Health Update

Thank you all for rejoicing with me in God’s sustaining grace and all the kindnesses and mercies He has shown me. I have definitely experienced some good moments and even better days since I last updated, but I would not be honest if I didn’t say that the hard moments have also been pretty hard. But He has never let go, even when I have doubted Him. What a patient God we have, and I am so grateful that His hold on me is what matters in the end. I am so quick to let go.

I have seen some improvements with the overall effects of the bacterial issues, but it is hard to tell how much progress I’ve made as the symptoms can be confusing and overlap with so many others. There was a point over the past few weeks when I was barely able to get any nutrition in, and since that point God has enabled me to have days when I could eat more which is amazing. The big struggle has been that once I eat a bunch my system gets stuck and cannot digest it, and then I end up with several days of not being able to eat much at all and feeling pretty awful. In light of the serious place I’m in, I am going to try raw dairy again. It has been two months since I’ve had it, and since removing it, I lost weight, struggled more with getting food in, and just slipped backward in many areas.

On a praise note, I saw my primary care doctor last week, and my recent labwork shows that things are fairly normal which is amazing for my condition. He is sustaining.

So, here are ways to pray:

• For my body to do well with the raw goat milk products I am reintroducing (kefir and yogurt).
• For wisdom to know what to eat, whether to stick with goat dairy or to try cow dairy, what supplements to take, when to push through and when to hold back, etc.
• For contentment and self-control to eat according to what my body requires and not make unwise choices.
• For grace and strength to await His deliverance during the moments when it is most difficult to cope with my symptoms. Some of the hardest ones lately have involved neurological pains, strange sensations, and an inability to control my hands as they lock-up for a period of time.
• For endurance and joy.
• For continued guidance with doctors, those giving me counsel, and decisions on further testing/treatments.
• For grace for my family who gives so much to take care of me each day.
• That I might begin to more fully grasp what it means to be “united with Christ” and to live knowing that He has fully paid all my debts, and I belong to Him.
• That I would allow Jesus to be my Good Shepherd and provide for my needs rather than striving to figure everything out.
• That God would be greatly glorified and magnified in my weakness. He alone is “the Upholder of my life.”

God has been teaching me that He is the only One who can bring me safely through, and this trial will not last one moment longer than He intends. I so often think I know better and want to take things into my own hands, but how grateful I am that He is wiser than I.

Thank you for your prayers! They are felt. I look forward to sharing with you more in the days ahead as we see how He continues to provide.

“He is wonderful in counsel and excellent in wisdom.” – Isaiah 28:29

P.S. Thank you to those of you who prayed for Nathan. His seizures have lessened since you did, and he is better! We would still be grateful for your prayers, though.