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Huber Family

Monday, April 29, 2013

Update on IPAC Treatments

Joni was doing so well with her other treatments that she thought she'd try a new one today.  If she was by my side while I typed that last sentence, I'm sure I'd have sore ribs about now.  When I report that she is doing well with her treatments what I mean is that she came through them better than we expected.  The treatments are like the diseases that they are fighting in that you really don't know when the reactions will rear their ugly heads.  Some people go through a difficult time at the beginning, some in the middle, and some at the end.  We take each day of treatments as a blessing for healing and if Joni happens to come through feeling well enough to get around that is even a greater blessing.

IPAC stands for Insulin Potentiated Antibiotics with Chelodinine.  Wow! I'm not even sure I spelled that correctly.  As I wrote earlier this is a delivery system used in cancer and lyme disease patients to get antibiotics past the blood brain barrier and into places where the bacterias and viruses like to hide.  If you research it, you will find negative things written about it just like you would with most of the alternative treatments that are used. As I also mentioned before, many of the alternative treatments in the USA are not at all alternative in most parts of the world.  Hopefully we will catch up in these areas someday.  I'm not convinced of that when I remember the Scriptures teaching us that the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.  I actually get nervous about all the side effects that are listed for the prescriptions people use.  They are scarier than the side effects of these alternative treatments yet most people don't even think a thing about them.  That leads to another funny story about going to get a prescription filled for Joni.  I was taken back a little when the price rang up for $54.00 for 28 pills.  That seemed high but I left with the pills and began discussing my purchase with Joni.  She reminded me that I could get generic ones cheaper but I had failed to tell the pharmacist I would take the generic ones.  I went back to the counter to see if I could swap them out but was informed that the ones I had were the cheaper ones and were discounted even further by her.  I started to think back at the last time I had purchased drugs and I could not remember.  It has been at least 11 years or more that I have stood in line to purchase prescription drugs.  This is by the grace of God and a loving wife and mother who has saved our family countless money by not only keeping us out of the barbershop but also off prescription drugs.  She has a remedy for everything.  Her tireless efforts have reaped great rewards.

We are getting daily reports of peoples' health being totally changed by these methods that are not practiced throughout our country.  I was so saddened when my mom spoke of a dear friend who has suffered through a multitude of devastating health issues over the years to the point where he doesn't even want to see another doctor.  It is this type of person that a true lyme literate medical doctor can help.  Most patients at the clinics we have been to in Scottsdale have sacrificed everything to be here.  Some have sold their homes, parents have cashed in their retirements and a host of other stories I could share.  They look at these treatments as being their last hope for a better quality of life.  We have an even greater hope than that but boy it would be wonderful to have these treatments return some life to Joni.  Anyway, these IPAC treatments have the potential to really take you for a loop and Joni was not spared.  She actually went through the one hour process pretty good except for being extremely tired but then things began to happen.  She said many of the areas that have caused severe pain over the years hit her full force for awhile.  To my amazement she was actually rejoicing over this reaction because she believes the medicines are reaching the very areas where she needs them to go.  She was able to walk out of the clinic and get in the car but when we were walking into the hotel she just laid down on the sidewalk and didn't want to go on.  Kristalyn and I got her up to our room where the pain and complete exhaustion continued.  Thankfully she is doing much better now and resting comfortably. Well, much better than before.  She is scheduled to go through 11 more of this particular "special" treatments.  Pray that things go better in the days ahead.

We had a gentleman come by and pray with us tonight.  He is from the area and is friends with some of ours.  Here is a man that showed the love and compassion of Christ in that he didn't even know us but paid us a visit.  Boy do I have a lot to learn from him and others who reflect our Savior.  Thanks go out also to Mandi and John Sauve who came to visit last week.  What a great visit we had.  Along with the visits we continue to get many cards from all over.  Some come from dear friends while others come from people we hardly know, but the love and concern expressed in each one is very special to us.  Thank you all for making our time here as good as it can be.

We look forward to tomorrow when Joni will take some routine treatments.  Pray for strength and healing.  We continue to get opportunities to share our faith.  It's pretty easy to share our testimony after someone is amazed that I look too young to have 12 kids.  Let me correct that.  It's pretty easy to share our testimony after someone is amazed that Joni looks too young to have 12 kids.  I don't want to steal her thunder.   God is good.  Our lives are nothing more than a testimony of the Giver of Grace.  We enjoy sharing what He has done for us.  Next time I hope to share with you how much people have financially invested in out trip and what is needed.  Sleep well everyone and may the peace of God which passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.  Phil 4:7


Saturday, April 27, 2013

Blessings in a "Switch"

I know it's hard to believe but often in my early years I needed the "switch" on the backside to set some things in order.  I am so grateful that my parents didn't follow the human reasoning of the day and spare the rod.  I was commenting online a few months ago about how Joni and I used spankings in the upbringing of our children. There were some comments that followed expressing the horrors that a parent could do such a thing to a child. I was able to share that my anchor is not the "professional" wisdom of the day and certainly not my emotions (Who likes to spank their child?) But my anchor is the Word of God and it instructs me to administer the rod as a form of discipline. That's good enough for me even though it may not make sense to most people. I always knew my parents were smarter than the Dr. Spock's of the world.

Well, our switch was of a different nature but it also was certainly for our good. On Monday morning, April 22nd, we switched our healthcare over to Envita Natural Medical Center in Scottsdale, AZ. Location wise it was uneventful since it is just 5 miles in a different direction than our former clinic and our home away from home sits right in the middle.  We are very encouraged by the atmosphere, the professionalism and knowledge of the staff and the aggressive nature that is employed in fighting diseases of the body.  We have met new friends, heard others share their stories of the destructive nature of Lyme Disease, and been further educated on what we can do to be active participants in our own fight against these terrible bacterias and viruses.

Joni has completed her first week of treatments which many are similar to what she was receiving before as well as a more aggressive attack with antibiotics and detoxification.  The next week involves an even more aggressive move that involves using Insulin Potentiated Antibiotics with Chelidonine.  This is rather complicated to explain but in a nutshell insulin is used to drop the glucose level in the blood which causes cells to open up more to receive their food (glucose) and at that time the antibiotics are administered to go in with the glucose. I know that is a very elementary description but you can research it further if you are on the technical side. Actually it bothers me to be simplistic because I do enjoy the complicated ins and outs of the treatment.  This drug delivery procedure is more useful for lyme patients whose bacterias and viruses have crossed the blood brain barrier and are attacking the central nervous system which is the case with Joni. This is a very controversial treatment in the USA but not in most other parts of the world.  One of its uses in the U.S. is to replace the normal chemotherapy treatment in cancer patients because it can use 10-15 % of the dose of chemotherapy thus greatly reducing the side effects of the drugs.  I wonder why the pharmaceutical companies don't want this to get popular? ( hint-hint)  Many of these alternative treatments that are used in conjunction with the more popular conventional treatments will be on the rise in the coming years in particular with diseases like lyme because traditional medicine has a pretty bad track record when it comes to the chronic cases. There is little hope for those with chronic cases of certain diseases unless you go outside the conventional treatments.  Someday people will not have to travel outside of our great country to get the help they need.

Joni has responded wonderfully so far to her treatments.  We understand that at any time she could get very sick as the "bugs" are killed off and she detoxes but so far her reactions have not been on the severe side. Praise God!  I am convinced that she needs to attack her case aggressively when I hear of other patients tell their stories of not even able to remember their kids names. Joni has days that she seems to be perfectly fine but other days when she is not able to fill out the simplest medical forms without great difficulty. The slightest stress completely incapacitates her.  This is a total reversal from the confident, adventurous go-getter she once was.  I used to get upset with her because we would get in the car to go somewhere and she didn't have a concern at all that we would get to our destination without a street address or map. (which is a must for me)  She would just remember the terrain having been there before and wouldn't you know it, we were there. If we didn't make it there and drove around and around it created no negative feelings in her probably because I had enough for both of us.  I share this not to say her way of doing things was best, how could it be when mine was, but just to share with you how much things have changed for her.  She no longer is confident in getting in the car to go down the street.  I dropped her off for a 5 minute look in Whole Foods the other day and went to find her after 20 minutes.  She had been in the return line with her purchase watching others return their items but it never registered.  Many of you probably know of a friend or relative who suffers with mind altering medical conditions.  This can be very frightening and depressing.  I am trying to help keep Joni from a continual noticeable progression of losing her ability to think.  I know this is difficult for many of you to comprehend because at times Joni can carry on conversations well with you but for somebody who lives with her I know the toll this disease is taking on her body and mind.  With God directing the doctors I am confident Joni can recover.

I encourage everyone to research more about their health conditions. We must be super aggressive in learning and understanding God's design built into our amazing bodies.  With all the food, air and water pollutants we are surrounded with the next generation has little hope for a great quality of life unless they build up their immune systems to fight these vicious enemies.  I know there are naysayers out there who think it's no big deal because modern medicine has an answer for everything but you are absolutely wrong.  The success rates for "cures" are completely distorted.  For instance, we are told that one is cured of cancer if it is in remission for 5 years even if the cancer kills them later.  That is not cure to me.  Besides that, what is the quality of life like for one who lives on prescriptions for every ailment.  All I'm saying is that we need to be proactive in staying healthy and not count on the professionals to mask our symptoms when sickness comes.  Joni's disease is not from an insect bite.  It's not the bugs fault.  It is the result of a compromised immune system that couldn't fight the disease.  This reminds me of the person who claims that the devil made him do it.  No, it's not the devil's fault.  If we took the instructions from the Lord to be strong in His might and resist the devil, the devil would flee from us.  In the physical world as well as the spiritual world we are to take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.  As the Scriptures tell us in I Cor 10:31 "Whether therefore ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God."  Our health is a serious matter that needs much more attention than what we are giving it.

I had hoped to be home a long time ago to be with the kids and do the work I was hired for, but as yet that has not been possible. The change in clinics made it necessary for me to be here and the start of the IPAC treatments on Monday make it necessary for me to be here at least at the beginning.  It's difficult to think about leaving Joni.  I need to be a protector and provider on two fronts.  I guess this is what it feels like for so many in our military who deploy.  Pray for them and especially for them who leave sick ones and troubling situations.

As for finances,  it looks like we have money for one more week of treatments and we will have to come home.  This will be a very incomplete treatment protocol to us and the doctors but we are not wavering in the trust we have with a Sovereign God.  If he orchestrates different plans, we are onboard.  He is our Shepherd and as Ps 23 says, "I shall not want (lack).  Lead on my Shepherd, lead on.  A heart of gratitude pours out for those who have been praying, thinking of us, sending cards and money to meet our needs.  I know that each gift has been a sacrifice.  As Paul wrote to the Romans so write I to you, "Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost."  Forever grateful for our family and friends...

Saturday, April 20, 2013

Week #3 Update

Thank you all for your prayers and financial support as we continue our pursuit for Joni's healing.  We are sure missing our friends and family back in the San Antonio area but we are confident that we are doing what the Lord wants us to do at this point in our struggle with Lyme Disease and its co-infections.  Most people do not know anything about Lyme Disease and even less know that it has the ability to totally destroy ones body and mind and even cause death.  I know that I was in somewhat of a denial about Joni's serious condition when she began to describe the problems she was having with her mind.  Since she had lived our entire married life with pain, I just considered it to be another condition that a tired mother of 12 had to deal with.  Now I understand that the years of aches and pains that progressed to organ pains and now brain issues have been a long process of Lyme Disease slowly destroying her body.  Unfortunately the longer one goes undiagnosed and untreated the more difficult it can be to recover.  My admiration for Joni grows because she has never given up living her life for others even though she has silently been suffering.  I am also amazed with her will to find out what has caused all her conditions even when the doctors had given her no diagnosis and recommended she go on anti-depressants essentially telling her it was all in her head.  Well, they were wrong. I am so grateful for the medical people who are willing to look beyond the traditions and help those with diseases that are complicated and less known. I write all this to give hope to those who are suffering or will suffer with a disease like Lyme. This disease does not hit everyone the same, but I can assure you that you will someday all know a friend or family member who is being affected by it.  In all likelihood I and the kids could have Lyme also. It can be transmitted sexually as well as in the womb.

Joni came through her third week of treatments fairly well.  Monday and Wednesday treatments caused few negative reactions but Friday was pretty tough on her. Other than her first day of treatments this was the worst.  I started mentioning some treatments in my last post so I'll proceed with a couple more.
EDTA chelation through I.V.  is a treatment that helps eliminate heavy metals from the body. It improves the effectiveness of antibiotics that are being used as well as improving circulation in the body. Another treatment is low and high dose vitamin c through I.V. Many of you know the benefits of vitamin c but are unaware that your body can only absorb so much of it when taken orally. The body eliminates most of it without it being used.  When I.V.s are used your body can use over 90% of the substance. All these treatments have other nutrients in them as well. She also is taking antibiotics through I.V. We aren't crazy about this part but decided that the guns (nutrition, enemas, supplements, good diet, Rife machine)  she's been using to protect her house (body) are not enough to destroy the army that has invaded. We look for the day when these guns are used to preserve health and eliminate a future invasion. My hope is that Joni's continued use of these things even while here in Scottsdale will allow her to tolerate these other treatments in a milder way. Well, there are a few others but I'll leave those for a later post.

Pray for us. We are going to switch clinics this Monday. I have found it necessary to move Joni over to a more established clinic called Envita Health Clinic. You can find them on the web. http://www.envita.com/ I think you will be impressed by the things you find there. I already had a connection to the clinic when we came here because we were supposed to go there before we were sent over to the one where we are now. This move will give Joni the best atmosphere to heal as well as allow me to make my way home knowing she is more at ease at Envita. I won't express the reasons why we are doing this other than to say it has been quite a ride. Our journey has had many highs and lows physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. When I see those without Christ struggling through a similar journey my heart fills with gratitude for my Savior as well as all those in our past and present who have invested in us. I'm not much of a Facebook fan but I do like to reconnect with so many others who have shared their lives with Joni and me. The people back at North Love Baptist Church and Christian School in Rockford, Il, the people at Christ Church in Chemung, Il , the people at Boerne Christian Assembly, Cross and Crown Church, and now at First Baptist Church in Floresville have all helped to mold us into what we are today. Thanks be to God for all of you. I started to list some names but I could never make a short list of the people who have pointed me to my Savior through their words and deeds. We are going to have quite a reunion someday in glory land.  Tears stream down my cheeks when I think of the commitment my parents made on my behalf to point me to Jesus Christ and give me the foundations I would need to be faithful to him all my life. For the Lord's sake and for their efforts I pray everyday to finish strong.  I can't neglect to share the impact my in-laws have had also; always faithful, always praying, always supporting. Joni and I have walked on a road not well traveled but both of our parents have never ridiculed us even though they may have not understood. I am a blessed man indeed.

Prayer needs:
*Katherine and our kids back home-3weeks without mommy.
*Joni-3 weeks without kids. In over 30 years she has never been away for
more than a few days at one time-for some reason I can't replace them
*Our switch to Envita
*We are exploring creative ways to raise finances-running 2 households is expensive as well as the health care needs. I am anticipating reimbursement for some of the medical bills through an insurance substitute program called Samaritan Ministries but all our expenses have to be paid up front. I encourage everyone to look into Samaritan Ministries if they are looking into insurance programs. This particular plan is at this time an acceptable alternative to Obamacare.  It is essentially 25,000 families sharing each others medical expenses. It does have the drawback of paying up front but is remarkable otherwise. Tell them Rick sent you if you enroll. We have used up the little resources we had when we came and in a couple weeks will have used up money that was graciously sent our way when we got started on the program. I left Floresville thinking we would only be able to be here for a week out of the 8 week (or more) program and now we have made it through 3 because of the financial support of those who have given.  People may wonder why we left in the first place. I left with the hope that Joni would get help even if it was for a week. She had progressed to a critical stage in her health that needed immediate attention that most MD's are not able to handle, so here we are.  I hope to post a chart on Facebook soon showing our needs and support so far.
*The ministry opportunities continue. Praise the Lord. I'm told the people at the new clinic are sicker than the ones at our clinic. There are many cancer patients as well as Lyme patients. I know the Lord has a ministry for us there.

For this God is our God forever and ever. He will be our Guide even unto death. Ps 48:14
For the Lord is great and greatly to be praised; He is to be feared above all Gods. Ps 96:4

Rick



Saturday, April 13, 2013

Grace is Flowing Week #2

Many Christians make the mistake that God should only be associated with the "good" that is in our lives. One quick read through His Holy Word reveals that God is right in the middle of everything. Just think, if God planned the suffering of His only begotten Son before the foundation of the world for our good and His glory, why should we as His blessed sheep escape the "bad" in this life.  I'm reminded of a song that I would like to sing back home in church at Floresville one of these days. The title is "Embrace the Cross". It begins with the awesome words of Galatians 2:20 which reads: I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. This sight that allows mortal man to see God orchestrating all things causes him to sing joyfully while still in a prison cell. (Paul) It is this sight that Joni and I need to have in order to see the needs all around us here at Shea Medical Clinic while we seek help for our own need. Pray that God would give us His grace to be a powerful witness for Him.

God's grace has been abundant this week as Joni went through her first full week of treatments with just some minor reactions compared to the first treatments she took one and a half weeks age. After the first treatment and Joni's severe reaction, I did not know how she would be able to continue the treatments. She has not only survived but she and Kristalyn have been able to share some of the nourishing food they have prepared with others to encourage and minister to them. She has been able to communicate with many other patients sharing the love and truth of Christ. I have been able to hear some of her conversations and I am so proud to have her be mine.

I thought I would explain a treatment or two each time I write so that those who are interested might be informed. Please do not take my descriptions as complete. These treatments go far beyond (scientifically speaking) than what I am describing. The clinic that we are in is an integrative medicine clinic. Integrative clinics use conventional drugs and treatments as well as alternative treatments, supplements and homeopathic medicines. The clinic we are at uses many more alternative techniques than most clinics are allowed to use across our country. Arizona is very receptive to alternative treatments. It is so disappointing to see so many good and successful treatments used around the world but not allowed here in the great USA.The oxybosh treatment, as it is called, is a procedure that removes up to 120 cc of blood from the patient so that it can be passed through a UV light, be injected with ozone and then put back into the body. The idea is to kill bacterias and viruses and to oxygenate the body since bacterias and viruses cannot live in an oxygenated state. This treatment as well as most of the others is administered through an implanted port that was surgically placed in Joni's chest that extends to a vein in her neck and goes on down to just above the heart. Needless to say, we didn't know about that procedure before we left it would be impossible to do all the treatments without it.
The next treatment I'll share with you is the use of hydrogen peroxide through IV's. Our society has gotten so far away from using this amazing oxidizer. The Huber household uses this amazing simple peroxide for a host of things. I'd encourage you to google uses for hydrogen peroxide, begin using it and get rid of some of the man made chemical junk that we use without thinking about it. Anyway, the hope is that the body can get additional oxygen so that viruses and bacterias can't exist. The neat thing about H2O2 is that it can pass through the blood brain barrier where some viruses and bacterias can hide out. This is what Lyme disease does in many cases causing neurological issues.

Most of you may not be interested in that stuff but some may. I will share some more treatments next time. Pray that we will see God's grace in every situation. It's easy when things go well. My prayer is to be an example of His grace when it really counts. The situations where the onlookers cannot figure out
where the peace and power is coming from. Sorry if my thoughts are not too coherent. I'm trying to do this and listen to Joni share the gospel and goodness of Christ to some others in the next room.

Thanks so much for everything that you all are doing for us. People are praying everywhere for us! Many of you have provided financially for us. We do not have the resources to complete this journey but our goal was to start and go as far as we could. Some have provided so that we could keep going, and we are looking forward to next week. I had hoped to get Joni settled in and then leave to go back to work but Joni's severe reaction in the beginning made it impossible for me to do that. I feel good about her reactions this week but there is an issue that exists that makes it impossible for me to leave just yet. I am hoping to address this issue as we enter the 3rd week on Monday.

Goodbye for now my dear family and friends. I am blessed beyond measure for your relationships. Remember that this life is a vapor and is preparing us for the life to come. I'm laying up treasures in heaven because it is there that life never ends and I can enjoy them forever. I'll take the days God gives me here but I can't wait to step into heaven and see Him who has done everything for me.

Rick

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

First Week in Scottsdale

I had anticipated writing a detailed description of daily events while here in Scottsdale, but that endeavor quickly evaporated as most of my time is spent on taking care of Joni, medical decisions, conferences with doctors, making sure her treatments are right, educating myself on all the medications, treatments, homeopathic concoctions, supplements, where to stay, shopping for food, and of course bills. Actually that is just a portion of what our lives have been involved in over the past week. I am so grateful that God has given me the physical and mental health to take care of the woman I love just as she has taken care of me for 32 years as of April 18. There is no doubt that we will be spending our anniversary here in Arizona. Do you think I could get away with telling Joni that I always wanted to take her on a trip to Scottsdale, AZ? I count it a privilege to have the impossible task to try to talk my wife into using all her energies to get well. Her life is a testimony of selfless living and I still can't seem to get her to think about herself.

We so much missed being home for our Christian's 8th birthday. Birthdays are a big deal at the Huber household and I can't believe we missed out on all the fun. Joni and I can't thank Katherine enough for the wonderful work she has been doing to take care of our 5 youngest ones while we reside here 1100 miles away. We take each day one at a time as neither one of us has ever been away from home for more than a few days. Many thanks to Brenton and Benjamin for being the protectors of their sisters and keeping the mini farm functioning flawlessly. Well, almost flawlessly. There was the death of a chick a few days ago.

Kristalyn is with Joni and me and helps to prepare the food and get us out the door in the morning. I don't mind doing anything around the house or anything to take care of kids except one thing and that is food preparation. I would rather wash a million dishes than prepare a meal. She has been a great help in the midst of a not so fun time for her.

Joni's health progress has been slow to this point but we are learning a lot and I believe we have been able to do quite a bit of ministry this first week.  The Lord reminded us this morning that even though our thoughts are consumed with Joni's wellness, His purposes for us being here are way broader than that one thing. We want to share our relationship with Christ to the people who are here-doctors, nurses, patients and their families. We have met many people. Most are desperate to have their health restored which has been taken away by what can be a vicious disease. Eternity will reveal the opportunities we have been afforded here. I hope not to miss any.  Joni responded poorly to her 1st treatment which was even reduced to half the treatment but she has jumped that hurdle and is doing much better. She has gone through 2 more treatments with much better results. Our greatest answer to prayer to this point has been the great news that she did not have an abdominal aortic aneurysm. That would have been a drastic change of course if she had been found to have one. She does though have full blown chronic Lyme Disease as well as many other infections, viruses and bacteria. Lyme disease is the great mimicker because it moves throughout the body and gives the symptoms of many diseases without actually having that disease. It does not affect everyone the same but it appears that it has affected many of Joni's organs as well as her brain. These newer symptoms developed after years of chronic fatigue, muscle and joint pain, fibromyalgia, etc. We are trying to stop the downward spiral so that all the good things that she has done over the years and continues to do will result in strength and vitality. She has worked so hard to be well. I am so proud of her. Our hope is not in man but in the God we serve who we think at this time wants to involve His creatures in our quest for getting Joni on the road to healing. Her months here may not heal her but our prayer is that we can be at a point where her body can do what God made it to do. Her energy cell level is down to nothing so she has little to no fight left.

Please pray for healing, provision, but most importantly spiritual strength to do the work of the Lord. Life is all about Him no matter what road He takes us down. We desire most of all to finish strong.
Our God is a merciful, gracious, loving God. He is also a righteous and just God to whom we must all stand face to face with someday. Whether you are redeemed or not, are you ready to stand before Him?
I think often of one of my favorite songs which has been a great motivation to me in dark days:
                   "We shall behold Him, we shall behold Him, face to face in all of His glory......"

Praying that God pours out an extra measure of grace and power  to all my family and friends,  Rick


Saturday, April 06, 2013

Traveling to Scottsdale

Joni, Kristalyn and I left for Scottsdale, AZ on Saturday afternoon March 30th. None of us had been to West Texas so that I10 route was quite an experience. Anyone who believes the USA is overpopulated has never been on this road. I am so glad to have been taught the Scriptures that tell us that children are a heritage of the Lord and the fruit of the womb is His reward. I have been blessed to be married for almost 32 years to a woman that loves children and has joyfully laid down her life to bring forth life. So many will be lonely in the sunset of their lives because they thought they were doing the world a favor by not populating the earth. I am blessed because God opened our eyes to see that children are nothing but gifts and blessings. Joni's selfless life shines even brighter as I think of the physical pain and suffering she has endured in silence for so many years. Doing the will of God allows you to do the impossible and through Him she has done it. We would have enjoyed being in the El Paso area in daylight but we didn't make it. Since we didn't have to be in Scottsdale until Monday morning we spent the night in Las Cruces, NM our first trip across the Texas state line. After leaving the hotel we drove many more miles with the same landscape in view. I'm still trying to figure out what that hotel employee had in mind when he said the Texas section of the route was the worst. I didn't notice much of a change. All I know is that creation reveals an awesome Creator. That Creator is my God, my King, my Shepherd.

We made it to Scottsdale, AZ Sunday evening and checked into an Extended Stay which I thought was going to be our home away from home but the smells were too strong for Joni so we packed up on Monday morning and left. Packing up is not so bad but packing all our stuff in a not so big car has its challenges which leads me to tell you how we were able to get here in the first place. The Sunday evening of Mar 24 was full of blessing. John and Mary Ellen called to ask if they could come over. We love this couple so there was great joy in the Huber household for a surprise visit from the Longs. We were overwhelmed by the love and generosity they showed us first by giving us their car to use as long as we needed in Scottsdale. On top of that they gave us a generous gift of money to get us on our way. But the best gift was when John expressed to us that they were simply doing what family does for each other. I have learned so much from the Longs and my family has been greatly blessed to have them be a part of our lives. We could never express our thanks adequately for their love but here goes the attempt anyway: THANK YOU SO MUCH JOHN AND MARY ELLEN LONG without you we could not be here.

Friday, April 05, 2013

Come Boldly Before His Throne With Us


 (Our Journey and Search for Joni's Healing)


Joni, Kristalyn and I left Floresville last Saturday Mar 30 to travel to the Shea Medical Clinic in Scottsdale, AZ. Shea is a satellite clinic to the more popular Envita Medical Clinic also in Scottsdale. Most of you know that Joni has struggled with her health throughout most of her adult life. Visits to various doctors have always ended in dead ends so she began to search for a diagnosis herself. Her quest for answers has been remarkable. She has become an expert on health and nutrition. I'm sure her knowledge has saved our family a large amount of money and time keeping all of us out of doctor offices and hospitals. Though we as her family have benefited the most others have been greatly helped by her expertise and passion to return to God's design for eating and healing. I could not understand why Joni did not seem to enjoy the benefits of good health with all the effort she was putting in to this vital area of life. One professional summed it up last year when he told us that all her efforts were not in vain because she probably would have been bed-ridden a long time ago. I must add that nothing is in vain when you are surrendering every area of your life to God including perhaps the toughest (FOOD).

In the past year or two we have seen Joni's health take a big slide downward. She has had some ok days but they are generally difficult and never great. We suspect she has Lyme Disease as well as other bacterias and viruses. She has been diagnosed by others but not by a medical doctor. Through much prayer and counsel we decided to make our way to Shea Medical Clinic.http://www.sheamedical.com/
You can look at the website if you are interested in their medical philosophy.  Please pray for healing and provision for Joni and our stay here in Scottsdale. If God provides she will be here for 8 weeks receiving treatments to rid of the viruses and bacterias that are troubling her from head to toe. We are very concerned about the effect they are having on her brain. Though we have tried our hardest to fight this battle ourselves, it is very apparent to us that God wants other people involved in our future course of action. We pray that the Lord will use us in every life we meet  to bring glory and honor to Himself. It sure would be great for Joni to have her health restored but it will be even greater when we reach the point in this life where He alone is our only true satisfaction. Just like Much-Afraid in the Valley of Loss (Hinds Feet in High Places) we want to be in such a state that more than anything else we just want to be faithful to our Shepherd and not to do anything that hinders our relationship with Him. 

My deepest thanks are to those who are prayerfully and financially supporting us. We are members of Samaritan Ministries, a great organization for medical needs, but all bills have to be payed up front. Joni will stay as long as she can. Kristalyn and Katherine will probably switch off staying with her while I return home to work. My plan is to be here through a week or two of her treatments. They can be very tough so we covet your prayers. I leave you with a verse that God allowed me to put to song one morning this week. I guess you are all fortunate not to be here because I would sing it to you: Psalm 69:30 "I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify Him with thanksgiving."