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!
Ruth snapped this of Luke in the backseat after the Easter Egg hunt at the Catholic school on Holy Saturday. Luke knows that this is a great time for JOY in his heart... as he looks around and sees the smiles and the sticky hands and faces - "Ah! I think this is the best time of the year!" Know this is the Truth ittle Uke! Know that Easter is what we strive for always in our lives - we pass though the Cross to find LIFE/LOVE/LIGHT! Jesus, we trust in YOU. Bless-bless, Barbara Luke
Rose and Luke sharing the JOY!
Tomorrow is a great day for us - granddaughter, Mary, will have her first communion and my hero will be named Saint John Paul II!
Mary,may you always love and cherish Jesus as He comes to you in His Body and Blood. Hunger for Him always and follow where ever He will lead you. Amen and Hallelujah
Oh JOY!!! Our little family has returned home and are sharing Easter JOY in the form of this amazing family photo! LOVE it! Maria you did your job well! We love you and miss you and are united with you in the Eucharist tomorrow. Also in our love and devotion to the soon to be new Saint John Paul II! Bless-bless
How I love this photo of these two amazing people in our time... Saints? Yes, one will be tomorrow and the other will be soon behind, I predict. WE are watching the festivities closely on EWTN. As I write this I am listening to a heart warming story of a man, who as a young Swiss guard, was brought to faith by John Paul II! He describes his first Christmas away from home that he was on guard outside his door as he came out to do the Vigil Christmas mass... the guard had been crying and John Paul embraced him and pointed him on to the Cross... "This is not a pope from Poland - this is a pope from Galilee. He brought us to Christ." "Stop praying for something for me but pray that we can see those he encounters as Christ sees them." "Be not afraid. Have courage!" "To be a saint you need to be eternally young. The Holy Spirit is the source of that." "Deep internal life - so solid!" We are now listening to some Franciscan Missionaries of the Eternal Word speak about what they know and love about Blessed John Paul II.
So true!!!!
I am under the weather this day, and home sick from work. I feel sluggish and less than enthusiastic about all that is going on around me due to this head cold... Yet, I am filled with so many warm feelings of love and gratitude to this man being the fabric of our first 27 years of marriage! All that we valued and held dear was upheld and cherished by John Paul II! He encouraged us when the world told us not to be open to family and to have a large family. He taught us how to embrace our Cross and find life when the world was telling us to think of ourselves and our wants first. He was the champion for all LIFE when the world around was saying that abortion was OK to get rid of that inconvenient pregnancy, millions of lights have been extinguished and continues to this very day and hour! He showed the world though his theology of the body that sex is a beautiful gift if used in the sacrament of marriage and that artificial birth control does not allow that LIFE to enter into our relationship in which we are called to be faithful, fruitful, free, and total one to the other. When we use the natural means of preventing children when called to in our marriages - then God and His Plan can be a part of this journey of our lives - called to LOVE/LIFE/LIGHT!
A great picture of my parents with their newest grandson, Ian Odland!
I just did the official count and Ian should be the 101st member of our family! There are 3 more on the way... Nancy is due in a little over a month!
Jesus, this canonization weekend is one that truly reminds us of the message of LIFE/LOVE/LIGHT that comes to us from our Church! When we went to Rome when Maria was there studying for the year we saw that he had newly married couples come forward in their wedding clothes to have their marriage blessed. That is so right that he does that! He is our champion for marriage and family and LIFE! John Paul II did not allow us to look at him alone as our source of all that is good - but he then pointed on the Christ - He is who you are looking for - Christ brings us all goodness and truth in our lives! Jesus, we trust in YOU. Amen and Hallelujah
Field work is going full force as a week of rain is predicted stating tomorrow.
Bless-bless, Barbara Luke
I will add some of his words here...
Sad but true. St John Paul II help the world save the family/domestic Church!
John with the Cross bunch minus my parents, who had already left. It was a special group of confirmation kids with their sponsors and 8 members from my family. John felt good and special to share his story with so many that seemed to listen intently and grow from his story of Faith!
The questions and feedback were a large part of the talk. It was good to have family there - familiar with his story and asking him to focus on his gut-wrenching decision to do whole brain radiation and the stem cell transplant when he was brought back to life after the bomb was dropped on his stem cells - the source of LIFE. Then in the clean soil - the seeds/his own stem cells were replanted to take root and grow within him - the new John without any cancer cells left and healed of PCNSL! Surrounded by prayer!
John speaking about the prayers...
On the way home yesterday we wrote down the 5 decades for each mystery of the rosary we think would be amazing to add... The Miracles of Christ, The Healings, and Forgiveness Mysteries. As we pondered what would be included in the Miracles... the loaves and the fishes feeding the 5,000, the raising of Lazarus, The calming of the storm, The walking on the water, and then we thought and thought... the miracle of casting the nets on the right side of the boat and catching 153 large fish after a night of catching nothing! It was with great JOY that I discovered that this was the Gospel for today when I wearily read the Gospel for today the night before. And it was joyfully in the midst of my being sick with a cold and having grandkids here today while Ruth prepares her house for first communion of Mary on Sunday... that I read it to John this morning! When we were talking about it on the trip - I recalled that it was the risen Lord, who was in this story, and sure enough in John 21 this morning there it was! Such a beautiful story of looking to Christ and obeying his commands to us- even when we are sick and weary and have spent the entire night trying to accomplish it on our own. Once He tells us where to look and how to go about His will for us - we are overwhelmed by the results!
Lighting a candle for John in the Eucharistic chapel before hand. John has fallen in love with Our Lady on his journey - and spoke of his trip to Lourdes early in his journey when we went to France to support Hallel as she took her habit. "The water is so cold and they do not put your head in the water, so Fr Craig found a pitcher and we poured the water over my head - that is where I needed the healing. The water felt warm on my head!" I had not known that he experienced the warmth on his head, and that speaks very powerfully of the miracle - transformation of John by his call to Faith and finding the wonderful most beautiful woman in heaven and earth there to touch and intercede for him from that point onward! She was so comforting to us as were all the prayers that surrounded us and the sacraments that ministered to us.
Morning mass with my parents - the Thursday of Easter... so filled with LIGHT and LIFE!
It is so thrilling to hear the apostles sharing The Truth of Christ in the Acts readings these days. It is much like John now burning to share to whomever will listen that he has been changed by the Paschal mystery in his life! There was a small beautiful sharing before he spoke about how each day we are called to die to those things in our lives, and the result of that death is so that the risen Christ may live in us more fully! John said that he was amazed to hear his entire talk summed up in this Paschal Mystery! So true! He is filled with the Holy Spirit/The risen Lord after dying to his lack of Faith through the brain cancer the Lord allowed him to experience along with the ataxia he is left with and now the prayers needed to keep the fears of dementia away.
We drove straight to the Catholic School to hear the spring concert with Simon and Mary. Afterwards we were invited to come to their rooms and play games with them. John and I played SkipBo in Mary's room and once 17 years ago John's room! John seemed to revel in the memory and we had fun - grandparents and uncle come to visit time!
Paul helped Simon's class transplant seedlings outside.
Jesus, we thank you for helping us to make room for you in our lives - clearing away our selfish ways and making room for the Spirit to live and breath and change us to be obedient to your commands to lower the nets and take a catch we are unable to find alone. On our trip up to John's talk we had a 45 minute talk with Hallel in France... John was telling her that being back at square one with a job rejection and back looking..."I am in a dark place." "Well, John get out of the tomb." Hallel said to him and he laughed out loud as did his mom. Yes, risen Lord, Jesus Christ, You are showing us each day that with the dyings we experience - You are there to take us by the hand and lead us out of the tomb into the bright Son-light of new LIFE/LOVE/LIGHT! Jesus, we trust in YOU. Amen and Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah!!!!
John with his healed dog, and just when he started to show signs of his cancer growing back after I noticed large lapses in memory. We went back to Mayo to hear that the cancer had roared back through the chemo and he would have to face whole brain radiation! Something we said we would not do, due to the possibility of dementia setting in at an early age. Why am I going here after 4 1/2 years later? Due to the first reading from Acts today as well as going with John shortly as he gives a talk North of the Cities in Lindstrom, MN!
My parents came rushing to Marshall with a relic of Venerable Solanus Casey - hoping and praying for a miraculous healing so that we would not have to go to the point of whole brain radiation. My mother made the comment that he would have to be totally healed and running up and down the aisles "walking and jumping and praising God" - "healed from his ataxia and all signs of his brain cancer for this to be recognized as a true miracle." So when I read the first reading with Pat and John this morning - it was that exact reading with the cripple lying at the Beautiful gate and St Peter and John unable to give him money said - "I have neither gold or silver, but what I have I give you: in the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean, rise and walk." Acts 3:1-10
I found this version of the song I learned to sing in Charasmatic prayer groups with my parents! I sang it to John this morning and he had never heard it?!?
One thing I would like to share about the prayer over John at the 8a mass in November 2009 with the relic of Venerable Solanus Casey, which my parents rushed to us as well as anointing. No, John wasn't miraculously healed and that next week he did start his 6 weeks of whole brain radiation surrounded by a week of prayer starting on Dec 1st... yet, we consider the entirety of the Saints and Sacraments, and PRAYER, and family and the rosary, and daily morning and evening prayer, and the relics of soon to be St John Paul II as well as the relic of Venerable Solanus Casey... All of this allowed us to find peace and to Trust in Jesus in the midst of this horrific storm - brain cancer in our 20 year old son, John! One powerful experience that happened on this Sunday morning at a mass filling the Church in Marshall at the 8a mass... A lady shared with me a few years later that she had been suffering for a few months with a stomach ailment, and she prayed for herself that morning and was healed!
John with his grandparents that morning... A huge part of our journey to where John finds himself today. Today he is struggling to find where the Lord wants him, and only knows that he burns to share his story with all those he comes in contact with - much like the disciples after their encounter with Christ! His heartfelt prayer before each time he speaks is that others may find their answer to Faith in what he shares with them. "May Jesus use me to help others find The Truth."
Knowing that we are in the hands of Jesus, and trusting in HIM! So we continue on to this very day, and we are filled with great excitement as we are going to once again proclaim how John prayed for Faith and God allowed brain cancer to enter him and gave him the reason to turn to Jesus and His Bride, The Church, to find healing! http://familysoulstory.blogspot.com/p/johns-cancer-stories.html
All but Hallel gathered around John in Rochester.
The Gospel today is marvelous also - the road to Emmaus from St Luke! Such a powerful and beautiful story of coming to "burning hearts" as we recognize Christ in his Word, but truly receiving Him and being fed by Him in The breaking of the Bread/The Eucharist!
Lord, how we need to be reminded over and over that You are in control and that You used all to heal John and answer his half-hearted prayer for Faith! Go with us today as we share with family and new friends and those that are just there out of obligation... the Truth that can set them free to find true JOY and LOVE in their lives - You, O Lord, with your Bride, The Church, at your side! There is so much there to allow us to enter Easter LIGHT/LOVE/LIFE and carry it forth into our lives. Use us, and may we not count the cost. Jesus, we trust in YOU. Amen and Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah!!!
The Cross called cancer/healing/now where do you want me Lord?
Bless-bless, Barbara Luke
Please join me in continuing to pray for the protection of John's brain... this last time at Mayo there was no sign of cancer, but there were changes they were starting to see. They admitted that they are starting to recognize some changes because people are surviving. So we are called to prayer to keep John's brain healthy and sharp. Jesus, we ask this in your name - "In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean, be healed and strong, rise and walk into the LIFE Jesus has laid out before you, John!" Amen and Hallelujah!
The miracles of Patrick and John taught many the power of PRAYER! Jesus, you are in control in the midst of the storm. Jesus, we trust in YOU.
Casting Crowns - Praise You in the Storm
Coming home from the ER on Father's Day 2009 with the horrifying news that John had something in the center of his brain. We called to tell Susan/Hallel in France - "Mom, do you remember the Gospel for today?" "Yes, it was Jesus calming the storm." "Well, this is the storm and Jesus is in control." "Praise HIM - Jesus, I trust in YOU."
Mary,may you always love and cherish Jesus as He comes to you in His Body and Blood. Hunger for Him always and follow where ever He will lead you. Amen and Hallelujah
