God's People Step Up

It would be impossible for me to chronicle all of the ways in which fellow believers have been a blessing to us. But I will attempt to mention some of them. From the very beginning the leadership at our school has stepped up. The secondary principle and head of school reached out to us while we were still in the emergency room in Saginaw. At the time, we did not know what was going on. I had only told the secretary that the pediatrician had seen something in Michael’s blood work and told us to get to the emergency room.

The support from the school leadership, the staff, the parents, the students and many others has been overwhelming. People have sent gas cards, gift cards for food, signed up for meals, and most importantly prayed.

The day after we got Michael home was my first time back in church in nearly two weeks. The hugs, gifts, and expressions of love were such a blessing. I had made the decision to have my uncle, a retired pastor fill the pulpit for me, because as of that previous Friday, I did not know when we would be home. So I got to sit and enjoy his sermon that day. Our Sunday night children’s ministry director pulled the teens in with her group for the evening, thus relieving me of my responsibilities of teaching the Sunday evening Teen Bible Study.

That evening, I had the rare privilege of attending our church’s Men’s Bible Study. My cousin Sam was filling in for our normal leader who was out due to having a pacemaker recently put in. The emphasis of the lesson was prayer – specifically that our posture of prayer should be one of adoration for our incredible God.

During the discussion time that followed, my cousin mentioned some distinct memories that he had of prayer meetings when God moved in a special way. One of those memories was at men’s retreat when all of the men in the room gathered around the men who served in full time ministry, laid hands on them and prayed over them. Someone in the room asked if we could do the same for me. And the group immediately agreed.

As I knelt at a chair in the middle of the room, then men of my church gathered round me, laid their hands on me and prayed fervently for me and my family. I could not control my sobs and did not try as the Holy Spirit moved in that room in a way that is hard to adequately put into words. The men prayed for God’s protection, encouragement, and grace for me and my family. I don’t think there was a dry eye in the room when we were finished. I came away encouraged and with a sense of renewed spiritual strength as a direct result of God’s men calling out to Him in prayer.

A few Sundays later, Michael’s aunt stayed at our house with him, and Sarah was able to attend church with the rest of the family. When we walked in, I immediately noticed one of our deacons wearing a hunter’s orange vest. Orange is the color for leukemia awareness. As I scanned the room, I noticed that everyone one in the foyer was wearing some type of orange to show their support for Michael. When the realization of what was going on set in, it moved both Sarah and I to tears. That morning as I preached, I looked out on a sea of orange. My one regret is that we did not get a picture.

The following Sunday, our church took up a love offering for us to help pay for our gas as we travel back and forth to Ann Arbor every week. Sarah was sick and unable to attend that day, but after the service a group of people gathered around me to ask how we were doing. After we talked one of them spontaneously asked if we could pray. Once again, God’s people laid their hands on me and prayed over me and my family. It is hard to put into words how much the support of our church family has meant to us. We are truly blessed.

People from all over the country have reached out to us and let us know that they are praying. My parents’ Sunday School class took up an offering to help with our expenses. So many people have been so gracious and generous to us. We are asking God to help us share that grace with others.