It's Difficult for me...

...to blog after traumatic events. It feels like nothing else really matters except the gift of life and everything else is meaningless. After Holly collapsed and went through all her surgeries I felt like everything in my life just didn't matter and it has felt the same way after Lance losing his hand.

I want to thank everyone for all of the prayers for both Lance and Holly. Holly had her final brain surgery on November 3, 2010 and the doctors said they got it all and are confident that it won't come back. Praise the Lord for his mercies!!!

If you would like to continue to pray for Holly she is now a single mom again for 3 months. Her husband Brandon had to go back out on the boat and it has been very difficult for their family. Their son Zachary has had a hard time and dealing with some anxiety, which is to be expected since last time his dad left his mom didn't wake up one morning. Please pray for every one's strength and that the Lord would be their comfort during this time.

Lance is doing well and now has a prosthetic with a utility hook on it. He even helped with milking tonight and was doing really well. He has had a very positive attitude through everything. Lance and his wife Denise do not know the Lord and our greatest desire is for them to realize their need for a savior. Please pray for continued opportunities to speak truth into their lives and that they would be open and responsive to the gift that only Jesus can give.

It's been difficult to blog after both of these events as well because of attacks from the enemy. I knew after being attacked after what happened to Holly that more attacks would come after what happened to Lance. I'm so, so thankful that Arlen and I were so united and knew that God wanted us to move here and that we were definitely following where He was leading us, otherwise it would have been so easy during the last several months to say that all this was a mistake. We've actually been saying the opposite through everything.

I know most of you reading this will have had no idea that we've been under such direct attack from Satan. God has been so good to us and we have grown so close to Him and to trust Him completely over the last several months. The Holy Spirit started to warn me of an attack right after we moved here and I was able to work through it with God for months until it was really an attack just after Lance's accident. For the first time in my life I am starting to not only hear but know the voice of the Holy Spirit and I'm so thankful. Moving here has felt like my own little wilderness, probably how Moses must of felt at times hiding in the dessert for 40 years before the burning bush experience. It has only been 5 1/2 months for me but God has done amazing things in my heart and my ability to completely trust Him and Him alone.

Moving here has also made me realize how much I love the Word and need it. I knew leaving our church in Lynden would be difficult but I didn't come to realize how much I love and need verse by verse teaching until I didn't have it anymore. Arlen and I have been challenged with this and it has been on our hearts. "For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food." Hebrews 5:12 NKJV. We will continue to pray about this and ask for God's direction concerning this challenge.

Anyways, all of this to say that I'm planning on starting to blog again. Because despite any challenges and attacks we've still been living and having fun as a family. We'd like to share what we've been up to especially since the closest family we live by is 3 hours away. I'm sure a few of you out there would like to know what's going on from time to time. The next post will even have some pictures!