I wanted to take this opportunity to give you an update on our recovery. It has been three weeks since I left the hospital from kidney transplant surgery. I’m happy to report that both Letty and I are recovering remarkably well, even better than we expected. Here are some of the highlights:

– My new kidney is not only functioning well, but it has enhanced my health tremendously. I have not felt this good or had this much energy in years! All my levels have come back to normal or getting very close. The doctors have decreased the doseage of some of my meds already!

– Most kidney transplant patients have to go to labs and clinics twice a week for a month. My doctors have me down to once a week after two weeks! Also, most transplant recipients are not cleared to drive until 4-6 weeks after surgery. I got cleared to drive after the third week. I also got the staples removed from my incisions a week early.

– I’ve lost nearly 40 pounds from my weight when I started dialysis! I’m eating a healthy diabetic diet (lots of veggies) and my blood sugars have been under control. I’m walking about 6-7 miles a day (15,000-17,000 steps on FitBit) which has helped with the weight loss.

– Letty is also doing really well. She’s almost back to 100% (she has her post-op with the surgeon next week). She’s just a little achy in her incision areas, but almost to the point where it’s not bothering her that much.

All this to say, God has blessed us with a remarkable recovery! And much of that has to do with the many, many people who are still praying for us.

My tennis coach always told me that the most important thing to remember in striking a tennis ball is the “follow through.” And that’s what’s happening here. There was a lot of prayer in the preparation (during dialysis and the waiting). There was a lot of prayer for the surgery. But there is still a lot of prayer going on (on my part and yours) for the “follow through”, the recovery.

That’s why Paul says in Philippians 4:6, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” As well in Ephesians 6:18, he writes: “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions, with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.”

When we pray, we need to pray all the way! Don’t just pray for the issue or the event and then stop when you’re through the crisis. Pray all the way through; “follow through” in our prayers. And that’s what we’ve been doing, and God has been responding.

So thank you for your prayers. And keep on praying for us. Here are a couple of prayer requests you can lift up:

– Pray for protection from infection and rejection until my immune system kicks in and the kidney is totally received by my body (at least another month or so). While I’m feeling very good, I’m still very prone to viruses, bacteria, etc. That’s why I’m pretty restricted from being in crowds and I have to wear a mask every time I leave the house.

– Pray for my re-entry back into ministry. I’m meeting with Pastor Rob (my boss) tomorrow and we’ll be discussing this (when, what, how).

– Pray that Letty gets cleared medically to go back to teaching. The school year preparation will be gearing up in the next few weeks, as school starts in early August.

– Pray that I would continue to hear from God in my daily times of devotion and prayer. This time of recovery has afforded me a “sabbatical” type of environment. I feel that God has given me this new life for a reason, and I want to be in the center of his will and abide in Him like never before.

– Pray for Letty and me, that our marriage and our oneness together would grow and deepen. Yesterday we celebrated our 36^thanniversary and today my doctor cleared us to take a little getaway to the beach for the next couple of days (yay!) This season has really brought us together like never before and there is a reason for that, too.

May the Lord bless you, keep you, make his face shine on you, be gracious to you, lift his countenance before you, and give you his peace. Amen!