a quick update

Dear friends, I so appreciate y'alls patience and kindness as I have been taking a couple of weeks away from the blog and am working on getting an update together from the cruise that so many of you were praying for. I do not take it lightly that there are so many of you that have prayed numerous prayers, spent hours upon hours laboring on your knees for me, or that you daily are begging the Lord for complete healing. You are SUCH a blessing in this long journey. I appreciate more than words can express your kind patience as I worked through returning to "real life" after the cruise, the beginning of the "precursor round to treatment #2", a very very difficult reaction with my health from being gone for a week, moving to my grandmothers house, and many other difficulties behind the scenes. Several of you have commented that this has probably been one of the most stressful and difficult weeks of this journey for me and I admit that it has been filled with many tears and pain and so I appreciate your kindness in the midst of this difficult time. Thank you for your gracious love in this journey.

I know specifically so many of you are curious about how my health held out on the cruise. I am so humbled to share that the Lord truly answered all of your prayers as there were no "major" issues. There were some minor ones and my body is exhausted, but it was a beautiful gift to my heart and truly was a time of "refreshing" for my spirit. 

As I returned home to continue this fight I felt encouraged and strengthened to face a set of unknown months. This first week back has been difficult and I am not going to belabor for all of the details but I would specifically ask for prayers against pain and sickness as this week has consisted of this completely which has been difficult and discouraging. 

 I am reminded that we are gently and lovingly carried by the Lord and met with grace for each day (Psalm 68:19). So today there is a mixture of hard and good. Tears and rejoicing. Struggling and trusting. And knowing that my pain and discouragement will be preciously and tenderly met by the God of love that bids me to trust Him in new ways. 

As we continue to finish up this "precursor round" of treatment before heading out to California, our specific prayer request for the beginning of the PICC line treatment is still the same - that I would be able to handle the first round of trial drugs with no severe reaction. We might have to try different meds to figure out which is the best and this for me is of great concern and I appreciate your faithful prayers. I also appreciate your continued prayers for all of the financial means to come in for this trip.

Words can't express how grateful I am for all of your kind support and love during this time. Thank you again for all of your support, love, and prayers. You are a blessing!

With Love,