Apostle Paul & St. Jude

John and I have spent the night here with John at St. Jude’s, having relieved Levi in order for him to get some much needed sleep. The doctor tells us that the cause of John’s illness was an amoeba – a tiny parasite caused the dysentary he was experiencing. John Langham is doing much better now, and is off of the IV. He continues to rest and is gaining his strength and health back, and is now eating more normally. He is antsy to leave, just as we are antsy to have him back again. Thank you all for your prayers. After he gets out, we are going to have him take it easy, and he will stay in the Penwell’s apartment building for a time. We are very glad to see him back to his usual self once more.

Christ has taken John’s illness and turned it into something good – our team has really bonded well through it all. It drew us closer to the heart of Jesus. I know that the saints were petitioning Christ both here in Olongapo and all over the country for John’s sake, and the prayers were answered. I read Philippians today, and it is not lost on my how similar it sounds to Philippines. I relate to the book well – not that John was on the brink of death, but the illness was of such a nature as to have us worried about his health. This passage in particular resounds with me:

⁷But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.
⁸Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,
⁹And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
¹⁰That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
¹¹If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.
¹²Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.
¹³Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
¹⁴I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.   [Philippians 3]

Grace and peace unto all of the saints back at home.

originally posted June 13, 2011