Three years ago today, September 30.

I guess that's all I wanted to say.

Larissa

"Nevertheless, I am continually with you; you hold my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will receive me to glory."

Psalm 73

We are wired to defy death. We try to run from it. We seek things that will make our lives longer. Even as a Christian, I find myself fearful of how I'm going to die, what really is after this life, what life on earth will be like when I'm not here.

None of us is immune to death. It seems to be the only guaranteed health ailment. Yet even though we know we will all face it one day, how many people actually want it to come quickly? How many people don't fear its consequences?

Over the past week, we were struck by how Steve has no fear in death. Steve has complete confidence that he will be received into glory. He has confidence in death and in life, because he knows Christ.

Steve's cancer would be much different if he were scared. Ian's brain inury would be much different if he were scared.

Are you scared of death? Steve's first post after his prognosis was challenging blog readers to evaluate what they are hoping in. These trials are awful. And they are dark. But we have Christ. And we know He will receive us into glory. Sometimes, it seems like that's all we have. But we have to believe that it is enough.

Please trust in Christ

Ian and Larissa

Steve's home and doing well

Thank you for praying

Wednesday Night

After seeing the mass in the surgery this morning, the surgeon said that he was confident that my dad's speech would be not as good as it was last night. Today it was actually a little better, praise God! Considering the surgery was more extensive than he had expected, the doctor was very pleased with how it went.

He is still not feeling very well and still has trouble speaking. We don't know how long he will be in the hospital, but he is scheduled to leave the ICU and go to a step-down unit. Thank you for praying, and thank God for all the grace he has given us.

-Ben

Tuesday Night

We found out a little more about the cause of the seizure. The tumor regrew, faster than the doctors expected. This is also the reason he was having a harder and harder time speaking the past couple of weeks - because the tumor was getting bigger.

Tomorrow morning (Wednesday morning) they’re going to do surgery to remove the cancer again. If the surgery goes well then many of his recent symptoms, including his difficulty in speaking clearly, will probably subside. He will then have to restart chemo therapy and continue the radiation.

But there is also a chance that it may not go well, but instead cause more damage to his brain. The doctor speculated that he is two-thirds sure that the surgery will go as planned.

Please pray that his surgery would go well and that we’d have much more time with him when he’s healthy. Pray even that there wouldn’t be a tumor when the doctors start the surgery. Today he said that he is really looking forward to going home (meaning his real home, heaven) but he wants to be here for us, his family.

It’s really encouraging to see my dad and mom not distraught over this. The worst-case scenario health-wise (dying) would bring about the best thing that my dad has ever experienced: being with his Savior. For my mom, as she says, it would be only an interruption in their relationship with each other if he died, not an end. There’s real sadness (for all of us) but I’m heartened that they see the reality of heaven.

Philippians 1:21-24

-Ben

Please Pray for Steve

Hi everyone this is Stephen Altrogge (friend and pastor of the Murphy's). Larissa asked me to update the blog for them.

Last night Steve had another seizure and had to be life flighted down to the hospital in Pittsburgh. The doctors believe that the seizure was caused by swelling in Steve's brain.

Right now Steve is unable to speak, but is lucid and can understand everything happening around him.

The doctors are considering surgery to relieve some of the pressure on the brain. There are risks associated with the surgery [not exactly sure what], and because of this, the family will need to make some decisions regarding the best way forward.

Please be praying for the Murphy family and for Steve. We serve a God who cares so deeply about Steve that He sent His precious Son to die in Steve's place. If God would do such an incredibly loving thing, He'll take care of the Murphy's and hear our prayers. So let's pray.

exactly four weeks later

we found ourselves in the er again today, exactly four weeks after we were there with steve. ian had a seizure this morning and after several tests and prescriptions, he is back home sleeping. we aren't sure what caused it but there don't seem to be any huge side effects- his speech in particular seems to be ok. it's the first he's ever had.

please pray for ian that god would spare him from further seizures and that the effects from this one would be minimal. please also pray for comfort and rest for him.

thank you

larissa

Update

Steve has begun his chemo and radiation treatments and is experiencing side effects. Please pray for strength for him and Mary.

Ian wanted me to report that he is doing well and asked for prayer for his memory and initiation.

Thank you,

Larissa

I speak for Mary and I when I say that we weren't shocked by this new trial. Grieved, but not shocked. We should expect sufferings to multiply. Our entire christian experience is marked by suffering- some more severe than others - and our suffering is magnified by our knowledge of the glory that waits for us beyond this earth.

I've been struck many times over the past two weeks by Steve and Ian. Father and son. Two recipients of severe affliction. No one knows Ian's sufferings now as well as his father. Steve now shares in the sufferings of his son.

We aren't afraid of death, but we don't want Steve to leave. Not yet. We believe that god could heal steve, and god could heal Ian. But he might not. There is no promise in the bible that he will or that he has to. And we have to be ok with that.

larissa

Cancer is Not in the Bible

Cancer is not in the Bible, but death is. We have ways of forestalling death, even death from cancer. They had the ability to forestall my death a little longer, and I'm amazed that I'm still alive. But, some day my death is going to come. I’m so grateful the Bible teaches me what God did to save me from death. I’m so grateful that I don’t have to be deserving in order to gain Christ.

Brushing so near to death and facing it so near in my future, I now a have renewed interest in asking those of you who read our blog if you’re trusting in God’s solution for death.

Steve

Note: On Monday the doctors officially diagnosed him with cancer. The average life expectancy of people with this kind of cancer is 14 months after diagnosis.