Greetings from Steve and Sandy Aholt,

Thank you so much for your continued prayers and financial support through our retirement ministry. God has provided for us in ways above all that we could ever ask or think. He has given us health, wisdom, and protection from COVID19. We have prayed and saw God deliver some from the brink of death. We have prayed and saw God choose to deliver some from death unto life with Him in Heaven. We rejoice with those who do rejoice and weep with those who weep. We thank God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, that we need not sorrow as those who have no hope. Our faith is in the Lord! Has it ever occurred to you that nothing has ever occurred to God?

Thank you so much for your prayers for Sandy’s strength during her healing. She is back to work and God is answering prayer that her ankle (in Pidgin: isi isi skru bilong Sandy i wok long kamap mobeta) is feeling a little better each day. It is still tender and gives her pain. However, the doctor told her that it may take a whole year before it will be back to a new normal. Praise the Lord that God has provided for all of the extra financial obligations that we have incurred due to this injury and Sandy not working. The Lord be magnified! We love the salvation that we have – through faith in a living Savior.

About seven weeks ago, Steve was walking across the street when he felt a pop in his right foot, between his great toe and his ankle. The pain never went away so he decided to get and x-ray and an MRI. Yesterday he went to an orthopedic surgeon to diagnose the problem. The MRI report said that he had a high-grade partial tearing of the posterior tibial tendon. This tendon is one of the most important tendons in your leg. It attaches to the muscle on the back of your calf, supports the bones on the inside of your foot, and holds up the arch when you are walking. Due to the sudden onset of this injury, the doctor’s opinion is that the tendon is just inflamed – somewhat like tendonitis. He is having Steve wear a special boot for three weeks to see if the tendon will heal on its own. February 10th is the recheck date. Thank you for your prayers that God will give complete healing.

Steve has also had a persistent right shoulder pain for the past 10 years. It was determined that he has several tears and a bone spur that is pushing against his rotor cuff. The doctor thinks that the spur is causing most of the pain. We went in Friday, January 22, to have this procedure done as arthroscopic outpatient surgery. Thank you for your prayers for complete healing.

Steve will be speaking to a ladies missionary group meeting on February 11th. Please pray for this meeting as he presents a personal challenge for world missions.

Update
January 27, 2021

We are so thankful for each one of you. God is answering your prayers.

Steve had the surgery as scheduled this past Friday on his right shoulder. There was no damage to the rotator cuff tendons. None of the tears required stitching. The tears were cleaned up and should be okay. There was more bone spurring and arthritis than they expected to find. Those were ground down and removed. Steve had some concern for some very pronounced bruising that was running from the arm pit down past the elbow.

The nurse assured me that type of bruising is normal from the fluid that is flushed through the wound during the procedure. The residual fluid finds the path of least resistance and will show up as bruising. Thank you for your prayers as Steve gets his shoulder working again and for his tendon to heal in his right foot.

Here is an update on some other prayer concerns:

  • Bob Dunn is still at Mayo Clinic following his four aneurism surgery. He has become more responsive and even raised his arm. God has done another miracle. Please pray now as they are dealing with insurance issues and decisions on facilities for his recovery.
  • Brian Shaw’s brain tumor is being treated with Avastin – a tumor starving therapy. His numbers are good and pray that they will stay high. His wife Amy is planning an epic vacation road trip. This will be “an amazing time of memory making as a family.” They have a family of 12. People have begun to donate toward this epic trip. If God chooses to take Brian home, in 2021, this will be the last vacation for them as a family unit. We are praying for God to heal Brian – never-the-less may the Father’s will be done.
  • Leandra delivered Hope Elizabeth safely and their family had time for some cuddles. She was born at 10:33 p.m. and lived until just after midnight. We all look forward to seeing her in Heaven one day. Thank you for your prayers for the comfort that only God can give them.

Listening for the trump,

Steve and Sandy Aholt