Our Arensen family has appreciated your continued prayers during this difficult time.

We now have a date for the Celebration of Life service. It will be held on August 11 @ 2pm at the Eastmont Church in Bend, Oregon. The service will be live streamed and a recording will be made available. Details to follow.

Kindly indicate in the comments below if you will attend the Celebration of Life in person, so that the appropriate amount of refreshments can be arranged.

Thank you again for all your comments and prayer support.

Our beloved husband, father, grandfather, pastor, brother and friend slipped away peacefully at 9:12 am this morning, surrounded by a cloud of witnesses as well as his earthly family. He surely was “like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers…” We remain forever thankful for his role in our and so many other lives, and we will remember always that for him “to live was Christ and to die was gain” – thank you for every prayer on our and his behalf, we treasure the love from all over the world, and we look forward to the day when we will all be reunited with him and with all of you.

Pastor Cam continues to fade but is still comfortable and peaceful as he rests.  We have been blessed by all the prayers, support, visitors and some unexpected special interactions with Cam that we will all cherish forever.  As we go through this together, we find ourselves asking why less, trusting more and thanking God for the time together as the peace that surpasses understanding overshadows the grief and pain during this difficult time.  Thank you for all the prayers and support.

The original intent behind setting up this feedback facility was for Cam to remain in contact with his worldwide network of family and friends, and for him to send a brief update every few days. Over the past couple of days his health deteriorated quite rapidly and he is no longer able to type the messages himself. We as the family wanted to reassure everyone that he is not in pain, and he is comfortable and peaceful, but also fading fast.
Please remember him in your prayers, and we will provide feedback via this page as to his condition. Our God is as always only a prayer away, however brief and softly whispered, and we sense your love reaching out to us. We remain forever grateful to each and everyone. Each comment left on the website is kept and read to Cam – we appreciate every thoughtful message from you, his loving friends and family. Thank you.

“Even though I walk through the valley of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me…”

As the introduction to this month’s sermon makes reference, I am again battling cancer. Beginning in September last year when tumors in my liver were identified I have endured numerous hospitalizations, a major surgery, radiation, chemo, and scans without number. In consultation with my doctors I have decided that more treatment only offers more misery rather than a cure. So I am discontinuing all further treatments and I have entered an excellent hospice service that will give me the support I need to stay at home and keep me as comfortable as possible for as long as God chooses to give me.

I have not given up on life. I have given up on chemo, radiation, and the limits of medical science. I am choosing quality of life over length.

Many friends and family from around the world have shared in this journey with us and I thank you from the bottom of my heart. It has become impossible to keep up with regular updates to everyone so this bridge is being created for those who want to continue to follow my journey and to pray. I, or others on my behalf will post a weekly update or more often if there are more dramatic changes. Currently I am at home and intending to stay here; not in pain, but very weak.

As I told the church in Abu Dhabi when I began my first cancer journey, “When you can’t see God’s hand, look for His fingerprints.” God’s fingerprints have been everywhere and all around us. I sense His love in every breath.