Appendectomy and God's Provision

 Hello Friends!

 I hope you are doing well on this fine Saturday. It's a little cold outside that's for sure but I have every reason to be thankful and I bet you do too =) The past week in a half has not been the "normal" week I would usually anticipate. But I cannot complain because this "not so normal" time has challenged and stretched me both physically and spiritually.
 Most of you know about Jared's recurring pain he has had in his side the past few years. For those of you who do not let me give a very brief and quick rundown. This pain has come up a few times a year for the last 3 years at least. It's an internal pain in the right side of his stomach. It pretty much immobilizes him for a few days then disappears all together. About 2 years ago or more we went to the ER because the pain got so bad he could not bear it. And for Jared that's a big deal because he will hold off on going to the doctor if possible. It's just the kind of guy he is =) We went even though we did not have health insurance at the time hoping we would find out the problem and resolve it. Well that was a big fat NO and all we were left with was 1000's of dollars in debt. Praise God that has been paid off in full! There that's all you need to know.
 So around last weekend the dreaded pain came back. Everything ran it's course that whole week just as it always does until Thursday evening, That night around 6:00pm the pain moved away from his side and down to his lower right abdomen. It was INTENSE! I hate hate hate seeing my man in pain. It's breaks my heart and I just want to take it away from him somehow someway. The plan that evening was to go to a spiritual gifts class that has been going on at our church.
 Side Note: I am not talking back where we all get together and do those tests (not saying there is anything wrong with that) but what they are doing is going through God's Word discussing scriptures, talking through the gifts, and practicing them together and I think the plan at the end is to go out into the community and ask people for prayer etc.
 We decided to try to go so Jared could have someone pray for him. He barely made it out of the car and into the room to sit down. One of our elders who leads the class came in and we asked him to lay hands on Jared and pray for him. He did and while that was happening another family came in and joined in with us. By that time more people were starting to come in because the class was about to start. At that point the whole room agreed that if Jared was up to it we would worship together and spend more time praying for God's healing. He said yes to that. Worship was so sweet! Trevor I don't know if you will ever read this but seriously I was blessed by your leading! We spent about 45 minutes praying over him. I love when the body comes together like it did this particular evening. Our brothers and sisters were praying such mighty prayers. Prayers for miraculous healing and recovery in the name of Jesus. God put on my heart Psalm 103 while I was praying and I just knew he was in that room with us even if he chose not to heal.
 He left that night still with pain but not as much.Even still, God is good in all his works and his ways are higher than ours for what he does. The next morning (Friday) we decided to go the doctor. After many hours and going here and there the CT and ultrasound detected an inflamed appendicitis. We were sent to Methodist East for surgery to be done,  It was done this morning and I am grateful to say all went well and Jared is doing fine. He is pretty drugged up but I actually find in kind of humorous seeing him in such state. Man is that wrong to say?? He was just saying such funny things =)

God has been SO good to us! I am tellin you we are just so unworthy it! Here are a few of them:

1. The absolute wonderful time we had Thursday evening of prayer and worship over Jared. I was challenged and blessed so much as I'm sure other were and I know that God was Glorified in that place which is what really matters.
2. The appendix was caught early enough before it ruptured.
3. The place we went for the scans only charged us for 1 CT scan even though we got 2 CT scans, an ultrasound, and blood work done.We cannot tell you why they did that. Simply the provision of God and nothing else! Did i mention earlier that we still do not have health insurance but were in the process when this all happened
4. Even though I have been going back and forth between house and hospital taking care of kids, making pancakes, doing laundry, cleaning house, being with my man, feeding him meals and attending to his needs I have not felt it as a burden, but a blessing in every way. God has given me a heart of gratitude. Thank you Jesus for using these things to build me up and sanctify me to be more like Christ. As Paul said "not that I am there but I press on to make it my own because Christ Jesus has made me his own, forgetting what lies behind ad pressing forward to what's ahead" that was paraphrased I do not have a Bible on hand
5. Amazing family and friends who have stepped in with such love offering up there time to meet our needs. Love you guys so much! The kids are doing good and we are just thankful to Him who is seated on high!