This past week we have seen the Lord open doors for our ministry that we know are the direct answer to your prayers.  There is a tremendous opportunity in West Dallas to be a part of a collaboration to train people from the community and develop micro businesses in construction, culinary, dental technicians and automotive.  This has the opportunity to provide a platform for the gospel and make disciples of hundreds of people that will have an impact on thousands in our city.  Each one of these outposts is an open door for people to come in and meet Jesus and to have hope for tomorrow.  Recently, one of our staff members shared about a prostitute who came to our eye clinic, but was so tired and on drugs that she could not even get her eyes examined.  Our staff prayed fervently for her and told her Jesus could change her life and set her free from her pimp and that life style.  Each time she would come to the clinic, the pimp would wait outside for her and wonder why she was taking so long because our staff was ministering to her and letting her rest.  When the pimp would come in and try to go back in the back to see her, the staff told him he could not go back into the patient area.  They protected her and gave her a refuge from this storm of her life.  Thirty days passed and the same lady came into the clinic and asked if they remembered her.  She said, “I asked Jesus to come into my life, left the streets and am living with my grandmother and I want to come to the clinic for optical training so I can get a job and begin my life again.” How I praise God for the open door these clinics and businesses are in the city for people to open their hearts to Jesus and be saved.

            Medically, the Lord has also opened a door for our healing.  Several weeks ago I received a call from a doctor in California who is the son in law of one of our members at Prestonwood.  He is a Thoracic Oncologist at Cedar Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles.  When I spoke to him I was immediately encouraged by his words of wisdom and concern.  We have received a diagnosis from this doctor that is only found in 1% of patients with cancer.  His diagnosis, after receiving our biopsies and medical records is that I have synchronous primary.  This basically means that my 2 tumors formed at about the same time, but one tumor did not come from the other.  This means that surgery is now an option and that I am in Stage 1b or 2 and not Stage 4.  We are overwhelmed by God’s continued grace in our lives and your fervent prayers.  I will get C.T. scans done tomorrow to have as a measurement of how the Tarceva has worked, by God’s grace, to shrink the tumors.  We know that Jesus is our only healer and that he can use any method or doctor at any time to heal me for his glory.  We will go to our doctor on Monday here in Dallas and will blog the results of our tests this Monday evening.  Based on the results of the C.T. scans, we are prepared to fly to California next Wednesday for further tests, with a potential surgery on October 26th to remove the two tumors from my lung.  We know that God has opened this door for His glory and our good. 

            We love you and covet your prayers more now than ever before to continue to believe God by faith, to walk through the doors He opens for each of us to be His ambassador of healing and salvation to the hurting and the lost.