In Christ Alone our Hope is Found

There is a family who needs your prayers. I know I come to you often for prayer....  It is a beautiful thing to part of the family of Christ. The other day a man from the Heritage Reformed Church, here in GR, hit a tow truck on the highway and has major head injuries. His name  is Mike Maartennse (41 yrs) and his wife's name is Pam. They have 4 kids: Caleb, Grace, Micah and Abigail. I am thinking the oldest is 11. Thursday: Dear Friends, I'm just back from a visit with Pam Maartense & her family. She asked me to update everyone on Mike's condition. He multiple and extensive skull fractures and bleeding in the brain. Though he did come through brain surgery the surgeon said that Mike is not doing well, and that there is no way to predict if and how he will come out. On a scale of 1-5 he said Mike is a 4, one above being brain dead. Please continue to pray for Mike and Pam and the entire family.  Our help is in the name of the LORD, who made heaven and earth"

We have had a few days of snow here. It is so beautiful! It took me a few days to get my "driving feet" under me!  (o; Josh was 'hired' by the church across the street to keep the front of their church shovelled. You see that truck in the parking lot? It does our driveway. Nice! (o: Ken started his new semester this week. It's hard to believe how fast things are going. We really enjoyed having him home. For the last few weeks, he has spent most of his time in his office working ahead for his courses. What a blessing that time was for him and we still had him here! I am still learning not to interrupt him. It's so tempting, he is RIGHT there! I am still a little kid in some ways! (o: Yesterday, I FINALLY found my crockpot and coffee maker. We have been here for 6 months and I couldn't find them anywhere.  How do you lose such big things? Well, I found them in a tote that had camping stuff on the top. I figured it couldn't be in there, bec

In the new year, many people say, "Blessings in the New Year", or "Happy New Year!". I always smile and wish them the same. I really do mean it, but normally, I am not a "January" new year person. Our new year is when school starts. Since I was in kindergarten, there has only been 8 months in my life that I didn't live by the school calendar. From five years old to 17 years old, I was in school. Then I went by Ken's University calendar. The 8 months came between the time Ken graduated (and married me a month later (o; ) and got his first teaching position.  But this year I actually sat and thought about this coming year and the Lord willing there will be many milestones. Micah turned 11.  Natalie will be 9. Josh will be fifteen. Josiah will be 7 Grace will be 3.  Ken will be 40. Craziness!   I will be 37 and have grey hair and wrinkles to show for it! (O : We will be married for 16 years.  In August, Ken will have been my

We are so very thankful that Micah's xray came back clear. It's been a bit of a hard wait as we listen to Micah work through his chest cold. It has kept us on our knees for sure. As time goes by and with every clear scan, we grow more thankful for the mercy the Lord has shown us. I just talked with Micah's oncologist and asked her what she is thinking in regards to scans and Micah's future. I don't often quote our dear doctors, but she said that Micah should have relapsed already and that so far he has beaten the odds. Even as we give thanks for clear results, sometimes it's hard not to let my mind rest on the facts or statistics. I have to keep in focus that God has been and will continue to be the author of Micah's story. What a beautiful comfort that is as well as the fact that God is always faithful. Always. In the last weeks we have watched dear families struggle with their little boys and our hearts have ached with them.  One little guy, had major

This boy, named Micah Peter, came screaming into the world on January 7, 2002 at 12:07 pm. He was the hairiest little Eskimo boy that I had ever seen! I think we could braid his back hair! Just so you know! (O: 6 Month-ish (I have so many pictures in between here, but they are not scanning in nicely. Bummer.)  Ha! This is how I remember my little crazy man! He is even foaming at the mouth! (o; Look at these little guys. Just for the record, this was the hardest camping trip of our lives! Hehe! I think the kids were this dirty the whole time. We look at these pics and always laugh so hard. Too bad it didn't scan in a little better! He is   two and a half-ish here! (o: 2007 - Five and a half and probably one of my most special pictures. This was a few month before cancer. Summer of 2008. Micah is  6 years old and in the middle of radiation and in hospital for shingles. He was so tired. You can see the shingles by his tiger and his radiation burn