Why the Need for an Army
So this summer's Bible verse at Bible school (I think I shared in a previous email) was:
Do Good
Seek Peace
Go After it
Psalm 34:14
I have thought about this as I have tried to seek purpose (and peace) from this journey (there has got to be another word than journey by now 🙄😊).
But I believe these are simple yet powerful Words to live by. And I think this is at the center of our mission to not only Go After our efforts to fight for a cure for cancer, but also in our efforts to take care of others fighting in the trenches in the same way we have been taken care of.
Mike and I continually talk about the things that were done for us out of Love while we have walked this journey and while he has had extended stays in the hospital. These things are not taken lightly and have forever been printed on our hearts. They are the reason we stand tall today. We have an email chain of over 200 constant prayer warriors. These soldiers stand by ready to not only pray for us, but you all also took action. I made a short list of all the ways we were supported physically. Our family did not suffer under piling up bills. He was graciously paid, although he could not physically work. We are forever grateful for this, and this is part of our drive to help others who do have the weight of these burdens on their shoulders while fighting for their life. We will never be able to repay our family for this gift. We hope we can honor them by paying it forward. I made a list of things people need and what made us feel loved throughout our hospital stays.
Money
Washed clothes
Cleaned house
Toilet paper dropped off
Cards in the mail
Prints and artwork of hope to hang on our walls
Meals from the outside world
Towels
Coffee
Snacks
Entertainment - movies, cards, coloring, Monopoly
Just sitting in prayer
Phone conversations
Texts and emails of inspiring stories or words
Prayer shawls
Blankets
Candy Jolly Ranchers
Music
Paid for valet tickets
Hot dinners
Mini wine bottles snuck in the hospital :)
This is a short list!
We want to start with small acts of kindness, but of course have dreams to grow on a larger scale. Plane tickets to visit family, hotel stays, a month's paycheck, etc.
Our mission is to pay these acts forward as we know the impact of what they do for your spirits in the darkest of days . We want to make others feel this same kind of love. Because just in knowing you are not alone, you gain the courage and will to keep fighting.
There are countless people I watched who walked this journey alone, while drowning in financial burdens, who sat by themselves, who had no visitors, and had loved ones working overtime. Their families were miles away and could not come visit or stay with them everyday. This leads to depression, and doubt outshines hope. We witnessed this.
In the beginning, our hopes are to keep it simple. To share love any way we can.
My inspiration, Penny Hill, lost her battle with lung cancer on October 4, 2016.
There is a story of her in her last months where she continued to give me hope.
She said: even here, in this hospital bed, I am capable of sharing love. That’s all that is important.
So I hope I can honor her in these efforts to share love.
If we feel loved, we can share love... that’s all there is to it.
Join our army.
We can promise one thing.
Feel love. Share love. That’s all.