Michael DiMarco

Many of you already know this, but Immanuel Nashville's resident worship guy and magic act Todd MacDonald went under the knife this morning at around 7am our time.  He will be in surgery at the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center in Bethesda, Maryland for a massive 12-18 hours depending on what the doctors encounter treating his peritoneal mesothelioma. It's a very rare cancer that only occurs in a 100 or so people per year and his first major surgery was back in 2009.

I talked to Todd last night, and he specifically asked that we pray for his loved ones that are at the hospital waiting throughout this lengthy surgery.  To quote Todd, "I have the easy part; I'll be asleep the whole time."

Read more about Todd and his music here.

So please pray for Todd, his medical team, and his family when you can throughout the day.

**UPDATE**

Note from Todd's family from last night:

Hello everyone,

I'm writing this for Todd as he wants this out ASAP. He is resting comfortably in ICU at this time and is alert. The operation was halted early in the procedure, as the extent of tumor discovered was considerably more than expected; far more than the CT/Scans revealed. Because of this and his physical state due to weight loss, it was decided the procedure would be too invasive and risky. A series of chemo treatments is being planned for 4-6 weeks from now with hopes of tumor reduction. A future operation would then follow in 4 or 5 months or so. Todd will be at NIH for at least 2 weeks in recovery. A feeding tube is now in his abdomen to assist in weight gain and he will not be released until deemed ready. We will keep you posted friends and thanks so much for the love and prayers.

Remember the old adage, "you are what you eat?"

Well, let's not stop there. Let's embrace that you are what you stuff.

Whatever you consume (food, toys, comfort, luxury) or let consume you (worry, bitterness, work, ministry, approval), there's your identity.

Notice none of them is Christ or even a remote image of him.

Not everybody gets this about our book, but this is important:

This book's primary focus is not on materialism, nor is it a call to get rid of everything we own and take off on a mission trip. It's actually a call to look at our lives, and figure out we are actually worshiping, and to get our priorities back on track so that God is our primary source of strength, and the true focus of our worship. 

I'm not talking car or house (well, maybe I am,) but who or what gives you panic attacks at the thought of losing it?

Your job?

Your spouse?

Your kids?

Your reputation?

Your secrets?

These are things that need to be unstuffed beyond just your closet or garage. Abraham waited almost TWO lifetimes for a son. But when God asked if he was willing to sacrifice his son, Abraham didn't hesitate. God didn't take his Isaac, but instead blessed Abraham for having an unstuffed heart.

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“To dwell on the past simply causes failure in the present. While you are sitting down and bemoaning the past and regretting all the things you have not done, you are crippling yourself and preventing yourself from working in the present. Is that Christianity? Of course it is not.”

"Never forget -- 'Reason' is just one letter away from 'Treason.' Coincidence? Reasonable people would say it is, but America can't afford to take that chance."

- Stephen Colbert

http://www.cnn.com/2010/SHOWBIZ/TV/09/17/stewart.colbert.rallies/index.html?hpt=C1

Isaiah 1:18 says,

“Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: 

though your sins are like scarlet, 

they shall be as white as snow; 

though they are red like crimson, 

they shall become like wool."

Psalm 49:5-12 says,

5 Why should I fear in times of trouble, 

when the iniquity of those who cheat me surrounds me, 

6 those who trust in their wealth 

and boast of the abundance of their riches? 

7 Truly no man can ransom another, 

or give to God the price of his life, 

8 for the ransom of their life is costly 

and can never suffice, 

9 that he should live on forever 

and never see the pit. 

10 For he sees that even the wise die; 

the fool and the stupid alike must perish 

and leave their wealth to others. 

11 Their graves are their homes forever, 

their dwelling places to all generations, 

though they called lands by their own names. 

12 Man in his pomp will not remain;