Jeremy and I just got home from watching Fireproof (a movie playing at the theatre now) with the youth group and several peeps from church. anyway, it was a GREAT movie!!! i would recommend it....check out the website:

http://www.fireproofthemovie.com/

:)
sarah

My family and I just finished an evening that was quite different than what we normally do. Normally, we are all doing our different things in the evening (dad watching espn or working, jason and jeremy at the ymca, mom and me usually watch t.v. together until 9:00...that's when we go to bed).

This evening, after dinner together, Jason (my youngest brother) wanted us to watch a movie that he brought home. So, he gets the dvd all ready and into the family room we go. Here is my family...mom, dad, jason, jeremy and myself all watching this video that my brother brought home. Louie Giglio's "Alive" was what we watched. It probably ranks as one of the top 5 moments in my life. This is a confession about my family. We never grew up doing bible studies or devotions as a family...in the home, just the family. So, back to the dvd...we are listening to this sermon together and it was about God's greatest creation...me and you. This dvd was jammed packed with all kinds of details that would just blow your mind (about how our body's form and develop and all the intricate details that are involved). He used the scripture from Psalm 139...for you are fearfully and wonderfully made..you were knit together in your mother's womb. Amazing video and I would encourage all of you, whether you have a family or not, to find this video, watch it and be amazed at how FEARFULLY and WONDERFULLY made you are!!!

It was just one of the family times that I'll never forget. There is something about sharing and learning about God together as a family. Thank you Jason, the most unlikely one of us 3 kids, to bring this home and for God using him to bring our family together. Hopefully we'll have more of these kind of evenings.

I had a scan last Friday of my brain. Just a quick recap of the brain situation. My first brain met was treated at UK with the Gamma Knife. When it grew we took it out surgically. We did follow up scans and it was back again, so we went to New York to see what we could do. We did whole brain radiation. A couple of months later we did a follow up scan and there was a new place. So, we did the Cyber Knife, which takes us to where we are now. I had a brain follow up scan from the Cyber Knife last Friday. We got the results back on Monday and there is a new place. THANKFULLY, it was a new place. Any new place we can treat, but if it has already been treated, then we don't have many other options. So, even though it stinks that there is another one up there, at least it is new and we can Cyber it!

Hope you all have a great day..

:)
sarah

I think I have come to a huge milestone in my life. Through prayer, scripture and encouragement from my family in Christ, I am experiencing true joy and peace. I've always struggled with how we can have joy when it seems like the valley is never ending. Having joy for me doesn't mean I'm always walking around smiling and laughing. This joy I speak of is an inner-peace that is almost indescribable. It is knowing that my life is completely surrendered to my Lord. It is knowing that even when I'm having a horrible day (physically, emotionally, etc), that I have a God who is greater than anything this world has to offer. It is knowing that my flesh and heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever (Palsm 73:25-26). It is knowing that my identity is in Christ and of nothing of this world.

If you aren't a Christian or don't know Christ (and maybe some of you that are Christians), what I said above my sound weird and strange. I want to encourage all of you that are Christians to really live it out. Stand up and be firm for ways of God. God will reward you one day for your obedience and loyalty to Him. Love like the Lord has commanded us to do. Love Him first above everyone and love all those the Lord has placed in your life. Stay connected to the vine (Jesus) so that you will bear fruit (fruits of the Spirit...love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness and self-control). There is no better witness for the Lord than living a quiet life that is becoming more and more like Him everyday.

Maybe you are reading this and don't know Christ. Maybe you are a Christian, but have been out of the loop lately (not going to church, etc). Maybe you feel that you are in pit and you want to get out but you don't know how. Maybe you are habitually sinning (repeating the same sin) and want to change, but you feel stuck or like there's no way out. If there is one thing I have learned and experienced over the past few years is God's grace. There is absolutely nothing that God won't forgive. His grace is sufficient for each one of us, no matter what we have done in the past. I beg you not to let guilt of a past sin or maybe a current sin stop you from coming to Jesus for forgiveness. He forgives....as far as the east is from the west.

As human beings we have a sinful nature, that is why when the fall happened in Genesis, there had to be a bridge that would bring us back in standing with God and that bridge is God's son Jesus. As Christians, this is a fundamental truth...we believe Christ was crucified, died and rose on the third day and is now in heaven at the right hand of God.

I ask God regulary to burden my heart with what burdens Him. Listen, He wants nothing more than to be in a relationship with us. That is why we were created...to be in a relationship with Him. He wants all souls of men to belong to Him, but He has given us free choice. We can choose to bow down to Him or we can choose to deny God.

I believe with everything I am.....down to the very core of me that Jesus is the Messiah. There is a God. I pray that the Holy Spirit is working through you right now as you read this. If you haven't given your life to Christ and want to, it's simple....just ask Him...pray and repent of your sins and then give Him your life as a living sacrifice. Live your life for Him and Him alone.

A couple more things...I had a scan of my body last week and everything is stable!! I have a scan in a couple of weeks for my brain and am praying that will be stable as well. My brother Jeremy has bought a house and I'm moving in with him. We are looking forward to being roomies again!

I hope all of you had a blessed weekend! May the grace of God be with you this coming week. Christians....let your light shine! Love, love, love and stand firm for what you believe and know is the truth in Christ Jesus.

love your guts :)
sarah

The last three days I've been treated with the Cyber Knife. It sounds scary, but it's not bad. The worst part is getting fitted for your face mask and then having to wear it. It's very constricting and tight. They did cut out the nose so i could breathe better. I brought in a mixed CD that I have and they played it for me while I was getting treated. So, other than sleeping a lot and some headaches here and there, physically I'm doing pretty good.

Jeremy and I took the girls back to DC this past weekend. We spent the rest of the time with friends (when I wasn't sleeping...haha), which was really fun. I got a call from Julia (my boss at DayBreak) and she got engaged last night! SO exciting for her!!!

I'm going to make this short so I can upload some recent pics. Take care and I'll talk to you soon...

sarah