Sunday, 31 July, 2016
Just before the sun rose on this day four long and quick years ago, the last unknown action of a growing brain tumor was finally known as my boy seized in the wooden crib of his baby years under the waning moon.
We should not have had even six months, and yet somehow, we’ve had four years.
They have been long and full of shadows and anger, but also precious with more joys than we deserve.
And as the shadows lengthen into longer life than we’d ever have dreamed, and we persist in this atypical life and it’s challenges, the words of Matt Papa have been close to my heart.
Lord I’m tired…
So tired from traveling
This straight and narrow is so much harder than I thought.
And on this path I’ve met both doubt and pain and I’ve heard their voices say ‘Yeah, you’ve given all you got.’
But there’s a cloud of witnesses – the ones who’ve run this race – and even louder than my fears, they’re crying: ‘Warrior, lift your face!
And keep running, keep running, don’t lose heart, and don’t you give up now.
Don’t turn around.
You’ve got to find a way somehow to keep reaching; keep fighting.
The pain cannot compare to the reward that will be yours; that waits in store for those who just keep running.’
Don’t turn aside…
No compromise…
Just lift your eyes to the glory that’s coming.
If you’re like me, you feel like you can’t go on, you’ll never see the dawn and you’re just about to break.
But don’t stop now.
Know that every sacrifice will all be worth the price when you finally see His face…
Just keep running…
Moment by moment.
Praise God from whom all blessings flow! So blessed to know my friend Chase!
God has given you such an awesome purpose through all this, Ellie. People around the world know of your struggle, your pain, your victories, and you have let them know that it’s because God is such an awesome Father to all of you. Your testimony is pure gold, like the streets of heaven. It gives hope, strength, encouragement and perseverance to others going through horrific trials, too. It underscores how beautiful bald can be! And why. Thank you for sharing your journey so we all can understand better how true and faithful God is to keep His promises. Bushels of love all over all of you, girl.
So precious. Thanks for sharing 🙂