Roar.
Did you ever go through something hard and wonder if God really was with you in the battle?
I’m not going to lie.
I’ve been there.
There have even been times when I’ve challenged God to show me a tangible sign so I knew we weren’t alone.
These past few weeks have been incredible hard in many different ways.
Coming to terms with the fact that “Brady’s best shot” at beating cancer had failed, as well as the fact that it had infiltrated his spinal fluid, plus learning that two of the targeted therapies had also failed has been hard.
Like super hard.
But then today.
Today our valley felt as if it got raised up just a bit.
Today we got one of those signs that help remind us that God is with us.
A sign that he can make our mountains low.
That He is light our path and making a way for us to journey this jungled wilderness that we find ourselves in.
Brady felt so good that for the first time in several weeks we took a wagon load of battle pups with us. We were met with so many hearts of gratitude that I know it helped his soul as much as it helped mine.
Then the best.
The one that just makes my heart flutter.
Today we heard the words, “it doesn’t make sense.”
I have come to love those simple words.
I love them because what follows is normally the sign that God knows I need to hear and see to know that we aren’t alone.
Today we showed up for Brady’s platelet and blood infusion.
The infusion we knew he would need because he was already low on Friday after two bags.
They pulled labs in his arm while we waited on the vat team to arrive. The vat team got there and got his iv placed while we got to catch up with Kayla, Brady’s bff nurse on the 12th floor.
About five minutes after they left his other nurse came in.
She opened the door and said, “you are not going to believe this,” she smiled as she looked at the paperwork she was holding, “Brady’s platelets and hemoglobin went up. He doesn’t need any infusions today.”
She went on to tell us that she even talked to his main oncologist who was also in disbelief.
“What?” She had asked Valerie, “Brady Martin?? His platelets went up? That isn’t possible.”
That isn’t possible.
And there it is.
Prepare the way.
Prepare the way of the Lord.
The nudge I needed to confirm and remind me of His unending promise to never leave us, no matter where we find ourselves on the trail.
So despite the platelet ravaging immunotherapy he received on Friday, Brady’s platelets increased over the weekend.
They increased.
They grew in number like the fish in Peter’s net when Jesus called to him and said, Follow Me.”
It doesn’t make sense to the onlooker. The one who doesn’t realize. The one who doesn’t understand. The one who doesn’t know the great I Am.
But to us, well, it is the clearest picture of prayers of strength and healing coming true in the midst of this second battle.
It is the clearest picture of the love that is surrounding us each step of this journey. Of God making His glory known to everyone seeing or reading this.
We packed up our stuff and headed home just one hour after arriving.
On the way, Brady and I belted out these lyrics so loud I’m sure the cars around us could hear…
“O valley, be raised up
O mountain, be made low
O valley, be raised up
O mountain, be made low
Roar! (Roar!)
Roar! (Roar!)
Let the Lion roar! (Roar!)
Roar! (Roar!)”
We got to Chipotle to meet Chris and Aubrey for lunch when we saw the second reassurance of the day.
Brady’s spinal fluid biopsy results from Friday were back.
The cancer blasts that had infiltrated his spin are now gone.
His spinal fluid is now cleared of leukemia.
“Hail, hail Lion of Judah
Let the Lion roar”
We still have a long and treacherous road ahead, but today felt like fresh air in our lungs.
Tonight is for smiling. For singing. For swimming. And for celebrating each and every victory along the way.
Tonight our Lion is roaring just a bit louder.
Sorry cancer. We don’t go down easy.
Shields up.
Swords out.
All for His glory,
Kristin
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