hi everyone...this is sarah beth's aunt leigh ann. it's been awhile since i've been the one to give an update on sarah beth but she asked me if i would, and so of course i said yes. anything for her! she wants you to know what's been going on in her life the past week or so.

last thursday evening she had a seizure that was difficult to get under control, so mark and kathleen took her to the hospital. i won't go into every detail. but she's had a week of tests and waiting for results and more seizures and a surgical procedure to insert another mediport. she has tolerated all of these things pretty well.

the scan of her spine was good. we have been told that there has been some growth of 2 of the places in her brain. one of them has doubled in size. still waiting on results of the MRI that better differentiates between tumor and necrosis. and still waiting to know what the best options are for treatment after that.

as usual, sarah beth's spirits are very good. she is tired, and she's weak. but she continues to maintain her amazing attitude. her faith is so strong. (we all know that!) and of course her sense of humor and her beautiful smile are there too. one of the perks of getting to do her update for her is that i get to brag on her, which is something she'd never do herself. =)

as i was leaving the hospital today, i had a voicemail from mark telling me that she'd been discharged and they were waiting to get the paperwork done to be able to take her home.

our thanks to all of you, still, for all of the prayers you continue to offer up to the Lord Jesus on sarah beth's behalf.

What can I say? The Lord humbles me with His grace. Period. This week, Bob Snavely passed away. I loved him and his wife Jackie and their daughter Gloria (I don't know the other sisters because they live out of town). One of the highlights after church on Sunday morning was going back to see Bob and give him a big old hug. Such a sweet, sweet man.

Tuesday I was out with Leigh Ann. When we got back to the house, we chatted a while and then Greg came home. He expressed to me that the family would like it if I could sing at Bob's funeral. I don't really know how to explain it, but all I could think of was how I wouldn't be good enough. You see, I haven't sung anywhere except my house in over a year. With all the treatments and such, my voice just isn't strong anymore. One important thing: This was not about me and my voice...I just didn't want to ruin Bob's funeral with my weak pitiful voice. I wanted nothing more than for him to be honored for all the love he had shown countless people while here on earth. So, when I got to church this morning to practice and my voice just was not there, I cried. I called Leigh Ann and asked her to come and sing. I just wanted the song to be beautiful for Bob and his family. Leigh Ann had to leave early to get home (Max was getting out of school), so she wasn't able to sing. I sat there in the pew. I prayed and prayed that God would send angels and that the Holy Spirit himself would sing through me because I didn't have a voice. I just wanted the song to be special for the Snavely's. The service was beautiful and it was my turn to sing. I get up and nod my head to my dad who was working the sound. The song started and God gave me the strength to make it through that one song. I don't know how it sounded...I hardly remember singing it. All I know is that whatever voice people heard in that sanctuary today, it was not mine, but God's and God's alone.

To the Snavely Family:

May God bless you and your family richly. You have touched so many people and the love of Christ is evident in your day to day walk. As you grieve in the following weeks, may you be comforted in knowing where Bob is now dwelling, how many people love you and are praying for you.

It's starting to get cooler here in h-town WV. This fall has been incredible. We've had several sunny days in a row and the leaves have been just beautiful (sounds corny, but it really lifted my spirits). I don't remember much of last year. I have little memories of Thanksgiving and Christmas. I was telling mom the other day how I'm hopeful I'll remember this year. It's weird...when I'm in the moment, doing whatever it is I'm doing, I'm usually "there". Sometimes when I'm tired I get a little spacey and in turn, don't remember much of anything, but I still feel like I'm "there". But, then later someone will say something to me about a conversation or something like that and I won't remember! Crazy! However, I try to do things to engage my brain, like reading, working puzzles, etc. They say it's supposed to help.

I'm going to post some pictures from Gracie's first birthday party. If you want to look, just click on the photos link. I hope you've had a good Monday! I'll write soon...

:)
sarah

This is the update from Julia:


Many of you have been praying and asking for more information about the 13 year old girl that was shot in Lincoln Heights last week, and I am happy to report that she is going to be okay. She is still in an area hospital and her release is still unknown. The staff has already had a chance to visit with her once and are planning on visiting heragain tomorrow. Also, the shooter, a 15 year old boy in the community, was apprehended last week and is now in custody. Please be praying for both the young girl and her shooter, that God's grace would abound and that both would come into a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ as a result.

I received this email this morning from Julia. Please be in prayer for DayBreak and this precious child. Please pray for the staff and well as the community of Lincoln Heights.

Dear Friends of DayBreak,

Last night, around 9:45pm, I received a text stating that a 13 year old girl had been shot in the back outside of her home in Lincoln Heights . At the time, the DayBreak leadership team was at my home enjoying a night of Bible study and fellowship so we immediately began to pray for the girl, her family, and the community. While the identity was still unknown, our hearts were heavy with the reality that it very possibly could be any one of the many students that we interact with on a regular basis. Tears were shed, pleading for God's mercy and grace to pervade this community, bringing the healing and wholeness that this neighborhood so desperately needs.

Today, it was confirmed that the young girl was indeed a student that we knew, one who had been spending time recently volunteering at DayBreak, serving at the After School program that her younger brother and sister go to everyday. Thankfully, has been reported that she is in stable condition in an area hospital where we hope to be able to visit her tomorrow.

Over the past seven years that I have been the leader of DayBreak, there has been a passion in me that has pushed me hard, something that I like to call a "holy fire in my butt." That "holy fire" has been ignited even more as a result of this incident. I am even more certain of the need of Christ's transformational power to pervade the community, and that DayBreak is called to represent the truth and hope of the Gospel that can rebuild and restore a broken community by the power of our loving God. Our call is not a joke! With bullets flying in the air, I am even more aware that our tomorrows are never promised and that we should take every opportunity that we have today to make the message of eternity with Christ known to the dying world around us.