Bruce went back to work today, I am so happy that he is moving forward. He is healing. ONE more round of chemotherapy, and we will be celebrating healing! He is getting out and going places again. He will be able to attend Morgan's graduation, enjoy having his relatives from Kentucky in town this summer, he has been very blessed. We are eternally grateful for all who joined us in prayer, supported us in so many ways for so many monthes. We have strengthened relationships, deepened relationships, grown stronger and closer to God and each other. So, although we would not have chosen this path, it has been a blessing in many ways.

Joanne

Bruce landscaped this pathway for me. I envisioned a pathway to  highlight the tree, and Bruce found a way to do it. Then our friends, the Rollins, installed lighting in the tree. It is so beautiful, now, day & night. It provides a canopy over the patio and I love to sit out there at night listening to 80's music and relaxing. This weekend I sat out there, as I always do on the weekend. My thoughts were of Liz & Joshua Miller. I thought a lot about Liz, so young, so sweet, now left to raise their beautiful children. I, like so so many, have been praying for her so much. I did not know Joshua well, however, he and Liz were the first 2 people I connected with when we joined Seacoast church, and they made an indellible mark on my life.

I felt confused and guilty when we decided to leave Catholicism, and join Seacoast. It was an entirely different way of worshipping. One Sunday, during response time, I was grappling with our decision and I decided to go to the back and pray with the prayer team. There was Joshua & Liz, half my age, so young, yet so sincere. I poured out my heart to them; they listened and prayed for me. I was immediately blindsided by how deep and how far along in their faith they were. I continued to pray with them Sunday, after Sunday, each time coming away stronger, with a clearer vision of what God wanted for our family. They were so kind and giving. I will never forget that.....

Now I am praying for Liz. My heart aches for her and her loss. I know her strong faith will carry her. If you have encountered someone who has impacted your life, please share that with them. Seeing Joshua's life end so abruptly reminds us all how short our time here is.

Blessings,
Joanne

The Storm

Storms are always followed by beauty in some way; the sunshine or perhaps a rainbow. Of course my family has been in a storm for the past 7 months. It reminds me of the ocean, sometimes calm and serene, other times choppy, frightening, uncharted waters. We have certainly received many many blessings through friends, strangers, family members, coworkers, and I am in awe of the creative ways others have chosen to reach out to us; it has been a learning experience and so comforting. I feel like a bridge was built by so many & we have been carried through these months and grown so strong as a family. Now, we are emerging from the pinacle of the treatment: the surgery, which was very complicated and far more complex than even our amazing Dr. Esnaola anticipated, but here we are, still moving forward in the journey and beginning to see a glimpse of the light after the storm! It is an exciting and exhilerating time now! One more round of chemotherapy after Bruce has fully recovered from surgery, and we will return to a more normal pace of living. We will never be the same, but my prayer is , that having experienced these hardships, we will be stronger, and more faithful servants, ready to help others who may embark on a similar journey.  Bruce & our family have been through a range of emotions over the past month. We have cried, laughed, been fearfully silent, been worried, overwhelmed, insecure, so many emotions...but now I can see some light. Today, the pathology reports showed that yes, the cancer had been in the lymph nodes, but it did respond to treatment, and Dr. Esnaola, feels confident that after one more round of chemotherapy, Bruce's chances of it reoccurring are less than 15%. So today we rejoice, knowing that all the support, love, prayers, and generosity showered upon us from all of you, has brought us this ray of sunlight.

To anyone reading this who has lost a loved one from cancer, my heart felt sympathy; for to have travelled this road and incurred  the loss of a family member or friend, would be excrutiating. My prayer is that my children and I will become more aware of the suffering of others, and be ready to mirror the generosity that you all have taught us so well.

Gratefully,
Joanne