Wow, so much has happened in these past three months since the last Random Life. We’re grateful for God’s mercies and His abundant grace during this busy season. Enjoy a very random look!
Love,
Sarah
“For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that
ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the
knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:8).
Happy Monday, y’all! We wanted to share an update on Baby Maddy. She’s made incredible AMAZING progress since Thursday evening when things looked very bad. Maddy came off the ventilator Friday, they sealed the chest tubes one at a time, and the Xrays continue to look better. She’s now on the lowest level of oxygen she can be. We know things can change at any moment because she’s very fragile, but we’re beyond thankful for the vast improvements she’s made. Thank you for praying for her and John and Chelsy. They are so dedicated to spending time with their little girl and love each moment they have. All last week they couldn’t hold her due to her fragile state, but as of yesterday, they could again. What beautiful, amazing things to be grateful for!
Thank you for your encouraging comments. We know many have been through the NICU journey.
Love,
Sarah
“And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward: Not that
we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves;
but our sufficiency is of God” (2 Corinthians 3:4-5).
John and Chelsy’s baby girl, Madeline Sue Maxwell, decided to make a surprise appearance yesterday morning, July 9th, about ten weeks early. Madeline is a little bundle at 3 pounds, 7 ounces and 15 inches long. She is of course in the NICU, and is doing well enough for her gestational age but faces an extended NICU stay of unknown length. We are grateful for God’s hand of mercy and protection through Madeline’s early birth and for His protection on Chelsy as well. We would appreciate prayers for Madeline as she grows and develops outside the womb and for her to be able to go home as soon as possible. Please also pray for Chelsy as she recovers and for grace and strength for John and Chelsy to navigate these new waters.
Madeline is truly a gift from God, and we treasure her life.
(These verses below were special to me the night Madeline was born. As I prayed and cried out to the Lord, I turned to Psalms for comfort, and this is the passage I read. How sweet is God’s Word! — Sarah)
“He trusted on the LORD that he would deliver him:
let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him.
But thou art he that took me out of the womb …
I was cast upon thee from the womb:
thou art my God from my mother’s belly (Psalm 22:8, 9a, 10).”
We know it’s been awhile since there’s been an update from Anna Marie, but here is one today, and she’s doing great! — Sarah
Hello All,
It’s been a while since I updated you. Since the last update, I completed my Phesgo (HER2 targeted therapy); and based on my prior treatments, my oncologist’s research indicated that it wouldn’t be beneficial for me to have a second year of targeted therapy. That means I’m done with the treatments at the hospital cancer center, and am down to just the natural therapies which currently includes a weekly trip to Kansas City (primarily for a high dose Vitamin C IV). And we got other good news recently! The lab test my natural oncologist uses to monitor for circulating tumor cells once again came back with none detected, and while that does not mean for sure that there is no cancer, it’s definitely a good sign that there are currently no detectable circulating tumor cells! Praise the Lord!
Our family is again enjoying the National Bible Bee summer study (a daily Bible study with memory work). The theme this year is “Witness,” and as we’ve been reading/studying the beginning of Acts, one thing that stands out to me is the power of prayer. And I am reminded again how grateful we are for the prayers of all of you on our behalf through this season. Thank you! While we are thankful for doctors and modern research/treatments, as well as the miracle of the human body (imperfect and sin-stained though it may be), no matter what God wills or what He uses, the health we enjoy is definitely a blessing directly from Him. He IS the Great Physician. And, more than our physical needs, I’m grateful that He cares about restoring our souls and bringing us into fellowship with Him through Christ.
Love,
Anna Marie
“And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word, by stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus. And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.” Acts 4:29-31
Recently, all the Maxwell ladies and Gigi enjoyed time together. Chelsy was the coordinator, working weeks in advance to find a time everyone could attend, and that night came.
We met at Olive Garden and spent several hours talking, laughing, and being blessed. There have been many changes over the past few years, from Anna’s marriage to Jesse, to Anna Marie’s cancer, to Elissa’s move, not to mention church changes, babies added, etc.
We love each other and our godly heritage! Thanks, Chelsy, for getting us all together!
“The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places;
yea, I have a goodly heritage” (Psalm 16:4).
Happy Father’s Day, Dad! We’re grateful for you and the godly heritage you passed on to us. Thank you for loving, praying, and investing in our lives! It’s exciting to see the next generation being raised for Jesus.
A Happy Father’s Day also to my brothers: Nathan, Christopher, Joseph, and John. May the Lord continue to lead and guide each of you.
Happy Father’s Day, Dad! We LOVE you!
“And his mercy is on them that fear him
from generation to generation” (Luke 1:50).
