And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.  To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen. (1 Peter 5:10-11)

For those who remember, it has been exactly one year since Shannon received her stem cell transplant - on April 26, 2022. They call today her new “first birthday.”  As a family we are marking this important day with a family trip to Hawaii, one of Shannon’s favorite places.  We are incredibly grateful to God for the physical healing that has taken place, and we have been encouraged by Shannon’s steady progress.  Despite the growing relief that Shannon is “out of the woods,” we are all (especially Shannon) still processing the emotional trauma and the unavoidable spiritual questions that result, as well as the real losses that one must come to grips with.  Beyond the physical healing, the restoration in those other areas is likely to take quite a bit longer.

In all of this, we remain deeply grateful for the support and prayers that have been extended to Shannon this past 16 months.  The promise in 1 Peter above is one that we continue to hold on to, as we acknowledge that it is God who ultimately makes us strong, firm and steadfast.  For us, he has done so in countless ways through you and hundreds of others in the community of faith. Thank you for your care.