Dave, thanks for your faithful, inspiring, and adoring updates...I read them as often as I can to inform my prayers for Irene. Your words of affection for Irene and your inspiring insights continue to be a hearty hug from God each day I am able to log on. Bless you for your enduring gift of faith, your networking, and your ability to behold future possibilities even before they are on anyone else’s radar.

Irene, YOU ARE IN MY PRAYERS AND ALWAYS IN MY HEART. I will especially be praying about this new issue with the fistulla...I pray for you when I drive to work, when I wake up in the middle of the night, whenever I see something in the garden I know you would love, anytime I see purple (our front and back yard are flowered in purple in honor of you), and whenever I see young women that remind me of your precious daughters...I am contending for healing, for courage, for freedom from pain, and for blessings galore in your life. I love you sister.

Irene,
We continue to pray for you and love on you before the Lord...you are never far from our thoughts and even after all this time we contend for full healing. We are dedicated to walking this road with you through ups and downs. We consider walking that road together to be a huge privilege for us.

Bless you my sister.
Laura

Hi Dias Family,

I am glad to hear all is well with Irene’s last appointment and like I told Joci, the jewelry comment is so her mother and I love it!

As I put in the subject line Thinking of the Dias Family which is what I do everyday when I get an update from this blog I have been following (along with Irene’s) and thought it might be something you would enjoy reading — it’s by a mom who I have been purchasing baby items from since Lilie was around 3 years old.  She recently lost a baby during her pregnancy for no known reason, at 37 weeks and then had a still birth.  Much of what she says about understanding and putting trust in God is similar to your web site.  I loved the posting she has now of the the YouTube Video and thought you might enjoy it too.

Take care,
Carin Sutton

Hi Dave and Irene,

I’m so happy to hear about your day at UCSF and the things you learned there.  What a touching blog tonight.

Irene, you are such a classy, faithful woman that we can all learn so much from you.  I check on your site almost every day to see how things are and I say a prayer every time I check in so I feel like we connect in spirit much more than in word.  Dave, thank you for being the most faithful updater and husband.

Cheryl

Dear ones,

As I lay by the pool listening to the kids laugh and yell and goof off I am so reminded of God’s love showing himself true through children. No care in the world for them at the moment.  I am so thankful that God gave us Connor and Sabrina. I can not imagine my life without them in it. It has been hot here lately by today it is a perfect Californa day. Irene your attitude and courage always inspire me. I am thankful to have a beautiful person like you to mirror. Thank you Dave for all the love and commitment you show to your wife. In a world where so little care is shown it is so awesome to watch you. Dave, I also want to thank you from the depth of my heart for being a consistent great friend to Devin over the years. Happy Father’s Day.

Veronica

Dave and Irene,

Thank you that your lives are full of grace through Jesus Christ Our Lord.  I and Irene’s prayer group had Our special drinks today and feel that grace also.  We care ever so much.

Carolene

Irene,

On this Mothers Day I wanted to send you a love note. As I prayed about what to say, I felt that the note should take the form of a blessing...so please accept this blessing as it is written from my heart especially to you.

Lord, bless my sister Irene with Your presence, Your touch...may Irene feel renewed intimacy borne of grace. Pull back the veil and show her ways you are sustaining her that only she could recognize. Wow her with Your love. Write a love note in her heart that can only be meant for her. Shine Your light upon the tender mercies that have come directly from Your hand to hers. Then protect her, Lord, like you promised in Psalm 23 and Psalm 91. Fight for her with your mighty right arm. Heal her body. Heal her fatique. Plant hope in her that can only come from You...hope that bears fruit...hope that endures...hope that carries life. And Lord, when she is full of you, show Irene the blessing she is to her daughters, her friends, her family, and indeed all who meet her. Show her how a life yielded to You is like a beacon on a hill, shining out in the darkness for others to behold. Draw others to You through Irene’s faith, Irene’s courage, the testimony of her lips, and the tenacity of her trust. Place your spot light on Irene...let others see the crown you have placed on her head and mark her with your favor…

Bless you on Mother’s Day, Irene.
Laura

To the Dias Family:

The Pomeroy’s (Peter, Kaycee, Piper & Pier) are wishing you all a wonderful Mother’s Day.  You probably don’t know it, but you are all an incredible example to me.

Peter

Hello Dave,

My daughter (Marissa) and I ran into JoAnna at APU about a week ago. Marissa has been accepted to APU, but the final decision has yet to be made. Since coming back home I have been reading about the journey you and your family has been on. An amazing and yet so difficult phase of life, yet your lives are so brightly pointing to Him in all that is going on. Chakasa Yesu!  (praise Jesus in Swahili)

You and Irene will be in Kit and my prayers.

(from the old “Starbucks Guy” now with a new coffee company)

Garth Tosello

Irene,
You are in our prayers every day...we are always interceding for strength, miracles, health, healing, and God’s tender mercies around you...day by day, hour by hour, minute by minute.

You are beautiful.

Hugs my friend,
Laura Gschwend

Hi Dave,

Visiting grandchildren, our ministry, a tragedy and illness have kept me away from your blog for a few weeks until this morning.  It was good to catch up on your news, see a PJ party and enjoy Scripture God gave you.

Two weeks ago one of our brothers-in-law was murdered, actually executed, in a home burglary gone south.  The tiny town of Portis, Kansas will be reeling from this tragedy for a long time.  His funeral drew over 1200 people and had to be held in a high school gymnasium because no church could accommodate that size of a crowd.

Portis, a town of about 200, is just a blip on any map, if it appears at all.  The funeral message was basically one offering salvation.  Dave, people stood to receive Christ and hundreds of others stood when asked if they had renewed their faith or been drawn closer to God because of the tragedy.  There was no shouting, no histrionics, no sentimental “mish mosh,” no seeker sensitive terms from some approved list of emerging church leaders — just the quiet voice of reason sharing the gospel.  Sin, evil and death are not words one has to avoid when a closed casket and a grief-stricken family are staring you in the face as symbols of evil and the power of Satan.

Actually, my brother-in-law’s death attracted more people to Christ than did his life.  God was glorified.  I will never forget it.

Something that has continued to run through my brain in a constant stream for several days is that faith and predictability cannot co-exist.  It is true that our God can calm the storms in our lives, but it is also true that He can also put us “smack-dab” right in the middle of it.

Every time I can remember, the two words that angels first speak when they show up are “Fear not!” I say that we should recapture some healthy fear for this God because that magnifies His majesty, power, awesomeness and might.  I don’t want a “wussy” God and I know guys like you don’t want one of those either.

So many of the churches we encounter anymore have made God their buddy, their pal and their cosmic bell-boy at their beck and call to take care of the baggage in their lives.  We have compartmentalized God and grown very comfortable around Him.  The preaching of Oprah and her new age mumbo jumbo from books, some of which can be bought in church bookstores like Crystal Cathedral are lulling us to sleep.  Too many pulpits are sharing a “feel-good” gospel that attracts thousands, but transforms no one.

Right wing evangelicals continue to hammer home that the purpose of the Christian life is to stop sinning when it really is all about knowing Christ and following Him.

If the prosperity and health gospel was true, Irene would be taking those runs to the beach with you.  The fact is that you guys have invited Jesus to join you in your boat just as the disciples did 2000 years ago.  The picture I get is that He is either standing or sitting in the front of the boat so we can focus on Him and He can see the direction we are headed.

I wish that you and Irene could get off this roller coaster with its whips and turns and sit in one of those boats that gently take you on a serene ride.  But, I affirm and thank you for your testimonies and .... because God’s Word never changes and never returns void .... lives are being transformed.  May God continue to grant you the wisdom from His Holy Spirit that allows you to boldly proclaim your faith in Christ Jesus.

Your friend,

Dave Neely

Hello Dave and Irene,

My name is Millie Reith, and I have a sister named Irene Tsuha who is suffering from pancreatic cancer.  She is one of the most amazing, devoted Christians I have ever known, and we are constantly praying for her and her fiancé.  My battle cry has been “Irene is healed!” and so by chance, I googled that phrase, when I found your website. I want you to know my prayers are with you also.  Even though her suffering is great, my sister has been a source of strength to me, and I am thankful to God that her faith never waivers.  May God give you strength and great joy.

God bless you,
Millie Reith

Dave,

We just arrived home from Arizona late last night.  When Steve shared your message from Monday evening about the call you’d received regarding Irene’s amyloid level, we all (Steve, Holly, husband Riccardo and I) began praying immediately.  Words don’t begin to express how deeply we feel for you all in these circumstances.  We have prayed many times over the last two days over the situation, for healing, for clarity, for understanding, peace and strength.  From some of the medical issues we’ve dealt with over the years, we’ve found the up and down to be very trying and can only imagine how difficult it must be in such a serious situation as this.

We know that while we don’t have the words, God has the comfort, the answers and the power to change it all.  We’ll be continuing to ask that He will be working in an infinite number of ways to bring about all of that.  We know how much the Lord loves Irene, and we trust so very much in that Love He has for you all.

In His abiding love and with many prayers,

Steve and Sue

We are calliing upon the Lord this morning on your behalf.

Our love to you,

Devin and Veronica

Father,

In the name of Jesus please touch Irene’s body. Jesus, you took the stripes on your body for our physical benefit, Is. 53:5. By faith, we draw upon that grace for the complete healing of Irene’s body. Amen

You Are A Champion

Coach