to me!
today marks one year of blogging for me.
when i started this blog a year ago it was a way for me to get my thoughts, feelings and memories down in writing and became a great way to express myself therapeutically.
Then after my kidney's failed it turned into a way to keep friends, family and strangers updated with out having to make a hundred (or so) phone calls a day. And also a great way to relay prayer requests.
Today it is (at least I think it is) a true testament of God's unfailing love and goodness. When you read this journey from beginning to end, which I know many of you have, how can you not see the love of God unfolding before our very eyes? This story has come full circle; from a major loss to a major gain. All within a year.
It seems to me like now would be the perfect time to end this blog. To leave it with the "happily ever after' ending. But then I remember this isnt just a story, its my life and life keeps on living no matter what. And God's name is to be praised no matter what.
The song "Our Hope Endures" by Natalie Grant is the story of my life this past year. Natalie reads my blog and wrote it for me. Ok, so maybe that last part is not entirely true but it could be.
Please read the words, I have a feeling you will find the message it gives oddly familiar.
You would think only so much can go wrong
Calamity only strikes once
And you assume this one has suffered her share
Life will be kinder from here
Oh, but sometimes the sun stays hidden for years
Sometimes the sky rains night after night
When will it clear?
But our Hope endures the worst of conditions
It's more than our optimism
Let the earth quake
Our Hope is unchanged
How do we comprehend peace within pain?
Or joy at a good man's wake?
Walk a mile with the woman whose body is torn
With illness, but she marches on
Oh, 'cause sometimes the sun stays hidden for years
Sometimes the sky rains night after night
When will it clear?
But our Hope endures the worst of conditions
It's more than our optimism
Let the earth quake
Our Hope is unchanged
Emmanuel, God is with us
El Shaddai, all sufficient
We never walk alone
And this is our hope
But our Hope endures the worst of conditions
It's more than our optimism
Let the earth quake
Our Hope is unchanged
God is faithful to us, we will never walk alone. If we just endure our hope in Him even through the worst of conditions he will be our Emmanuel, and our El Shaddai.
Emmanuel, God is with us!
El Shaddai, all sufficient!
From the bottom of my heart, thank you for your prayers throughout this past year.
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26 Responses to “ happy anniversary ”
Thank-you for the year of testimony and glorifying God! You have kept your eyes on Christ--saw the prize in Christ Jesus and kept going on. You did NOT give up on Him! With God directing your path, you will be blessed by following it. We are excited about the new son you are to have soon. Keep loving God, and share that love. We will pray that the little one will come to know Christ at an early age to serve Him with his life.
K & J Sayers
Thank you for sharing your journey with us this past year. God has given you this wonderful gift of showing people that we can't do it without him. I'm praying for you, Robb and your soon to be new little boy.
Nothing is impossible with The Lord! Your life truly shows that, your faith in Him shines through for me to see, and encourages me through my struggles. Keep my faith in Him, always! Not only when things are going my way. Thank You for sharing your hard times and good times. The Lord gives me so many blessings that I fail to acknowledge, He is faithful. You are in my prayers as you take this next step in your life.
God Bless You and your family!
Have a Great Tuesday!!
Amen! Amen! Amen!
(My bloggy anniversary is this week, too!!)
I LOVE that song by Natalie Grant. I am so glad that you started this blog, I know it has personally really helped me through my loss. Love you and GREAT to meet you this weekend.
Kate from WI (I think this is going to be my new nickname.)
Your blog has been a wonderful inspiration for me for the past month or so that i have been reading. you have been through so much and have come out so much stronger for it!
i'm so happy you've come full circle and I hope you keep updates coming about the new baby!!! :)
What a crazy year its been for you Katie! I'm glad your getting your 'happy ending' in a years time. Even though its just the beginning, its been quite the journey for you already. Hopefully this year is much happier for you!
You have truely inspired a lot of us. Your jouney this past year has shown amazing faith and strengthen a lot of us readers.
Hopefully the new year will bring a lot more Hello's and Good bye to the bad days.
We love you!:)
Thank you! You have taught me so much about faith, prayer and hope throughout your incredible journey. You are a true testament to faith and I have the upmost respect for you. I am beyond excited for you to meet your new little boy any day now, to God be the glory!
It HAS been quite the year for you! What an amazing testimony to have though...you are living/walking proof that God does perform miracles!
Happy one year later.....
Carly
Thank you Katie for sharing your story with me, it truly has changed my life! God bless you!
Just like some people say, "everyone should have a therapist" I say EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE A BLOG!
For exactly the reason you have shown with this post - they morph and change, they record who we were and who we become...
Happy Blogoversary to you.
Katie, I am so glad you are going to continue your blog. This is the only way for me to keep up on your new blessing that is on the way. I check it almost every day to see if you have updated it. Your blog has uplifted me in so many ways this past year and I feel as if I know you in person.
Your faith is an inspiration to me.
Lori C
I love your blog....please don't leave us! You are a miracle in yourself. You are such an amazing person and a God loving woman!!! Good luck in your future!!!!
Decatur, Alabama
Thank you for your testimony to us and HAPPY ANNIVERSARY. Your blog has been an inspiration to many and very uplifting to me. :o) Please keep it going!!! I love to read how you are doing.
Happy Anniversary Katie,
Your testimony sure has been a blessing in my life as I read how God has been working out His plan for you. Through the heartbreak and sorrow and through the joy, you give Him all the credit because He is who He promises us He is. My faith and hope has grown by this sharing you have blessed me with. Chapter after chapter, He has been faithful and He is beginning a new chapter again. I hope to follow along if you choose to continue sharing.
Love and Hugs, Laurie
Thank you for sharing your story. I know that this year has had it's ups and downs. I thank for you for allowing us a look into your journey. I for one have been touched by your pure honesty and your faith in Our Lord through it all!
Beautiful post!
Happy anniversary! Please keep blogging, I want to hear how you are doing and "meet" your new little guy!
HI :) I have just discovered your Blog. I am looking forward to going back and reading your posts.
My name is Gina Marie and I am kind of new to this stuff... I went thru a really intense health crisis and my daily life revolved around health/medical appts.,treatments and procedures, I counted my blessings and lived simply being grateful to look out the window and see cloud formations, birds flying over head or flowers blooming. Existence was very basic it was a good day if I was strong enough to sit up a great day when I could be transferred into the wheelchair and wheeled outside into the sunshine. Each time I kept food down it was a Miracle! We prayed that the spasmodic vomiting would end and although I could see the concern in my mother’s eyes she was my Strength and example of unwavering faith through all this! 36 months into this unexpectedly she was called home to Heaven ...I had sensed strongly my mortality even felt some urgency about things being in order and not wanting to leave things undone, I actually was coming to terms with the reality that I may pass on but when my weight started to stabilize and there was improvement we felt encouraged. My Mother and I began to set goals of things to look forward to...she loved life and saw the beauty in humanity. She teased about dancing at my wedding and looked forward being a grandmother and bouncing my babies on her knee one day. The possibility that she might die never crossed my mind. I just never really saw it coming.
People trusted her with their problems, came to her for advice and felt she genuinely cared for and listened to them. It is a challenge to fill her shoes. I feel inadequate to offer guidance to those who are hurting and call hoping for her insight and wisdom as they face struggles in their lives. I understand that they miss her and would like to help fill the void for them but it is tricky.
Friendships are the Legacy she gave me, yet I still feel very alone in this journey of faith. Now it has been six and the initial protection God gave me of being numb and functioning on automatic pilot is melting away and I am feeling again. This process can be surreal and intense. My mother must have been blessed with a foreshadowing, something prompted her to tell me two months prior to her passing over that when it was her time to go she did not want me to grieve long and hard as she had for her mother concerned that it could be unhealthy…she was emphatic that should know I am loved very much and she urged me to live each day with Joy. It was a rare experience for her to discuss the possibility of death. Her mind set had always been so focused on living but I feel it was a gift that offers me some guidance and reassurance. In her honor I want to process grief in a healthy way and I am trying to figure that out now which is why I got on the laptop a friend has loaned me and have googled grief and loss…that is how I found you. Thank you for your gift of sharing and inspiration, If you wish to contact me I can be reached at Lifepreciouslife@gmail.com
Thank you for sharing! Who knew you would get such a following huh? Seeing your faith through all of this helps me to find mine. Watching God's work with you is so amazing.
Wow!! It's been awhile since I've visited your blog and I am so excited to see the wonderful news about your son! I was adopted, so it is so near to my heart and I am so happy for you!
Happy one year!! I just found your blog and have been reading until my eyes cross. Our stories couldn't be any similar but yet different in ways. I was born with one kidney, one ovary and one fallopian tube. My kidney, thankfully is doing great. I have a son who is 5 who was born 7 weeks premature. My daughter, Kate, was stillborn at 26 weeks on 01/17/07 following a miscarriage at 12 weeks on 08/17/07. My due date for the miscarriage (baby Sam) was 02/29/08..your sweet Brenham's birthday.
Your blog is amazing!!
Luck and love,
Kelly
Katie...I, too, LOVE that song, and think it was written just for my Mom! Isn't it great how God can use songwriters to speak His thoughts to us, personally?
Blessings, Tami
Thank you for sharing your wonderful testimony. Your story has been an encouragement to me many times. Congratulations on your new son. I know you can't wait to have him in your arms. You will be in my prayers.
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