Building Hope

Obviously January holds it's share of difficult memories for our family. Sometimes it's hard not to allow the sadness of our past losses creep in and steal my present joy. Even worse, there are times that my focus turns inward and I miss opportunities because of my own hurts. Sometimes remembering and grieving can distract me from what God has for me to do; His purposes for me here and now. He has been showing me so much lately you guys! As much as I love to write I often face a challenge in organizing the thoughts that overwhelmingly flow through my mind. That is kind of where I am at right now. So many words want to fly off the key board and assault the pages of my blog. It would, at best, confuse you to the point of not returning. :) There is just so much going on... In an attempt to single out one of those many thoughts I want to talk to you about a family who has faced far more than I can even imagine. In hearing their story I fell to my knees in shame and asked God to continue to take my eyes off of myself and on all of those around me who are hurting. Friends, please join me in praying for the Maxey family. I don't know them really. I only heard about them a few days ago, but already my heart feels some what bound to them and their situation. The Maxey family's 3 month old daughter has cancer. She has a tumor on her brain and on her spine. Her survival rate is about 3%. This family has already lost one daughter to cancer. Their first daughter passed away at 14 months old. They do have a son, who is two. So far he has been extremely healthy but the doctors are ordering for him to have an MRI. Something in the mixture of the parents' genes are causing this unspeakable horror.

We know about survival rates. We know what it's like to feel helpless, at times even hopeless. We know the amazing feeling of being prayed for and held up when we could hardly put one foot in front of the other. Perhaps this is why I feel very passionate about encouraging this family. I found out about this family, and their heartbreaking circumstances, through another blogger, Rachel @ Musings of a future pastor's wife (previously posted about as the awesome pendant maker in my last post). Rachel has an amazing heart. She has set up a blog to try to encourage this family. She is asking any one who is willing to write a letter to this family and email it to her. She is going to bind all of the letters into a book and present it to them. It would be incredible to get thousands of letters from all over the world! I am going to be working on my letter while the boys nap this afternoon. There is so much that my heart longs to share with this mother. And yet, tears come to my eyes as I even think about it. Please check out the site (you can do so by clicking on the image at the beginning of this post), Consider what you might be able to do to encourage this family, and if you have a blog think about posting the button on your blog to get the word out. *Deep breath* (because this is all kind of exhausting). It's just such a weighty thing. It is hard to think about. It hurts to feel their pain. And yet this is a large part of our purpose here on earth. To hold one another up. To, indeed, feel their pain and share it. More than anything I just ask that you pray for this family who face so many uncertainties at this time. There is one thing that is set-in-stone certain. The grace of God that is already being poured out on this family.