JESUS restores and renews.....

Dealing with the aftermath after a long, arduous battle with cancer, has not been easy. It's like going back to your puzzle and trying to fit a puzzle piece back into it, when it has completely changed its shape. There are so many unknowns and so many different factors and aspects of life that have been changed.......things are definitely not the same. WE are not the same. The adrenaline has worn off and we are running on empty........void. Natalia started school as she was growing in her new hair...(yay!!)...only to be made fun of the way she "looks like a boy" and she is using an "old people" walker. Heartbreaking. Since the beginning of school, she has had 2 bouts of cellulitis from mosquito bites and 2 tract infections, which resulted in 4 treatments of antibiotics. Her pediatrician stated that her system needs to get stronger to fight off these pesky infections and scolded that I needed to do so by keeping her at home.......even if she misses a lot of school. BOTTOM LINE: her health is MORE important. Due to the intense (chemo & radiation) therapy that she received while undergoing treatment for Ewing's sarcoma, we were advised that there could be TEMPORARY &/or PERMANENT side effects. Some children start showing signs 2-3 yrs out, while some show signs right away....Natalia began showing signs right away. While she is an ABOVE average student, she has had issues at school in SOME areas.....of course, common core curriculum doesn't help...:( The biggest sign was a week ago.....when she was doing something we have done as a family for at least the past 3 years, and she was disoriented, confused and lost her recollection. TOTAL memory loss. Thank goodness for amazing GODLY friends, who stood there and witnessed the entire episode, and then helped me maintain my composure while praying thru the episode. What a difficult moment to witness....the reality is that my baby is not herself. The reality of the events stated above does NOT take away from the fact that there IS A SOVEREIGN ALMIGHTY GOD, JESUS CHRIST. It is HE who sits on the throne, and sees EVERYTHING. HE who created our eyes sees ALL.....Psalm 94:9 He who planted the ear, shall He not hear? He who formed the eye, shall He not see? Psalm 34:15 The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their cry. Proverbs 15:3 The eyes of the Lord are in every place, Keeping watch on the evil and the good. It is JESUS who is in control of Natalia's life...NOT the doctors, NOT us. It is HE who will decide her outcome, no one else.....therefore, we MUST focus our eyes on JESUS. JESUS will renew our strength to keep on keeping on! JESUS will GIVE US THE VICTORY over these hurdles for HE is our HOPE, our DELIVERER, our STRENGTH, our PEACE, our REFUGE in times of distress.... Nahum 1:7 The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him.... Last week, she received her heart check up and EVERYTHING looked great! Praise JESUS! We are still waiting on a urine culture to recheck her kidneys. This week, she sees our favorite surgeon (Dr. Cheong) to check her leg (praying it has grown and fused), and she will see a neurologist for the cognitive and memory loss issues. Thanks in advance for your prayers!! Isaiah 40:28-31 Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. He gives POWER to the weak, And to those who have no might He INCREASES strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall, But those who wait on The Lord shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and NOT be weary, They shall walk and NOT faint. This promise is ours for the taking....TRUTH.