Updates on João’s Health

Journey Notes — To Live Is Christ and to Die Is Gain

In the week leading up to surgery, I was overwhelmed with peace. So was my family.

That might sound like an unusual way to describe waiting for major open-heart surgery. But it’s true. Philippians 1:20–21 had never been so real to me:

“I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” (NIV)

My thinking was simple. Some might even say naive... but in light of Phil. 1:20-21, I'd call it real and realistic. If I didn’t wake up from surgery, I would be with Jesus. That’s gain! If I did wake up, I would be back with my dear family, with more opportunities to live the life and do the work God has called me to do.

I strongly suspected I would be back. God had already given me a vision for another 30 years of fruitful life and ministry for the sake of His name among all peoples. But I knew that ultimately the number of my days was in His hands. (Job 14:5; Ps. 31:15; Ps. 139:16)

There was only one thought that threatened to disturb my peace: leaving Sophia and our children behind.

I wasn’t afraid of dying. But thinking about how sad they would be if I didn’t survive was another matter entirely.

At one point, Sophia, Daniel, Jordana, and I talked about this. In their own loving way, they reminded me that the same Heavenly Father who would receive me would also care for them. Their reassurance was, essentially:

“You have no fear of dying because you know you’ll be with Jesus. We are in the hands of that same loving Heavenly Father. If you don’t survive, He will take care of us. And we are at peace with that.”

That settled it.

Their confidence in our Father’s care removed the one thing that had threatened my peace. We were all in His hands, whatever happened.

I mentioned above how deeply I resonated with verse 21: “to live is Christ and to die is gain.” Either I would be with Jesus, or I would have more years — perhaps decades — to live for Christ, to reflect Christ, and to serve for His glory. But verse 20 gave that assurance an even deeper significance.

Paul speaks of having “sufficient courage.” Whatever courage I had to face this was not something I ginned up on my own. It was Christ in me, giving me what I needed.

And courage for what?

So that “Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.”

The Greek word translated “will be exalted” is megalynthēsetai, which can also be translated “will be magnified.” I love that.

If I died, I wanted Christ to be magnified through my death. If I lived, I wanted Him to be magnified through my life. Either way, I wanted His magnificence to shine through.

Two amazing possibilities. Either way, Christ would be honored.

And now He has given me a second chance to live that out. Another opportunity to exude Christ. To live for the praise of His glory.

Since the beginning of our marriage, our family’s purpose statement has expressed this commitment:

“The Mordomo family exists to spread a passion for the God of glory — the Lord Jesus Christ — and the glory of God: in all areas of life, all spheres of society, and all peoples of the world.”

Those words have taken on fresh weight. I’m still alive. We still get to be together as a complete family. And we have more opportunities to live out the purpose for/to which God has called us, the one we have embraced for so long.

Thank you for praying us through this. Rejoice with us that God, in His sovereign wisdom and grace, has chosen to give me/us this second chance.

And please pray that my family and I will be the best possible stewards of it — that Christ will be magnified through these additional days (Years? Decades?) He has given us together.

May we (the Mordomos... and you!) always live for the praise of His glory.

Soli Deo Gloria!

Prayer Requests and Updates

It’s been a bittersweet day, and I really covet your prayers. I'm sending out an SOS, as it were!

First, the good news: I spent almost seven hours in bed last night — in my actual bed, rather than a chair, and lying mostly flat! I slept some during that time, though it still didn’t feel restorative. Nonetheless, being able to stay in bed was progress.

Today included blood tests, X-rays, other imaging, and an appointment with my surgeon. He was very pleased with my recovery and said things are going very well. The edema has almost completely disappeared, and I’ve lost basically all of the 15 kilos of excess fluid. Today’s imaging showed a small amount of fluid remaining in my lungs, with a mild effect on my breathing. My mild anemia is improving too.

The harder news is that the respiratory difficulties continue. My surgeon reassured me that they are part of the recovery process, but that doesn’t make them easier to live with. Expanding my chest and rib cage is uncomfortable, and the irritation in my airway from the breathing tube remains a challenge, as it often causes me to cough, and that means pretty intense pain in my sternum, which is still very much on the mend. The result is short, stunted breaths. Despite this, my blood oxygen is stable at 97-99%, and my heart rate is stable and strong. (Thank you, Jesus!)

Today was the first day since coming home that I’ve felt truly miserable. (I'm just keeping it real here.) Between the breathing difficulties, poor sleep, and profound lethargy — which is related to the anemia and some of my medications — it has been a hard day.

Please pray for:

• Relief from the respiratory difficulties and continued healing of my airway.
• Truly restorative sleep, breaking the cycle of poor nights and exhausting days.
• Improving energy as the anemia resolves and recovery continues.
• Sophia, who continues to be an amazing wife, friend, and trooper through all of this. Please pray for her strength and rest too.

There is much to be grateful for, even on a difficult day. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 is more real than ever, and I'm giving thanks to my Lord, even in these circumstances: "Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus."

Thank you for helping pray us through this.

Soli Deo Gloria!

Prayer Requests and Updates

I continue to heal quickly in every way except for the respiratory issues. I’m told these are par for the course, but I’m really wrestling with them, especially because they make sleeping difficult. I have another appointment with the doctor tomorrow.

Please continue praying for:

• Relief from the respiratory difficulties.
• Better, more restorative sleep.
• Wisdom for the doctor at tomorrow’s appointment.

I would be tremendously grateful. Thank you for continuing to walk with us in prayer!

Soli Deo Gloria!

Journey Notes — Second Chances

Last week, I mentioned that one of my doctors told me he believed God was giving me a second chance at life.

“Why do you say that?” I asked.

I agreed with him! I had come through major open-heart surgery. I was alive. I could certainly see that God had given me a second chance. But I wanted to understand what he meant.

He walked me through four different moments during what had, by then, been a two-week journey. At each of those points, he explained, the odds had been more in favor of my dying than surviving.

Four moments.

I knew this had been serious. But hearing him explain those moments gave me a much deeper appreciation for the grace of God in keeping me alive.

Before I say more, let me tell you something about this doctor.

You probably know that I’m a big believer in "business as mission" (BAM). But my conviction goes much further than business. I believe in vocation as mission — in living on mission with God through whatever work He has called us to do (Eph. 2:10; 1 Pet. 2:9).

And during this experience, I benefited richly from a doctor who was doing exactly that.

He didn’t stop to have a formal time of prayer with me. But as he spoke about God’s grace in my life, I could hear Scripture woven into his words. I quickly recognized a brother in Christ, and we had a wonderful conversation. His medical care and his faith belonged together, and I was on the receiving end of both.

He also explained something else: my physical condition had made a significant difference.

Despite the serious congenital problems that had brought me to the hospital, my heart and body were otherwise in excellent shape. According to him, that gave the medical team options they might not have had with another patient.

For example, they were able to perform three procedures in one surgery. With someone in poorer condition, he explained, they might have addressed only the most immediately urgent problem rather than take the risk of doing more, and if they HAD attempted all three procedures on such a person, the odds of survival would have diminished greatly.

My condition also allowed them to wait two additional days while I remained in intensive care in order to plan their approach and prepare for contingencies.

And there were contingencies!

The surgery proved more complicated than expected. As it was explained to me, three of my four heart valves had issues, and there was another congenital problem as well. Of the four problems, the team determined that one did not need to be corrected, but the other three did.

I am profoundly grateful for the skill, judgment, and preparation of the medical team. And I am profoundly grateful to the Lord who placed me in their care and sustained me through it all.

I have no doubt that God has given me a second chance at life.

I will not take a single breath for granted.

Sophia and I are committed to being the best stewards we possibly can of this new lease on life — for the glory of God among all peoples and the good of everyone around us.

Soli Deo Gloria!

Prayer Requests and Updates

I serve a great God who hears the prayers of His children! Today I’m feeling better than yesterday, including with my breathing and sleep.

Last night I got five hours of broken sleep. Even with the interruptions, it was my best night of sleep since coming home!

Please continue praying for:

• Steady improvement in my breathing.
• Longer, uninterrupted, restorative sleep.
• Continued healing.
• Sophia, who has been a rock through all of this. She needs a good night’s sleep too!

Thank you for praying us through this journey!

Soli Deo Gloria!

Journey Notes — Laudate Omnes Gentes

I previously mentioned that I took a song and a psalm into surgery with me. But there was another song — one I had not deliberately chosen to take along.

At some point during or after the surgery, when I was unconscious or semiconscious, I became aware of a song filling my mind. I can’t pinpoint exactly when it happened. But I know I wasn’t able to intentionally call anything to mind. And there it was. The Lord had filled my heart with Laudate Omnes Gentes.

A little context might help.

In March, BAM Global — the organization I have the privilege of serving as executive director — convened a Global Leaders Forum in the Philippines. With 170 leaders coming from over 60 countries, we wanted one song we could sing together every day. Something everybody could have in common.

My very erudite colleague Mats suggested choosing a song in a dead language! That way, it wouldn’t belong to any one group. Or, better yet, it would belong to everybody.

He suggested Laudate Omnes Gentes, and we sang it every day during the Forum.

It is a beautiful, simple song based on the opening of Psalm 117. The Latin words are:

Laudate omnes gentes, laudate Dominum.

“Praise the Lord, all you peoples; praise the Lord.”

Click here to listen to the song yourself.

It’s simple. It’s melodic. And its invitation to all peoples to praise the Lord expresses so much of what my life has been about and, I believe, what my second chance at life will be all about.

Months earlier, I had sung it with dear brothers and sisters from around the world. Now, when I couldn’t deliberately bring a song or a passage of Scripture to mind, the Lord brought this one to me.

I believe it was part of what carried me through the surgery and those first moments of recovery. When I couldn’t summon the words myself, the Lord did it for me! Praise was still there.

Praise the Lord, all you peoples. Praise the Lord.

I hope you’ll take a little time to listen, meditate on those simple words, and share this experience with me. Whatever circumstances you find yourself in today, join me in praising the Lord.

Soli Deo Gloria!

Prayer Requests and Updates

Thanks again, everyone, for praying! I’m happy to report that I continue to improve in every way. The edema is clearly diminishing, although my breathing difficulties are improving very slowly.

Last night I actually slept some! It wasn’t much, and it wasn’t great, but it was much better than the previous nights.

Please keep praying for:

• Continued improvement in my breathing.
• The ability to sleep through the night.
• Steady healing and relief from the remaining swelling.

We are deeply grateful for your prayers!

Soli Deo Gloria!

Journey Notes — Psalm 23

Yesterday I mentioned how important Psalm 23 was to me throughout this process. I know it might seem cliché to invoke this particular psalm before major surgery. But for me, it was anything but. It seemed fitting — if not perfect — for this journey.

Verses 1 and 2 describe the peace my family and I felt throughout the entire experience. The Lord was our Shepherd. We lacked nothing. He gave us green pastures and quiet waters in the midst of difficult (and sometimes a bit chaotic in the ITU!) circumstances that were anything but quiet!

We experienced that peace that passes understanding in new ways. (Philippians 4:7). And there was always more than we needed. We never ran out of God’s peace. We never reached a point beyond what He was able to provide. From beginning to end, we were at peace with Him.

But verses 3 and 6 were the ones I was especially deliberate about meditating on.

Verse 3 says, in the NIV, “He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.”

Two things in that sentence meant so much to me.

First, I never doubted that I was on the path God intended me to be on. Ephesians 1 speaks of His choosing us in Christ before the creation of the world. My life, my body, and these days of suffering had not somehow slipped outside His sovereign purposes. I was still on the path along which my Shepherd was guiding me.

But why? Why would that path include suffering?

That brings me to the second thing: “for his name’s sake.”

Everything God does is for His name’s sake — for His glory. That is what I have understood and sought to live for over decades. And if this path of suffering serves God’s greatest glory, then I am absolutely thrilled to be part of it. The convictions I have taught and written about for so long were becoming deeply personal in ways I had never experienced.

Certainly, verses 4 and 5 had their relevance, too, but verse 6 brought me back to the theme of God’s goodness.

Yesterday I wrote about the song “Goodness of God.” One of its themes is that God’s goodness runs after us. I don’t know whether the songwriters deliberately intended to allude to Psalm 23:6, but that is what I see here: God’s goodness and love following us all the days of our lives.

We have sensed that more than ever during this journey.

And then there is the promise of dwelling in the house of the Lord forever.

If I did not survive the surgery, I had the eternal assurance that I would be with the Lord forever. My family shares that assurance. So, for all of us, this was a no-lose situation: I would either wake up from surgery with Jesus or wake up back with my family.

That’s a win-win!

My affairs are in order. My family loves the Lord. Although they certainly did not want to see me go, they were ready — as they always have been, and as I pray they always will be — to accept His will concerning the number of our days.

This psalm has now taken on such rich meaning for me. I hope you’ll take some time to meditate on it too, and ask whether the Lord might help you see something that goes deeper than familiar words, ritual, or cliché.

Next time, I’m looking forward to telling you about one other surprise song that the Lord put in my heart without my even realizing it.

We love you all and are deeply grateful that you are part of this journey.

Soli Deo Gloria!

Prayer Requests and Updates

We are so grateful for the people around the world who have let us know they’re praying for us. We can truly feel the difference! It's been an amazing experience seeing the Family of God in action on our behalf, and our gratitude is profound.

Although I did not sleep well last night, I woke up this morning with clear progress: my body is releasing more of the excess fluid, and the swelling — called edema — is diminishing. That was an encouraging way to start the day!

My breathing difficulties are also slightly better and becoming more bearable. We’re grateful for even these small steps forward.

Please continue praying for:

• Continued elimination of excess fluid and relief from the swelling.
• Steady improvement in my breathing.
• Restorative sleep.

Thank you so much for continuing to pray us through this journey. We are deeply grateful!

Soli Deo Gloria!

Journey Notes — The Goodness of God

In yesterday’s update, I wrote that this space also seems to be becoming something of an online journal. Writing helps me process what I’ve been through, helps you understand all that God has done, and gives Him the glory He desires and deserves!

I’m going to call these journal-type entries “Journey Notes,” so you can distinguish them from the shorter “Prayer Requests and Updates” and decide what to read. But I hope you WILL read, because I have great joy in recounting God’s goodness!

Speaking of God’s goodness, let me tell you a bit about the lead-up to the surgery and the day itself.

Several days before the surgery, a very wise chaplain visited me. She knew I was planning to take a Bible passage into surgery with me. For reasons you can probably imagine, I had chosen Psalm 23. I’ll say more about that a little later.

But she encouraged me to take a song as well. Songs, she explained, are often easier to remember and stay close to our hearts. When recalling words becomes difficult, singing can come more naturally and bring more comfort.

So I chose “Goodness of God”. The first verse resonated with me so deeply that taking it into surgery was a no-brainer.

That first verse goes like this (with a few commentaries that made it so real to me, in brackets):

I love You, Lord
Oh, Your mercy never failed me [including on October 8th, when my heart began to fail]
And all my days, I've been held in Your hands [heart defects and all, which were always part of God's sovereign plan for my life and sanctification]
From the moment that I wake up [on the day of surgery]
Until I lay my head [on the night of the surgery]
Oh, I will sing of the goodness of God [How could I not?]

All my life You have been faithful
All my life You have been so, so good
With every breath that [my newly renovated heart is] able
Oh, I will sing of the goodness of God.

I'm still singing this every day, but as you can imagine, it truly has a much deeper meaning than ever before. By God's grace, I will never again take a single breath for granted!

I invite you to join with me in meditating on this song and living it out to the full.

Later, I'll share more about Psalm 23, as well as a song I did not deliberately take into the surgery, but that the Lord put in my heart when I was in a state of semiconsciousness (and possibly when I was still unconscious), unable to intentionally call anything to mind.

Soli Deo Gloria!

Prayer Requests and Updates

Today I had my first follow-up visit with my surgeon. He said everything is progressing as expected, apart from the ongoing difficulties with breathing and sleep. He made a few adjustments to help with both.

Last night was another very difficult night for sleep, so I especially appreciate your continued prayers for:

• Easier breathing and relief from the respiratory difficulties.
• Restorative sleep.
• The adjustments made today to help with both.

We are deeply, deeply grateful that you are walking with us prayerfully on this journey.

Soli Deo gloria.

Prayer Requests and Updates

Thank you all for praying! I am feeling better every day. Even the things causing the most discomfort are gradually improving. The excess fluid, for example, is less today than yesterday, and I can feel the difference.

One ongoing challenge is my breathing. Some irritation in my throat from the breathing tube creates a reflux-like sensation that makes me want to cough. But coughing hurts like crazy! To avoid coughing, I end up taking short, shallow breaths. Expanding my chest for a deeper breath also hurts, which makes the whole process rather challenging, and continues to impact my sleep. (Rough night last night.)

Please continue praying for:

• Healing in my throat and relief from the irritation and urge to cough.
• Easier, deeper breathing with less pain.
• Continued elimination of the excess fluid and relief from the swelling.
• Restorative sleep and steady recovery.

I’ll continue posting brief updates and prayer requests like this. But what began as a place to share prayer requests and health updates also seems to be becoming something of an online journal. I welcome you to follow along as I share some of the amazing things God has done, as well as lessons learned, during this journey of almost three weeks.

Soli Deo gloria.

Thirty Years Together — and a Heart Full of Gratitude

After 12 days in hospital — 11 in the ICU — and four days at home, this is João writing, and I'm doing so with a heart full of gratitude — especially for my wife, Sophia. (If you are wondering if I'm going to milk the "new heart" — well, fully renovated, at least! — analogy and/or pun for all it's worth, then you are absolutely correct! It's been too painful and costly not to!)

Yesterday, October 26, we celebrated 30 years of marriage. We never imagined we would spend this anniversary recovering from open-heart surgery. But here we are, profoundly grateful that I am alive, that God in His mercy has given me a new lease on life with a fully renovated heart, and that we still get to walk through life together for, I hope, at least another 30 years! (I'm not being hyperbolic when I talk about things like being alive, a new lease on life, and second chances. The doctor outlined four moments throughout the two-week process when I should have died. But more on that later.)

These have been 30 wonderful years. Sophia has been an extraordinary wife, and during these difficult days, I have seen fresh expressions of the love and faithfulness I have known throughout our marriage. She has been incredible: caring for me, helping me through uncomfortable days and difficult nights, and working so hard as I recover.

Watching her, I keep thinking of avodah, a Hebrew word that brings together work, worship, and service. That is what I see in Sophia. As she works to care for me and serves me with such love, she is worshiping the Lord. In countless practical ways, she is making His love tangible to me.

Princesa, I love you. Thank you for 30 wonderful years, for your faithfulness to the Lord, to me and to our children, and for the way you are loving me through this chapter. I am deeply grateful that I get to be your husband.

A brief update on my health: overall, recovery is progressing better than expected, though some challenges remain. Breathing difficulties continue to make sleep hard, and the lack of rest makes recovery more demanding. My body is also gradually getting rid of the considerable excess fluid accumulated around surgery, but the remaining swelling is uncomfortable. (I went into the hospital at 75k. I came out at 90! Yikes!)

Please continue praying for:

• Easier breathing.
• Restorative sleep.
• Relief from the swelling.
• Steady healing.
• Sophia — for strength, rest, and the joy of knowing how deeply she is loved and appreciated.

Thank you for walking with us in prayer. We are grateful for God’s mercy, for your love, and for the gift of more days together.

Soli Deo gloria.

João is home! An update from Sophia

Dear friends, Sophia here with a quick update. After 12 days in the hospital, 11 of them in the ICU, João has arrived home! Praise God!

During the operation, the surgical team performed three procedures involving three of his four heart valves. Once they began, they found that the surgery was more complicated and demanding than expected. We are deeply grateful for his world-class surgeon and the phenomenal work of the entire medical team.

Please pray for João’s recovery, especially for:

• Breathing and strength: That he will quickly regain his breath and physical strength.
• Swelling and excess fluid: His body is very swollen and, in places, visibly distorted. Pray that his body will release the excess liquid and that the swelling will go down.
• Pain and sleep: That he will have relief from pain and be able to sleep well at night.
• The longer recovery: This surgery was more extensive than expected, and his recovery may take longer than after some other heart surgeries. Pray for healing, patience, and steady progress.
• Praise and gratitude: That through it all, João will continue to have a heart full of praise and gratitude to God.

We would love to keep counting on your prayers in the weeks ahead.

Thank you for joining us in prayer and surrounding our family with love throughout these days. We are so, so grateful.

Held in His hand

I got a pretty good night’s sleep! That’s an important blessing, especially with the breathing difficulties caused by the liquid in my lungs. Thank you for praying for rest.

But even more precious is something I’ve grown accustomed to this week: waking up with the Lord and receiving a special message from Him through His Word and His people. Two words have kept coming to mind: “heart” and “hand.” Today’s passage speaks especially to the latter.

A dear young couple on the other side of the world sent me a message with these words:

“I took you from the ends of the earth, from its farthest corners I called you. I said, ‘You are my servant’; I have chosen you and have not rejected you. So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:9–10)

A few things I’m holding close to my heart today:

• The hand that called me still holds me. A hospital bed hasn’t placed me beyond His reach or outside His purposes. I’m still His servant, still chosen, still loved.
• His presence is the reason I need not fear. “I am with you.” My confidence rests in the One who will be with me through every moment of tomorrow.
• His hand supplies the strength I don’t have. “I will strengthen you and help you.” I don’t have to pretend to be strong. I can acknowledge my weakness and depend on Him.
• He is the One holding me up. What a comfort to know that everything doesn’t depend on the strength of my grip on Him. His righteous hand is holding me.

There is also a change in the schedule: my surgery is now scheduled for Monday, October 19, at 10:00 a.m. Brasília time (9:00 a.m. ET; 13:00 UTC).

Please continue praying for my breathing and rest, for my precious wife and our dear son and daughter and their spouses, and for the entire medical team. As the surgeon and his colleagues put their skilled hands to work, may their hands be guided by the hand of the Lord.

My heart is in His hands. So are tomorrow and every day that follows. Thank you, dear friends, for holding us up in prayer. To God be the glory!

Health Update & Prayer Request

“My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” (Psalm 73:26)

I haven’t been getting many good nights of sleep lately. The liquid that has accumulated in my lungs continues to make breathing difficult, especially when I lie down. That makes restful sleep quite a challenge! But even after a difficult night, I wake up grateful to be alive, with the joy of the Lord in my heart.

Today, my daughter sent me this verse from Psalm 73, and I’ve been meditating on it throughout the day. Talk about timely Scripture!

I’ve spent years trying to take good care of my physical health, but these past several days have been a powerful reminder of just how fragile our bodies really are. And there’s something particularly poignant about reading the words “my heart may fail” while lying in a hospital bed awaiting heart surgery!

But what strikes me most is that the verse doesn’t end with our weakness. It points us to God’s strength. Our bodies may fail us, but our God never will. And the greatest blessing isn’t simply that He can restore our physical health, but that He Himself is our portion forever. That’s where my joy and confidence come from.

And speaking of hearts, there’s something else that has taken on special significance.

My wife recently posted this photo of the two of us, taken several months ago, long before we had any idea what was happening with my heart. Look closely at where she’s resting her hand. Right over my heart!

Neither of us knew what lay ahead. But looking at this picture now, especially in light of today’s Scripture, makes me smile. What a blessing to have her by my side through all of this, loving me, caring for me, and walking with me through these unexpected days.

And here’s another reason for gratitude and encouragement. Yesterday, I had a wonderful conversation with the cardiac surgeon who will be operating on me. He’s a highly respected surgeon here in Brazil who has performed more than 1,500 heart transplants! Suffice it to say, the procedure he’s preparing to perform on me is something he knows extremely well. He does this kind of thing in his sleep! (Although I’m very glad he’ll be wide awake for mine!)

So, my heart is in good hands. Ultimately, it’s in God’s hands. But I’m also profoundly grateful that the Lord has placed me in the care of an extraordinary team of skilled and dedicated medical professionals.

And that brings me to a few specific prayer requests:

• For my breathing and rest: Pray that the liquid in my lungs will continue to diminish, that breathing will become easier, and that I’ll finally enjoy some good, restorative sleep.
• For the surgical team: Pray for wisdom, clarity, precision, and steady hands. Above all, pray that their hands will be guided by the hand of the Lord.
• For the surgery and recovery: Pray that everything will go smoothly, that the repair will be successful, and that my heart and lungs will recover fully.
• For my family: Pray especially for my precious wife, and our dear son and daughter and their spouses, as they walk through this experience with me.
• For God’s glory: Pray that in every conversation, every decision, and every outcome, the Lord will be honored.

I don’t know exactly what the days ahead will hold. But I know Who holds them, and I know to Whom my heart belongs.

“My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”

Thank you, dear friends, for your extraordinary love, encouragement, and prayers. We are deeply grateful. To God be the glory!

Surgery scheduled for Monday

The medical team has determined that my surgery will be on Monday, October 19, at 10:00 a.m. Brasília time (9:00 a.m. ET; 13:00 UTC). This timing allows me to complete the course of antibiotics and gives time for as much fluid as possible to clear from my lungs. Provided everything else falls into place, this appears to be the ideal time for surgery.

Another blessing from the Lord: I had a wonderful conversation with the surgeon. He is a highly skilled and competent professional who performs two or three surgeries a day. I asked whether mine would be his first surgery of the week, and he said yes. Then I asked, “You’re going to rest on Sunday, right?” “Absolutely,” he replied! That gave me a little extra joy, knowing he will be rested and fresh to begin the week with my surgery.

Please continue praying that everything comes together smoothly, for the surgeon and the entire medical team, and for a successful surgery and recovery. Thank you for walking with us in prayer!

Best surprise ever!

During the one hour visitation window yesterday, my son and daughter-in-law walked in! They flew in from the U.S. and came straight to the hospital to see me. This was totally unexpected and a profound blessing. Through my weakness, God has united our family again, making us stronger and simultaneously more dependent upon Him than ever.

Update from João

“The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me life.” (Job 33:4)

This is the verse the Lord gave me this morning, and it fits these days in a way I didn't expect. What doctors first called pneumonia turned out to be my heart. An ultrasound showed that my mitral valve, a mild prolapse I've known about for five years and that every doctor told me not to worry about, is no longer closing properly. Fluid is building up in my lungs, which is why breathing has been hard. I'm in intensive care and have been cleared through every pre-surgery exam, including the catheterization. Valve surgery is expected Monday, possibly Tuesday.

The irony isn't lost on me. I've worked hard to stay healthy, determined never to die of a heart problem, and here I am in the hospital with one. But my doctor friends say that if this had to happen, it's good that it happened now, while I'm in good shape and the surgery is a standard one. Until then, the hardest part is breathing. I feel a constant shortness of breath, worse when I lie down, and the first nights were very hard. On a day when I'm especially aware of every breath, it means a lot to remember that my breath is in God's hands.

Spiritually, this has been a season of real joy and peace, and a lesson in empathy. Around me are people whose conditions won't be fixed, and my heart will be. Last night, after several painful attempts to place a new IV, a nurse shared that she is carrying a crushing family burden while working two jobs on her own. I was nearly in tears. (Pray for her as she looks after her handicapped son and elderly parents. Pray that she'll come into a saving relationship with the Lord!) What a good God we serve, who uses seasons of trial to show us how good He is. He never gives us less joy, grace, love or goodness than we need.

Prayer requests

1. That the surgery happens on schedule (Monday or Tuesday) and that the surgical team, equipment and logistics all come together smoothly.
2. Wisdom and skill for the surgeon and medical team, and a successful, lasting repair of the valve.
3. Relief for my breathing and lungs until surgery, so the medication keeps the fluid under control and no drainage is needed.
4. Restful sleep and relief from breathlessness at night.
5. The nurse who opened up to me, and the other patients in the ICU: that they would know God's comfort, grace and provision in their much heavier burdens.

A good night’s sleep

Good morning, dear friends! (Well, it’s morning for me, anyway!)

For the first time in five nights, I actually got a good night’s sleep! They gave me some good sleeping medication here in the hospital, and I slept for six hours. When I awoke, the first thing that came to mind was Lamentations 3:21–23:

“Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” (NIV)

I am so blessed to serve such an amazing Heavenly Father! I’m also blessed to live in a city with excellent medical professionals and facilities. I’m blessed with an amazing wife, dear children and in-laws, and dear friends all over the world praying for me. So I’m in good hands all around!

Thank you, my dear friends, for your love, encouragement, and prayers. We are deeply grateful!

Great is His faithfulness!

An urgent prayer request

Urgent prayer request. Greetings dear friends. I’ve been hospitalized for two days with what appears to be a rapid onset pneumonia. It turns out it was caused by a heart defect and I’ll need to have open-heart surgery by Friday at the latest. Please pray for us. Multiple important decisions to be made in the next few days. I’ll keep you posted the best I can. God is in control!

How this began

On Friday, October 9, I suddenly began experiencing fatigue and difficulty breathing. A couple of days later, I ended up in the hospital. I’ve been in intensive care since Sunday while the medical team runs a battery of tests to understand what’s happening.

We’re grateful for the care I’m receiving and for your prayers. I’ll share more as we learn more.