This beautiful June evening seemed like a good time for me to put an updated message here. We've passed two months now since Dave went to be with the Lord, and in some ways it still seems like yesterday.....and in others it seems like time has gone into slow motion. Obviously the update on Dave is that he is now in perfect health and, like Billy Graham, more alive than ever before! We're so thankful he's in a place where he can breathe, talk, eat, taste, drink cold water, move without pain, and dance before the Lord -- assuming Jesus also gave him an improved sense of rhythm!

I wanted to update a few other things for those of you who may have followed our journey here, and for whom I may not have email addresses. First of all, please feel free to email me at any time at Sheryl@gehrls.net or you can text me at (402) 490-1831. Any updated contact information that you may send me will be an added blessing, as I've loved being back in touch with so many of you.

I'm in the midst of healing and recovering from cataract surgeries in both eyes. They do them separately a week apart, and I have another 4 weeks before we can update my prescription glasses. I have to say that I had no idea how bad my eyes really were, and that this process has been a small miracle in and of itself! I was a bit anxious but felt that it was time to begin taking care of personal things that had to go on the back burner this past year. My distance vision is now nearly 20/20 and I'll need only slight correction for mids and reading. And the colors are so bright and beautiful...it's like having new eyes! Right now, though, I've become one of those old ladies who wears her readers on top of her head half of the time!

Other great news is that my kids bought me a puppy for Mothers Day....and, yes, it was a surprise! He's a 12 week old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and is fast becoming a wonderful companion....and I've never really been a dog person....before....  He keeps me very busy, and walks me around the block twice a day now, plus he gives me someone to talk to in a very quiet house. And most recently, can be found at my feet wherever I'm working.

Most days are good, and God is definitely giving grace to keep moving ahead. I will say it's pretty complicated to die, though. Every time I turn around I'm taking his name off something, or changing something. Most recently, the cable company won't stop billing Dave or change the contract to add me without charging me $40. I ask you, how do they expect to get paid? We're gradually getting resettled one step at a time.

Our plan at the moment is to do a private family burial here in Omaha on our 50th anniversary, June 28th. Somehow it seemed a fitting time to me, a completion of a circle, finishing a season of life. His heart was here in Omaha, so he would have wanted to stay here. Plus, the kids and grandkids will be here and I won't have to spend the day alone.

I've been very thankful for personal donors who have continued ministry support through this transition time for me. You may have been asking yourself what my future plans are in terms of ministry. I've had to take a bit of a hiatus in order to get everything in order financially, etc. I'm feeling like this month is the time for me to begin stepping back into a few things that had to be shelved for a time. There's a great deal of work to do here on the house, as many things didn't happen during the past year, and Dave was one of those people who saved everything "in case" he might need it. I think he was counting on the rapture, but planning to be here just "in case"....we could easily survive a few years if he was here to improvise with all his "stuff"! At any rate, I'm sorting, selling, and giving away....and probably creating a new section in the local landfill.

I feel like the Lord has told me that my heart needs to heal, but that time is short and there is still much to do and many who don't yet know Him. So, my instructions are to not get stuck here, as it isn't healthy to stay living in the past...Dave has gone on ahead of us. In light of that, I'm evaluating what future ministry might look like. I will continue to stay as a Christ For the City Int'l missionary for the time being. Donations towards my monthly support can be sent there, just contact me for information. I am taking a look at everything that Dave was involved with, as well as everything I was doing prior to his illness. I'm waiting on the Lord to see what things I should pick back up, and what things I need to let go. Obviously, I won't be able to do the work of two people, but there are a couple of new things Dave and I had talked about that I'm still praying on. I will, however, have more free time and more flexibility, so need to find out how the Lord wants me to best use that.

Additionally, I'm planning to finish my certification as a Gallup Strengths Coach this month. It would be wonderful if this would produce some additional income for me, but it seems that all the ministry leaders I'd like to help with this coaching also don't have a lot of money to spare. If the Lord speaks to you about being part of my monthly support in order to help me be able to provide this for other ministry leaders, please let me know.

Thank-you so much for all your many, many hours of prayer, and your encouraging notes and cards over the past year. We were blessed by every single one of them, and I will keep them to read from time to time when the days are tough! If you're interested in staying updated on where I go from here, please get in touch with me, as I probably won't continue to use this site for this purpose.

Moving ahead one step at a time,
Sheryl