Hello- Asking Why?? Sruggling

[tomalama1]

37 year old father of 2 girls.
My 7 year old was diagnosed in May of 2007,
with brain cancer (currently in remission).
My 3 year was recently diagnosed with Chiari 1 Malformation
(needs brain surgery).
Now, just yesterday my wife to was diagnosed with Chiari 1 Malformation!!
she too will require brain surgery....
I have become very angry and grouchy most of the time.
I struggle with understanding Why my family???
Everything used to be so normal....
Now, our lives revolve around Drs, pokes, Mri scans.....
Every three months my 7 year old has mri scans
So we live in 3 month intervals praying the cancer stays away!
We attend a small Lutheran Church and love to go to church..
Why are we getting all of this handed to us?

[Dude]

Welcome...........

[Sojourner]

A Grief So Overwhelming The Heart Would Almost Break


In 1871, tragedy struck Chicago as fire ravaged the city. When it was all over, 300 people were dead and 100,000 were homeless. Horatio Gates Spafford was one of those who tried to help the people of the city get back on their feet. A lawyer who had invested much of his money into the downtown Chicago real estate, he'd lost a great deal to the fire. And his one son (he had four daughters) had died about the same time. Still, for two years Spafford--who was a friend of evangelist Dwight Moody--assisted the homeless, impoverished, and grief-stricken ruined by the fire.

After about two years of such work, Spafford and his family decided to take a vacation. They were to go to England to join Moody and Ira Sankey on one of their evangelistic crusades, then travel in Europe. Horatio Spafford was delayed by some business, but sent his family on ahead. He would catch up to them on the other side of the Atlantic.

Their ship, the Ville de Havre, never made it. Off Newfoundland, it collided with an English sailing ship, the Loch Earn, and sank within 20 minutes. Though Horatio's wife, Anna, was able to cling to a piece of floating wreckage (one of only 47 survivors among hundreds), their four daughters--Maggie, Tanetta, Annie, and Bessie--were killed. Horatio received a horrible telegram from his wife, only two words long: "saved alone."

Spafford boarded the next available ship to be near his grieving wife, and the two finally met up with Dwight Moody. "It is well," Spafford told him quietly. "The will of God be done."

Though reports vary as to when he did so, Spafford was led during those days of surely overwhelming grief to pen the words to one of the most beautiful hymns we know, beloved by Christians lowly and great. Though not yet (to my knowledge) in Catholic hymnals, it has long been a favorite of Baptists (and other evangelicals) including Martin Luther King.

Who can say what it is about life that leads us to such a peace ... like a river. Who can say what ingredients it takes, for this person or that, that transforms such overwhelming sadness into personal peace, or brings healing, or ... leads our souls to a new depth, or compassion. Langston spoke of his people, whose souls had grown .... deep .... like a river. Perhaps the answers lie in the heart. And for each one, whatever the answer is, it comes in a kind of poignant solitude unapproachable in any other way. I ask this, though I just don't know for sure.

PEACE LIKE A RIVER

When peace like a river, attendeth my way;
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well with my soul.

It is well...with my soul... It is well, it is well, with my soul...

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ hath regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

It is well...with my soul... It is well, it is well, with my soul...

He lives--oh, the bliss of this glorious thought;
My sin, not in part, but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more.
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, Oh my soul.

It is well...with my soul... It is well, it is well, with my soul...

And, Lord, haste the day when our faith shall be sight
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll,
The trumpet shall sound, and the Lord shall descend;
Even so, it is well with my soul...

It is well...with my soul... It is well, it is well, with my soul...

~~Horatio Gates Spafford
[1873]
Read Psalm 90

You need much prayer from us.

[sistershalom]

Heavens... I will pray for you and your family... I am so sorry for your sufferings and want to tell you something you already know... What came to my mind while reading your story was a song lyric... " A man in my shoes shines a light..." JESUS is with you and your family and he is suffering with you... And he can heal your family... I will ask him to shine his light on you and yours... and in his still quiet voice talk to you in love...

[livingwaters]

Prayers going up for you and your family. The Word says to rejoice in trials and tribulations; it worketh patience....patience is a great possession, not many of us have it!!!! Just remember, glorify the Lord, praise HIS name....that's what HIS Word says......give glory for the things you do have. Give him glory that HE gives you and yours breath every day!!! Make sure you seek HIM night and day....voice your petitions to HIM and wait to hear from HIM!!!! When we are at our lowest, God can shine the most!!!! Run the race, as Apostle Paul said....don't grow weary and faint!! Be content with much or litte....look around....there surely are some worst off than you and yours.....the key, is Thanksgiving...:pray::pray:I pray that you will receive the greatest breakthrough from our Father that you may see HIS mighty hand at work. When you do, be sure to glorify HIS magnificent name....Alleluia!!!!!!! Remember, God can always change doctor's reports....it happens all the time....be strong and have faith the size of a mustard seed......command that mountain of illness to bound on earth as it is in Heaven...we have to speak what the Words says......the tongue has power over life and death.....so, use it to speak God's Word into your lives.

God Bless:)

[Diggindeeper]

I am reminded of Job, with all his sufferings. And oh my goodness, his sufferings were many and great. But yet, the scriptures describe Job this way:

Job 1:1
1 There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.

Job--that man was PERFECT and UPRIGHT, and shunned and seemed to do all he could to avoid evil in any manner. And yet, look what all happened to him!
He must have been absolutely overwhelmed with one grief and one heartache after another.

You ask, "Why my family???
Everything used to be so normal....
Why are we getting all of this handed to us?"

Well, it does not mean you or your family have done anything wrong. I assure you of that! Often it is those who ARE secure in whom they believe who are the most heavily attacked by the fiery darts of the devil, as proven by the story of Job. Consider this:

Job 1:7-12
7 And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.

8 And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?
(God KNEW how righteous and upright Job was! He knew! But, still allowed him to be attacked by the enemy!)

9 Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?

10 Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.

11 But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.
Satan sure had this wrong, didn't he? Satan told God, "Remove that hedge you have around him and he will CURSE you to your face!" But Job didn't do that! No matter what...he remained faithful to God. As difficult as it must have been, during all the pain thrust upon him. Job did not deserve any pain that was inflicted, but he had to endure...and he did!)

12 And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.

God allowed it, but none of it was caused by God. There is a difference.

Please know that I am praying for your family in your trials. I promise. I really do know this kind of pain, and I am praying.

At this very moment, I have a prayer request in the Prayer forum for our tiny family member...a tiny, premature baby battling blindness, and hearing loss, due to some kind of cyst in her little brain. (It can't be drained, and they had hoped to do laser surgery, but can't. She is facing invasive surgery, blindness, and deafness for the rest of her life.) She too is facing brain surgery, but is yet too small and not strong enough to go through it.

So, Sir, whenever I am praying for our family little baby, I promise to also pray for your wife and children. :hug:

[kricaud]

I am so sorry to hear of your struggles! As a parent, that would be one of the most difficult things to endure.

I'm sure that there are times that you don't feel His presence, but remember that God is ALWAYS WITH YOU AND YOUR FAMILY! Hold firm to His loving hand and pray for comfort, peace and healing. Maybe God is using you to touch the lives of other families who are also struggling with medical issues and trusting you to be a witness for Him through this difficult time.

Dear Lord,
Please give comfort and healing to this family who is struggling and enduring so many physical ailments now. Lay your healing hand on all of them that they may have a full recovery. Give comfort and peace to them that they may feel Your presence with them in all things. Hold them firm in your care and fill them with the comfort and peace that whatever this life holds, you have made an everlasting place for us in your mansion that will be beyond anything we have ever experienced or imagined in this world. In all things may your will be done and grant the ability to accept your will Lord.
Amen