Jennifer made it through surgery successfully! The surgeon was confident that he was able to get all of the tumor. We will probably be waiting 2-3 days to find out if the tumor is benign. I still have some nervousness left until we find out that news, but at least the surgery is over. I am unable and incapable of expressing the gratitude I have for all the prayers and encouragement that we have received over the past 6 days. The way that God has used all of you to minister to us and especially Jennifer was what God intended Christian community to be! Your kindness and encouragement has not gone unnoticed by the Father:
Matt25:34-40
"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'
"Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'
"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'
It is amazing how God works through those willing to be used. Our continued prayer is that your own personnel faith journeys will have been strengthened by a glimpse into ours, and that you to will find God faithfull in all circumstances like we have.
To God be the Glory!
Dear Jennifer and Jeff,
ReplyDeleteI don't know you personally, but have been praying for you throughout today. My husband, Rob and I live in Alabama now, but we used to live in Westminster just around the corner from your sister Renee and her family and attended church and Bible Studies with them years ago. Your parents attend church and Sunday School with my parents in Longmont, which is how I found your blog and story. I went through my own trial and near death faith story about 7 1/2 years ago, and God saved my life also. He didn't allow my 4 young children at the time to me motherless, nor my husband wife-less. God was good; God IS GOOD, all the time! It's only because of HIS mighty power, and the power of many people's prayers that I later found out that were praying for me around the world, whom I'd never met, nor would meet this side of heaven, that were the reason, by His amazing grace, that God spared my life. I just wanted to encourage you with the same.
We now have had two more children, for a total of 6 so far(ages 3-14), and also homechool.
My near-death experience was with my heart - at age 32, and 3 months post-partum after my fourth child, I had a heart attack while walking in our neighborhood in Westminster resulting from a congenital anomaly of my heart that I never knew about, nor did any doctor. But God knew! He knew me intimately from when he knit me together in my mother's womb. I WAS fearfully and wonderfully made, just as you are! As you've said, this didn't catch God off guard, nor did my heart attack and resulting double by-pass surgery. But God did a work of healing in my life as a result of prayer, I believe. Someone gave me this verse as encouragement. I give it to you as well.
Psalm 73:23-26 - "Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory. Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."
May the LORD be YOUR strength, yours and your family as a whole, as you walk through this hard time in your life. Allow Him to hold you by your right hand and guide and lead and comfort and heal you.
I'll be praying for you from Alabama.
God bless you, my fellow sister in Christ,
Trisha Pace