergirding is palpable in this time. We pray for the surgeon's hands, that Jesus will guide every move he makes, and that the diagnosis will be accurate. Blessings, dear ones!
Jerry & Elizabeth
I'm praying for Ryan, Candice and your family. Although I haven't seen Ryan since he went to college - I still picture him in that Atlanta Braves baseball cap - I know that he retains his wonderful sense of humor and quiet, steady faith in our Lord. I know that these two qualities will carry him through the struggle he is facing.
Our Lord is faithful and I know that He's holding on to Ryan.
You and Jim have blessed so many with your words - including Jeff and me. Jeff has been able to pass Jim's writing along to so many that might never have darkened the door of a church. Know that we are praying for you.
Glynis
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