Jennings is good. Zero medical updates. Zero medical visits since last post. Surely that is some kind of record. And yes, I know your name is not Shirley.

Others of us cannot say the same. Both Lauren and my mom are recovering from abdominal surgeries. One was elective and “cosmetic,” though it entailed piecing her body back together after the 13lb 7oz of twins nearly destroyed it five years ago. The other was medically necessary to prevent chronic diverticulitis. Both were successful and without complication, praise God.

Lauren intentionally planned hers for this time and in God’s graciousness it worked out really well…she’s kind of a genius like that. Jennings is in a great spot and this has been a quieter month activity-wise for us, so her being down & out for a couple weeks was manageable.

That’s 3 out of 4 enjoying their special Valentine’s treat. Despite being in major recovery mode, Lauren still managed to pull off the tradition of heart-shaped pizza, a special table setting, and mini gifts for the kids with a sugar-loaded, visually intoxicating treat. In the bottom left is our Team Chalkettes gymnast…proud of her for sticking with a hard sport, getting better, and earning the medals to show for it.

We also took a weekend trip to the mountains, which turned out to be the perfect family getaway given Lauren’s recovery status. We could do a few easy outings, like the three above - the easily accessible Whitewater Falls, OP Taylors toy store in downtown Brevard, and downtown Highlands for lunch & ice cream. We were also able to relax and just enjoy a change of scenery at the house while simultaneously realizing how much better Monopoly with four young kids is when paired with a margarita.

We are in a season of milestones. Two years ago, 2/24/21, this was our reality 👇

That’s Lauren and Jennings outside St. Jude saying our goodbyes before he was admitted for his second bone marrow transplant. We have crossed the two-year mark since that day. In the coming weeks, we will mark the second anniversary of that transplant.

It is so good to reflect and remember. Just going back through notes and old photos to find that exact date and picture was like going down a rabbit hole. Our church has been in 1 Samuel and several weeks ago we all started praying every day:

“Speak Lord, for your servant is listening.”

We all put an alarm in our phones for 3:10p everyday - for 1 Samuel 3:10 from where the prayer above comes. Wednesday night this past week that exercise culminated in a night of prayer and worship. Several people shared stories of the Lord answering that prayer, some even close to the 3:10p time of day. It dawned on me during that service that Jennings’s second transplant date was March 11th - 3/11. My stem cell donation for that transplant was 3/10.

Over this month or so of praying that, I have felt the Lord encouraging me to do that - to stop, reflect, take stock, and remember. To remember His faithfulness, goodness, and grace.

There was a time Wednesday night for those needing and desiring physical healing to come forward and be prayed over. Pastor Spence used James 5 to frame the time. We are no more or less powerful than Elijah who “was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth. The he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit.” (James 5:17-18) Answered prayers show us God’s power and serve to remind us and point us to His ultimate power in us - to forgive our sins. God may heal and use that for his glory. He may not heal here & now and use that, too, for His glory. We can come expectantly to Him with our desire to be healed. He may heal now, temporarily, but He will most definitely heal perfectly when He calls us, who know Jesus, home.

Lauren and I went up to have Jennings be prayed for and Spence came down to pray with us. The other elders were already paired up and praying, so he came down off the stage to us. We both ugly cried while he thanked God for Jennings and asked for long-term healing for our sweet boy. That triggered another memory from not quite two years ago when the pastor at the church we were attending in Memphis asked if we would come up front. He spontaneously called us up in the middle of the service, asked several elders to join in laying hands on us, and proceeded to pray over Jennings & our family. So powerful. So encouraging. So good to remember.

We mark these milestones with joy and hope this year, continuing to cry out for long-term healing.

“Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.” James 5:14

#allinforjennings