Healing

Sometimes there are things I don't say on here.  Some for obvious privacy reasons, and some because I'm not sure they're my things to tell.

I mentioned in my 'Happy New Year' post that 2012 kinda sucked.  Which is true.  But only circumstantially. In reality, 2012 felt no different (and maybe even felt a little better) than other years.

And, honestly, that is completely, 100%, truly because of Jesus. And He continues to heal and bless us every day of 2013.

Divorce (and the threat of divorce) hit our family hard last year. Several family members ended relationships in one way or another. There is still the threat of it on my side of the family...my parents. (it took me over 30 minutes to type that out.) I won't go into detail because it is very very painful. But this alone could have knocked me on my face a few years ago (and did a few times over the last 18 months). But thanks be to God that I continue to wake up every morning with hope for what is to come.  God can (and I believe He will) heal my parents' relationship and heal us as a family.

In early summer, my Grandma's health started to deteriorate pretty rapidly. The doctor's recommended she stop driving and said that she shouldn't be living alone anymore.  But she's a stubborn lady.  She refused to do anything the doctor's or the family said. She continued to drive, and we prayed she wouldn't hit anyone and/or burn her house down with her inside.

In mid-summer, Brad's mom was diagnosed with Stage 3 ovarian cancer.  

I know this sounds like a total Debbie-Downer post, but I'm actually telling you these things to talk about how great God has been to us.

Praise #1:  Baby Girl.  I honestly thought it could take us months and months to get pregnant.  We had several friends around us who were pregnant or trying and the average wait was about 6 months.  Which is pretty normal for our age. I was totally prepared to be patient.  And then, after that first month, we got a positive pregnancy test. I was shocked.  Brad strutted.

Praise #2: Today my grandma moves into an assisted living facility here in town. With very little resistance, and maybe even some excitement (bingo 4 nights a week!!). We were able to get her car away. And the biggest thing of all she makes enough money through her pension and retirement to afford her care.

Praise #3: My mother-in-law had two surgeries at the end of the summer.  The one that led to the discovery of the cancer, and another to remove all signs of cancer from  her body. And then the doctor's, of course, recommended chemo. Chemotherapy is what would have made her look and feel sick.  Even after two surgeries she seemed completely normal; no signs of illness.  After much discussion and research amongst the 5 of us immediate family members, she decided not to go with the doctor's recommendations, and to find an alternate route.  From September through today, she has eaten the healthiest of diets known to man. She's lost weight, and is back to what she weighed at age 25 (which is what the doctor said you want to be). And as of her last doctor's appointment, the cancer is GONE. Her blood levels are normal, and on the CT scan the tumors she had in summer have not grown back.  She is the healthiest she's been ever.  The doctor's here will continue to monitor her every few months just to make sure.

Praise #4: This might seem small in comparison, but this was a huge deal to me this weekend (and always).  I pretty much bawled my way through Sunday morning church service...in the best way possible. There were baptisms on Sunday morning, which is not abnormal.  I watched a man walk down into the water, and noticed that he seemed really tall next to the pastor performing the baptisms. Our head pastor said his name and asked the man if he has been a believer long.  The man said, yes his whole life.  And my husband turned around to me in shock and said, "Did you know about this!?" I looked at him confused, and said, "What?"  When I looked back down at the stage, I realized the man in the water was my Dad. He is 58 years old and though he grew up in a family of faith, he had never been baptized before.

There is healing happening.

These items that I've listed above may seem like insignificant details; just things that happen in life.  But I assure you, not one of these is coincidental.  

He is THE Healer.

As we wait for our precious Baby Girl to make her arrival, I could not have more hope for what is to come. And I trust in Him, that no matter what happens, all will be as it should be. 

"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you." Deuteronomy 31:6

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight."  Proverbs 3:5-6