John 11:25 “Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live,” The Lord blessed our family in a large way by bringing us home before Easter. The deepest parts of my heart desperately wanted to celebrate our life found in the resurrection of Jesus Christ at home among family and friends. Jordan and I enjoyed the day and savored each moment with Claire, hopeful there will be many more to follow. Since we have been home we have been busy with unpacking, resettling, Easter, blood checks, etc. Monday Claire’s bloodwork showed that all her numbers were up allowing us to stop the neupogen shot. Now we will wait until next Monday and check her counts again to see if she is ready to start the next cycle of treatment which is all outpatient if she remains healthy. If she is ready, ANC of 750 and platelets at 75,000 Claire will receive spinal chemotherapy, IV vincristine, and start a 5 day cycle of steroids and Lestaurtinib. A busy week, but I’m excited to complete it within the comforts of our own home. Despite Claire’s recovering bone marrow and overall health, she still needs prayer, specifically for eating. It seems as though her appetite is not very strong, and neither are her taste buds; therefore, making it very hard to encourage her to eat. Claire’s eating picked up a few days over the weekend, but has dropped away. It is pivotal for her to eat well to nourish her, hydrate her, maintain her weight, and sustain her energy levels allowing her to feel better overall. The Lord has seen us through difficult times like this before, and we ask Him to do it again. It is a situation that needs the touch of God to change it. 2 Cor 12:9 “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” Easter is a story of hope when the moment seems the darkest, “destroy the temple and build it in three days.” Luke 18:27 “The things that are impossible with people are possible with God. Starting Tuesday into Wednesday Claire had a fever that would not break. Her bone marrow was completely wiped out, and she was not feeling well. Discharge by the weekend did not seem possible. No doctor could promise us we would be returning home by Easter with Claire’s current status. Then the Lord worked deep down inside of Claire sending us home just two days from a moment that seemed hopeless. Her blood counts jumped up, her fever resolved, bacterial cultures were negative, and we were sent home Friday evening. Wow. This flash of hope from deep within a valley of suffering reminds me of Easter. On Friday Jesus was nailed to a cross and crucified killing the Son of Man. His believers were scared and did not know what to expect next. On Saturday, followers of Christ wept, mourned, and prayed. Then on Sunday the angel rolled the stone away from the tomb, Matthew 18:2-6 “The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said” Easter reminds us that a Saturday of suffering will be followed by a Sunday of hope. At one point or another we have all been in a place where we could not see the light up ahead, but it is there perhaps closer than you think. If God planned for a cruel crucifixion to lead to eternal salvation, then I can rest assured that the Lord has a plan in my moments of suffering as well. Pain can turn to rejoicing, waiting can lead to answers, and the temporary can give way to the eternal with out warning. Matthew 24:36 “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” The Lord is constantly at work in our lives moment to moment making His way toward eternity. The second coming of Christ is just around the corner. Even though we may not see it today, it could be here tomorrow. God has shown us how quickly He can work. My mind was set and ready to come home from Duke; I pray I have the same focus and readiness for when I meet Jesus.
Posted on: Wed, 23 Apr 2014 02:44:06 +0000
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