I have learned in my life that things are not constant nor do they always pan out in the way we have dreamt or hoped they would.
I have been a believer in Christ for the past 20 years and I can attest that God has been faithful to me. I can say this because He has brought me blessings and he has never left me even when I have struggled.
2020 was a year like any other where many of us had dreams and plans put into place and that sure changed when we found ourselves in a world wide pandemic. For us as a family we were hit with our own personal pandemic if I can say as much. In June of 2020 I was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma, a type of cancer that affects the blood and the bones.
First Chemo day in mombasa kenya
The news devastated us when it first came even though we knew of the Lords faithfulness. This was scary – this was unexpected. As a family and a community, we started to map out the way forward and thankfully in the midst of the pandemic I was able to get the 6 months of chemo that I needed.
Transplant prep before heavy chemo in India.
After that a Bone Marrow transplant was needed and because many people who financially gave I was able to get that with my wife Jenna by my side in December of 2020 in Hyderabad, India.
Again, God’s faithfulness. We saw the money come in that we certainly didn’t have for a transplant. And we saw travel as an option when the world had shut down. We saw protection as I went through Chemo and had to be so careful of who was around me and might pass along a bug.
Post transplant moments of low white blood cells and feeling weak. (Christmas and birthday week)
Today we brag on God by saying I am in full remission and cancer free. I have pain in my body that still needs to heal from the destruction the cancer had on my bones. But day by day that is getting better.
Family moment with our precious daughter Etana.
In the midst of this we also lost one of the greatest joys of our life, our daughter Etana in an accident in October. We were actually at the doctors office for my final round of Chemo treatment when it happened. In truth, this is something we are still trying to recover from. We still mourn her loss and we have no other choice than to trust a faithful God to build our hearts back together bit by bit. A month prior to the Lord calling her home her adoption had been finalized and I think the Lord knew how important that was to us. Lawfully, legally and with two very willing hearts we are a family forever. Now we wait for a day when we can be just that – together.
This last year held a lot of pain for us as a family. We pray God would be praised and gain glory through our suffering. We also hope people would know the God we experienced this last year. A God of hope and of love, one of understanding and willingness to sit in great tragedy. For our God is not in the sole business of making us happy or just meeting our wants and needs but is in the business of perfecting us into the image of Christ each and everyday of our lives. After all is said and done for sure all things work together for good for them that love the Lord and are called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28.
Present day in remission and getting better by the day.
We thank you Fox River standing with us and praying for us– we appreciate you.