Thank You!

Just wanted to thank all of you so much for making my birthday last week so much fun! I've had a great time running to the mailbox and reading all your birthday greetings. You should see the huge stack sitting on our table!

When I first found out about the tumor, I would come home from work and the only thing that seemed to encourage me at the time was receiving cards and letters from family, friends, and even people I didn't know. Zac knew how much this meant to me, which is why he made a point of asking you to send birthday cards last week. When we started this blog, we didn't want for it just to be a prayer list, but also to be an encouragement to those who were reading it. My request of you today is that you reach out and encourage someone else you know (not me! I've received my fill for the week!). Maybe you don't get excited about receiving mail yourself, but you have no idea how much it might mean to someone who is hurting. Send a card to someone you know who may be going through a rough time: maybe a friend had a loved one pass away, maybe a family member lost a job, or a coworker is going through a difficulty in a relationship. Cheer the person up with words of encouragement, letting them know you care.

"An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up." Proverbs 12:25

You'll probably be hearing from later this week. My next MRI appointment will be made soon. I'll keep you updated on when that is. Please pray in confidence for a miracle!

Trust the Lord

I've been in a habit every January to read a chapter from the book of Proverbs each day since there are 31 chapters in this book. Throughout the Proverbs, one can see the reward of "trusting in the Lord." Stac and I picked Proverbs 3:5-6 as the banner verses for our blog because they have been an encouragement to our hearts, comfort to our minds, and have repeatedly ministered to our soul in good and bad times.

We have learned over the past years together that trusting in the Lord is fundamental to our relationship with God. If you are like us there are a lot of things in this world that cause us to doubt and to be skeptical, but these verses wipe away any doubt and give us a clarity and direction to place our trust in God, who is Absolute Truth and is 100% reliable. Praise God! The word trust in Hebrew literally means “clinging to” with the idea of setting one’s hope and confidence upon God. The older Stac and I get we have learned to put our trust in God vs. man. We are finding our own understanding is so limited, weak, and subject to a lot of errors.

Everyday seems to be a new day to learn again and build onto what we learned the day before about trusting in the Lord. We figure the more we can learn to acknowledge God in all we say and do, even in the smallest details He will make our paths straight, and lead us where He wants to direct us.

Stac has been experiencing more frequent headaches and noticing more changes in her body and so treatment may soon be upon us. We continue to pray and place our trust in our Lord. We are clinging to the hope that God will heal her, either through a miracle without treatment or a miracle with treatment (since the treatment can only shrink the tumor).

Comfort and Joy

Zac and I have been getting into the Christmas spirit and have enjoyed listening to Christmas songs in recent weeks. Tonight we were listening to God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen. We began reflecting on the words to the song, in particular the chorus "o tidings, of comfort and joy." So often we sing these songs in church but do we really listen to the words? I hate to admit it but we weren't sure what tidings meant...so we looked it up. : ) It means news or report. The author was celebrating the news of the fullest comfort and joy - the birth of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world!!! As we were reflecting, it was hard for us to imagine no hope in our life. Before Jesus' birth, the people of the world had no comfort, no joy from death and sin. They had a list of rules to follow if they wanted to make it to heaven, but continued to sin every day. However, we now celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, our true comfort and true joy who is our only way to eternal life.

God rest ye merry, gentlemen,

Let nothing you dismay,

For Jesus Christ our Savior

Was born upon this day,

To save us all from Satan's power

When we were gone astray.

O tidings of comfort and joy,

Comfort and joy,

O tidings of comfort and joy.

We've included the link to this song. Merry Christmas. And may you know true comfort and joy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWpiFnNBtpE

Happy Thanksgiving!!

No matter what season of life you're in, there are still so many things to be thankful for each day. We were reflecting this afternoon that exactly two years ago this weekend, Zac proposed to me in our favorite spot - Decorah. It's been such a fun two years and we have so much to be thankful for! During those two years we have enjoyed reading the Psalms together and one of our favorites is Psalm 145. It's a song of praise from begining to end. It talks about the greatness of God, the goodness of God, God's everlasting government, and the grace of God. Verse 2 says: "Every day I will praise you and extol your name for ever and ever." How often do we roll out of bed and begin with complaints rather than praises for God? May every day we praise His name. Be thankful for God's grace today and always!

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Welcome to our Blog!

It's been almost two years since I was first diagnosed with an incurable brain stem tumor. Because of where it's located, the only treatment at this time is a one-time round of radiation, with hopes of shrinking the tumor. Any other treatment would further damage my hearing, vision, etc. Some of my doctors feel like the best option is to "watch and wait" to see what the tumor does. At this time, that is what we're choosing to do. Every 6 months I have gone in for an MRI. The MRI's have shown no growth, however, the doctors believe it is growing at such a slow rate that it can't be measured on the MRI. Praise God! My next appointment will be at the begining of February.

Those of you who know us, know that we believe in a BIG and MIGHTY God who can perform miracles and has called us to pray. Scripture has commanded us to pray continually (1 Thessalonians 5:17). In Luke 11, Jesus teaches us the importance of prayer and gives an illustration of one being persistent in prayer. We will continue to pray continuously and pray with persistence for healing to the God "who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us." (Ephesians 3:20)

We have started this blog to keep you updated on our situation. It has been a humbling experience to know that so many of you have us in your thoughts and prayers, and many of you we have never even met! Our hope is that through this we can encourage and be encouraged with the body of Christ!