Changes

     O.K.  I am a little behind on posting.  Life has been such a whirlwind.  Please be patient with me as I figure out this new stage of life.  So, not only did our wonderful news in July of 1 year Cancer Free bring tears of joy and praise to Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ !  It also brought the fabulous news for Miss Halie Nicole that she got to start school this year.  She is officially a Kindergartner!  Yeah!!!!  She could not wait.  We are now adjusting to our new normal.  With office visits and scans every four months we are really feeling a freedom we have not known in a long time.  I have been compiling past blog post into a devotion to give my girls when they grow up and it is amazing to reflect on all the Lord has done in our lives over the past two years,  as I write this Thankfulness just washes over me as I am so blessed to have a wonderful husband who has stood by my side for 14 years through all of life's ups and downs, been strong for me when I lacked the strength, loved and encouraged me when I lacked faith and 4 amazing children that have had to bear more than their tender years should have to and yet their life bears the grace and mercy of God.  Our trials have shown us our need for Christ in deeper way than we ever imagined possible.  Thank you Jesus!!!

   So, now that we are moving into a new stage of life with an 8th grader, 4th grader , 2nd grader and Kindergartner we are whirling.  It's busy, but a blast!  I am truly blest!!!! Aleks is looking forward to hitting the field with football on the 18th, Chloe & Halie start Soccer the weekend after & Kyle starts karate next week as well!  Whew, add school events and the Bake sale and we are running like crazy lately!  We love it!!!


And more changes...

     After 10 years of being at Lakeside Bible Church in Montgomery we have made the difficult decision to worship closer to home.  With all of our kids in Magnolia schools and Jason working in The Woodlands we prayed and felt led to find a new church home in our community!  God has been so gracious throughout the years and many of the people at LBC are family to us including our friend and pastor Ken Ramey and his family.  It is hard to leave but we are also excited about what God has in store for us now.   We have found a new church family at Christ Community Church in Magnolia only a few miles from our house.  They meet at Bear Branch Elementary School and we love it!  The people are so nice and the pastors love for Jesus and passion to reach others for Christ is exciting.  So, while we will miss worshipping with our church family at LBC ( we'll still be around)  we are really excited about this new journey! 

   Finally,   Bake sale is right around the corner Friday, September the 14th at Texas Children's Hospital on the 3rd floor Bridge.  If you would like to bake please contact me at 832-934-2881 or cell 832-314-1025 I will need all baked goods by Thursday so I can take them downtown with me Friday!  Please keep us in your prayers.  I have such a passion for raising awareness for a cure. 

John Piper says
 When Paul taught that the creation was subjected to futility (Romans 8:20), he also taught that this subjection was “in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God” (v. 21). There is no reason that Christians should not embrace this futility-lifting calling now. God will complete it in the age to come. But it is a good thing to conquer as much disease and suffering now in the name of Christ as we can.
In fact, I would wave the banner right now and call some of you to enter vocations of research that may be the means of undoing some of the great diseases of the world. This is not fighting against God. God is as much in charge of the research as he is of the disease. You can be an instrument in his hand. This may be the time appointed for the triumph that he wills to bring over the disease that he ordained. Don’t try to read the mind of God from his mysterious decrees of calamity. Do what he says. And what he says is: “Do good to everyone” (Galatians 6:10).
Longing to relieve suffering with you,
Pastor John
 
Our desire is to serve Christ as we help raise money for the research that hopefully one day will find a cure!  Thank you for praying, baking or serving along side of us.

Halie's musical debut!!!!

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1448302898747


Ok, so this blog post was inspired by my beautiful daughter Halie Nicole and Miss Taylor Swift!  Taylor Swift chose CNCF a non profit organization very dear to my heart as her choice for the 2012 CMT music Awards!!!  This Organization works toward finding and funding a cure for Neuroblastoma!  This video was back from may 2010 when Halie was first diagnosed with Stage 4 MYCN Amplified Neuroblastoma!  She loved to sing along with Miss swift and actually let us video this short clip!  Enjoy!  Thank You, Taylor Swift for bringing awarness to this organization that is fighting for the lives of our children!  For our sweet family & friends this is the orgaziation we raise money for with our bake sales you all so graciously conribute too!

Taylor Swift Chooses CNCF

By Richard Munassi

Posted on 30 May 2012 at 4:18pm

Award-winning musician Taylor Swift has chosen The Children’s Neuroblastoma Cancer Foundation (CNCF) as her charity of choice for the 2012 CMT Music Awards!

The Children’s Neuroblastoma Cancer Foundation is a non-profit organization based out of Bloomingdale, Illinois. Established in 2000, the non-profit has managed to raise over $2 million since inception to help find a cure for the aggressive pediatric cancer, as well as to promote education of the disease.

The singer/songwriter is currently nominated in three categories: Video of the Year for “Safe and Sound” featuring the Civil Wars, Female Video of the Year for “Ours,” and Collaborative Video of the Year for “Safe and Sound.” CMT will donate to the charity of choice for the winners of each award given out at the show, which is on June 6.

9 months Cancer Free!

Ok, so It has been too long since I last posted!  Relying a bit too much on facebook.  Halie's scans came back NO EVIDENCE of Disease!!!!  I give thanks to you, Oh Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever!   Halie celebrated her 5th Birthday the weekend after scans and what a blessing it was to see her running around, playing and swimming with her friends!  A stark contrast from last year!  Thank You, Jesus!  I have so much to say but I lost my whole post that I was working on for the past hour!  ugh!!!!  I guess my post is meant to be short and sweet today!  My kiddies await me but please watch this video it is Amazing!  LOVE IT!  For all the families whose lives have been changed by Cancer this was a blessing to me I hope it is for you!!!!

We love you all!!!!
Jenn

Please pray for me and my family!

Today I am off to Childrens Hospital to get my pic line for the MIBG and CT scan scheduled for tomorrow.  Please pray for me to not get really scared and stuff.  I don't like needles...but I trust Jesus to make me brave and calm.  Pray for my family to have the Peace of Christ all over them this week while we wait for results of the tests.  Pray for No Evidence of Disease!!!!  Thank you.....  remember.........God is GOOD!!

"But for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord my refuge, that I may tell of all your works" (Psalm 73:28).

So the past few weeks have been a little rough... I will spare you all the details but in this trial God has opened my eyes to reveal once again "what is my hope in?"  I believe in my heart that my hope is in the Lord and yet in the day to day as well as the trials that stretch me am I really going to the only one who is my comfort?  How often do I trade lasting comfort for what will bring me immediate relief?  Yet, He continuously seeks me out, He pursues me with an all consuming love.  I keep waiting for Him to change, to realize how flawed I am and give up on me or for His affections to wain as He tires of my persistent sins.  Yet He never does.  His love is never going to change and He loves me as much today as He did the day I laid down all rights to my life and trusted Him to be my Savior.  This past week I read a translation of Philippians 4:13 from a late Greek scholar that reads  "I am strong for all things in the one who constantly infuses strength in me"  I realized that I have been trying so hard for so long to be strong,  To carry a weight that I was never intended to carry, sure when I am stretched beyond what I am able then I run to Him and say "help"  as Spurgeon once said when I get to the end of myself and have exhausted all of my resources then I come to him.  Father help me to run first to you!!!!  I read a post on the Gospel Coalition by Paul  Tripp and It met me right where I am at so I thought I would share with you... hope it encourages you as it has me.

In a fallen world that does not always operate in the way the Creator intended, and where temptation and danger lurk, these words are also vital: "I have made the Lord God my refuge." Under the heat of life in this broken world you will run somewhere for refuge when you become weary, wounded, and discouraged. But you must remember God is the only hiding place worth running to. He alone can heal the wounds of your heart. He alone can give you the strength you need to get up once more and continue. He alone can give inner peace when there is little peace to be found around you. He alone can forgive your sins and strengthen you when you are weak.

But we often forget that grace has given us refuge. We forget that God welcomes us to run to him. So we run to the creation rather than the Creator for refuge, and when we do, we never get the solace we are seeking. We may successfully numb or distract ourselves for a while, but our hearts are not strengthened or encouraged. The replacement refuges of people and things cannot relieve, only distract us from our burdens, so we have to return to them repeatedly. We never end up strengthen and encouraged. We only end up fat, addicted, and indebted. Are you getting it right? When you are weak, weary, and discouraged, do you run to the one refuge who can deliver peace?

O.k. had to add this song....  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ouj1Ai4lIeY&feature=related