Summer is Here

Its official for me that I'm out of school. I got out on Friday and had finals this past week. I am so glad I'm out. So now that I am out I will have more free time and I will try to post more often.

The scan results came back. Basically his pancreas stayed the same size which is good that it didn't grow but we would have liked for it to shrink. The spots on the liver grew but not as fast. Again good that the spots are not growing as fast but we don't want the spots growing. Period.

It can get frustrating at times. A wave of emotions can show up at any secound. But even in the midst of the sometimes very strong wave of emotions I have to take a deep breath and remind myself that God is in control. Even though I don't always see it I have to have the faith that He is always working in my situation.

The verse at the top of this blog talks about how God has turned the storm to a whisper. I like to think about that like this. The storm is still there and will probably countine to be here for a while but through the storm there is a peace that only God can give. It is a journey that is truely one day at a time. Other times the wave of emotions come and it becomes moment by moment. But even in the moment by moment or day by day God gives me His grace that is made sufficient for every moment of every single day.

So even though this part of my life can be very dark I know that God is taking the ashes and turning them into a beautiful picture that only He could create.

So yes it is a journey that is not the easiest thing and certainly not one that we would have picked as a family or individuals. But even in it we know as a family and individuals that God is speaking in it and showing everyone that looks at our life that He takes the painful things, scary things, and hard things and is painting a beautiful picture of His amazing grace. Through our family we pray that people will see we serve a God who is faithful and never fails us.

Letting God take the ashes and turn them into beauty. Will you do the same?
Bridget

Scan Tomorrow

Tomorrow will be a scan for my dad to see if this type of chemo is working. Please keep him in your prayers and that the results will come back showing that the chemo is working as it should be. We should get the results on Wednesday so I'll update about the results then.

Today we had our family pictures made. My mom wanted that for Mother's Day so we went to church, went out to eat, and then went and had our pictures made. We got some really good ones. I will post some later.

A couple more weeks and school is out for me. I am so ready to be out. If I could ask you a favor will you please pray for me this week and next week. This is the week before finals and then next week is finals so it will be stressful. That I will have the energy and strength I need to get through it.

At the top of this blog is one of my favorite verses and a verse that always motivates me to love people like Jesus did. I can do everything for Him, I can give money to charity, and volunteer my time to help other people in need but if I do all that and have not loved people during the process then I have gained nothing at all. One of my favorite authors is Max Lucado he says the secret to loving is living loved. By living loved Max is talking about letting the One who made you love you despite where you are and what your past is. We can not give something if we haven't first received something. We will never by ourselves be able to love people the way that Jesus did unless we take hold of His love for us first. Once we have received God's love for us then we can't help but share it with broken and hurting people. That includes the people who are rude, who aren't in our circles, and everyone that crosses our path.

So I'm asking you to do yourselve a favor. Go rest in the amazing love God has waiting for you to receive and then once you receive it go share that love with every single person that crosses your path.

If you are a mom reading this I hope you had a wonderful Mother's Day.

May you be swept away by God's everlasting love for you and the love that will never fail you,
Bridget

Chemo Tomorrow

Hey I just wanted to tell you that my dad has another round of chemo tomorrow. We will be having a scan after this chemo to see if the chemo is working as it should be. Please keep our family in your prayers. Thanks so much. May you cling and rest in the Hope that endures.

God's strength is made perfect in our weaknesses. It's when we are weak God is strong.

Take hold of the strength to get you through this journey called life.
Bridget

Back from Visiting with Family

We are back from visiting with family. We got back on Sunday night. It was a wonderful time with them. This time we got to spend the Easter weekend with my mom and dad side of the family. It was such a blessing to go were I feel the most comfortable which is being with and having my family together.


My dad had another round of chemo today. He is doing good just tired. He actually went to bed today early. Continue to please pray that he has his energy and strength and that he will not be in pain.

I want to share a few verses with you that have brought comfort to me during this time. The verses are 1 Peter 5:10-12 which says the God of all grace after you have suffered a while will strengthen, prefect, establish, and settle you. I love this verse because God who is full of His amazing grace will strengthen, prefect, establish, and settle us through our suffering. This verse shows that our suffering has a purpose. I don't know about you but sometimes I wonder what God is up to when we go through difficult circumstances. I am person who likes to know what is going to happen. Most people would say that I am mostly a go with the flow laid back person which I am but I am also the type of person that likes to know what I am doing or where I am going. This can serve a problem when it comes to God. God doesn't show or have everything laid out right before us. See if life were a book we know the beginning and we can choose the end. The beginning starts when are born. The end we choose by whether we decide to put our trust in Christ alone or not. God really doesn't give us step by step what is in between. Even though we don't always see ahead what is next we can trust that God's thoughts and ways are higher than ours, He has plans to give us a hope and a future, that He works all things together for good, and He does more than we could ever ask or imagine. We must trust and believe that in our sufferings by God's amazing grace He will strengthen, prefect, establish, and settle us.

Now it is time for me to start getting ready for bed. Hope you all have a good night sleep. And know whatever you are going through God's grace is sufficient for you.

Until next time,

Bridget

I'm Back

First of all let me first say I'm sorry for being absent from my blog. This was the last week in school before the holidays and I had bunch of tests and homework this week. Now that I have a break I'm back.

This weekend we will be out of town to see family. We have church tonight and we will be leaving early in the morning to go see the family. It is a huge blessing that my dad feels well enough to go. Pray that he will countinue to have his energy. We have not seen our family since Christmas so we are really looking forward to the time we are going to have with them this weekend. We will be back on Sunday.

Speaking of Sunday hopefully you know what day it is. It's Easter. A great time for us to think about the ulimate sacrifice that Jesus made for us on that cross. I pray that you will be swept away this weekend by God's love for you. If you were the only one on this planet He still would have done what He did. God sent His only Son Jesus knowing that we were not going to be perfect, knowing that we would disobey, knowing that we would choose our own way instead of His, and knowing that we would stumble, fall down, and make mistakes. Yet even in the midst of all that He knew we would do He still choose to pay the ulimate price for me and you. Why you may ask? Because God loves us despite ourselves. God couldn't imagen what it would be like without you. God loves you that much and more than we could ever try to imagen. So it's my prayer for you this weekend that you would think about the ulimate sacfrice that was paid and know it was just for you. So you wouldn't have to bear the burdens that this world has to give us but so we could be free from sin and the burdens in this life and ulimately have the abundant life that we so despertly seach for. Go to God this weekend and realize everything you want, need, and want is in Him. Let Him sweep you away by His love.

By the way go to church this weekend. Tell the Easter Bunny I say hello ;)

Being swept away by God's love,

Bridget

Chemo Tomorrow

Tomorrow is another day of chemo for my dad. He will have 3 more 48 hours chemos and then we will have another scan to see if this chemo is working. Please pray that it is. Pray also that he will have strength and the chemo will destroy the bad cells and leave the good ones alone. My family and I can't say thank you enough for your prayers. We feel them and there are times when your prayers are the thing that keeps us going. Please countinue.

Just wanted to put a verse at the beginning of this blog because it has been a real comfort to me during this season and journey in my life. I hope and pray that you will know you can walk through this journey called life without fear because God is with you. What a great comfort to know that He promises to never leave us or forsake us. Also, don't know if you know this but 365 times in the Bible it says do not fear. If you think about that and then how many days are in the year that is one time for each day. Everyday that you take your head off your pillow God is telling you not to fear today because He is with you.

We can either choose to see the fire in our life as burning us or refining us. I choose to let it refine me and let it help me to become the person God has made be to be. Even when the fears start to come I choose to remember that my God is with me and I don't have to fear. Although, the word fear is a small 4 letter word it is one that can keep us from living our lives. I will not let it keep me from living my life or stealing my joy. I will run to God with everything in me so He can calm any fears that I may have. Will you do the same? God doesn't want us to carry them but instead to come to Him and remember that His burden is light and His yoke is easy.

Going to the Calmer of the storms,

Bridget

Making and Taking in Memories

Today I am just thinking about my family and how much they mean to me. From the time I was little my parents were and still are faithful in teaching me the importance of family. I am blessed to have a family that is always there for me. We love just being together.

I don't know exactly how I am able to appeciate them so much. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that I live 4 hours away from them. Maybe it is that fact that it is something I have been taught. Maybe I am realizing how special every day is with the ones you love since I found out that my dad has cancer. Maybe the greatest of all is being thankful for what God has given me.

Maybe you are somebody that has a great family where you know you belong and are loved or maybe you have become known as the black sheep in your family. Whether you have a supportive family or not we have a God who accepts and loves us more than any family will.

I encourage you to treasure the moments you have with love ones. Life is something that is precious and short. We need to hold on to the memories we make with the people in our life. We are not promised tomorrow but we are promised this moment. I choose to live in the moment and treasure every second I get with the people I love. Will you do the same?

As for as an update on my dad goes he is doing good. He does have his days where he is tired. We had the blessing this weekend to where he felt good enough to go shopping with my mom and I. Then we went out to eat. Please countinue to keep him in your prayers. He will have another round of 48 hours of chemo on Wednesday. Pray for energy and strength for him. Also, pray that the chemo will destroy the bad cells and leave the good ones alone. Thanks again for prayers as we countinue to look to God as our comfort, strength, hope, and guide.

Bridget