Today's the Day

Today I go in for my second surgery. I just found out it's three hours! I'm still rather unsure as to why it has to be so long, but trusting and praying.

Will you pray with me?

These words encouraged me at church on Sunday:

"I've seen You move. You move the mountains. I'll see You do it again..."

To be honest, when the worship leaders started singing it I was thinking, "Ughh another typical worship song that seems to be lacking heart." Then, I was humbled as the Lord used those words that were sung over and over to put reminders in my head.

I saw these pictures:




Then I thought of all the ways the Lord has healed me in the past.

Most people know about my ski accident several years ago and how the doctors said I'd never hike, ski, or climb again.

What many don't know it when I was barely in 2nd grade I started losing my hearing. Doctors fitted me with a hearing aid and things didn't look so well. My parents asked our church family to pray, my dad's quartet group prayed, my mom's Bible study prayed - everyone we knew prayed. My hearing was healed and the hearing aid was thrown away!

Something else many don't know outside my hometown community is I had debilitating migraines growing up. I'd faint out of no where and broke a few bones due to the fainting. I was hospitalized frequently in hospitals throughout the midwest including Mayo Clinic and the Chicago Diamond Headache Clinic.

By my freshman year of high school the principal pulled me aside one day and said due to the number of school days I missed I'd have to be held back. That was NOT an option to me. In middle school that was never a problem because I was a straight A student so they just didn't have me make-up all my homework once I returned from the hospitals.

In college, I began experiencing the same issues and the Dean of Students informed me right before Spring Break that, unless I could get out of bed, care for myself, and go to class I would need to think about leaving college. Why was this my story? Why couldn't I have a normal life without migraines?

I went home from college scared and sad. My parents suggested I talked with my mom's disability lawyer. We began paper work for me to become permanently disabled at the age of 20. I will forever be thankful to many people throughout my journeys, but this man sticks out as a catelyst in getting me to look elsewhere for healing. He softly and kindly said he didn't want to see me be disabled like my mom and if there was ANYTHING I could do to keep from being disabled due to migraines to seek it out.

I didn't know what that was because we've exhausted all the medical resources known. THEN, one day I was in a natural health store and found a special diet I refer to as a wellness plan that changed my life. It was a ton of reading, research, discipline, and faith but I was freed from migraines and all the negative symptoms that came with it. No more medicine. No more pain. No more hospitals. It was incredible! So incredible, that the very lady who had told me I'd have to think about leaving asked me to be a guest speaking in her class and teach her students on how to live a healthy lifestyle!!!

WOW, right!?

I remember people from my hometown crying when I shared about the first ministry I worked with out of college. Instead of being the sickly child they'd prayed for all those years, now I was sitting in their living rooms telling them about an outdoor ministry where we were taking people rock climbing, backpacking, and mountaineering for the sake of growing closer to Jesus Christ.

Recap on how God has continually defied medical professionals in my life:

• Healing from losing my hearing as a young child
• Healing from debilitating migraines and being on a gallon-sized baggie of prescription meds
• Healing from breaking my pelvis and being told I'd never climb, ski, or hike again

So, when I really LOOKED at those lyrics: "I've seen You move. You move the mountains. I'll see You do it again..."

I saw these pictures...



...with on mountaintops.

Not as merely feats I've conquered, but a walking testimony of the many miracles God has done over and over in my life.

Just as my communities have prayed in the past, I sure am resting in all of your prayers! The doctors have not given me much hope that this surgery is going to be the "fix" and it seems I'll have to do a lot of things after surgery to help with further endometriosis symptoms. I am asking for big, bold prayers that once again our God defies the doctors and the diagnosis and they're able to see one more miracle!

Many have asked how they can help. I've been beyond blessed with a place to recover at for a few days, friends offering to bring food and keep me company, etc. Also, a couple friends put together a GoFundMe to help with the continued medical costs. Any and all support is so welcome!