The Pat and Barb Verly family and their 5 children, in laws and grandkids along with many prayer warriors have been drawn together by John's cancer... sharing daily for 8 months started this blog- Family Soul Story - Our faith, family, farm and now our cancer journey called HEALING have colored and deepened our world. WE continue to share and depend on the support of our prayer warrior community, that has lowered us into the Lord's presence for His healing!
Sharing breakfast with Hallel in the refectory in Kansas City on Easter morn! John just called Hallel in Rome to share with her his latest challenge in losing his job. There seems to be a need to be united as a family, and to know of needs and share our united prayers for those needs! There is a communication line that flows from one to the other so that the prayers can be lifted up as incense before the throne of The Lord. Our Mother Mary, of heaven and earth is hugely a part of that line of loving beseeching asking and trusting in The Plan prayers that rise up to her Son, Jesus. For me it is hugely the rosary each day that adds to my constant prayers with every beat of my heart and with every breath that I take! For John... I witness his deep seated love for Mary and how she has touched him very personally at Lourdes twice, and as a result he has become enamored with her sweet loving mothering way of caring for his needs and taking them to her Son! He gets the biggest grin on his face and he just looks peaceful and filled with love whenever he thinks of her or mentions her.
Hallel loves peeps, so she was teasing little Rose about peeps...
Look who has them now? The little "Rosie's girl." It is fun to see her get to know her Aunt Little Sister Hallel... she was a baby just short of 1 when she spent time with her the last time on her home visit 2 years before our time with her for Easter in KC!
"Mine!" says Rose, and Hallel gives her a hard time in fun.
John and I had the time and joy and healing of sharing The Office this morning along with the amazing Gospel from John 15 - a repeat of the Vine and the branches from Sunday mass! Yesterday, we were in shock and hurting very deeply after the sudden loss of John's job. John could hardly find words in prayer shared. Today we are seeing some LIGHT through this cross as it is the pruning that the Lord tells us so that we may bear more fruit for HIM! I burst into tears as John prayed his thanks to the Lord "for the opportunity to turn to You again, O Lord." When we are weak, humbled, and lowly is when we need Jesus and turn to him, and it is when there is only that one set of footprints in the sand as he carries us! Another door closed on this journey and another storm that we need to cling to our trust that Jesus is in control in the midst of the storm!
It was sweet at Easter mass to look up and see Simon holding onto John's hand during the mass... It just seems to many that John is most powerfully used in ways with The Church and with youth in The Church. We continue to ask and trust and go forth - small and humble and for John his conversion has colored his entire world and all the decisions he makes! Some say that he needs therapy to get over his cancer, but how do you do that when it is what brought you to The Faith that you half-heartedly prayed for? http://familysoulstory.blogspot.com/p/johns-cancer-stories.html http://www.dnu.org/news/documents/JAN.2013MASTERISSUE.pdf This is the article from the Prairie Catholic where John describes in his own words what he was experiencing in his finding Faith through brain cancer/healing! So powerful and all that he burns to do far and wide!
Simon finding a spiritual sharing of this powerful moment of sharing our lives with our family in The Community of the Lamb!
These little ones are having such life-changing and life-giving experiences of Faith and family! As Simon said when the Little Sisters first came to meet us - "We are all family."
John and Hallel are very close - with two losses between them... Hallel took care of her younger brother - 3 1/2 years younger, and a cherished baby - our first boy and there were 4 losses we had shared before we were given John. In sharing the pain of the losses as a family we then cherish one another and ALL LIFE! LIFE is a gift to be cherished and protected from conception to natural death!
It is most important that John was able to speak to Hallel today and know that she continues to pray for his path in LIFE/LOVE/LIGHT/Jesus and His Bride, The Church!
Hallel met and got to know 18 month old, Luke, for the first time!
Jesus, this day as we read for the second time in 4 days the Gospel of The Vine... how these words rang true as a bell! I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower. He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit, and everyone that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit... If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you. By this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples. John 15:1-8
We see and know that the standards which the world sets for being fruitful and those of You and your Heavenly Father are as different as night and day! There are those that cannot understand how Hallel and other contemplatives don't do anything but pray and beg for their food from the poor! How can this be? Shouldn't they be doing something worth while with their time and energy other than praying and studying/chewing His Word and then representing Christ knocking on the doors of the poor? No! They are sharing Jesus and His Bride, The Church and they are a LIGHT in the heart of our country - putting down roots and sharing The Way, The Truth and The LIFE - Jesus Christ with all those they encounter. What could be more important than that? Nothing! We are seeing through eyes of Faith that there is a plan and we trust! The pruning is painful - the humility that comes with it is so hard. May we turn to you and stay there in your arms dear loving and forgiving shepherd! Jesus, we trust in you. Amen and Hallelujah
Family time with Hallel is such a precious gift!
Mary adores her time with The Community and Aunt Little Sister Hallel! We foresee that when Mary is about 5 years older that she will spend time with them discerning and sharing their life! She already has had that seed planted. Ruth just shared that when her class does the May crowning tomorrow that Mary has been chosen to crown Our Lady! "They chose the girl in the class that is most like Mary - sweet, kind and gentle." So true of our Mary and her love for her namesake!
The dessert procession - Hallel is helping 2 year old Bernadette in her first procession - one of many more to come in the future! Bless-bless, Barbara Luke
Keeping little adventuresome Luke safe...
In honor of Hallel's Dominican roots - this amazing quote from her Patron Saint - St Dominic!
Yes, St Dominic gave us the rosary through Our Lady!
Casting Crowns - Praise you in this storm
The Afters - Broken Hallelujah
A few of Hallel with Dominic with his patron Saint - the posture of the Cross!
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