with God... ALL THINGS are possible!

I've been trying to write an update for days! Christopher was released from the hospital one week ago today. We have been staying with a dear friend since Monday and we don't have internet. I have been creative at sitting in the driveway to get an unlocked signal, but even then it's so weak that it is impossible to get anything done. So I have gone to the library a few times, but I haven't had the opportunity to respond to all the sweet emails and notes on facebook. Please know how much you all mean to us and how thankful we are for YOU! Let me get y'all updated so we can praise and pray together. Amen!

Daddy totally did a miracle with regard to getting CR's meds pushed through insurance so that we could be released from the hospital before the weekend. A week ago last Friday about 9pm, one of the nurses came into our room saying that she didn't know how it happened on a Friday night after business hours [insert a smile and a wink here], but just then she had gotten an alert that his medicine had been approved and prescribed. We would have had to wait until Monday to be released. Ha, isn't God marvelous!

CR was doing so well that Children's Hospital was like a fun resort for him... and I quote “Mom, just pick up the phone and order food! I love this place!” The new Children's Phoenix is absolutely amazing. Not something that you wish for, being admitted to the hospital with your baby, but there is nowhere I would rather be with him in our situation. The facility, the staff, the volunteers.. all of it is so over the top incredible that I thought of Africa everyday; the conditions and what people of capable of enduring just blows my mind. I praise God that He knew and kept us here, and that Children's is an amazing place for God's precious treasures in Phoenix.

The docs took him off the IV fluids that Friday night and my boy slept for 10 hours straight without having to pee. We were praising the Lord when we woke up rested for the first time in a week. His blood counts were stable that morning; not increasing or decreasing, BUT his spleen was reducing in size and it had only been a few days, so we knew his body was doing what it was supposed to be doing. Hallelujah for the healing balm from heaven!!

Speaking of, CR has not had one single negative side effect from the treatments, and still hasn't to this day two weeks later. NOT ONE. It's the most amazing gift! What's more is that he is even BETTER than before he was diagnosed. Seriously. His appetite is unbelievable. I had thought for the past few months that he was just in a stage of non-growth and therefore not very hungry. He would sit in front of food for long periods of time nibbling or eating slowly. On rare occasions he would actually eat a normal portion with an appetite. Nothing sickly, just what I can see in hindsight. I love watching my kid grub and enjoy his food, it's a highlight of my everyday. He is eating four meals a day and snacks in between! He is sleeping wonderfully, has perfect potties, a big concern and prob with chemo, is full of energy, joy.. and is just the same upbeat, life-loving Christopher Reign.

Only Papa could do something THIS spectacular! Thank you, Jesus!

The last few days in the hospital I had been asking God about what He wanted to accomplish in all of this. We have been following Jesus wherever and however He leads.. now on another faith-building curve in the road that will keep us here for a time. Being in love with Jesus changes everything. I'm so yielded to Him that I find myself on my face pleading to be used. I don't care where or how. Lord, use us!

Many have offered a room in their homes to us, knowing our circumstance. I am so humbled at that but find myself pleading with Daddy evermore to send me.. send us. If not Africa at this time, please God send us to the poor, the lost and hurting in Phoenix that need a touch from their Papa and their Friend. I don't want to be hung up in our circumstance. God help us to keep pressing in and on; moving forward despite what comes at us.

So I just asked Daddy if we could do life in the city where the hospital is and the need for Him is vast. “Would you move us into an area that you can use us?? Will you use your yielded little lovers to bring people home... right here where we are in Phoenix? Lord, please send us!”

So Monday and Tuesday I began praying our way through craigslist rentals; going out through neighborhoods and sharing the testimony of what God is doing in our lives with anyone who will listen. These days are so wonderful. We went as God led us, singing praises through inner city Phoenix. We don't have money to do this; to live in our own home and afford all that comes with that, but our Dad owns ALL the cattle on a thousand hills. I am reminded that everything belongs to Him. He wants our praise and to bless us as we serve Him. I'm telling Him we will live anywhere; the hood, a studio, whatever.. we just want His light in us to shine. He led us to dark places; $500 a month doesn't get you much! Nevertheless, we just went out seeking the place He has for us and shared His love as we went.

Tuesday, as we were at the library and I was praying through CL, Daddy whispered to go to the neighborhood that I wanted to live in, claim it for Him and that I could have it. What! I felt myself saying but... but we will go anywhere, where do You want us? Children's Hospital is on Thomas just off of 16^th street. As CR and I would stand at the window of our 7^th floor room singing praises to our Savior, I would pray over that corner; claiming it for Him. I want that one, Daddy... I want 16^th and Thomas and all that surrounds!

I felt led to change the $500 max rent search to $600 and kept praying through the CL rentals. We have been looking at 400 and 500 square feet one bedrooms and studios in central Phoenix, but I saw an ad that said 2 bedroom 700s sq ft updated four-plex, so I clicked on it. I thought it was a scam because the pics were amazing. Granite, stainless steel, wood and travertine floors, updated fixtures and just pure and new awesomeness.

I called to see 1) if it was for real! 2) if there was a one bedroom so that I could stay around $500 per month. The guy asked me if it was just me. I used that opportunity to share with him what God was doing in our lives. There was two of us but we were looking for a studio or one bedroom to keep the expenses down because we were missionaries to Africa on a faith building detour in Phoenix. He told me that since he didn't have a one bedroom to offer me, that he would just lower the price to $500. What! Haa!

We jumped in our borrowed car and made our way to the corner of 16^th street and Thomas. Yup, that's right. There, just a few blocks away from our corner and Children's Hospital, tucked into the ghetto, is the most amazing little TWO BEDROOM, fully updated, CLEAN, little slice of heaven for me and my son. Christopher even gets his own room! And our Daddy has made every way... with finances that were not available until we found the home... no job... no bank account... nothing on paper that a landlord is looking for in a renter. Electric, no deposit required! Water, no deposit required Miss Brown!

Only Papa could do something THIS spectacular! Thank you, Jesus!

We have the keys but haven't moved in yet. There has been a little delay in the utility guys getting over there to turn on the electric and water. So we just continue to praise our Father and go when and where He leads. CR and Grammy Maggie are cooking up a storm and baking cookies today.

Life is so beautifully sweet.

So many of you have asked what you can do to help us in this time. Up until now we haven't had any physical needs, and prayer was our only real need. Now that we know we are here for a while, and I just signed a one year lease, we have 12 months at $500/mo rent plus utilities and food, we need to furnish our little 700 sq foot gift from God and get a bike with trailer to go to and from our appointments at Children's.

I know Him as our provider, and I am thankful that He has lead us to complete dependence. I also know that He uses His body to meet needs. If you feel led to help us, please email me at tanib_3@yahoo.com for our address (I don't want to post on a public forum like blogger!). I will post pics of our place as soon as I have my camera with us. *Just a reminder that I don't have internet and am not on the computer often, so I will email back as I am able to get to the library :)

We had our first follow up oncology appointment last Wednesday. Watching my son leaves me in awe of God. His handiwork is astonishing, amazing and nothing short of miraculous. A few doctors and other staff had come to the appointment just to meet “the angel called Christopher Reign” that they had been hearing about. God's handiwork; His anointing smeared on the frame of a small child that I get to call son. AMAZING!

Christopher's results came back within 30 minutes and his counts are slowly decreasing. PTL! His WBC's are in the high 70,000's, down from 190,000 just two weeks ago. His target is about 4,000 (at one time I thought it was 30,000.. just kidding!) His RBC's are going up; not where they should be but improving and leaving him with no outward signs of anemia. PTL! All of his organs are working properly including his liver, and his spleen has decreased in size so significantly in such a short amount of time that is is nearly unbelievable. Only God.

After only 10 days of Miracle Healing Balm!

With his new favorite CARS snow globe.

The most amazing report though is that he has absolutely NO BLASTs in his blood! Blasts are the baby, premature blood cells that are not supposed to be released into the blood; only mature cells should be in the blood stream. When we got the results of his first CBC, CR's blood had all different stages of blood cells; blasts, mature, the PH+ cancer etc. The only way of determining the PH+ chromosome is via bone marrow aspiration, not just a simple blood draw. But his CBC came back at this appointment with no blast and all mature cells. PTL! Jesus is alive and healing today, beloved! I believe that the PH+ chromosome is dead and gone, but the only way we will know is by marrow aspiration in God's time.

Which brings me to transplant. Everything the docs are doing now is in prep for bone marrow transplant. At the appointment I just continued to rebuke anything that was not HE IS HEALED. While they all stand around in complete amazement that my babe has no symptoms or trace of poison chemo in him, they are determined to tell me that it will come and that he will need blood transfusions and that he absolutely must have a bone marrow transplant to survive. I just matter of factually explain to them about a Jesus who is alive and paid the price, and in essence that they will see a miracle because they are wrong. They smile and nod. God heals.. we just love. His way... He is working in His way and His time and we trust Him completely.

I love serving God. His plan is for us is health in whole bodies. .. joy.. peace.. lovingkindness.. blessings.. love.. life to the fullest! Everything our heart's desire is available to us NOW through the man in flesh that God sent as our Messiah; a Savior to this lost and dying world. On earth as it is in heaven. He wants life for us! He wants us to be so full of joy, so full of peace, so FULL OF HIS SPIRIT that when the world around us shakes with sin and evil, we stand proclaiming His love and goodness... and we do so with POWER and GLORY that comes only from God Himself.

Jesus Christ. The Savior of the World. The door into the heart of our Father who loves us and so desires our praise. If you don't know Him.... if you don't know Him as your Savior, your Friend, your Provider, your Healer, your Every Breath. .. if you don't and you want to, just get on your knees and ask Him to show Himself to you as Truth. Let His love embrace you and comfort you... and then call me so we can rejoice in His goodness!

You have a whole life of purpose waiting for you. You have a healed body waiting for you. You have abundant life and eternity waiting for you. So what are you waiting for?? Ask Him into your heart now and come into true life.

We love you all so much! We are so thankful for you! We pray God's love and blessings over you each time we see your emails, comments or hear your voices.

Be blessed, beloved of God.