this is how we do family

there are a few more little ones since this picture was taken in 2016- but by family,
Beth, Ruth, Deborah, Me, Andrew, Jonathan, Sarah

this is not a plea for pity,
but we would definitely welcome prayers!
this is more an opportunity to share how our family works

sometimes life is hard
and our family, all 31 of us,
is in one of "those" seasons right now
because when one hurts, we all hurt,
when one rejoices we all rejoice,
when one struggles we all wrestle
when one faces a battle, we all fight

December 31, 2018 we found out Mike has cancer
that alone would have been enough for us to focus on and fight this year
but evidently it was not enough to sufficiently distract and discourage us,
because attacks on our physical health and peace of mind keep coming in waves
in addition to the normal spiritual battles that come to each of us

in the last four weeks 
1. Sarah and her girls each faced flu or strep (5/6)
2. I got a virus or the flu (1/1)
3. Jonathan had a red streak go up his arm and Jess and the kids had the flu (4/4)
4. As if Mike's cancer was not enough for Beth and her family, in the last ten days, Cristian broke an arm, Chloe has two health issues that need addressed, Addyston and Beth got the flu, and Hannah has a health issue (6/6)
5. yesterday Deborah asked for prayer for her and Selah-fevers, etc. Today she texted that Gabriel and Abigail are sick. (4/6)
that is 20/31 of us 
I know at least two others, unnamed, have struggled
22/31
(and the other 9 may have silently faced stuff)

Every single day I pray for my family
name by name
I have prayed and prayed over these health issues as they have arisen,
today I am praying some more
and giving Satan notice-
he can keep throwing punches,
but he needs to know that they are largely ineffective-
because we know Whose we are-
we know that life is more than what goes on here

we trust that the One who created us is not surprised by what is happening

we believe that He sees 
we believe that He cares 
we believe He is working His eternal purpose in each one of us
we believe that nothing that comes our way is useless
we believe that He can and will work all things out for good

and no matter what Satan chooses to throw or direct our way,
it will not be enough to permanently discourage us 
it will not be enough to consistently distract us 
we will choose, in the end, to continue to walk by faith in obedience,
praying and seeking God's help to face each thing that comes our way

we may limp,
we may hurt,
we may cry,
we may bleed,
we may stumble,
we may have moments of weakness
we may grow weary and need to stop and rest

but we will hold one another up
we will not give up this fight of honoring God in all circumstances
we will live with eternity in mind

Romans 8:28

"And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." NASB

"And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose." ESV

"We know that God works all things together for good for the ones who love God, for those who are called according to His purpose." CEB