One year ago today, right about 8pm Eastern Standard time on May 30, 2012 our world was turned upside down. Michael became unresponsive for a period of time and it led to lots of doctors, MRIs, CT scans, labwork, and finally.... a diagnosis that meant he needed a risky brain surgery that may or may not help and may leave him having a massive stroke... or worse yet... take his life.
Michael was scared, angry, and at times in denial that any of it was happening. And me? I was crushed and even broken at times when I saw the anger in him come out. My husband was diagnosed with an illness that I had only seen once in my career as a therapist and it was NOT a positive outcome.
But God knew what would happen....
Michael turned to prayer.
Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV) Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and leanr from em, for I am gentle and humbe in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.
He came face with Jesus like never before. For the first time in his life, really relied on and had faith in Jesus to handle all the details. And me, I had to say "OK God. I am giving You my husband and I am trusting You with him, and with me if You decide to take him Home."
This began the hardest year of our marriage, but at the same time, the most amazing year of our marriage because we grew in both faith and love like never before and everyone around us could see it.
1 Peter 4:13 (ESV) But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.
God used Michael's illness and our story "to spread the aroma of the knowledge of Him" (2 Corinthians 2:14 (NIV)) as he began to share his story and revealed that we would be moving to Arizona because to bring Jesus to people that desperately needed Him. To God be the praise for hearts that are changing through our story and Michael's illness!
Matthew 6:34 (NIV) Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Michael is not in the clear, he never really will be. There is no cure for what he has. But, none of us are ever really in the clear, are we? But, we are choosing not to worry, but to have faith in Him. We will all experience illness, heartache, sadness, and even death here on this earth. But He is always there when we call out to Him.
We are grateful we have today!
We are thankful that God has used Michael's illness to get us where we are. We are thankful for an AMAZING neurosurgeon who, with guided hands by the Great Physician, performed a successful surgery. We are thankful for the team of nurses that cared for him in the weeks following his surgery. We are thankful to friends and family for hours of talking things out and helping us through the toughest of hours.
And most of all... we are VERY thankful for the Church... the PEOPLE that came, cared, loved, prayed, lived, and experienced all of the emotions with us. Some of those people didn't even know us personally, but showed us what Christ's love is all about!
Do I want to relive what started one year ago today? Not at all! But I wouldn't change one part of what did happen because it brought us to right where we are today!!
