The Meager Few

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Three.  The meager number of times I posted here in 2011.  Once to tell you I have MS.  Once to share the blessed suffering of acceptance of said disease.  And finally, once to tell you I was back to blogging (which I obviously was not) and share how thankfulness changes our perspective, making beautiful to us things that once seemed undesirable. 

So much left out.  Such a gap of understanding between us.  2011 was surely more than was represented here.  I lament that.  I grieve that I did not do the work of discovering and testifying to God’s sufficiency in every circumstance  (that’s what writing is for me).  And I regret that I did not share it with you who have been so kind to me and who, for some reason, still come back here, still think this place is worth keeping.  Over and over God has used you to confirm that there is a gift that needs to be fanned to flame.  Thank you. 

I’m not making any promises for 2012, but I do truly want to respond to the Spirit’s prompting when the words start piling up and rearranging themselves in my mind.  I do want to share the encouragement I find so regularly in the person of God.  And I do want to honor what it is that you have worked hard to encourage in me.  

Thank you for being here at My Place of Peace.  It’s an honor to journey together with you!  Happy New Year, friends!   

God Is Good (Diagnosis:MS)

Easter 2011

Hi!  It's been so long since I've posted, you might not even know that I had been sick and we returned to the US at the end of March for some medical testing.

Last Friday my neurologist called to inform us that I have multiple sclerosis (MS). At this point, the disease does not appear to have done much damage, thankfully, and I feel well. We are still very much hoping to return to Paraguay, though we do need to remain in the US for now since I need to have some follow up testing in 6-9 months.

We would greatly appreciate your prayers as we process this information, work to educate ourselves about MS, and explore my options for treatment and prevention of future damage. There is currently no cure for MS, but it is very treatable and we have hope that I will be able to function well and manage the symptoms successfully for many years to come.

Now, if that was all that needed said, you would have seen this post three days ago when I started it.  However, I knew you would be concerned about how we are doing emotionally having received this news. And that's the part that's a bit more difficult to put into words. I would say we are grieving hopefully. Grieving because we are human and we fear the potential implications of having a debilitating disease. And hopeful because we wholeheartedly trust our Creator and Sustainer to be near and give us victory in this situation! Remember how the apostle Paul described it? "We are troubled, yet not distressed; we are perplexed but not in despair...Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed day by day."

Our heart's desire is to actively proclaim God's goodness, even in this. Maybe especially in this. He is good, only does good and works out all things for our good. MS=good? Crazy! It's a debilitating disease! But if a debilitating disease causes us to know Him more fully, it is. If it causes us to live more purposefully, more passionately, it is. If it brings Him honor in some way that we still can't foresee, it is. May you also taste and see His goodness today, no matter what you are facing in your own life!

Love,

Shilo

P.S. If you have a few minutes, I encourage you to read John Piper's excellent article "Don't Waste Your Cancer".  Obviously I don't have cancer, but I think the truths are transferable and it encouraged me!