Sunday, August 31, 2025
As many of you know, my wife Kellie, has been battling a very aggressively
spreading form of cancer for the last 2-years now.
While several people have been requesting an update, we were waiting on the Lord
for the right time to provide that update, and that time is now. Kellie and I knew and decided it was time to update you, and also express our profound gratitude to you, for all your overwhelming love, support, and more importantly prayer.
After numerous trips to the hospital over the last month and a half, we learned and knew that the cancer had, and still is, swiftly spreading. So-much-so, that we also learned that it had spread throughout her brain, meaning she’s in “Stage-4” cancer, which is incurable, and terminal.
Absent an unmistakable, unquestionable and supernatural miracle from our God and
Great Physician as the God Who heals, which we continue, by faith, to petition the
throne for, it seems that she’s probably going to be home with the Lord soon.
As such, we’ve opted for in home, “end of life”, comfort care, as we continue in prayer,
mainly for relief from her excruciating pain. Please know that we are not seeking
any pity, we’re seeking only prayer.
For those who have been so thoughtful in sending us valuable information about
alternative treatments and protocols, please know that we have not only known
about them, but have been, and still are following them and utilizing them, doing
everything and anything we can. However, for reasons known only to our all-knowing and unconditional loving God, all we’ve done by way of those treatments and protocols has been to no avail, which I hope to briefly expound on, Lord willing, this Tuesday.
Also, for those who know Kellie, she’s a very private person, and has become even
more so because the Lord has seemingly made me such a public figure, which I
never sought to be, nor wanted to be. Be that as it may, she’s now at the point where
she’s physically unable to have any visitors, and we are so very thankful to you for
respecting our privacy, especially now during this difficult time of grief and sorrow
for our family.
As for me taking time off to have as much time with Kellie and our adult children;
after much in the way of praying and fasting, and also with me having my wife’s
blessing, I’m remaining in the pulpit, Lord willing, at least for now, as long as I can,
until the Lord makes it clear that the time has come for me, as my first ministry, to
be with my wife as long as I can, while I still can.
That time may come sooner than we had originally anticipated, given that Kellie’s
condition has rapidly deteriorated. Pastor Leitu and Pastor Mac, both of whom are
truly a God sent gift, are at-the-ready to fill-in for me, as long as is needed, until
such a time as I’m able to return, which at this time, we simply don’t know. But
God does know, as the only one who numbers of the days of her life, and knows the
day of her death, which according to scripture we do know her very life and her
every breath are in His hands.
Lastly, you have been most gracious and understanding to my family and myself
over the years when I’ve taken time off to be with my family, and for that, I simply
cannot thank you enough. As your pastor, which is my profound privilege and
honor to be, it’s such an encouraging blessing, knowing that you’ll be continuing in
your understanding, at a time when our family needs it the most. So, I truly thank
you all so very much, and I truly love you all so very much!!!
jd
Thursday, July 17th, 2025
Praise Report from Pastor JD,
By the grace, mercy and unfailing love of God, the power of all the prayers and cries and the faith that only God gives, we’re trusting that Kellie will be released from the hospital tomorrow, (Friday) and return home.
This after her amazing recovery from the second emergency spinal cord surgery where the cancer had spread to, which is without question in the natural, the miraculous hand of God in the supernatural.
As of now, I’m planning, Lord willing, to be back in the pulpit this Sunday, July 20th. This by any standard was impossible, But God is the God of the impossible.
Thank you, thank you, thank you all so, so, so much for your prayers for my bride!!! God heard, God moved and God answered!!! To God be all the glory due His Holy Name!!!
With all my love from all my heart,
jd
Sunday, July 13th, 2025
Prayer Update from Pastor JD,
While salvation is our most valuable possession, prayer is our most powerful possession and Kellie and I are unspeakably grateful for all your prayers and cries, as God is hearing from on high and hearkening unto the voice of our cry. So powerful are all of your prayers that our Great Physician guided the hands of the physicians performing the first of two emergency spinal cord surgeries scheduled over a 4-day period from which Kellie is now recovering and recuperating prior to the 2nd upcoming major spinal cord surgery that’s tentatively set for tomorrow, (Monday)
So powerful are all of your prayers that God, in His amazing grace and unfathomable love, saw us through and got us past the alarming diagnosis that the cancer had aggressively spread to her bones, which placed Kellie into what they call the “golden hour”, which is a 24-hour period of time to perform an emergency spinal cord surgery of this magnitude knowing the risks of her becoming a quadriplegic, or even worse, resulting in her death.
While we’re believing only, and trusting fully, in the Lord, we’re also still realistic about Kellie not being “out of the woods yet”. This after having been fully apprised of the risks associated with delicate spinal cord surgeries and their propensity to permanently damage the central nervous system that God so fearfully and wonderfully made in us, and for us. As such, please, please, please keep praying effectually, fervently and powerfully for a complete recovery and more importantly a miraculous healing, all for God’s glory, and God’s alone.
Doubtless many of you know that bone cancer is no joke and is usually seen as “game over”. But God!!! But God, as only He can, through the power of prayer is turning “game over” to “game changer”. So-much-so that not only are we out of the aforementioned “golden hour” of serious life-threatening risk, which was a God “game changer”, so too are we out of the first critical surgery, which lasted well over 5-hours and was also a God “game changer”.
Any and all of God’s “game changer” miracles can only be attributed to prayer that God hears and moves in an unmistakable way. By unmistakable I mean, the way that the team of 17 in the operating room on stand by for blood transfusions and other contingencies for complications that typically arise when performing complex and risky operations such as this, were not needed!!! Why? Because all we needed was the Great Physician, our God and Savior Jesus Christ, to be in that operating room!!! AND HE WAS!!!
Again, Kellie and I have no words to express how thankful we are for your overwhelming support and your
prayer during this difficult time of need in which we find ourselves. I continue to stay by the side of my bride in the hospital with Elias, Levi and Sabia when able. This has brought us closer together as a family, and infinitely more so, closer to the Lord.
Lastly, you remain in the very loving pastoral care and teaching of both Pastor Leitu and Pastor Mac until I’m able to return, which Lord willing, will be as soon as possible. I so appreciate the grace and love you’ve all shown to my family and myself and I’m sorry that I cannot be in the pulpit until my wife, the love of my life, is back home and recovering. Also, thank you for understanding that I don’t have time to respond to those who have called, emailed or texted me, as the entirety of my time and focus is devoted to Kellie as we keep our eyes on Jesus, knowing the love of Jesus, never fails!!!
Thank you from the bottom of my heart; with all of my heart,
jd
July 10, 2025
First and foremost, Kellie and I cannot thank all of you enough for praying. Please, please, please continue to pray, specifically concerning the aggressive spreading of the Cancer to Kellie’s spine requiring two major emergency spinal cord surgeries over the next 4-days.
Actually, this is already unmistakably the Lord hearkening unto the many prayers and cries, as initially Kellie was in what they call the “golden hour”, which is a 24-hour period of time to perform an emergency spinal cord surgery of this magnitude with the risks being that she could become a quadriplegic, or worse, it would result in her death.
I’m staying by Kellie’s side in the hospital and Elias, Levi and Sabia are here when they’re able, especially on the 2-surgery days. This has brought us closer together as a family, and more importantly it has brought all of us closer to the Lord during our time of need. He alone is the Great Physician Who we look to, trust in and rely upon.
As such, you will be in the very loving pastoral care and teaching of both Pastor Leitu and Pastor Mac until I’m able to return, which Lord willing, will be as soon as possible. I appreciate the grace and understanding you’ve all shown to my family and myself and I’m sorry that I cannot be in the pulpit until my wife is back home and recovering, which by faith we are trusting the Lord for and even in advance thanking the Lord for.
Lastly, I’ll provide “prayer updates” in as much as I’m able and again, we cannot even begin to thank all of you enough for praying. In the meantime, I just don’t have the time to respond to those who have called, emailed or texted me, as the entirety of my time and attention is devoted to my bride as we keep our eyes on Jesus!!!
Thank you from the bottom of my heart; with all of my heart,
jd