Details of the Bone Marrow Transplant

First of we wish to apologize for communicating this information in such an impersonal way; we would love to be able to call you all one by one and hopefully we will get to speak that way before the transplant.

We saw the doctor yesterday and signed all the consent forms so it's happening!

The doctors are confident that the procedure will heal John. There is 80% success rate! This means an 80% chance that Ian's (John's brother and donor) immune system will totally catch and begin to build cells in John's bone marrow; essentially completely replacing John's immune system with Ian's healthy immune system. John tells me that Ian used to say when they were kids that he wishes he could give John his immune system! How amazing that he can!

John is admitted to Brigham and Women's hospital on Friday the 1st October. He will have 4 days of chemotherapy; this will suppress his immune system (the little he has) to avoid it fighting Ian's. On the 7th October the transplant will happen. This will be painless for John but quite painful for Ian so please pray for quick healing for him.

We believe God is working...God has healing for John...please join us in hoping and praying...it's going to be a long and hard year but one which could end with the best news ever!

New Seasons, New Challenges

Well it has been quite a year. Our first year of marriage has been filled with joys and deep heartaches. John's illness before the wedding and his recovery, death of Amanda's father and John's grandmother this summer.

Through our trails God has richly blessed us and provided for us. A new apartment, an increase in finances and a year of fruitful ministry with YWAM Boston. 

As we approach our first wedding anniversary our newest challenge looms. John will be having a bone marrow transplant on the 7th October. We have been praying and preparing for 10 months. 
John is healthy right now so you are probably asking why we would do this. John has a severe immune deficiency which results in him becoming seriously ill about once every year or 2; the episode before the wedding was the worst; we nearly lost him. This prompted us and his doctors to rethink. Instead of managing his condition we should be trying to heal it. That is why are doing this. The possibility of healing is one we cannot ignore. 

Even through our fear, we have God's peace. This next year will look different than any other; John will need to be at home for a year; no public places apart from the hospital. John will be continuing to work for YWAM Boston at home, several projects he is working on and Amanda will be carrying on as normal working with DTS. 

We ask for prayer. I (Amanda) am still so broken from loosing my father; watching John willingly become sick fills me with fear. I fully support his decision and I believe this is going to work however the fear is great. 

John needs prayers of strength. He has walked through so many illnesses in his life. Pray this would be the last for a long time; pray it works, pray he can finally be healthy and have the immune system that most of us take for granted. 

We will be updating you at every stage... 

Outreach on Friday

“Why do you go to church?” I asked Jen, a mother I met in Brighton MA at our outreach on Friday.

“Because the people there have purpose, I want what they have” She responded. I was so privileged to share with Jen that she could indeed have what they have, that this “purpose” comes from a relationship with the living and loving God!

Later on I saw a woman approach our team; I went to meet her as she walked. I recognized her; it seemed she recognized me too! We had met many times before at a local church we work with. She had just been released from hospital; she needed prayer; “I saw your team and I knew God had sent you here to pray for me, it’s a divine appointment!” Our team prayed for her; she wept with joy.

We stayed in Brighton around 3 hours and most of this time John was speaking to Tyrone, a local teenager. “I don’t believe there is any evidence for God” He said. They talked about science, evolution and the evidence of God on our planet; it was a deep conversation.
“I guess that makes sense, but if God is real then how do I know which God he is? There are so many religions, they can’t all be right” Tyrone asked; now engrossed in the topic of God. John talked with him about the uniqueness of the bible, its historical accuracy, archeological proof; he also spoke of the character of Jesus. Tyrone intently listened to every word, asked questions and even as our team went to leave he did not stop wanting to talk. “I think I would like to go to church” he said. Peter, one of our new team members knew of a good church for Tyrone and agreed to take him.

Towards the end of the outreach I felt a tap on the back of my leg; “Excuse me?” a little girl asked; “Yes” I responded. “Would you like to be in a parade about God?” she announced sweetly.
I smiled, “Of course, what do you want to say about God?”
“I want everyone to know how good and loving He is”
Such sweet, simple faith.

To God be the Glory!

News from our team that went to Iceland

"We don't know of another team that has even seen one salvation!"

This was the reaction of the church in Iceland that our team worked with on their recent mission trip. At first they were weary of us; they explained that many teams had come but had been more of a burden than a blessing.

"But not your team" they said "You were an amazing blessing"

Our small team of 30 spent 2 weeks on the streets of Iceland, performing our drama's, dancing and sharing with the people about the God who loves them! The ground was hard, many had tough questions and were not used to meeting Christians, but God did some amazing things!
Lives were changed, people were healed both physically and spiritually.

Before our team landed we had heard there was anything from 3000 to 6000 Christians in Iceland. When they left they had seen 328 make decisions to follow Jesus!

Tour begins tommorow...

http://encountertour2009.blogspot.com/

I (Amanda) will be updating YWAM Boston's Official Encounter blog at the address above; please check for updates :)

Tour starts 7th April 2010 and ends 15th May 2010


 

'Encounter' in New England! Tour dates below!

"

"I called, you answered, and you came to my rescue...!"

They shouted at the top of their lungs! The voices of the free!

On Friday the 12th of March we had the great honor of being able to perform 'Encounter' for participants of 'Teen Challenge'; a biblically based live in rehab center for alcohol and drug addicts of all ages. This center was just for males. This meant that only the men of our ministry could minister to them but that left the females free to sit and pray for each person. We did our production and entered worship and they shouted and sung with all their hearts! These were men who understood the true freedom of Jesus! Their boldness in worship released such a spirit of joy that spread throughout the room and that led others to raise their hands also. 

Many of them knew Jesus but 4 of them raised their hands to receive Jesus with us at the end! They humbly came and sweetly surrendered! It was such an honor for John to get to minister to these broken men and speak to them about the God of all hope. 

These last weeks have been crazy! Preparing for our 6 week tour...this is new ground for all of us! Our dates are being booked up and our dream is becoming a reality! If God is for us who can be against us!

This Saturday (20th March) we will be at Abundant Grace Church on Guest Street in Brighton, MA (Next to New Balance Factory) at 7pm! Please come and see us. 
Or you could come the morning of the 21st March to St Cyrs Church in Laconia NH.
Or if you live south of Boston why not check us out at Evangelical Congregational Church of the Atlantic in Quincy, MA at 7pm on Sunday 28th March.
And last but not least, and this may be New Englanders last chance to see this before we tour, we will be at Mount Zion Christian School in Manchester NH on the evening of Monday the 29th March at around 7pm. 


So come and see us if you can, pray for us! We are so excited. Call or email me if you wanna come johnandamandacaton@gmail.com

What if I don't feel it?

To be honest sometimes I don't "feel" God.

I have been thinking a lot these past weeks about what it really means to walk with God and how for so long I have known one thing in my mind but never really cemented it in my heart. I hear the phrase, from my own lips often, "I don't feel like it" or "It doesn't feel right" or "I don't feel God". This got me questioning my emotions and if I am led by them to often.


Beside this text is a artistic impression of Job; covered in sores, grieving and confused. I am sure he did not "feel" at peace, I am sure he did not "feel" God every waking moment but he never questioned the sovereignty of God or that God was near him.


To be totally honest it is the days I do not "feel" God that I get whacked out, I start to act desperate and selfish and obsessively internalize my day to try and find out why I do not have this spiritual feeling. My heart longs to be on that high every day yet my head tells me that our walk with the Lord is more than just that; true love is about choosing to love and seek God whether you "feel" Him or not. The best example I can muster for this is marriage. I (Amanda) love John deeply but I don't wake up each morning with the warm fuzzys! In fact sometimes, like every other couple, we can't stand one another! But it does not make me doubt I love him or that he loves me; it's just part of life and love is not all feeling! I wake each day and sleep each night knowing deep in my heart that I love him and he loves me.


Why can this not be the same with God? When we do not feel Him can't we still trust that He is there and He loves us and He is for us? 

Our feelings are a gift but often we make the mistake of letting them be our guide instead of God. God is firm, unwavering and sure; He is the same yesterday, today and forever. His love for us is deep every day. He is a dependable and trustworthy God. This is truth. So no matter how we feel it does not change who God, what He thinks of us, what His plans are for us and ultimately everything! 


So I want to pray today and to ask God to release me from the chains of being led by my feelings and instead help me to be led by my steady and sure God! I want to be more than a 'feeling' Christian! I want to praise my God even when there is not spiritual high in return; I want this walk to be about God and not me. In the words of John the Baptist, "God more of you and less of me"..
Will you pray with me today...




MORE NEWS ON 'ENCOUNTER' TOUR SOON! SHOWS HAPPENING WEEKLY IN SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES IN NEW ENGLAND! TO GOD BE THE GLORY!