Much has happened since this picture was taken 4 years ago, yet to go back here brings me to a place of great awe and wonder at how the Lord has worked and listened to our prayers!
The only one missing was Susan, so as I traveled through the farmland to be with John in Sioux Falls, I had added Susan to make the picture complete. Although she was in France for her postulancy with the Community of the Lamb, we were together in spirit! We had just called her the day before when we had gone into the ER here in Marshall and the CT scan had shown that there was a "tumor" in the center of our 20 year old sons' brain..."Mom do you remember what the Gospel was for today?" "Yes, it was Jesus calming the storm in Mark 4." "Well , this is the storm and Jesus is in control." That allowed us to let go and let God... yes, we had to remind ourselves constantly to allow Jesus to be in control, but it did bring a certain amount of peace and strength to us - most especially to John!
He was our David in the face of Goliath/cancer, and he killed the giant along with the prayer army and the direction of the Spirit in where he would find the healing through medical knowledge - Mayo! Looking at all that we went through on his journey to healing, and how little he complained and was peaceful... it was a wonderful testament to his newfound Faith! Now he has completed college, entered seminary for a year, and is now asking the Lord to show him the path he is to take and find work and deal with life in this day to day world. He realizes that he hasn't really just gotten out there and learned to live on his own and make his way according to the Plan for John Patrick Verly. Lots of prayers, resumes, interviews and nudges from sisters and parents are roadsigns along the narrow path.
Susan has become Little Sister Hallel, Nancy is now married with two children, Maria has added two little ones to her family - one being the miracle, Patrick Joseph, and Paul and Ruth are now expecting their second new little one since 2009. John has lost his hair but most importantly his cancer, and is now the new John. He continues to ask the Lord to show him why he is still alive and healed. This has been a struggle for him to understand as he has watched many young die to brain cancer! "Why did you spare me, Lord?" He has certainly found through brain cancer striking just a few days after he half-heartedly prayed for faith - "God is indeed the very sunlight of the soul, bringing every virtue to flower and fruitfulness...'native to the light; where the light has its effect, all is goodness and holiness, and truth.' (Ephesians 5:8-9) John came out of a life in the dark filled with self-centeredness to a life in the LIGHT of Faith through being saved from the brink of death. He still says things like he almost yearns to not to have been here, but to have been in Heaven instead. I guess that I can relate to that at times too! But it is our job to seek first the Kingdom of God and then all the rest will fall into place and we can find a small piece of Heaven here on earth!
We will now be having our 10th grandchild, so lots of LIFE/LOVE/LIGHT has been blessing the world and our lives over the last 4 years! Made perfect by John' healing and answering the call to discern, and Hallel's first vows and great JOY within her contemplative Community of the Lamb!
I just went to the site of the Kansas City Community to show how their little Monastery if progressing...
http://communityofthelambusa.org/monastery_progress.html What JOY to have them putting down roots in the heart of our country - we need them so badly to bring the Truth of Seeking First the Kingdom of God, and then the Lord cares for all of our needs! Lord, what JOY and LIGHT has flooded my soul and heart and mind after praying with my husband and son - morning prayer to Our Lady! "The Magesty of Heaven cannot contain God, but the Womb of Mary did!" Wow! All of us marveled at this Truth which absolutely shows us Your LOVE for us, O Lord! You became a tiny helpless child to show us the path to Heaven and to give us LIFE eternal! John prayed a half- hearted prayer and You answered him with a vengance like no other! His world was rocked with brain cancer and then the thousands of prayers stormed heaven and earth for his healing and once again you answered with a vengance! Yes! I will heal you and call you to be my own! What JOY we find praying together for the last 4 years - humbly calling upon YOU to show us the narrow path carrying our Most Cherished Cross and finding LIFE eternal! Your Mother is honored this day and every day as we look to her as we cling to the life-rope/rosary beads as they pass through our fingers and we pray without ceasing! Jesus, with Mary at your side, we Trust in YOU. Amen and Halleluia
Bless-bless, Barb
"Therefore, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and constraints, for the sake of Christ; for when I am weak, than I am strong." St Paul to the Corinthians - 1st reading for today
"But seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given besides. Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself." Jesus speaking to us in the Gospel - Matt 6:24-34
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHdcyue0bSw Casting Crowns - Praise you in the Storm
I have cried many tears, O Lord. Both happy and sad!
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