So I nervously and excitedly can say that I have a date scheduled for the big day. D-day, day of a new beginning, day of great anticipation and a small amount of trepidation is October 14th. But the beautiful thing is God has worked out the details so wonderfully and given me great peace about the end decision. I was able to get two of the surgeons I was seeing to communicate and come to an agreement on what to do. Let me tell you that I'm pretty sure that is a first since this whole journey started! And the other great piece is it's actually a lot less extensive than we all originally thought it was going to be. That is, we've chosen to do a smaller surgery at this point and wait some more before we're forced to do more. So for those interested I'm having a one level fusion at C3&4 going in anteriorally. I was able to find a great spine surgeon here in Indy so I don't have to make any trips to Virginia and I'll have the blessing of recuperating at home. And although it takes several months for the joint to actually fuse and become strong, I'll hopefully be up and around fairly quick. I am very motivated as I'm supposed to start school in January!
If there is a theme for this year I would have to strongly say, God is good. Not in that I've had the best year of my life and I'm so thankful kind of way. Rather, it's been a lot of trials, a lot of ah-huh moments where I've been given the grace of perspective on life. Everyone will always tell you that their greatest seasons of maturing and growth were in their trials, not in their triumphs. And yet how much do we want to run when we experience hardship? How much do we hate to be pushed so far that we think it unfair that we should have to go through this? I am not exempt from these feelings and yet if anything, I've been released from so much fear of those big risks and trials that seem too big... because of God's great goodness. And so I encourage you all to rejoice with me in God's mercy on my life.
I would greatly appreciate your continued prayer and encouragement as I near this time. Please specifically be praying for continued peace, strong health leading up to my operation and reliance on the Lord when my fears of things going wrong and interrupting my future plans become oppressive.
Grace and peace,
Julie
Praise God, Julie! I'm loving this devotional, "Lamp Unto my Feet" by Elizabeth Elliot. Quote from this morning's. (Considering the Israelites actually grumbling against God, not Moses after being brought out of Egypt) "Who, after all, is really in charge? Let us beware of rebellion against the Lord. Circumstances are of His choosing, because He wants to bless us, to lead us (even through the wilderness) out of Egypt, that is, out of ourselves."
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