It is Saturday night in Coral Springs, FL and I’m sitting in a motel room with Brody and his mother, sister, and mimi. As I sit and contemplate the past month my mind is reminded of the roller coaster ride it has been. The emotional ups and downs have been at times almost overwhelming. There is a grieving process that goes with this journey.  When the doctor told us in early December that Brody’s eye would probably need to come out, the grieving process began. It’s hard to explain. It wasn’t so much fear, or anxiety, but grief! It has seemed like a cloud hanging over us. It has been a tough month. But I am happy to say that the cloud has been lifted! God is so good! There are still many questions that are left unanswered and we still have not heard “cancer free,” but we have such a peace.

This weekend has been tough, but we are rejoicing in God’s strength through the battle. A good friend of ours messaged us with these true words: “Miracles coming, wonder how long it’s been since this number of praying folks were in one accord for one very special little boy and family!” Wow! So true! So many people have been praying, including many of you who are reading this message. We have heard from people praying from Africa, the Bahamas, Asia, and all over the U.S.A. It’s been incredible. The outpouring of prayer for our little warrior has been amazing. We are so humbled by the whole experience. Well I’m glad to say that God answered our prayers. Not exactly the way we were hoping, but we are convinced for the best.

When Dr. Murray examined Brody on Friday, he came out and reported to Casey that Brody’s condition had worsened. He said that the tumor was not only active again, but growing. He said we have no choice,the eye MUST come out. When Casey came out of the consultation she looked at me and Beth and said, “I guess we didn’t get our miracle.” That’s about all she could say at the time. The surgery went well and within a few hours the eye was out and headed for the lab and a pathology report. As we sat with Brody in the hospital, waiting for him to wake up, we talked. Together we agreed that the cloud had been lifted! We all felt such a sense of peace. We won’t have the pathology report for 2 weeks, but once again, we have peace. The report will tell us whether or not the cancer has spread into the optic nerve, but we have peace. We know that our Great God is in full control.

After the crisis moment passed, we all agreed that we did get our miracle. Brody’s eye was not healed, but we had our miracle. How so?

1)  Brody is alive and enjoying a game of UNO right now! He is laughing, joking, and wanting his eye patch off.

2)  God has miraculously provided financially. Through generous people, God has met our needs incredibly.

3)  God has unified Christans arround the world and brought us together for a common cause in prayer.

4)  God has made Himself known through Brody’s battle.

5)  God has brought a strong sense of unity and prayer to The Orchard! This church continues to blow me away!

6)  God has brought churches together! I think this is the way God intended church to be. Churches praying and working for common causes. The common cause in this case was a little boy with cancer.

7)  Our family has been so greatly encouraged, affirmed, edified, and blessed by our friends, family, and even people who don’t know us.

I could go on but I hope you get the point. We have our miracle. The miracle of grace! God’s grace has amply supplied, strengthened, sustained, protected, guided, guarded, comforted, and rescued us! To Him be the glory! It has not been easy, but God has been more than sufficient! It has been a painful process but we have truly learned that Peace is not the absence of pain, but the promise of His presence. The battle is far from over, but we continue to trust God from whom all blessings flow!

We love you and thank you for your prayerful support!

Pastor Eddie