Eyes On The Prize

Posted on March 21, 2012 by Debbie

Eight and a half weeks of bed rest complete. Six and a half weeks remain. At the doctor last Thursday I received more good news: my cervix is totally closed again, I can sit up for four hours a day, and I can go to church every week! Just to know I have the option to sit up feels like a new freedom.

Sunday marked 30 weeks in this pregnancy, which means I only have about 10 more weeks until I’m holding the baby in my arms. I’ve been so focused on getting through each day that I’ve hardly thought about the end of this journey. It had seemed so far away, but now feels like its right around the corner. I think as the end of this race draws near it is even harder to be disciplined.

Over the weekend Jeff ran the Go Ruck Challenge. As a team, the 28 people who signed up loaded their backpacks with 40 pounds of bricks and water, and set off at 1am to do whatever their leader told them. Twelve hours and 20 miles later they completed their journey. Push ups, sit ups, carrying each other, in and out of Lake Michigan, up and down hills, crawling, crab walking, and more. They were exhausted and sore, but they finished the race and they did it together.

The journey of faith is hard to complete on your own. It’s so much better to have other believers surrounding you, encouraging you, facing challenges with you. I went to church Sunday for the first time in 9 weeks. I had tears in my eyes just walking in. Even though we didn’t see people we know, it was encouraging to know all the people around us are also walking in faith following Christ.

I think church is such a special place to come together with other believers and worship the Lord. We can lean on each other to finish the race.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1-2

Kilimanjaro or Bed Rest (Part 2)

Posted on February 12, 2012 by Debbie

I don’t think I answered the question of which one is harder: climbing Kilimanjaro or 15 weeks of bed rest. Last week I probably would have said Kilimanjaro. This week bed rest is getting to me a little.

I’ve found myself longing for strange things, like to go to Target. Who can live four months without going to Target?! My sisters gave me all their maternity clothes, most of which are really cute, but instead I’m wearing t-shirts and pajama pants. The one day each week I go to the doctor is my chance to dress nice, except when I come home I’ll be stuck downstairs the rest of the day so I still have to wear something comfortable. Oh the challenges…

Kilimanjaro required a lot of physical training to prepare, as well as a new level of mental toughness. Although I think disciplining my mind is certainly paying off now. What got me through the grueling 8 hour summit in the middle of the night in below zero temperatures was the thought that I’ll have a picture of me at the top and it will be my Facebook profile picture forever. Funny motivation.

One of the most challenging parts of Kilimanjaro for me was not having a lot of people to talk to. I love Jeff, and we had a great time, but I was longing for more people to build relationships with. In comparison, one of the best parts of bed rest are the relationships I’m building with people. I don’t think I could do this without so many friends and family spending time with me. It seems like I’m busier on bed rest than I was before! Having people scheduled to visit really gives me something to look forward to, a reason to put on real clothes, and makes the weeks go faster.

In conclusion, as of now having completed three weeks of bed rest, I think Kilimanjaro was harder. We’ll revisit this topic in a few more weeks and see if I’ve changed my mind. Also, my visitor schedule is open Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday this week so send me an email if you’d like one of those slots 🙂

Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble…A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken. (Ecclesiastes 4:9–12)

Kilimanjaro or Bed Rest?

Posted on February 7, 2012 by Debbie

Climbing Kilimanjaro or bed rest, which one is harder, a friend asked me recently. Both take mental strength, but I didn’t have to run and lift weights for nine months to prepare for bed rest. I posted previously about how our vacations have prepared me for bed rest, but it’s always fun to talk about Kilimanjaro so lets dig in.

5.5 days to the summit (19,341 feet) and 1.5 days to get back down. Below 10,000 feet is a lush rainforest but beyond that Kilimanjaro has almost no vegetation. On day 1 we passed 10,000 feet, making us above the rainforest and above the cloud line. The ground had changed from green to dusty dry rocks. It reminds me of a story Jesus tells in Matthew 13:

When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path. As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away. As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.

When people hear God’s Word, there are a few responses:
1. Hears it, receives it with joy, but has no root, and falls away when there are hardships
2. Hears it, but is too concerned about worldly things, and therefore bears no fruit for God
3. Hears the word, understands it, and is fruitful

When we were walking through the rainforest of Kilimanjaro it was hard, it was steep, but there was shade from the trees. There were animals to see. We were surrounded by beautiful green trees. Walking on the dusty rocks was difficult. It was dirty and hot and hard to balance on some of the boulders. There was no vegetation and no animals. The only scenery was the summit, which always seemed miles and miles away.

Looking at the list, I want to be number three. I want to hear and understand God’s word. I want to put into practice what I learn in the Bible. What do you want to be?

What’s On Your Mind?

Posted on February 1, 2012 by Debbie

I’ve realized that Jeff has helped prepare me for bed rest throughout our marriage. At this point it really seems like a mental game: how to stay sane, how to not worry, how to keep my mind on good things. Several of our vacations have required similar mental perseverance.

Mammoth Cave is the largest cave system in the world and it’s located in Kentucky. We planned a trip to Mammoth to celebrate our first anniversary. Parts of the cave are huge! Large enough that they used to have church down there and weddings for hundreds of guests. Most tours are casual walk through parts of the cave where you learn the history. But one tour really caught Jeff’s eye:

Wild Cave Tour
Difficulty: Strenuous
Beautiful, yet physically demanding
6 hours, only 14 participants

We put on our hiking boots, old clothes to throw away after crawling through dirt, and we were on our way. At the introduction the guide said if you aren’t comfortable crawling through the small lid of a garbage can, this isn’t for you. Who is comfortable crawling through that, I wondered. But at least I was the smallest person on the trip. If all of these men fit through then I’ll fit too.

I wouldn’t consider myself claustrophobic, but when you are laying on your stomach, can only see the boots of the person in front of you, have rock walls touching all your sides and you’re hundreds of feet under ground, you start to reconsider claustrophobia. The guide yells back our next move, “Next we’ll be going through Hell Hole. It’s about 40 yards of crawling on your stomach over rough jagged rocks.” Did I voluntarily sign up for this?

“Isn’t this cool?!” Jeff exclaims, grinning from ear to ear. “It’s great,” I respond straight faced. If you say it enough maybe it’ll start to be true, right? Many times I had breakdowns in my head and gave myself pep talks, especially when I had to crawl past a large spider and the space didn’t look big enough for both of us.

Six hours later we were walking upright towards the finish line. Though the end was in sight, I was regretting it. “Lord, I didn’t want to just make it through and survive this. I wanted to enjoy Your creation and treasure this time since most people never see these parts of the cave,” I silently prayed. I heard God say to me, “Just like there is so much more to discover about this cave, you have so much more to discover about Me.”

God wasn’t saying I didn’t know Him, but that there is always more to learn and grow. Almost every part of me wants this time of bed rest to fly by. But I know God is telling me to surrender, yield to Him, and treasure this time of waiting.

“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You. Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD GOD is an everlasting rock.” Isaiah 26:3-4

Walk by Faith, Not by Sight

Posted on January 28, 2012 by Debbie

Climbing Kilimanjaro our route went in a circle around the mountain before we reached the summit. I could see the top from almost everywhere, but I had to trust our guide to take us there and to pick a good path. Each day we made it to the next camp site in a timely and safe manner. Each day Mark, our guide, was earning my trust. Honestly in the beginning I tried to keep track of where we were. What if something happened to Mark? How would we find our way? But as time went on I came to trust Mark and have faith he would take us the right way, even when I couldn’t see it.

Following Jesus is similar. We might not be so sure in the beginning but as time goes on we learn we can trust Him. Jesus is faithful, He loves us, He has good plans for us. He is who I want to guide my life.

Yesterday I had my first doctor’s appointment since the surgery. I’ve continued to have a confidence that everything is going to be ok. But I prayed in the morning, “Lord I believe everything will be ok, but it’d be really nice to have some medical reassurance.”

God answered my prayer. The doctor was very pleased with the position of the stitch and said my body has responded well to it. My cervix was even a little longer than it was post-surgery. Thank you Lord! I wanted to believe even if it was bad news but I was so encouraged and relieved to hear some good news. I will walk by faith, but I’m thankful God sometimes let’s us see.