Thank-You

I wanted to say thank-you to all of you in my set-apart family. Your prayers, your e-mails asking for updates, and your e-mailed hugs have been a wonderful encouragement to me.

My brother is healing and will continue to do so, very slowly. I have been thinking a lot about what God is teaching me through this new crisis in my life. For my family, it is uniting us in a way that I have not seen in a long time. We are working together and supporting each other. In the last few years we have let our busyness pull us away from each other, but in a crisis it has caused us to unite together again. We faced a minor crisis last June, but nothing like this. For me personally it has made me reconnect with my family, something I had needed to do, but had been putting off.

On a personal note, I have seen the incredible demonstration of what the church truly should be. My church pastors have been quick to offer support, my parents (and brother's) church has been amazing as well. They stepped up and have helped my mom with arranging to care for the kids, two people came and shoveled our sidewalks after the storm we had, and many have visited my brother. My one cousin, who we rarely see, stopped by our house and offered to plow our driveway.

The most amazing thing yet to happen was that a number of people from our old church, the one who essentially shunned us, have called having heard about it and offering support and prayer. Some have even visited my brother. I think that this situation is also God opening the path for me to make my final visit to that church for the closure I need. That visit will happen this Sunday.

I have been finding a lot of strength in the Psalms and Psalm 31 - where it talks about God being our refuge have been particularly meaningful.

Thanks again for your support and continued prayers. I love all of you so much!

~ Abby