Moving forward with faith

It was two years ago today that we got the call in the middle of the night from Jordan telling us that Jacob was in the hospital and that he had something in his brain.  The panic in her voice and the emotional response of receiving the news is still fresh in my mind.  Our lives all changed in that instant.  The ups and downs of the last two years have literally been a roller coaster ride for their little family and for all of us who love them.

I'm not going to lie...this next couple of weeks are going to be hard.  I'm leaving tomorrow to go to AZ to help out Jordan, Jake and their little ones along with Jake's parents.
Jake is headed back into surgery to assess what is going on with his brain tumor and to take measures to make things better if possible. The last MRI was inconclusive, but something is going on near the tumor site.
My heart is heavy for them.  It's hard to watch them suffer and struggle through this ultimate trial. I have my moments of melt downs and then I have to get back up and forge ahead.  That is what they do.  None of us can live in crisis mode for long.  We need to and even want to return to hope, courage, determination, perseverance and moving forward.
I marvel at their courage.  I really do.  Jake keeps doing whatever he can to stay with us.  He is strict with his diet, his wearing of the Optune head device, taking his oral chemo pills and Avastin infusions.  He is doing all he can by undergoing these treatments and procedures that will hopefully lengthen his days.  But all these procedures and drugs are wearing him down.
Jordan keeps getting up in the mornings and putting one foot in front of the other. All this stress and worry is wearing her down.  Together they care for their children and try and live in the moment, enjoying all the time they have together now.  That is a very hard thing to do.  They strive to live in the here and now and not let the future that is unknown and scary take over their present happiness. Somehow this is what they are doing. Some days they are more successful at this goal than over days. But they continue to show faith in Heavenly Father and his plan for them and their family.
The only peace that comes through such times as this is through the Savior.  His atonement has real daily meaning and application.


See Jordan's blog HERE to read her testimony and her love for Jacob.

This talk by Elder Neil L. Anderson gave me great insights about trail of our faith.

John 14:27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you; not as the world giveth, give I unto you.  Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

"Like the intense fire that transforms iron into steel, as we remain faithful during the fiery trial of our faith, we are spiritually refined and strengthened."

Elder D. Tood Christofferson explained what he learned from a personal trial: "Though I suffered then, as I look back now, I am grateful that there was not a quick solution to my problem.  The fact that I was forced to turn to God for help almost daily over an extended period of years taught me truly how to pray and get answers to prayer and taught me a very practical way to have faith in God. I came to know my Savior and my Heavenly Father in a way and to a degree that might not have happened otherwise or that might have taken me much longer to achieve....I learned to trust in the Lord with all my heart.  I learned to walk with Him day by day."

I see this very process happening in the lives of my darling daughter Jordan and her Jacob.  The intense fire of this experience is spiritually refining and strengthening them.  They didn't ask for such a hard experience, they didn't deserve such a hard challenge, but they are facing it and letting the experience strengthen them.  I'm so proud of them for choosing faith and hope.