Loving care for Sandi Kluth and her family

For those who want some practical ideas on how to be of help to our family during this season of Sandi's cancer journey, scroll down and read the information and ideas on this webpage...

"For God is not unfair. He will not forget the love you showed for Him

by the help you gave and are still giving your fellow Christians." Hebrews 6:10

Dear friends and family near and far:

We are so grateful for your love, prayer, and care for Sandi and our family during the 7 1/2 year "miracle" cancer journey we've been on.

In March, doctors informed us that because they have not been able to stop the growth of the cancer that has been spreading in Sandi's lungs, that Sandi only has months to live (3-6 months). She has been on 24/7 oxygen for months, sometimes uses a wheelchair, and at times has experienced fatigue, loss of appetite, shortness of breath, and some pain. Some days or worse and others are better. As much as she is able, she works hard to keep up a daily life with our family and friends (eating meals together, gong to our kids' sports events, church, participating in a prayer group, being with friends, going on doctors visits, getting chemo therapy treatments, etc.).

Many of you from down the street, in our church, around our community, across the country, and all over the world have called, written, emailed, or asked "What can we do to help you? Please tell us specific ways we can help." Thank you so much for your desire to help and your patience as we've prayerfully considered how to answer that question honestly and appropriately.

So, here are some PRACTICAL IDEAS you can read over to see if there is a way you would like to make a positive difference in our lives to help lighten the load on the journey God has us on. We in no way want to offend anyone with this list of ways people may choose to help, but instead just want to give people that care about us a chance to know things that would be helpful to our family. A number of different people have asked us to provide specific information on each of the items listed. This webpage now gives everyone and anyone all the information they need on one webpage. Help of any kind is so appreciated.

Helpful thought: In the future, think of this list with anyone you know

who is going through a difficult time or a terminal illness. Many of the things that

would help our family, would also apply to others you know experiencing challenging times.

Your reaching out means more than you'll ever know!

Gratefully yours,

Brian on behalf of Sandi, Josh (17), Bethany (15), and Jeremy (13)

5201 Pinon Valley Rd - Colo Springs, CO 80919 - bk@kluth.org sandi@kluth.org Hm: 719-594-0240 Brian cell: 719-930-4000 Sandi cell: 719-930-5000

PRAYER
	We greatly value people's prayers. We believe much of the reason we've had so much peace and even joy in the midst of Sandi's 7 1/2 year cancer journey has been the prayers of hundreds and even thousands of people that have prayed for us personally, in Bible study groups, prayer groups, and in churches. We also believe this is the reason that Sandi is still here and has had such strength and vitality throughout her entire journey.
FOLLOW SANDI'S CARINGBRIDGE.ORG UPDATES
Sandi's Cancer Journey Blog	SIGN UP TO RECEIVE AND FOLLOW SANDI'S ONLINE UPDATES at www.caringbridge.org/visit/sandikluth This is the easiest and simplest way we have to communicate with all of you that want to know how Sandi is doing. We update this blog as new things are happening in Sandi's journey. Usually we will try to send an update at least once a week. If there are no updates, it normally means Sandi is fine and there is nothing new to report.
POST A NOTE ON THE GUEST BOOK AT CARINGBRIDGE.ORG
	Sandi and I love reading the notes posted on the guestbook at the CaringBridge.org website before we go to sleep. These personal notes are a great sources of help, comfort, smiles, and encouragement while we are getting ready to go to sleep (sometimes after a difficult day). We are not able to respond to the notes that are put on the site, but you can be assured they are read and treasured. You can also send a note in the mail. Our address is 5201 Pinon Valley Road - Colorado Springs, CO - 80919.
MEALS FROM THOSE IN TOWN
CLICK for helpful meal ideas and directions to our house	It would be helpful to our family to have heat-and-serve entrees that we can put in our refrigerator or freezer and take them out for dinner when needed. CLICK HERE for helpful meal ideas and directions to our house. Meals are a great help to our family. Vonnie Nichols from our church is helping to coordinate the care for our family. After reading over the HANDOUT, email or call Vonnie (685-1122) to let her know what type of meal you would be interested in dropping off at our house sometime. When your meal is needed, she will contact you 2-3 days ahead of time to schedule the day for your meal to be dropped off at our house.
MEAL "GIFT CARDS" FROM PEOPLE OUT OF TOWN (and non-cooks!)
Click for Fast Food Gift Cards Click for Restaurant Gift Cards	For those out of town or who don't have time to cook, here's a way you can help our family. Because both Jeremy and Bethany are involved in basketball team practices and games every week, we normally find that is easiest for our family to stop at *Taco Bell, Arbys, Wendys, or Chick-fil-a* fast food restaurants to eat. Once in a while we will go to sit-down restaurants like Village Inn, Perkins, Culvers, Panda Express, *Chipotles, Olive Garden, Pizza Hut, Applebees, Texas Road House, or Red Robin. Any gift coupons or gifts cards for any of these restaurants would be a blessing to our family and genuinely appreciated. These can be given to us in person or mailed to: Kluth Family - 5201 Pinon Valley - Colo Springs, CO - 80919*. If an online version can be sent by email, they should be emailed to bk@kluth.org
RIDES TO THE DOCTOR - WHEELCHAIR "DRIVER"
	TUESDAY RIDE: Sandi needs a ride to the doctor for blood work on most Tuesdays. These will normally take about an hour and a half (90 minutes) in the middle of the day and will include your pushing Sandi in her wheelchair at the doctors office. WEDNESDAY RIDE: Sandi needs a ride most Wednesdays to be taken in for her chemotherapy. She will normally need to get picked up around noon or so. Things that need to be done include getting a drive through lunch near Penrose Main Hospital, pushing Sandi in her wheelchair to her appointment, sitting and talking with Sandi while she gets her treatment, and then driving her home. Normally you will be back at our house around 2:30 or 3:00. HOW TO SIGN UP: Vonnie Nichols from our church is coordinating this for us. Please email or call (685-1122) Vonnie and let her know your cell phone and home phone #'s AND the day(s) you may be available to be "on call" to help out with a 24 hour notice. She will organize everything and get back to you at least 24 hours in advance before your help is needed. If you can't do it, just let her know, and she'll call someone else.
HOUSE CLEANING / PROJECTS
	We have had a few friends that have been helping occasionally with house cleaning / projects. If you would like to be put on a list to be "on call" if needed, please email Vonnie Nichols and she will let you know if and when there might be a need. This kind of help is always a blessing to Sandi and our family. Please email or call (685-1122) Vonnie and let her know if you would like to be on this list of "as needed" helpers with a 24-48 hour notice.
FINANCIAL MATTERS & SUPPORT
	HELPFUL INFORMATION: As of September 1st, I stepped down as the senior pastor and was called and commissioned by my church to be a full-time generosity minister-at-large to the body of Christ. My salary is $1/year (which was fully funded by one individual - SMILE) and the church generously pays for our family's health care benefits. Our family's income now comes from sales of my www.GenerousLife.org 40 Day Bible devotional, speaking engagements, and financial support/donations from those God has specifically led to help our family and to advance the generosity ministry God has called us to do. So, here are ways people can have a positive impact and influence on our finances:
	TELL OTHERS ABOUT OUR 40 DAY GENEROUS LIFE BIBLE DEVOTIONAL FOR CHURCHES / MINISTRIES: If you are involved in a church, let your pastor, church treasurer, church finance or stewardship committee know about the www.GenerousLife.org 40 Day Bible devotional and my generosity resources at www.MAXIMUMgenerosity.org. The 40 Day devotional has been ordered by over 1,250 churches to give to every family in the congregation. This Bible devotional helps inspire people to trust God with their finances, live generously, and give faithfully. The best thing to do would be to purchase the leadership review packet of 6 devotionals and give them to key leaders at your church. To order this review packet for your church leaders for $24.99, CLICK HERE. Because some churches are having financial challenges or money for devotionals is not in the church budget, some of our friends have worked with the church pastors/leaders and have personally chosen to buy enough copies for every family in their church to help ignite generosity in their congregation. This gift is tax-deductible to the individual and is a great blessing to the church. Some non-profit ministry leader friends and missionaries have also ordered copies of the 40 Day Devotional or the Because I Love You FAMILY ORGANIZER to give as gifts to their ministry donors. Some churches have ordered copies and given them out as gifts on Mother's Day, Father's Day, or Grandparent's Day. Orders for these resources are a significant way that God encourages people to be generous AND these sales provide valuable and much needed financial resources for our family and ministry.
	SPEAKING MINISTRY: We were planning that my guest speaking at large churches and conferences a few times a month was going to be a significant part of our family's income in the future. But because of my need to care for Sandi and to be here for our three teenagers, I have had to cancel speaking engagements and not accept new speaking opportunities this summer and fall. This has meant that a major source of our income has almost completely dried up for the rest of this year. I am in dialog with a few groups that want me to do generosity consulting with them (that would require less travel), but nothing is firm at this time.
CLICK FOR: ONLINE One-Time or Monthly Tax-Deductible Giving for "Generosity Ministry" to help the Kluth family OR Mail Tax-Deductible Donations to: 1st E-Free Church Generosity Ministry 3022 W. Fontanero Colo Springs, CO 80904	GIVE DONATIONS / MINISTRY SUPPORT: Much of my generosity ministry that reaches across America and into 150 countries is accomplished from the work I do from my home office computer writing, creating generosity resources, developing online leadership training videos, media interviews, research, and developing internet resources. For those who are specifically led and prompted by God to support us in this generosity ministry, or for those who would like to help provide one-time gifts or monthly support during this season in Sandi's cancer journey when I need to focus on caring for her, our church has set up a tax-deductible "Generosity Ministry" Fund for our family and ministry. We will receive 100% of these tax-deductible donations that can be given one-time, monthly, or occasionally. For those who would like to do this, thank you. Your gifts will mean a great deal to our family and you will be helping to support a ministry that is inspiring greater generosity all over the country and the world. Click here to give an online donation Or mail to: FEFC - Generosity Ministry - 3022 W Fontanero - Colo Springs, CO 80904 Note: Do not put our "Kluth" name on the check or it will not be tax-deductible. Gifts of any and all sizes will be a wonderful blessing *and help* to our family and ministry. IMPORTANT NOTES about confidentiality about any tax-deductible donations: For those who attend our church, we have a church policy that does NOT allow Sandi and I to know who from our church gave money for our family/ministry. So, if you would like us to know, you can hand the check to us personally or you can put a note with the check saying it is okay for us to know that you gave a gift and the amount. For people who do not attend our church, we will be told about your gift, unless you specify that you want your gift to remain anonymous.
CONTACT INFO. QUESTIONS? OTHER IDEAS ON HOW TO HELP
If you need to reach us, have any questions, or have other ideas on how to help, please feel free to let us know! Help/care coordinator, Vonnie Nichols: email Phone: 685-1122 Sandi's email: sandi@kluth.org Brian's Email: bk@kluth.org Our home number is 719-594-0240. Brian's cell: 719-930-4000 Sandi's cell: 719-930-5000 Our address is The Kluths - 5201 Pinon Valley Road - Colorado Springs, CO 80919 CLICK for a MAP to our house
Video greeting from Brian & Sandi - Recorded on April 15, 2010