Ruth 2:12 "The Lord repay your work, and a full reward be given you by the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge."

Here's Jane with her blepharitis. Not exactly an attractive look, but it is slowly improving. It gives me great compassion for those who have physical challenges.

Dear Family and Friends,

God is answering our prayers. On January 6th, He allowed me to pass my driving test. Hip-hip-hooray! However, it will be a week or two before I can drive on my own, because DMV Safety Office in Sacramento is the one who can make it official. Someone asked me if I was nervous. I wasn't because I had placed the outcome with God. Many people were praying. God is in control and He allowed me to pass the driving test. We'll see what He decides regarding the final OK.

Also, UCSF agreed with my Modesto oncologist that there did not appear to be anything in my test results that would keep me from the Stem Cell Transplant (SCT). They said the results looked "excellent". Praise the Lord. I am now scheduled for an appointment with my UCSF oncologist for January 19, 2011, to discuss the whole SCT process and schedule a week of outpatient care to remove enough of my stem cells to transplant two times (they freeze one set for a later date). There is one remaining test to pass: are my stem cells able to reproduce? UCSF will take the stem cells they need, freeze them for two weeks to kill the myeloma, and then take a few stem cells and test whether they will reproduce or not. If they will not reproduce, that will be the end of the SCT. If they do reproduce, we will probably go ahead with the transplant. I'm so grateful that God is in charge of my life and will have the outcome match His perfect plan.

I was thinking about what the Lord taught me when some Calvary Chapel women and I studied the book of Ruth. From Chapter 1, we saw that there were three things to avoid when faced with a difficult trial: unbelief, deception and bitterness. When these negatives come your way, God will help you identify them and overcome them during a trial. In Chapter 2, we learned about three things we can do to cooperate with God as He accomplishes His purposes in our difficult trial: walk by faith, walk by the grace of God and walk in hope.

Remember, God's purpose is not to make us comfortable, but to make us conformable (Romans 8:28-29). Christ-like character is His divine goal.

Medical Update:

1) The more I concentrate on God and His Word, the less I notice my numb feet. The pain in my toes and feet are pretty hard to ignore but I am letting them remind me of the pain Jesus experienced when He was crucified.
2) Praise the Lord that I do not have numbness in my hands.
3) My physical strength is still not at 100%. I can do household tasks but am exhausted afterwards. After I rest for 10-15 minutes, I can take on another task.
4) The blepharitis is improving but still there.

Please pray that God will:

a) Be praised for helping me pass the driving test.
b) Be glorified for having UCSF say my test results were "excellent".
c) Help me spend more time in His Word.
d) Take control over my next UCSF appointment on January 19th.
e) Be honored in all that I do and say.
f) Heal my left eye and remove the myeloma from my body.
g) Help me be a blessing to others.

I'm so grateful for the time you spend in prayer for me. That is a glorious thing. I also appreciate all who have helped me over the past few months. The gift of your time and your transportation has been fantastic.

He is my strong tower,

Jane