Friday, September 14, 2007

The One Year Anniversary


Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
Psalm 23:4

O Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done marvelous things, things planned long ago.
Isaiah 25:1


It was exactly one year ago today that I found Karen unconscious on the floor of our home. Since that moment our lives have become a public testimony to God’s faithfulness. Though God’s holy character alone is enough fodder to feed our praise for an eternity we are grateful that God chose to use our family this year as an object lesson in the marvelous way he cares for his people.

What a comforting thing to know that the events of the past year were no accident of blind history and that our future has been marvelously planned from long ago. As we stand on the precipice of an unknown future we have no fear for what he has planned for us because by the blood of Christ our future is found in the palm his pierced hand.

How forgetful and ungrateful we would be if after the many examples of God’s faithfulness to us this past year we forgot to rest in God’s promises to us. We ought not to forget that,

  • He was faithful in placing Karen under the care of the best doctors in the nation
  • He was faithful in surrounding us with loving family and friends in the darkest hour of our life
  • He was faithful in increasing our faith rather than allowing us to become self-centered and bitter
  • He was faithful in showering us with people willing to give of their time and resources.
  • He was faithful in protecting the hearts of our children.
  • He was faithful in turning a sentence of death into a life of hope.
  • He was faithful in using Karen’s pain and suffering to bring life, hope and change to others.
  • He was faithful in bringing Karen out of surgery able to talk, sing and wow the doctors with her mathematical prowess.
  • He was faithful through seven weeks of terrible radiation.
  • He was faithful to bring us wonderful news after every MRI.

This list is but a short summary of all that could be recounted of Christ’s faithfulness to our family. I look forward to the day when God will gather all his people together before his throne where we will be able to sing an inexhaustible list of his praises with abandon and without distraction. Until that day we are satisfied with the glimpses that God has given us into the wonderful way he loves us and we sing his praises, though feebily, with sincerity and thankfulness.


“Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever. Amen!" Revelation 7:12

P.S. please be in prayer for Karen's next MRI in mid-November

13 comments:

Mama Chanoli said...

Yes, thinking lots and lots today about the past year. Your post is a good reminder of how there many good and wonderful things to think on even in times of great hardship and mostly how amazing our dear Karen is! Big hugs to you all!! love kristi for the S. Greggs...

Anonymous said...

Amen, and amen!! We rejoice with you as we all recall the past year's events, and His faithfulness to His children!
..." I do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers..." Love you, The Machamers

Melanie said...

I was just thinking that the one year anniversary must soon be upon you and today I find this post...

How awesome is our God! We continue to praise Him for His healing! Still lifting you up in prayer as always! We love you and miss you all so much!

Melanie...for the Lopez gang

Vicki said...

Crazy crazy cancer. It's so good that you're a survivor. This is great news and I look forward to posting a similar positive post for John come next March.

Keep it up. Live Strong
http://www.livestrong.org/site/c.khLXK1PxHmF/b.2729893/k.89FD/LIVESTRONG_Army.htm
Love & peace

Anonymous said...

I'm so thrilled to read this post and it was great to see you today, Karen! We'll get our schedule better arranged so that we can join you at the library one of these coming Fridays! :)
Megan

Lazy D Ranch said...

Here is to many more hours of playing piano duets all to the glory of God.

P.S. Beautifully written as usual David.

~Heather and the rest of the Davis family

william dehning said...

karen: so good to hear that things are looking up for you. love to you . . .

Anonymous said...

Karen,

Glad I finally got to read the post. We did praise God last week as we remembered the anniversary. How great our Lord is...ALWAYS, as David points out, but how thankful we are that His plan, though we didn't know it a year ago, was to allow us today, to joyously celebrate His strength, power, and good gifts as evidenced in your life these last twelve months.

Anonymous said...

Dear Karen,

Don't know how I found your blog, just surfing today, and all I can say is a great big WOW!

I'm so blessed to read how well you are doing, Happy One Year Anniversary.

Please know I'll be praying for your scans in November. I'm a mom of BT child, so I have lots of empathy over here.

God has been so good to us as well.

Keep Blessing His Holy name,

Susan

Anonymous said...

Praising the Lord along with you and your family!

Blessings,
Keri
Pacific Northwest

Quinne said...

Rejoicing with you! Blessings! Q

Beckaboo said...

I found your blog through a link with a prayer request...
I am thankful to have found it and for the opportunity to pray for you and your family.

Blessings, Beckie

Nan said...

Praising God with you... It's been a while since I've visited your blog so I'm catching up.

Dave. You need to write a book. Really. I don't know what about but really, you need to write a book. Capiche?