Dec 18 2011 prayer chain update (Scott)

Dear teammates,
Another week has gone by. Just thought I would give a brief update on my (Scott's) health.
Thanks for all your prayers and acts of kindness.
We did end up telling our kids that I (Scott) have cancer. This is just one way where we have experienced God's hand at work. They handled it well and it has allowed us to talk more freely and pray openly as a family about it.

Also God has given us peace in our decision to proceed with chemotherapy treatments, which will begin Dec 23/11. The specialist has assured us that with the nausea medication taken for 5 days after the treatment, that I shouldn't feel more than a little tired for a few days after the treatment. The first treatment will be a 7 hr experience at the "chemo lounge" at GRH. After that there will be 5 more every 3 weeks, 4hrs per session. An appointment with the specialist will precede each treatment to determine if any treatment changes are required. At some point during the treatment timeline an ultrasound will be completed to determine the effectiveness of the treatment. After the chemo sessions are complete I will be on a chemo pill for 2 years.

Thanks again for your prayers, please continue to pray for;
- praise for how God's people have supported us, on how quickly the medical staff has acted, for the sense of peace we have had
- the kids as they try to comprehend what is going on

- for continued peace for our family
- praise and prayer for continued stability in Elizabeth's health
- for God's hand at work through the treatments, that they would be effective
- during the treatments Scott will be more susceptible to viruses, pray that he might be spared from any additional colds, flu's etc

- for healing according to God's will and purpose
- that by God's grace, we would be able to be a witness through out this trial

Dec 10, 2011 (Scott)

Many of you are probably on the prayer chain and recieved this email, but for those of you who aren't below is the prayer chain email from the Rupperts

Thanks so much for your prayers
Scott had a catscan this week and met with the cancer specialist today. The diagnosis of "b cell follicular non hodgkin's lymphoma" has not changed, but the catscan confirmed that it is in stage 3 of 4, 4 being the most advanced stage. This is a slow growing cancer that Scott has likely had for years. The doctors remain hopeful that it can be managed over a long period of time. There is no medical remedy as far as the doctors know, only God's healing powers. The doctor is leaving it up to Scott whether to start chemo now or keep monitoring the lymph nodes before making a decision. Please pray for;
- praise that Scott's organs and blood look normal, and that overall he has been feeling well
- the spirits leading in determining whether to start chemo now or wait
- how to communicate to the kids who up until now have only been told that Scott has a blood disorder
- for Scott and Elizabeth to be good stewards and faithful witnesses during this very difficult time
- for healing according to God's purpose
- for continued stability in Elizabeth 's health
Thanks so much for being such a loving church family and community of friends,
Scott and Elizabeth

To my team mates at MSCU Nov 2011 (Scott)

It's almost a year and half ago now that I came to MSCU to face new
challenges and opportunities. I have very much enjoyed working with each
of you.

I am personally embarking on a new challenge, a very significant one. I
have been diagnosed with Follicular Lymphoma, which is a type of lymph
node cancer. I am awaiting blood test results and a catscan to determine
if the cancer has spread. Provided it has not, I will simply be
monitored frequently to ensure the cancer is managed.

Health challenges are something that until now have happened around me,
be it my father's passing from colon cancer or my wife's battles with
bacterial infections (including flesh eating disease).

I know the God I serve and I know that he is much bigger then my new
challenge. I also know that his plan is bigger than mine and that
ultimately it is his desire that everyone would have a relationship with
him.

I look forward to seeing His plan unfold. Please uplift my family in
prayer.

Nov 23 2011 Church prayer request (Scott)

I, Scott Ruppert, have been diagnosed with Follicular Lymphoma, which is a type of lymph node cancer. I am awaiting blood test results and a cat scan to determine if the cancer has spread. Provided it has not, I will simply be monitored frequently to ensure the cancer is managed.
Health challenges are something that until now have happened around me, be it my father’s passing from colon cancer or my wife's battles with bacterial infections (including flesh eating disease).
I know the God I serve and I know that he is much bigger then my new challenge. I also know that his plan is bigger then mine and that ultimately it is his desire that everyone would have a relationship with him.
I look forward to seeing His plan unfold. Please uplift my family in prayer. Some prayer requests are:

Pray that the children's hearts and minds will be protected
Pray that the blood work and cat scan come back negative
Pray that we will be at peace with this knowledge and able to proceed with life

Please respect that our children have a limited knowledge of this diagnosis (something the doctor encouraged).

Nov 22 2011 from pastor (Scott)

Hi Scott,
Just heard about the results from your biopsy-I am so sorry.
Please know there are people who want to walk with you and
your family through this(but don’t want to be intrusive).Many people are here for
you.I know you will be busy with appointments,and I know you have a solid extended family to
talk to,but I want you to know you can call me anytime for anything.

Nov 17 2011 Church prayer request (Scott)

Nov 17 2011 Church prayer request
Please pray for Scott & Elizabeth Ruppert and family as Scott will have a biopsy on Nov 17. Pray for quick results and for God's will to be done. Please note that the children are unaware of this.

Scott’s life story/testimony

Scott’s life story/testimony

I feel very blessed to have been born into such a loving Christian home. I am from a family of 6, 5 boys and one 1 beautiful sister. My father went to meet his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ after a 8 month battle with cancer in 1992.
Our family attended Wallenstein Bible chapel, a church that my grandfather was instrumental in starting. This had a significant impact on my life. To this day, many of my friends are from relationships started at that church. Like many farm kids, I professed to be saved 1st at 6 years old in the “barn”. Why there I don’t know. My oldest brother was very influential in my decision. Again like most kids I had many fears such as, did my parents go to heaven while I was at school. These continued until at age 14 when I recommitted my life to Christ. At that time I was attending a kids club at church called Awana. This program had a significant impact on me and led to my recommitment. My fears stopped and I was even nice to my sister for a bit .
At age 14 I entered youth group and started high school. I look back at high school and see the value in having had friends that I both went to church and school with. I believe this helped keep me from getting in with the wrong crowd. During high school I gravitated towards what I thought were the easy subjects like, phys-ed, typing and tech classes. In grade 12 I joined the machine shop co-op program, which led to my 1st full time job. During this time I was growing as a Christian, but not prepared for the 1st big trial in my life.
At 21 one years old I found out that my dad, the glue of our family had cancer in his bowels, lungs and liver. He would live just 8 months and I was privileged to be at his side when he passed. Dad lived his life for God. He was human and he made mistakes, but he was a great man who desired to walk with God. He was also a great example of a Christian, father, husband and employee. The summer of 92 was a summer spent with dad. We are a lot alike so our relationship was not always warm and fuzzy. We both are very intense about what we believe in. He passed on Dec 26, 1992. Those who remembered him at the funeral home and service were many. The months that followed were very hard. By this time my older 3 brothers were married and on their own. It was just my younger brother and sister, my mom and I at home. The months that followed saw us experience a chimney fire and my mom’s dad having a stroke. These things rocked my world, but drew me closer to God who is my Rock. As the months and years have gone by, dad’s memory is ever present and his influence still exists. I continued my involvement in the youth group and at age 22 was in a leadership role.
At 22 I was also in a leadership position at work and had obtained my general machinist license. Looking back now I can see that I probably did not grieve dad’s passing properly. I struggled in life. Many of my friends were married and had kids and at age 28 I decided to switch church’s and began attending Community Fellowship. This was huge for a shy guy.
It was at Community Fellowship, in the fall of 1998 that I met my wife. The pastor gave the audience an opportunity to great each other. I like to tease Elizabeth that she jumped over several rows of chairs to greet me, but that’s not entirely true. Our relationship began cautiously, but when we both put our age difference aside, the relationship grew quickly. In May 1999 there were building lots in Elmira and prior to us getting engaged, we moved ahead with building a house. We were engaged soon after and married November 6, 1999. By this time I was working in a design position at a Waterloo based automation company called Systematix.
I look back now at my adult life and can see that God has richly blessed me with many challenging and great experiences. He promises never to leave or forsake us and he hasn’t. While he has blessed me with a great wife, 2 awesome kids, good jobs, the means to take trips to Europe, Florida, St Lucia, Portarico and Western Canada, he has also blessed us with learning experiences, such as my father’s passing, doctors saying that Eliz and I probably could not have kids followed by a miscarriage, family marriage breakups, a nephews sudden passing at age 17, my wife’s battle with flesh eating disease in 2005 leaving her with impaired vision, her severe bacterial infections in 2009 & 2010, a severe vehicle accident in 2010, challenging financial times for siblings and finally my diagnosis with cancer in November 2011. God has seen us through this and has blessed us.
Because of mankind’s decision to sin as is described in the book of Genesis, we are deserving of Hell. When one keeps that perspective, that this life is short in the grand scheme of things and that if we accept Gods free gift of salvation and eternity, then life’s challenges don’t seem so bad. God sent his only son to be the difference.
Currently my cancer is in a remission that the doctors expect could last up to between 4 and 5 years. I receive chemo every 3 months for 2 years (until 2014) and will be monitored frequently.
The following versus mean a great deal to me:
2 Cor 12:9aBut he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”
James 1:2-4&12; Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything
Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.
1 Cor 9:24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.

Religous view

Religous view

As discribed in the book of Genisis, sin entered the world through mans choice.
Romans 3:23, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God;
Romans 6:23, For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord;
John 3:16, For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

I am saved by grace but;
1 Cor 9:24, Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.