We received the news we were dreading – Rebecca has rejected her new stents and she will require another procedure tomorrow. Even tiny drips into her intestines,completely bypassing the pancreas, are causing severe amounts of pain and nausea. Rebecca’s feed goal is 80 –she could not tolerate 5. Rebecca’s words spoke volumes as she uttered, “Mom, I have waited and waited to say this because I hate to admit it, but my stents are not working and I need another surgery.” It was the painful admittance of another set-back – another medical failure. My mind, body and soul are weary – and I am just an outsider, an observer in this real-life nightmare. I can only pretend to imagine how weary Rebecca’s mind, body and soul become –delay after delay, disappointment after disappointment. Last week I had one of these far-too-frequent moments of forlornness. It was after a multi-doctor care conference…it was after hearing our daughter was out of remission in less than two short months…it was after hearing she needed her 20th pancreatic procedure…it was after hearing the transplant was inevitable but may not be possible. I was not prepared to walk from that meeting into Rebecca’s hospital room with that ‘everything is going to be okay’ look. I sat in the chairs outside in the hall pleading the same prayer I have prayed thousands upon thousands of times – Lord please heal her Lord please give me strength to endure Lord please use this for your glory…. As I was repeating these words over and over I heard a familiar voice. The man was talking to a nurse and asking for Rebecca’s room number. To my great surprise, I rounded the corner and my very first friend wrapped his arms around me and cried. David Anderson and I have been friends since we were two years of age. We have been through most of life’s moments together – church retreats, homecoming dances, graduations,weddings, births of our children, deaths of our grandparents – and this moment– the one no one expects to happen - was no exception. I spoke with David late the night before to give him and his beautiful wife Sara – my new soul friend - an update. They made a plan, Sara would stay with their children while David came to see us. He woke up the next morning at 5:00 from College Station and by 9:00 was in San Antonio. David did not really do much. Outside of providing Brian with more embarrassing stories of my childhood, he was mostly just there. David wanted the Taylor family to know that the Anderson family loved us and they were supporting us every step of this long, arduous journey. That day - David was my Aaron and Sara was my Hur. When Joshua was fighting the Amalekites - Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of a hill. As long as Moses held his hands up, the Israelites were winning, but they started to lose when his hands came down. “When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up –one on one side, one on the other – so that his hands remained steady till sunset” (Exodus 17:12). The Israelites won the battle because of the support of Moses’ friends. God could have granted strength for Moses and the Israelites Himself. But He didn’t. The Lord called and provided mortal friends to help Moses endure his trial. David is one of hundreds of friends God supplies to gather stones in order for me to rest the weight of this burden. He is one of hundreds to pray when I have no breath. He is one of hundreds to provide strength to my weary mind, body and soul. And David is one of hundreds the Lord calls to raise my tired hands until this battle is won. Thank you Lord for my very own Aaron and Hur – unexpected miracles during this unexpected war. Love to each and every one of you, Christyn
Posted on: Mon, 08 Sep 2014 16:23:56 +0000
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