Blessed Be Your Name

Blessed Be Your Name (Matt Redman)
Blessed Be Your Name
In the land that is plentiful
Where Your streams of abundance flow
Blessed be Your name

Blessed Be Your name
When I'm found in the desert place
Though I walk through the wilderness
Blessed Be Your name

Every blessing You pour out
I'll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say

Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

Blessed be Your name
When the sun's shining down on me
When the world's 'all as it should be'
Blessed be Your name

Blessed be Your name
On the road marked with suffering
Though there's pain in the offering
Blessed be Your name

You give and take away
You give and take away
My heart will choose to say
Lord, blessed be Your name

Memories flooded over me on the drive to Houston this morning. I was overwhelmed thinking of all the trips I have taken on that road - for Mark, for Samantha, for my own surgery. This road, both physically and metaphorically.....it's been marked with suffering, but in the end we say "blessed be Your Name."

We started off seeing the resident and he was really pleased. We were even surprised by a couple of the tests they do with Mark at his appointments that he did awesome on! Then Dr. Martin walked in (he had already talked to the other doctors on Mark's case and read through the notes) and his words were, "looks like your ready to get back to work!" So the words we were hoping to hear we got to hear right off the bat. I asked if he could go back full time right away and Dr. Martin said "well no" (I think we were both so disappointed to hear that) and went on to say, "you should take 2-3 weeks to ease back into it, start off half-time the first week and by week 3 you should be good to go" (sigh of relief on both our parts).

We also went on to ask if this could happen again, or if we needed to "watch" for anything. He said he didn't have any concerns like that, just wanted to see Mark again in 6 months, if everything still looks good then we can go to yearly appointments just to check on things. Mark already had an appointment scheduled with Dr. Shepard (including mri) for June 11th and we were able to get his next appointment with Dr. Martin for the same day. Five months from now! Wow! What a blessing! He also said that Mark has had all the procedures needed and now has all the tools (through the brain therapy/biofeedback) to be sucessful with going back to work healthy and strong.

Finally, we thanked him - I mean really thanked him. He was able to help Mark and he just laughed and said "I just assembled the team to help him." Well that was huge! Someone had to :) As he and his two residents were walking out (this is my favorite part) I heard him say to them "and that is why we do what we do - because of days like today and cases like that." Wow! What an awesome thing to hear!

Today the "streams of abundance flow" and "the sun's shining down" on us - we are so thankful and praise God! Thanks for all your prayers!

Happy New Year!

We feel excited and blessed to be celebrating a new year. We are hoping that 2012 brings about some positive changes for our family.

One thing that I have resolved to do in 2012 is read through the entire Bible this year. In 2011 I had the goal of memorizing 24 passages - 2 each month. I used the alphabet to help with this and was able to accomplish this goal! It certainly came in handy knowing some verses so well during the many times I was sitting in a hospital room, waiting room or bed this past year.

Something that we are hoping and praying for in 2012 is that Mark is able to go back to work - yay! His doctor appointment to discuss this is January 19th. So far all the appointments with the doctors that are coordinating on Mark's case have seemed favorable towards this end. Dr. Martin is the head neurologist on Mark's case. We believe that he will be thrilled to hear (and see) that Mark is doing so much better. All the doctors on Mark's case will be reporting to him between now and that appointment and we are hopeful that aside from either yearly or twice-yearly appointments to 'check on things' that he will clear Mark. Mark is currently off all medication and pain-killers - yay! What an amazing miracle. He also hasn't been having memory issues or lapses for well over a month now. The brain therapy and homework have really helped. But we know more importantly that our prayers have been answered and that GOD has been at work in his life. God is the ultimate healer. We don't always understand when/how/why He chooses to heal or act - but we praise Him for His goodness - and we rejoice that He is faithful.

Of course the question then becomes - where will Mark go back to work. The honest answer is - we don't know. One possibility is that he could return to his call in Wisconsin. Another possibility is putting his name 'out there' on call lists in general. Another possibility is that he goes into a new type of ministry of chaplancy. Our hope and prayer is that God makes clear the doors he has opened for Mark to go back into ministry. Please keep our family and the ministries involved (both known and unknown) in your prayers. Thank you so much! Your prayers are powerful! Look at the amazing journey they have traveled on with us! We also know that God hears them. And more importantly - when we pray for His will to be done - we know our prayers are answered! 1 John 5:14-15 "This is the confidence we have in approaching God, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And, if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know we have what we asked of Him." AMEN!

P.S. I will get the rest of the Christmas pictures up soon! :)