Dec.31st!!! I wrote already...and something happened to the whole letter... so I guess that I am not ready to replace Liza Peirce yet.. as Queen of the bloggers... Because Kit is still asleep from his bone marrow tap this a.m., I can not get him to help me..so..... I will just start over....
Kit had to have more platelets today... and they are giving him anti fungal and anti bacterial medicines around the clock.. and hopefully they will be able to destroy the things that they find in the blood that Kit's blood can't fight , because he does not have any good white blood cells to fight infections.
The bone marrow test went fine and Kit is asleep... mumbling and rambling on and on. This behavior was frightening for me at first, because I was afraid that he was going to be like this forever... but it is just how Kit handles drugs and certain medicines. He is just talking up a storm.. with many of you .. with his kids... with the doctors here...etc... I see how much he loves people , because the mental state that he is in ... is not a fearful place... but a loving place.
We will not find out for a few days the results of the bone marrow tap, because tomorrow is New Years...
This past year has been a year with much pain and much joy.... but I know that you are all praying that 2009 will bring good news for Kit . It is so awesome to read the blog and realize that people from everywhere.... Hawaii, Calif. , Oregon, Wash. Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Texas, Chile,Honduras, Greece and etc.. are praying for us. We are connected by this blog.... it is amazing ..it's like how Jesus is with each one of us all at the same time all over the world... He is infinite..
We have been so blessed by all of you... how much you love us and care for us. We are praying that you have a wonderful and safe New Years Eve!!!! and that in the New Year ,the Lord will bring you even closer to Him.
Love,shelly and Kit

Shelly here again.... I love reading your notes... thank you so much for praying for us... I am a slow learner.. and setting up Kit's computer was difficult for me... but... I have it down now..so I can help do the blogging now. I love to look on the blog and read what our dear friends and family have to say. You guys are so encouraging!!!!
The infectious disease doctor called a little while ago to say that the recent blood work identified some strange flagellum, so they started Kit on some new medicine. Kim Insley-Morell said that she knew about the roller coaster ride.. because of what she went through when Randy died of cancer many years ago. It is such an up and down ride... but we contiue to pray to our Lord for strength and healing , we play our worship music, read our daily devotional, our Bible and another special book that Mikey's mother in law bought for me years ago...and with your prayers.... we are getting through each day.
For Christmas, I had bought Kit a special photo of a honu.( turtle)..because Kit has a special love for turtles because of Mikey. I had Maisha bring the photo over here for
Christmas and it is on the wall in our room. I just told one of our favorite doctor's the story of "turtle life" when Randy Insley died years ago....and Mikey ( a four year old) thought that eternal life was "turtle life"... and Mikey asked Kit if "Randy got to go live with the turtles now? "
Well ...I am signing off. I love you guys.. and I am so thankful to be here with Kit and to have you lifting us up in prayer.
Love,shelly

Shelly here again. It is Dec. 30th. Just when we were thinking that Kit was getting better , the chills and fever began... over 103 last night, but we are controlling them with warm blankets and tylenol . One thing good about being here again at Kaiser... I know right where to get the warm blankets and we have the routine down.
Most of Kit's infection is in his nasal sinus' now. His eye is so much better. It is completely open now.
The oncologist came in this a.m. and said that Kit's bone marrow tap will be tomorrow at 10:00a.m. Because New Years day is the next day, we will not get results as quickly as we would like. I know that all of you will be praying for miraculous results and I thank you for that.
Reading the comments by each of you is very encouraging. Thank you for taking the time.. thank you for your prayers... thank you for loving Maisha and Mikey (too)as you do.
Love,shelly and Kit

Shelly here. We have been on Oahu for 2 weeks today. I think Kit is making good progress now. Last night , he did not take any pain pills, his eye that was swollen shut, is much better now. He got fairly good sleep. His disorientation, hallucinations, and confusing thoughts are less frequent now. ( We are almost sure that it comes from the anti-fungal medicine.. which he will eventually not have to take). He still has a skin rash, but he is handling the itching. Because Kit's platelet count is low , he will have another platelet transfusion today. The plan is for Kit to have the bone marrow tap on Wed. at 9:00 a.m.
We are very pleased with the nursing staff and doctor's here at Kaiser. We know they are doing their best to help fight the infections etc.
We are so thankful for all of your prayers... and loving thoughts..And Dionei, I know that you love us...so never say that you are a terrible friend. Kit and I are so blessed to have the family and friends that we have. We are continually thanking God for you all. I hope that you really KNOW how your love inspires us. Love,Shelly and Kit

Thank you so much for praying!  Tonight, my dad had more energy and his mind was a little more clear.  Also, the CT scan didn't show anything major going on behind the eye, so that is very positive....they are thinking it is just an allergic reaction.

Hopefully, tonight will be a more restful night for Kit.

With grateful hearts,

The Lauers

Bad Night for Kit...

Dear friends and Family,
I just spoke with my mom and my dad had a very difficult night. My dad (and my mom) could really use prayer.
The power went out on Oahu and, they have some things on a generator at the hospital, but not everything. The lights in the rooms did not work, and unfortunately my dad was sick throughout the night and the pick line came out of his arm and was bleeding everywhere. They had to try to put it back in with flashlights.
My dad is a little better this morning. He is on pain meds and it's difficult for him to communicate what he's feeling and what he needs to my mom. He's very tired and his mind is very slow. I know it's frustrating for both of them.
Another thing is that my dad's eye is pretty much swollen shut and they are afraid that it is an infection. They thought it was allergies because he had reactions to meds before. They are doing a scan on it today. Eye infections like this can be very dangerous because the eye is an extension of the brain and it could potentially be fatal if they don't get it under control. He is already on many antibiotics.
Please pray that the Lord comforts my dad and sustains him, and also that my mom is comforted.
This is all so difficult but I am trying to keep you guys aware of everything because we really need and appreciate the prayer!
love, the Lauers

Merry Christmas

I am writing this from the hospital room in Kaiser on Oahu. Although this is not the ideal Christmas...my mom and I are happy to be here with my dad and we are very grateful to have him with us.
I mentioned before that my dad is still battling infections, so he could use prayer that they would stay under control.
Also, it seems that one or more of the medications are having an effect on my dad's mind...he is not lucid all of the time. We pray that this will get better and that nothing is permanent. It's very difficult for him to carry on conversations right now.
My dad is relying on God to hold him up for the next 12 to 13 days until the bone marrow test. We are all praying that his blood counts will come back up, that the chemo worked on the bone marrow, and that there will be no major complications.
Our deepest gratitude for your love and support!
Happy Christmas and a wonderful 2009!!
All our love,
Maisha, Shelly and Kit

Monday Update

My dad got more energy and was able to finish the blog. Maisha

This is Kit here! Just a small break in the storm long enough to post a short not to you. My heart is saddened because I can't come to the Wednesday Christmas eve. service. I was so looking forward to speaking that night, for my heart is simply filled with your love, support and prayers and your never giving up on me "attitude". And know this, that I won't give up either until the Lord says "let go". I look forward to that day, but today is a day for battle. Tuesday will be the fifth and final treatment day and then I have fourteen days to wait for a bone marrow test to see how deep the cleansing of the cancer cells has gone. Just making it through this third chemo treatment will be a miracle in itself. But, the greatest miracle of all, of course, is that God would enter His own creation by taking on the additional nature of a man. That God would care enough about each of as to give His Son for our failures, weaknesses and sins and all this before we had even acknowledged Him, while most of us were just 'sinnin it up' out there in the world. God, looking from eternity to eternity, saw the potential loss of His creation, so he stepped in to save us from ourselves...and the most amazing thing is that God entered this world as a helpless little baby boy and at the moment of Jesus' birth the shadow of the Cross fell upon that manger. Thank you Jesus for giving your life for ours in order that we could receive the gift of everlasting which you hold in your hand. We stop in our busy schedules and punch lists...we pull back from our myopic view of life, our circumstances and complaints, yes even from our pain and suffering to give you thanks this Christmas and to offer our selves as living presents to you. Let our lives shine so brightly with love for one another this Christmas...in order that you would be gloried.

I love you guys...keep up those prayers...let's see what God will do!

kit

My dad started to write the blog today, but he was just too tired to finish. My dad has an enormous amount of gratitude for all of the love and prayers!!! We don't know what else to say...they are deeply appreciated!

Here's what is current and what we need prayer about:
1. My dad has one more day day of chemotherapy treatment. As we said before, these are older chemotherapy agents. When the Hawaii oncologists conferred with the doctors from City of Hope, they felt that he should try different chemotherapy agents since he did not go into remission before.
2. He is battling infections (as before) and probably will be for the next few weeks.
3. The blast (cancer) cells in his blood are being eliminated by the chemo but we do not know, until we do a bone marrow test, if they are working on the bone marrow. So, Kit would appreciate prayer on that. Also, please pray that when he does do the bone marrow test (not sure when, but maybe in the next 2 weeks), he would have no complications from it. Last time,there was some damage done and it was very painful for him...for weeks after.
4. My dad has had to take a lot of vicodin because of his horrible headaches...but these pain meds have side effects...and he is experiencing them. So, if you could pray against these side effects, that would be great.

Thank you!
love, Maisha

It's Sat evening and I am writing the blog for Kit. Thank you for all the encouraging comments. We really feel your support and love.

Kit has finished 2 days of chemo now. The first day of chemo did knock down some of the cancer cells in his blood, so hopefully the next three treatments will destroy all of them in his blood and bone marrow. The doctors here have conferred with the City of Hope doctors and they recommended 2 chemos that were older , that Kit did not use before. We are hoping that these destroy his blast cells. One of them is cobalt blue and makes his urine blue.. hopefully the urologists were prepared for the strange looking sample.
Kit had a really hard night last night, his head felt like it was going to explode. Hopefully , it will be a better night tonight.
I can not tell you how much we appreciate your love and prayers. Please keep lifting Kit up to the Lord.
We love you and we want to be home with you soon.
Shelly and Kit

A word from Kit

I wanted to bring everyone up to date. I came into the hospital at Kaiser Moanalua on Oahu two days ago because I had serious infection and the cancer cells had taken over 70% of my blood serum...a dangerous condition to my arterial system which was indicated by low blood pressure. The infection was abated and then I was transfused with red blood cells and platelets because they had also been dropping way too low over the last few months. If I go home now, I have a very short time to live. So we decided to fight for more time. I am submitting myself to another round of deep chemo TODAY, something I really do not look forward to, but barring a straight out miracle from God it is the only way known that we can possibly knock down the leukemia cells. The treatment is quite risky and there is a chance they could lose me through it...so I would appreciate every one's prayers once again that God will show mercy to me...that the side affects will be minimal and that we would get even some remission to have more time to love you and my family and to continue to share the gospel of Christ. I may even be so bold as to have you ask God if this treatment could be used to send me into full remission...a real miracle...which would allow for a possible cure. In the physical, that possibility is a tiny sliver of hope...but all things are possible to God. I have felt the pressure to just give up...but how can I do that?... God just didn't make me that way...so into the battle we ride and I need your prayers, love and support more then ever. So let us rally together one more time before the Lord and present our prayers and supplications to Him. May His name be blessed forever...even in death we are more than conquerors...for His resurrected life has swallowed up death itself. I love you all more than words could ever express. Stay the course, keep the faith...trust in Him through it all.

Love in Christ forever and ever
kit

Wednesday Update From Maisha...

Hi everyone! I just spoke with my mom and she said that my dad is feeling much better this morning after he got all of the transfusions. I think I mentioned before, but my dad's on Oahu and had IV antibiotics and blood transfusions yesterday.

My dad is battling allergic reactions though (he experienced that before) where he gets all puffy and one of his eyes was swollen shut last night. It's from the antibiotics and may also be from the blood transfusions. He's doing a bit better with that this morning though.

His blood pressure was dangerously low last night and they almost took him to ICU, but that's better as well. My guess is that it was because his red blood cells were so low, and once the transfusion started working and his body got used to it, he was doing better...but I'm not sure.

My dad is still thinking about starting on mylotarg (I spelled it wrong before) after he's feeling a little better...but he also wants to be home on Maui for Christmas.

Thanks sooo much for your love and prayers!!
Maisha

**as of 5:00pm*

Not great news--I just got off the phone with my dad...what he told me is that the cancer cells in his blood have increased from around 65% or so to about 75% in one day. This is not a good sign. The cancer cells are spreading VERY fast. According to the drs...if he were just to go home and get transfusions...he might make it to Christmas. They decided they don't want him to do mylotarg but do a newer different type of chemo (sorry I don't know more details about that). It's very intense...but if he makes it through, he could have more time. So, once he is a little more healthy, they are planning on starting that treatment (maybe in a couple days, I'm not sure). This is not an easy decision for my dad, and this is not an easy time for my entire family...so I hope that all of you will try to respect this decision. It is hard to make these kind of calls, you know what I mean if you've ever had to make them. That being said, what we need is prayer!!!! and we sooo appreciate it!!! thank you!

Love,
Maisha

Urgent Prayer Request

Below is what was e-mailed to the Hope Chapel Prayer warriors:

Hope Chapel associate pastor, Dr. Kit Lauer got his bloodwork done today. All of his cell counts are low (wbc, rbc, platelets), and he has an infection and fever. In addition, they are now seeing cancer cells in his blood as well as in his bone marrow. He and Shelly are leaving this evening to go to Honolulu, where he may need to have a blood transfusion.

***
Maisha has a more detailed update on her Facebook. Many of you have shown support by leaving notes and messages there. Are you all on Facebook? If any of you reading this blog do not have a Facebook account and would like to be updated more from this blog, please let me know by leaving a comment. Otherwise I will assume that everyone has been following Kit's update on Maisha's facebook page. Thanks. - Liza

Update From Kit...

I want to thank everyone for your prayers and support to help me be able to go to Oregon and see my son Mikey wrestle and hang out with him, Shae (his beautiful new wife) and all the extended family there in Oregon. If you have followed the blog at all, you probably know how God answered our prayers and kept me healthy the whole two weeks I was visiting. I was able to watch Mikey wrestle both a tournament and in dual meets for his school, Southern Oregon University. It was wonderful being with the family there in Oregon during Thanksgiving...I even got to go fishing on the Rouge River with my brother Buddy, compliments of Shae's uncle Danny Vidlak...I am so thankful for all our family and friends and our church family who have loved and supported us through this battle with Leukemia. Some of you know I was invited to speak there in Grants Pass, Oregon at the Edgewater Christian Fellowship...it was a wonderful experience and we all got touched by God's love and hope.

I need your prayers again to help me make a decision whether or not to take a fairly new treatment that has similar downsides as the chemo therapy...the new treatment has only a 13% chance of full remission...so we must weigh the chances of remission against the downside affects ...I am caught between just waiting on God for the straight out miracle or asking God if He is going to work through this new treatment. So I need your prayers for discernment. Please, if you haven't already done so, peruse the blog to see pictures of the trip, our Christmas letter, Mikey wrestling and other stuff. I will continue to teach Friday nights and Sundays as often as God calls me and gives me strength. It is your love and prayers that are keeping me going, that is for sure! I thank God for you everyday!

Please know that I am in constant prayer for and your families as well. Just being alive to celebrate this Christmas with you is a miracle in itself and my heart is filled with gratitude.

In His love forever,

kit

More Photos From Oregon - Mike(y) Wrestles

This song ("Faith" by Jason Upton) was introduced to me by my friend Leslie, and it has really ministered to me lately.  What God has revealed to me through my dad's battle is that there is a whole lot of pain out there.  I know that so many of you are hurting (physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually) so I wanted to share this song with all of you who want to believe God and who want to see Him in your life.

Much Love,

Maisha

here's the link:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=-v91MIT4GEg

Mele Kalikimaka Family and Friends

Mele Kalikimaka Family and Friends,

2008 has been an eventful year for our family. I know that most of you know that Kit was diagnosed with acute leukemia one week before Good Friday. Before he started his chemo treatment on Oahu, he flew back to Maui and gave the Good Friday Service message at Hope Chapel. Mikey and Shae flew home from Oregon and we all spent Easter Sunday together and then Monday a.m. , he was off to Oahu to begin the treatment. Unfortunately, after 2 rounds of chemo, Kit’s body did not respond to the treatment and he was sent home to Maui after 2 ½ months in the hospital.


The chemo, infections, and antibiotics… almost destroyed Kit physically, but slowly, he got his strength back and began feeling better. Recently, his blood tests showed that his white blood cell counts were dangerously low...and he was worried that he was not going to be able to fly to Oregon and watch Mikey wrestle. (he had never seen Mikey wrestle in college yet) With God’s grace and antibiotics, Kit and Buddy flew out on Nov. 14^th . They watched Mikey wrestle 7 matches, they spent time with my family( Carol, Diane, Kathie , Mike , Laura and Jared) who drove up to Oregon to see Kit and Buddy.


Kit was able to spend precious time with Mikey and Shae, the Vidlaks, the Browns, the Johnsons, the Crabtrees, the Smalls, the Hickmans, the Wilsons. The trip was such a blessing to Kit . He felt so good in Oregon and Shae’s relatives, treated Kit and Buddy with such care. They spent Thanksgiving at Danny and Steph’s house, the same beautiful house where Mikey and Shae were married on Sept. 8^th 2007.

So…even though we are unsure of the future, we have so much to be thankful for. We have received so much love and support through this trial .Friends, clients, family and our church body have loved us so much that we are in awe. If you Google, Hope Chapel, Kihei, Maui, you can go on the Kit Lauer blog and see all the incredible things that our church did for us.

Maisha has been such a blessing to us. She comes over a lot and spends time with us. Kit always tells me how happy Maisha makes him and how he loves to hear her laugh. Maisha is working optometry at several places on Maui. She was able to go to Paraguay again this past summer on an eye mission trip. Maisha and Mikey and Shae bring Kit the most joy in his life.

Mikey is finishing up his senior year at Southern Oregon University. He and Shae live in Ashland and hopefully after this summer, they will move back to Maui. Mikey is wrestling and hopefully, if he survives all his injuries, he will have a good season. He wants to teach on Maui… hopefully, there will be a job here for him.

I still have my cleaning business and I have the most awesome partner, Yuko, who helps me everyday. When I was in Oahu with Kit…she ran the whole business. I have great clients, and I am thankful for the work. I have a very thankful heart at this time in my life. I appreciate each minute that I have Kit in my life. He has been the best husband and father that anyone could have. If God does not heal him, I know that Kit is not afraid to die, because he knows that he will be living eternally with the ONE whose birthday we celebrate this month. We have felt Christ’s presence through this whole ordeal…He has been our strength…”Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!” Luke 2:14

Thank you for being in our life…we love you and we pray that God will do wonderful things in your life in 2009!

Love,

Shelly and the Lauer family

Kit Is So Proud Of Mike (Mikey to Many of Us :)

This is one of the main reasons Kit went to Oregon - to see Mikey wrestle, so we wanted to share with you some of the action shots :) Kit is so proud of Mikey, and we are too!

Coming up next is Shelly's Christmas letter to family and friends. Stay tuned :)

Kit in Oregon

This is the first Part 1 of the slide show ... come back for part 2 tomorrow :):

THANKFUL

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

The Lauer family has much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving. Over the past eight months or so, we have experienced so much love and support from friends and family. You ALL have been amazing and we thank God for you! We have also felt the hand of our Lord every step of the way...we have a God full of Magnanimity! (that's for those of you who read Kit's blog while he was in the hospital :)

My dad is still in Oregon and doing great! His energy level has even slightly improved. We would greatly appreciate your prayers for him as he travels back home to Maui on friday. the McManus family has been so generous and upgraded my dad and Uncle Buddy to first class...we love you guys!

I already mentioned previously that my dad got to see much of my mom's family on his visit which was a huge blessing. I wanted to add that my dad got to see my Aunt Becky's mom and dad (Doug and Edie) who could use prayers over their health as well.  He was reunited with the Johnson family (from Oregon), Jon Small, the Hickmans, and the Crabtrees...who are all very dear to us and we are very thankful for all of them :-) My dad has also been cared for and loved on by Shae's family (Mikey's in-laws). They are our family now, and we love them!!

Kit had the awesome privilege of speaking

at Edgewater Church in Southern Oregon!! I know it touched his heart to be able to do that, and it also touched the hearts of the people in that congregation!

God is good :)

The last thing I want to mention is that Kit's oncologists would like him to start a new med which has a 25% chance of working and has similar side effects as chemotherapy. Basically, my dad would be taking the chance of becoming more sick with infection for a fairly small chance that it could make him better. Kit would be really grateful for your prayers on this decision...as would we!

Much Love,
Maisha

Updates On Kit's Oregon Visit

I just found out from Buddy that Mikey will not be wrestling in the tournament this weekend because of his hurt knee and toe. We're so happy that at least my dad got to see Mikey wrestle last weekend (although, sadly, he missed making it to nationals by 2 spots).

I know my dad is so proud of Mikey! Another blessing is that my dad got to see his two sisters-in-law and much of my mom's family...they came up from Northern California :)

My dad started to have a reaction (hives) to the antibiotic so he's going to stop the antibiotic and take benadryl tonight. We pray that he has no complications over there and that he makes it home safe to Maui for Christmas!

Thanks for the love and support :-)

Maisha

AS OF MONDAY 11/24/08: Kit has stopped his antibiotics and his allergic reaction has gone down and he has no fever...thanks for your prayers :)

Thank You Prayer Warriors - The Oregon Trip Update

Thank you for all your prayers especially for Kit's trip to Oregon. Here's what Maisha said when I asked how Kit is doing:

...My dad is doing pretty well. He's so excited to be in Oregon with Mikey ,and he got to watch Mikey wrestle 5 wrestling matches last weekend. He has not gotten sick (he did start antibiotics before he left, which we were very thankful for) and his energy level is pretty good!

He will be there for another week, so continued prayers would be great, especially for the flight home :)

Attention Prayer Warriors

Aloha. This is Liza posting here. Maisha wrote a note on her Facebook and I took the liberty to re-post it here so that the Prayer Warriors who are not a members of Facebook but are visiting this blog regularly can pray specifically and fervently. Here's the request:

He (Kit) got a blood test done yesterday and his immune system is very low (especially in fighting off bacteria). His red blood cells which supply oxygen and energy are also steadily dropping. We are very thankful that he has not had any infections and that he had enough energy to be at my birthday party and speak at two services! My main prayer is for him traveling to Oregon...he plans to visit my brother in a little more than a week, and he will be very vulnerable on the plane. Thanks for all the love and support.
Much love,
Maisha

Kit speaking Sunday both services

I will be speaking at both services this Sunday about 'The Season of Loss'. Like all the seasons of the weather our lives go through seasons as well. Some season of life are warm like summer, some seasons are full of brilliant colors and change like fall, some seasons of life are full of hope and newness like spring, and some seasons of life are cold and bitter like a harsh winter. The season of loss is a tough season to get through for most of us. It often times shakes our faith and causes us to question everything including God. But, even though God allows a season of loss in our lives He doesn't want those losses to crush us. He wants to strengthen us and encourage us during the toughest times of our lives. God wants to teach us and guide us through seasons of loss in order that He can continue to use our lives and testimonies to help others to make it through to Him as well. The Apostle Paul made a statement to the effect that his losses meant nothing compared to the surpassing glory of knowing Christ...that somehow his [Paul's] personal suffering brought him closer to the suffering of Christ. The Father knows loss...after all He gave His only Son for each one of us to have true life. In the midst of our greatest losses is the Lord Himself telling us it's ok...it will be alright...for all the losses we experience in this life, as painful as they are, cannot compare to what He has in store for those of us who trust and believe in Him. May God encourage you in your time of loss, to know that this loss is only for a moment and then He [God] will make all things right...He has sealed this promise with the life blood of His only Son...for He is God and He cannot lie...so hold onto His promise my dear one!


This message, 'The Season of Loss', will be available on mp3 at hopechapelmaui.com mid-week of November 3rd


Please continue to pray for WBC's and RBC's to go up to normal range. Also pray for my planned to trip November 14th -28th to watch my son wrestle in Oregon (pray for protection from illness on the plane and throughout the trip). God is doing a great miracle in me!

With much gratitude for you persistent love,
kit

giving it away!

I know a lot of family and friends visit the blog to get an update on how I am doing and that kind of care and concern is never taken for granted. I just want you to know that your love and prayers are keeping me free from sickness and even causing my blood counts to go up. My WBC went up this last week, which is a miracle and so did my Red blood cell count. I need both whites and reds to improve even more, especially the whites (the ones that fight disease), so please keep up the prayers. But, as much as I like your prayers and feel your love I really don't want this blog to just be about me. I want it to be about you and your walk with the Lord. I want my life to be about serving you, otherwise it becomes a self centered, lonely place. I believe we were created to give ourselves away to one another. After all, Jesus did say in order to really gain life we must lose it for His sake and if we try to hold onto our life in this world we lose real life. (Matt. 16:24) How true that is! I think we feel the best about our lives when we are giving ourselves away to others. When we lay down our life for our husbands and wives, our families, our children our friends, even for the stranger in need...life, true life fills our hearts and we get a real sense of accomplishing something valuable, something truly worthwhile. It isn't so much the number of years God gives us, but what we do with those years that really counts. When you take the time to pray for your friends and family and others you are doing something that is captured by God for all eternity. When you give to others from your resources, your time, your concern, your love...you are storing up treasures Jesus says. Someday there will be no more pain and suffering and loss and hurt, but in this world we do and will have troubles and problems, troubles and problems that threaten to take away our joy and our peace. The greatest antidote to these troubles and problems is love...the love of God available to us unlimitedly and it is activated by being other centered....by getting our eyes off ourselves and onto those around us. God provides the needs of others as an opportunity to express His love through each of us as we respond in unselfish love and concern and compassion. Yes, these times are tough with economic uncertainty and all kinds of problems in our lives...I should know... but I also know that God loved us so much He gave...and that is what we are to do...give...give of ourselves just as you have given to me. I want to be able to give to you...so I want you to know I pray for you...I keep giving messages, I keep teaching, I keep this blog going not only to keep you informed on what God is doing in my life but so that you would be encouraged in your life. There is no problem too big, no valley too dark and deep that God can not reach us and turn our broken and scared and hurt heart around for His glory. Life is found in giving our life away to others, for this is true life, life everlasting...all that is done in and through His love remains forever. We know this because God has placed this truth within our hearts... and that is why when we give ourselves away we gain more real life. So don't be timid or afraid the Lord says, but be courageous for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go! (Joshua 1:9)

May the Lord empower your life today to do what is right and good in His sight!
In His love
kit

You keep me going!

Thank you for all your prayers and support...please keep it up. I was able to teach two Friday Nights in a row and that was a wonderful privilege for me. My energy levels are pretty good. My white blood cell counts are still low (keep praying them up) which keeps me from being around a lot of people, especially if they are sick or have been exposed to anyone sick. I wear a doctor's mask (after all I am a Doctor of Philosophy...hee hee..) before and after services and whenever I go into places where there are lots of people. You should see the reaction I get at the bank when I walk in with my mask on (do you want it all in large bills?...just kidding)...also people see me with that mask and walk several feet around me hoping they don't catch anything (I find that interesting). But, overall, the Lord has been very gracious to me. I haven't had to have a blood transfusion since I got out of the hospital and my overall health has been good. Every once and a while I get my eyes off the Lord and start thinking my life is going to be required of me here real soon and then I weep a bit, but the Lord helps me to not feel sorry for myself (it is really just the thought of leaving my loved ones that makes me sad) and God reminds me that we all have only so many days here on planet earth anyway and that my eternal destiny in Him is secure and my job is to just live out each moment He gives me to the fullest and leave the rest to Him. So that is what I am doing... and your love and support and prayers help keep me going. Please pray that all my blood counts would go to the normal range, that God would heal me miraculously and that He will keep me healthy enough to teach Sunday November 5th and then be able to go see my son, Mikey (in Oregon), wrestle November 14th through the 28th enjoying thanksgiving with him and his new wife Shae and the relatives. My prayer for you today is that God would give you a real peace regardless of what you are going through, knowing that as you rest in Him, He guards and protects your heart and mind. He is forever faithful to all who love Him and in His right hand is life eternal, a gift of love that no one can take from you because you believe in His one and only Son.

I love you dearly and I thank God everyday for your prayers and support!
kit

A wonderful gift!

I got a wonderful gift this weekend! Friday, as I was finishing getting ready for that night's message I had a call from my son Mikey, who is in his last year at Southern Oregon University. I always enjoy it when my son calls and as I settled down to an uninterrupted conversation with this young man I love so dearly, someone started knocking at the gate entrance to our property. The strange thing was that I could hear the knocking on my cell phone...I thought...wow...that's weird...and as I opened the gate to tell the person(s) knocking that I was on the on the phone with my son...low and behold, it was my son! What a shock! Mikey's wife (Shae's) uncle Danny (who is mainly responsible for Shae and Mikey getting together) had flown himself and Mikey to Maui for the weekend. It was one of the most wonderful gifts I have ever received. Shelly, Maisha and I enjoyed Danny and Mikey's company all weekend long and then put them back on the plane Sunday afternoon to Oregon. Needless to say, I squeezed every moment of life I could out of this last weekend! I live everyday pretty much like that, squeezing the life out of life...trying to get all I kind out of the life God has given me. The interesting thing is that since being diagnosed with terminal cancer I find that the thing I am looking for in life is just being close to the people I love, just sharing the moment with them. All that is important when your life may be terminated is having the people you love around you and feeling the love of God in and through them. I am constantly close to the Lord, so the things that are important to Him are the important things to me. I don't think I have ever lived any fuller than I am right now...just savoring every minute of life while at the same time...having a real peace about it all because I truly believe that in Jesus, I have eternal life as well. It is an awesome way to live your life. To really live and move and have your being in God...trusting that no matter what, you will never really be separated from the one's you love who love God as well brings me great peace and a deep joy. I pray you have that peace and deep joy in God today. That in Christ Jesus you have found God's love and eternal promise for you and your loved ones. I pray that you are living beyond the circumstances of your life today regardless of the difficulties and what things look like...I pray that you are still squeezing all the life out of life you can ...soaking in the moment God gives you...concentrating on the things that are truly important, good, and valuable. I pray for you today...that you will love your family, friends and children, your work and class mates, even your bosses and employees. Love God...enjoy His gifts of goodness to you...His gifts are those we love and those that love us...that is life! I hope to teach again this Friday Night...I need your prayers to stay strong....your gifts to me, your love and encouragement sustain my life and enrich it more than I could ever have imagined. I thank you with all I have to give thanks with!

In His love forever and with deep gratitude for yours,
kit

The Journey

Kit, I thought if you when I heard this song. Jesus is your bright shining star, He is guiding you each and every day...



with love from Liza :)

kit teaching this friday night

Lord willing, I will be teaching this coming Friday night at 'The Gathering' at Hope Chapel. I have been so encouraged by every one's love, prayers, cards, notes, e-mails and blog comments. I can't tell you how much my heart just soaks up your care and compassion for me and my family. I am feeling very good right now. I haven't gone for my weekly blood tests for two weeks now, but I can tell you I am feeling good and gaining energy daily (it is your prayers for me!). Wouldn't it be great if God has just out-right done the miraculous and healed me?...wow... that would indeed be doing what seems impossible. But according to the Lord, that which is impossible for man is possible with God (Luke 18:27). I gave the message out of 1 Tim. 3 at both services this Sunday and I believe it went well. It was a good lesson on leadership and reaching our full potential in the Lord. I have had to play catch up the last 20 years, since the first 40 were pretty much dedicated to my own potential rather than God's potential for me. Once we get a hold of God's potential for our lives and put our wills to that...wow...things begin to fall into place and great stuff happens! So, it would be my encouragement to each of us to seek our full potential in Christ. Some of us may be asking, "what is my full potential in Christ?" Well...for that you have got to ask Him and He will let you know:) My sincere love and appreciation for all you do. Never grow weary of doing good...just get up and do it again. May God richly bless you!

In His love
Kit

Kit teaching this Sunday

I will be teaching at both services this Sunday out of 1 Timothy chapter 3 about leadership. I have been so blessed to have enough energy and protection from the LORD from getting sick to be able to teach. Your prayers have kept me going...so keep it up! Know that you are constantly in my prayers as well. I always thank God for you and pray for you that you will find an even deeper relationship with God as you grow closer to His heart each day. I also pray that God will give you peace in these troubled times and a deep joy that can't be removed by the circumstances in life because it is based on His eternal love for you. I pray you will experience His love for you today by remembering His great sacrifice and gift of His Son (Rom. 5:8). God bless you and thank you for all your wonderful prayers, cards, support and love for me and my family.

In His love forever,
kit

About Friday Night

I gave the message from John 3:1-21 Friday Night and it was a wonderful experience for me...I hope it was helpful to those who attended as well. If you missed it and want to, you can listen to it on-line at hopechapelmaui.com under Friday sermons posted by Wednesday of this coming week. The auditorium was pretty packed out as I talked about God's love for us. When I was growing up I never really experienced the love of God for myself because I thought God was more like a concept that may or may not actually exist depending on what you believed. In other words, I thought God was something people sort of made up like Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny! It wasn't until much later in my life, around 30 years old, that I actually read the words of Jesus for myself and realized what He was really saying. In John Chapter 3 a man named Nicodemus comes to Jesus at night. This man was a Pharisee, part of the religious ruling class during the time of Jesus. He begins to chat with Jesus and Jesus goes right to Nicodemus' heart and tells Nicodemus that the answer to all his questions (before Nicodemus had even asked any) is this..."you must be born again..." It is the same answer Jesus gives each of us that no matter what the question is you have to go through a new birth...a spiritual re-birth. Jesus says this new birth will then allow you to actually see His Kingdom, the Kingdom of Heaven. Our hearts are simply not open to His Kingdom until we are born-again. I experienced this re-birth almost 30 years ago and have since experienced the very real presence and love of God in my life. The relationship has not always been fun and games, often it has been very painful as God has humbled me and shown me the not so pretty truth about myself. I have struggled to be obedient to His desires for my life and have often times come under His hand of loving discipline. But, through all the years, God has continued to reveal Himself to me in a deeper and more profound way and our love relationship has continued to grow. Nicodemus asked Jesus how does this new spiritual re-birth that allows you to enter your Kingdom take place? And Jesus told Nicodemus that He [Jesus] would be lifted up by the Father (just like Moses lifted the bronze serpent up in the desert on a pole to save the children of Israel from dying from snake bite) on the cross to die for the sins of the world and all who looked upon Him [Jesus] would enter His Kingdom and be given the gift of eternal life. It is simple but costly! Jesus' perfect life would be given for our failures, brokenness, and sins...paying the price for those things... which is separation from God and giving us entrance by faith in what Christ has done for us into the Kingdom of Heaven and eternal life. Many religious people try to make it complicated, but it's not...it's just Jesus and His love...He just wants to give us the gift and asks us do you want to be born again? The answer to that question is between Him [Jesus] and ourselves. Of course, it is my prayer that each of us would answer yes to God, yes to His gift, yes to His pardon, yes to eternal life. I hope and pray your day is a blessed one...one that draws you closer to the love of God in Christ and the peace that passes understanding, knowing that you are firmly in His Almighty hands. Thank you so much for your love and prayers that sustain me each day and keep praying for that miracle healing...that God would allow me to stay longer here on earth with my family, friends and loved ones...working for the Lord until He takes me home.

Love forever and still overwhelmed by yours!
kit

Loving God With All Your Mind seminar CD's (for the brainiacs who want empirical evidence for God's existence) are still available by contacting john.hazdovac@hopechapelmaui.com and giving him a mailing address)

working away!

I am busy working on Friday Night's message out of John 3:1-21...what a powerful passage of scripture. I am feeling good and don't have any infections or illnesses. You guys have covered me with prayer and good thoughts and I appreciate it so much! I know your love is keeping me healthy and going! So...thanks for the wonderful support and encouragement. As I work away on this message I am so in awe of how God has always made a way for those who love him to find peace in the midst of chaos and fear. When everything around us is crumbling the LORD himself stands in the middle of His people and calls them to look to Him. In the middle of chaos and fear He calls us to look to His provision for our life. "You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you,
whose thoughts are fixed on you!" Isaiah 26:3 ...the only way I can keep the fear at bay in my life is by focusing my thoughts on God. My prayer for you today is that you would find His perfect peace as you fix your thoughts on Him, the lover of your soul, the one who purchased you for all eternity with His on blood so you could know His peace, His love and eternal life in Him. Keep up the prayers!

I love you
kit

Kit teaching friday night

My white blood cell count continued to go down today to only 1.7 (normal 5.0 - 10.0) also nutraphils only around 10% so the oncology department is warning me about infections, illnesses etc...this is why I can't be around a lot of people, which is a real bummer. The rest of my blood count is fine so I have energy and my body is able to repair itself etc...I plan on teaching this Friday Night, Lord willing...and I will be teaching out of John 3:1-21...of course...Nicodemus' famous night meeting with Jesus...we are calling the message 'Nic at Nite' ( not so clever really, I am sure many teachers have used this title before). It is always such a wonderful privilege to teach at Hope Chapel, especially on Friday Night because the Friday Night Service was started by my brother Buddy and myself over 10 years ago and has grown into our largest total single service. "The Gathering", as it is called, is just a wonderful service with great music (of course fantastic teaching!...actually I have a stable now of young upcoming teachers) and wonderful fellowship outside in the large courtyard area.(remember we are in Hawaii) It is a place where people feel comfortable bringing their friends. I am so thrilled to still be a part of such a wonderful ministry! Thanks for all your hopes and prayers for me. Whenever I get the news my blood counts have dropped I am always saddened and then I just think of you praying for me. I think of the Lord loving me and giving His life for mine. I think of my church , my family and my friends and I always feel instantly better, strengthened and ready to face whatever comes my way! I love you guys very much...keep me in your prayers!

Love
kit

Happy to be here

I woke up today happy to be here. I thought about my friends, my family, my church and everyone who has prayed, cared, supported and encouraged me through this journey.... And as I thought about you, huge tears began to flow down my cheeks because I realized it is your love, the love that flows from God through you to me that has kept me alive. So, keep praying, keep encouraging, keep loving all the way through the toughest things in our lives. When we pull together for one another we are a strong force against the things in life that would break our spirits. We need one another more than ever before. I know I certainly need you. Your prayers have not only kept me alive, but well enough to still teach and help others along in their own journey. Your generous support has held me and my family together for the last 6 months. Your encouragement has kept me going, fighting the good fight for God's glory. Whatever is good, pure and lovely the Apostle says think on these things...and whatever is good, pure and lovely is worth giving our lives to. So I pray for you today, that you will dwell on those things that are truly good, pure and lovely and even further, that today, you will be deeply touched by those things...the things of God. "...he keeps the one's heart in perfect peace, whose eyes are focused on Him."

Please continue to pray for my white cells to go up (the % of nutraphils) so I can be close to everyone and so I can continue to teach and be of service... And don't stop praying for the big miracle as well...a complete healing. This would be a miracle never before seen by the medical profession...wouldn't that be something!?

If anyone would like the CD's of the seminar on the Cosmological discussion on God's existence or How to convince your skeptical friend that God exists, simply request copies by e-mailing John.hazdovac@hopechapelmaui.com and John will send you copies of the seminar on CD.

In great appreciation for your love & prayers,
kit

Another day given

Kit Lauer here....I want to say that the seminar was a fantastic success with over 200 people in attendance on a Saturday morning at 8AM...it just shows how determined people are to learn more about God...which is great for me because that is what my life is all about! I prayed God would keep me healthy and strong to be able to teach at the seminar and He did! So, I want to thank God for sustaining me and all of you for praying for me. I also want to thank all of you who attended the seminar and especially those of you who worked the seminar and made it such a great success! If you were not able to attend but you want the video or CD just let me know by e-mailing me at kit@maui.net (let me know what you would like and where to send it). My blood counts are still all normal with the exception of my white cells which still need to come up a bit and I need more nutraphils to protect me from illnesses....this is why I can't be around a lot of people and give hugs and kisses:( But I did get a bit of a bump up in the white cells from today's blood test. So just keep praying for me...your prayers are keeping me around...and we just keep praying for the big miracle...something the oncologists have never seen...a man with AML (m1) miraculously healed...now that would be a great day and a day that would glorify our God...for those of us who trust and believe in Him know He has the power to heal me instantly. But, whether God heals me from cancer completely or the cancer takes me home to be with Him my faith in Him remains the same. I know God exists, I know He loves me because He gave His only Son so I could live and I know God always makes something really good out of the bad things that happen to us. For further discussion along these lines go to www.hopechapelmaui.com click on Apologetics Reasons & Answers and listen to mp3 of "Why is the world so messed up?" Again, thank you for your prayers and generous support of me and my family as we battle this cancer. My desire is to just keep serving God and loving my family, friends and His people until my final breath! It is a good life and I live it moment by moment as God gives me strength!

My love and God's Blessings
kit

Apologetics Seminar on Sept. 13th

Kit Lauer Ph.D will be conducting a seminar Saturday, September 13th at the Hope Chapel Auditorium in Kihei from 8:00am until 12:30pm. This seminar will help the Christian believer demonstrate the necessity of God’s existence through modern cosmology and logic.

This study will include a continental breakfast and study materials at the cost of $15 per persons or $10 for 18 years and younger.

It will answer questions and give reasons for:
Why God must be uncreated or infinite
Why God must be one and not a multiplicity
Why God cannot change
Why God must be personal (have volition or will)
Why God must be good
Why God must be omnipresent, omnipotent and omniscient

Basically, this seminar will help increase your understanding of why the God of the Bible must be the only true God there is.

To register or for more information call Kimberly Brown @ 870-7292 or call the Hope Chapel office @ 879-3853.

Kit will speak at all 3 services this weekend

* Fun fellowship with the Woodards.
Thank you Micheal and Ciara for sharing this photo.

It is a pleasure to be able to speak at the services this coming weekend. God has given me the strength because of your prayers for me. Friday Night's message and both Sunday messages will be on the 'Value of Children and Families' ...oh...and how well I know that value! Not only has my own family stepped up to love and encourage me through this difficult journey, but the church family has gone off the charts in their love and support. I have loving families who have embraced me like an adopted son literally all over this nation and the world. They have prayed for me, encouraged me and supported me in every way. Family is awesome! And our children are our treasures! This is why our children and our families are a Core value at Hope Chapel. We recognize their great value and we are pledged to growing strong and healthy children and families who will make a positive impact on the world around them and bring glory to God.

I want you to know that as you pray for me I am praying for you, your family and your children. I am praying for those of us with children to understand and embrace the wonderful treasure God has given us and to do all we can to honor that treasure...to be quick to show vulnerability, to demonstrate asking for forgiveness when we mess up, to love them through everything like God loves us, never turning our back on them, to teach them, train them and pour our lives into them in order that they may be healthy and strong in a very unhealthy world. I am praying that you will do all you can to hold onto to family, to leave room for one an other's faults, to leave room for growth, but to hold onto one another through it all, to work to celebrate the gift of family even when sometimes it is tough...and to embrace the joy of family helping to be faithful and honest and trustworthy with one another, building a family that is strong and healthy...this bring glory to God.

I encourage you in your struggles, your defeats and your victories to stay the course, to be keepers of the great gift of children and family. May God strengthen you and make you courageous and bless you for doing all that is good and pure and lovely...for in so doing you bring some of heaven to earth.

Thanks for all your continued prayers and support. My blood counts were good this week except my whites are still down, please pray for the white cells to go up to the normal range so I can fight infections. We are all still so amazed at what God is doing as He has sustained me for the last 12 weeks. You are my sustaining power, your prayers, your love, your encouragement and support. I can't thank you enough for your persistence.

With great love,
Kit

Thanks from Kit

Kit here...you are the greatest support team a man could ever have! Your continued prayers, love, financial help and encouragement have literally kept me alive and going! My blood counts continue to astonish everyone![in the medical field] My back is healing well since I received a healing touch five Friday's ago and I just need more prayer for my white blood cell count to go up a bit and of course for the great miracle of God...that He would heal me completely of this "terminal" cancer! [of course those of us who are Christan believers know that nothing is "terminal" unless the Lord says so, and even that isn't really "terminal" because we never truly end in Christ...we are alive in Him forever.) I have been able to teach pretty regularly and what a wonderful gift that has been for me. I like nothing more than just sharing God's love with friends, family and a heart that is truly seeking. God tells us that when we seek Him with all of our heart, we shall indeed find Him! "With all of our heart"...sometimes that takes a clear vision of our real need for God. When things are sailing along in life the way we want them to our vision for our "true" need for God can be impaired, it's a lot like driving in the fog. I remember when I went to College at UCSB...sometimes while driving, the fog would pull in on the hi-way and you couldn't even see the car right in front of you. The fog would get so dense you literally had to stop driving and just hope the person behind you stopped as well:) It is kind of like that in our lives at times. Sometimes the fog must get so thick around us we have to stop because we really don't know where we are going or what we are doing. God allows that fog to thicken around us in order that we would have to come to a complete stop in our life, we would actually feel lost and perhaps alone so that we would cry out to Him and ask for help...because in that place of weakness and vulnerability we will seek with "all our heart" and really find the God who created us and loves us and has a wonderful plan for each of our lives. When we cry out in the dense fog of our lives, God comes to that crying heart and touches it with the true healing touch of the master healer. The same God that created the universe, created each of us for that love relationship to be close to Him 24/7...this is what He wants for us, this is what we need from Him...to truly live a life free from even the fear of death itself...for in Him there is no fear, "...for his perfect love cast out all fear..." 1 John 4:18...If you find yourself in a bit of fog today...remember, the lover of your soul is right there with you, in fact He is only a prayer away! May God's peace rest upon you as you seek Him with all your heart today.

I love you very much!
With a thankful heart for you!
kit
ps: I will be teaching at Hope Chapel, prayerfully, Friday and Sunday August 29th - 31st on the Core Value of children and families

Praise Report and Prayer Request - Please Continue to Pray

Praise Report from Kit:
Thank you for your prayers this weekend regarding Kit's white blood cells. He got his results yesterday and his count did rise slightly from 2.3 to 2.5. They are going in the right direction. Your prayers are making a difference. Please continue to pray that his white blood cells will continue to increase along with the miracle that Kit will be completely healed.


Prayer Request For Daniel Mauck:
Our Worship Pastors son Daniel Mauck, 16 yrs old, was in a skateboarding accident last Fri (Aug. 15th) and was taken to the hospital unconscious. He is now in ICU at Maui Memorial hospital. Daniel has fractured his skull and there is bruising in his brain. The doctors said that Daniel will probably be unconscious several days. Pray that there won't be any complications and that Daniel will be healed to complete recovery. Please keep Daniel and the Mauck family in your prayers.

A Note from Kit:)

Kit here...I hope many of you are still reading the blog. I thank you for your continued prayers and support of me and my family as we continue to pray for complete healing from a disease that is officially listed as incurable at this time. My blood counts have been strong except for my white blood cells. So please pray for my good white blood cells to increase and for the cancer cells to die. I trust in the LORD, whether He gives me a day or a hundred years. I also want to thank my two sister-in-laws for participating in a "Team in Training". They participated and completed a 100k bike race for the Leukemia Foundation which raised over $56,000 and Mahalo to those of you who sponsored them. All you guys have been so awesome in your support and encouragement of me and my family during this difficult time and my heart is filled with tremendous love and gratitude. The LORD has seen fit to give me enough strength to teach at church several times since I have been out of the hospital. In fact, I am teaching again this weekend at both Friday and Sunday services. The title of the message this weekend is 'The Changed Life'... And I have certainly experienced some profound change. I really believe God wants us to all experience life change, a life change that is genuine and manifests itself in genuine healing and spiritual growth. So this is my prayer for you today, that God would help you make the changes in your life that bring healing and spiritual growth and draw you closer to HIM.

With all my heart and love
Kit

Kit starting a new series...yes, Dr. Kit is teaching!

Hey, folks, Josh writing for Kit...

Kit is busy preparing a message for his teaching...this Friday, August 1st... on his new series, Changing into Ourselves.
Kit describes it this wasy, "The idea is that we have identified who we think we are and what we do, but really, we need to change to actually become that! It’s like as Christians and a church we see ourselves as what God wants us to be, but God says no, we need to change to become who we think we are…"

Be there!

kit speaks:)

Hey everyone...if you are still checking in, this is Kit...your prayers for healing seem to be sustaining me right now...my back was healed two Fridays ago as everyone prayed for me and it has been getting better everyday since then...for 8 weeks my blood counts have all been normal, which means no blood transfusions. I am on a strict vegetable juice diet for cleansing...the affects of the chemo and antibiotics have all dissipated and my skin, glands, hormones, organs are all returning to a "normal" function...even my hair is coming back (nothing to write home about...but some hair)...in the "natural" and according to modern medical science I should still die soon, but as most of us know and believe, God has the final say so on my life... Whether I live or die and how long...in fact we are all kind of in the same boat...the only time we have here on planet earth that is guaranteed is right now...non of us have the next moment for sure. Our life here, the Bible says, is but a vapor, like a little wisp of smoke...here for a brief moment and then gone. The important thing is; what we do with that brief moment?...because according to Christ, all eternity for us hangs on our answer to that question. It is my hope for you today that you would choose God's love for your life. It would be my hope for you that you would choose your family, your children, you wife or husband, your friends to live your moment for and with. For when we choose these things in the moment we are given here on earth, we choose that which is good, right, pure, lovely and we capture these things in the moment for all eternity and they can never be taken from us...never. I hope to speak next Friday and see you all again...it has been a blessing for me to be able to speak to the church and for my friends and family far away to be able to listen via our website at hopechapelmaui.net Please continue to pray for God's miracle of healing.
PS...I will be leading a prayer for healing this Sunday evening at Hope Chapel 6:00PM...I send all my love and thanks to you for your continued prayers and support.
kit

2 Corinthians 4:1-18

Reading "2Corinthians 4:1-18" reminds me of Kit and his family. I thought it's appropriate to put the verses in this blog:

2Co 4:1 Therefore, since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. 2 Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God. 3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. 4 The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 5 For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.
2Co 4:7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 8 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 10 We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 11 For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body. 12 So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.
2Co 4:13 It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.” With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak, 14 because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in his presence. 15 All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.
2Co 4:16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardlyl we are being renewed day by day. 17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

Kit's Teaching on July 11 and 13 - Now Available

To listen or download Kit's teaching on July 11 and 13 - go to Hope Chapel's website. For the Friday teaching on "Abide", click HERE. For the July 13's teaching title "How To Please God", click HERE.

I Simply Live For You hula

Shelly and Kit watching the hula

I call them the Hope Chapel Quartet :). They sounded pretty good!
They sang during the offering on that July 13th Service.

As always, feel free to leave your encouraging comments to Kit. And we know you are all praying for his healing and recovery. Your love, prayers, support, and comments for the Lauer family are all very much appreciated. - Liza

The Blessing Of Cancer (by Tony Snow)

My dad wanted to share this with you all.
Love, Maisha

"The Blessing of Cancer",
written by Tony Snow (Fox News) in October, 2007:

Blessings arrive in unexpected packages, - in my case, cancer. Those of us with potentially fatal diseases - and there are millions in America today find ourselves in the odd position of coping with our mortality while trying to fathom God's will. Although it would be the height of presumption to declare with confidence "What It All Means," Scripture provides powerful hints and consolations. The first is that we shouldn't spend too much time trying to answer the "why" questions: Why me? Why must people suffer? Why can't someone else get sick? We can't answer such things, and the questions themselves often are designed more to express our anguish than to solicit an answer. I don't know why I have cancer, and I don't much care. It is what it is, a plain and indisputable fact. Yet even while staring into a mirror darkly, great and stunning truths begin to take shape. Our maladies define a central feature of our existence: We are fallen. We are imperfect. Our bodies give out. But despite this, or because of it, God offers the possibility of salvation and grace. We don't know how the narrative of our lives will end, but we get to choose how to use the interval between now and the moment we meet our Creator face-to-face. Second, we need to get past the anxiety. The mere thought of dying can send adrenaline flooding through your system. A dizzy, unfocused panic seizes you. Your heart thumps; your head swims. You think of nothingness and swoon. You fear partings; you worry about the impact on family and friends. You fidget and get nowhere. To regain footing, remember that we were born not into death, but into life and that the journey continues after we have finished our days on this earth. We accept this on faith, but that faith is nourished by a conviction that stirs even within many non believing hearts an intuition that the gift of life, once given, cannot be taken away. Those who have been stricken enjoy the special privilege of being able to fight with their might, main, and faith to live fully, richly, and exuberantly no matter how their days may be numbered. Third, we can open our eyes and hearts. God relishes surprise. We want lives of simple, predictable ease,- smooth, even trails as far as the eye can see, but God likes to go off-road. He provokes us with twists and turns. He places us in predicaments that seem to defy our endurance; and comprehension and yet don't. By His love and grace, we persevere. The challenges that make our hearts leap and stomachs churn invariably strengthen our faith and grant measures of wisdom and joy we would not experience otherwise. 'You Have Been Called'. Picture yourself in a hospital bed. The fog of anesthesia has begun to wear away. A doctor stands at your feet; a loved one holds your hand at the side. "It's cancer," the healer announces. The natural reaction is to turn to God and ask him to serve as a cosmic Santa. "Dear God, make it all go away. Make everything simpler." But another voice whispers: "You have been called." Your quandary has drawn you closer to God, closer to those you love, closer to the issues that matter, and has dragged into insignificance the banal concerns that occupy our "normal time." There's another kind of response, although usually short-lived an inexplicable shudder of excitement, as if a clarifying moment of calamity has swept away everything trivial and tiny, and placed before us the challenge of important questions. The moment you enter the Valley of the Shadow of Death, things change. You discover that Christianity is not something doughy, passive, pious, and soft. Faith may be the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. But it also draws you into a world shorn of fearful caution. The life of belief teems with thrills, boldness, danger, shocks, reversals, triumphs, and epiphanies. Think of Paul, traipsing though the known world and contemplating trips to what must have seemed the antipodes ( Spain ), shaking the dust from his sandals, worrying not about the morrow, but only about the moment. There's nothing wilder than a life of humble virtue, for it is through selflessness and service that God wrings from our bodies and spirits the most we ever could give, the most we ever could offer, and the most we ever could do. Finally, we can let love change everything. When Jesus was faced with the prospect of crucifixion, he grieved not for himself, but for us. He cried for Jerusalem before entering the holy city. From the Cross, he took on the cumulative burden of human sin and weakness, and begged for forgiveness on our behalf. We get repeated chances to learn that life is not about us, that we acquire purpose and satisfaction by sharing in God's love for others. Sickness gets us part way there. It reminds us of our limitations and dependence. But it also gives us a chance to serve the healthy. A minister friend of mine observes that people suffering grave afflictions often acquire the faith of two people, while loved ones accept the burden of two peoples' worries and fears. 'Learning How to Live'. Most of us have watched friends as they drifted toward God's arms, not with resignation, but with peace and hope. In so doing, they have taught us not how to die, but how to live. They have emulated Christ by transmitting the power and authority of love. I sat by my best friend's bedside a few years ago as a wasting cancer took him away. He kept at his table a worn Bible and a 1928 edition of the Book of Common Prayer. A shattering grief disabled his family, many of his old friends, and at least one priest. Here was an humble and very good guy, someone who apologized when he winced with pain because he thought it made his guest uncomfortable. He retained his equanimity and good humor literally until his last conscious moment. "I'm going to try to beat [this cancer]," he told me several months before he died. "But if I don't, I'll see you on the other side." His gift was to remind everyone around him that even though God doesn't promise us tomorrow, he does promise us eternity, filled with life and love we cannot comprehend, - and that one can in the throes of sickness point the rest of us toward timeless truths that will help us weather future storms. Through such trials, God bids us to choose: Do we believe, or do we not? Will we be bold enough to love, daring enough to serve, humble enough to submit, and strong enough to acknowledge our limitations? Can we surrender our concern in things that don't matter so that we might devote our remaining days to things that do? When our faith flags, he throws reminders in our way. Think of the prayer warriors in our midst. They change things, and those of us who have been on the receiving end of their petitions and intercessions know it. It is hard to describe, but there are times when suddenly the hairs on the back of your neck stand up, and you feel a surge of the Spirit. Somehow you just know: Others have chosen, when talking to the Author of all creation, to lift us up, to speak of us! This is love of a very special order. But so is the ability to sit back and appreciate the wonder of every created thing. The mere thought of death somehow makes every blessing vivid, every happiness more luminous and intense. We may not know how our contest with sickness will end, but we have felt the ineluctable touch of God. What is man that Thou art mindful of him? We don't know much, but we know this: No matter where we are, no matter what we do, no matter how bleak or frightening our prospects, each and every one of us who believe, each and every day, lies in the same safe and impregnable place, in the hollow of God's hand."

Tony went to be with the Lord June 12, 2008 .