Prayer Requests

NEWS UPDATE FROM YOUR MISSIONARY OVE LACKELL IN ROCHESTER, MINNESOTA, MAY 2008.

Dear Friends and Supporters,

            I like to call this THE SLOW PROCESS BACK TO FUNCTIONAL MINISTRY. The recovery after neck surgery has been slow and painful. Some nerves and tissue had to be removed to get 37 lymph nodes out from the sides of the neck. The good news was that only dead cancer cells were found in the pathology report. After being on a feeding tube for about a year, I started to relearn to swallow again a few weeks ago. To swallow correctly is a complicated procedure and I had to learn that all over again, starting with only liquids. The most difficult part of all during the time in the cancer furnace has been not being able to speak normally since July of 2006.

            It’s easy to take for granted the gift of God of speaking and eating when we have done it all our lives. But when we lose it, we realize the real value of these gifts. I plan to write a book about this called THE BEST USE OF YOUR MOUTH. Eating and kissing your spouse are ok, but the best use of your mouth is speaking words about Jesus and eternal life to the lost sinner and to speak edifying words to our Christian brothers and sisters.   A few weeks ago the Mayo Clinic dentist put a device called an obturator to cover the hole in my soft palate that the cancer had made and finally I’m back to speaking more understandable again.

            A while ago I spoke in a church for the first time in a long time and my words were possible to understand by most people. I even taped it, and it was clear enough. My life now is BC(before cancer) and AC(after cancer). I’ll never be the same as BC, but I just have to believe that Romans 8:28 applies to me and God will transform this “tragedy” for His glory. I feel like the violin that was broken in 1000 pieces but was put together by the violin maker to make a better sound than ever before.

I believe that my wonderful Father in heaven can do the same with my broken life and body. A German pastor sent me a wonderful prophecy of the power of thanksgiving. “Thank God in everything, no matter what the circumstances may be, be thankful and give thanks, for this is the will of God for you, who are in Christ Jesus”(1 Thess.5:18) Jonah was stuck in the belly of a big fish and Paul and Silas were in a the dungeon, but they were practicing the Word by thanksgiving, prayer and singing hymns to God and His power was released on their behalf. When I worked as an evangelist in my native Sweden 1984-85 I always remember the song that the singer Inga-Lill Sander wrote called NEVER LET YOUR PRAISES TO GOD BE SILENCED. The devil has worked overtime on me this last year during the very harsh treatments to discourage me and to make me think that my life and ministry are over.

“In conclusion, be strong in the Lord, be empowered through your union with Him; draw your strength from Him, that strength which His boundless might provides. Put on God’s whole armor, the armor of a heavy-armed soldier which God supplies, that you may be able successfully to stand up against all the strategies and deceits of the devil”(Eph. 6:10-11)

His main attack has been to put his flaming missiles into my thought life about past mistakes and sins in my Christian life. Only by entering God’s presence with thanksgiving and praise have I been able to fight him off. But it’s has not been easy a see-saw battle all the way. At times I have been on the brink of defeat, but then God has brought me back on top. 

“We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed. Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also been seen in our bodies”(2 Cor.4:8-10)  

Hopefully my book that I’m writing called YOU CAN WIN OVER CANCER TOO will help many others in how to deal with cancer and how to overcome it.

PRAYER NEEDS:

1.      That the remaining 3 Petscans (every 3 months) will turn out well and show no cancer.

2.      For the Mayo Clinic dentist to complete the dental work, which may include implants.

3.      To finish the book YOU CAN WIN OVER CANCER TOO.

4.      For God to open doors for me to share about missions in the churches.

5.      For continual financial needs.

6.      To leave Rochester, MN in God’s time for the next assignment.

7.      For Him to show me what to do next. 

CONTACT INFORMATION:

        Ove Lackell, P.0.Box 21, Rochester, MN 55903, USA

            Cell phone: 507-244-1396, E-mail: ovelackell@yahoo.com

            Please send tax-deductible donations to:

            RIPE FOR HARVEST, INC.

            2824 North Power Road # 113282

            Meza, Arizona 85215-1674

            (Please include a note saying that the gift is for Ove Lackell.

A SPECIAL THANKS TO ALL WHO STUCK WITH ME ALL THIS TIME IN MY CANCER BATTLE!

            As I have mentioned already it’s been a very bumpy road and only by the grace and mercy of God I’m still alive and looking to the future with great expectations. Thank you for praying the earnest prayer of the righteous man that makes tremendous power available. It made the difference! May God’s blessings abound to all of you!

I love you immensely!

Ove