Notes from the Porch {Seven}: A grateful thank you for 8 hours on the 8th!

It is impossible to express my gratefulness at all of the support that I received from 8 hours on the 8th! When the event idea was first suggested to me I had no idea how much support I would receive and I can't begin to express how much that has touched my heart. Ironically I I had planned to spend the day one way but actually spent it at three different doctors offices trying to figure out why exactly I had become so violently ill on Monday morning. As I look back and reflect on these past few difficult days I am truly amazed. My heart was so encouraged by the countless messages and notes that I received from y'all due to your participation, sacrifice, and support for 8 hours on the 8th! Your prayers have truly touched my heart and life and everyday I see the Lord answering countless prayers.

I do want to say that this has not just been something that has occurred over a couple of days. Some of you have been walking this journey with me for the past five and half years as I have been in and out of the hospital with a variety of "strange" illnesses or surgeries, have faithfully covered me in prayer through the THOUSANDS of doctors office visits, have patiently given me love while many friends walked away, and have faithfully loved me during so many aspects of this health journey decline. As I returned home in June 2012 for what was supposed to be a brief time of healing no one (myself included) could have guessed what lay in store of this past year. What we know now is that Lymes was slowly killing my body and that I was also fighting Cancer. 

For many of you that have walked this journey with me you know that these past several years have been a time of heart-wrenching tears and cries of the psalmist: "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?"(psalm 22) There were/are so many times that I would think back to my journey with endometriosis and would think of how it had been filled with so many miraculous moments. I questioned why this journey was not that way. There were so many nights that my bed was filled with tears. There were so many days that I questioned what the Lord could possibly be up to. To be truthful the Lord didn't answer those prayers. Instead He promised me, as I have shared before, that He would never leave me and that He was always with me. And as always the Lord has been faithful. 

His love endures forever.

This past year and half has been filled with days of miraculous moments and days where there are also long stretches and moments of tears, sadness, loneliness, and lots of frustration. But in those moments there is always the quiet reality of the Lord never abandoning me. Truly... "wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And HOPE. And LIGHT. And... even beauty." (Joni Erickson Tada) Each day if you look for it shouts with the Lord's love.

To ALL of you that have generously donated financially, those that have whispered fervent prayers for healing on my behalf, and those who have taken the time to utter once again a kind word to my hurting heart, I am so incredibly thankful. Due to your generous financial donations I have been able to raise 43% of the necessary cost to head back to California in a few short weeks. Thank you for this portion. Truly the Lord has provided and truly the Lord will continue to provide. THANK YOU so much. Thank you for each of you who spread the word and donated your status' for 8 hours on the 8th. Your generosity and kind words truly spread the word to allow more financial donations to come in. Thank you!

 I can not begin to express my gratitude to so many of you that have been so incredibly kind in this journey.  While this season is far from over... I am so grateful for all of you.  As I continue on this journey my heart is full with the humble knowledge that the Lord has shown Himself in so many ways... specifically through your love. 

Thank you so much. Truly thank you.

I love y'all! 

Love, Rebecca

p.s.- I have received some emails asking if you can still donate and the answer is yes you can. The "Go fund Me page" will be up until my trip to California in November. Just click on the link to the left! Thank you again!