Dear Teri,
You can never know what day will change your life forever. Today is one of those days. May 7, 2004. You had no idea when you took the girl across the street to have her portraits made while Scott was at the doctor how much your life was going to change.
Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic purpura: a bleeding disorder in which the immune system destroys platelets, which are necessary for normal blood clotting. Persons with the disease have too few platelets in the blood. {U.S. National Library of Medicine}
Amazing how three words can make everything you thought you knew fade into nothing.
When the doctor explains this diagnosis as you and Scott sit in an ER room, your heart is going to pound like never before. You’re going to feel so many emotions over the next days and years. Fear, frustration, and sometimes, just plain old mad. It’s okay. Because what you cannot see now is that God’s plan for you is still good, so very good.
He hasn’t lost sight of you, not for one second.
This diagnosis will change Scott. It will change you. And it will change your girl. You will see things more clearly. You will grasp anew the frailty of life. You will realize the necessity of living in the moment, of treasuring every. single. day.
Teri, in the midst of all of this, God is going to do an amazing work in your heart. You’re going to experience Him as Jehovah-Jireh, your Provider, in ways you never dreamed possible.
Your girl is going to ask you some hard questions. The hardest one, “Is my daddy going to die?” is going to break your heart. But your honesty with her, your willingness to cry with her, to be honest about your own fears, is going to help her – and you – face the challenging days ahead.
And in all of this, I want you to remember to treasure the moments! Laugh hard, live well, and love big. And keep your heart stayed on Him.
Love, Teri
Dearest Teri!
Thank you for sharing your heart on this day in your life. I have not had the blessing of meeting you but I do know Scott through my pastor hubby, Mike Colston, in that they lived close to one another growing up in Muscle Shoals. I just wanted you to know that during those days when we heard the news, Mike and I began to pray diligently for God to show HImself faithful to your family and He has and He continues to do so. What a mighty God we serve!
Mike and I are currently serving a wonderful inner city church in Frankfort, KY, the capitol city of the commonwealth of KY. God brought us here almost two years ago as He uprooted us from some very difficult circumstances in our former church ( because we chose to operate in God’s standards and not mans) and placed us here in a place of His desiring for us and we are resting in Him and continuing to be faithful to follow His ways.
I just wanted to take a moment today to say thank you for sharing this tender part of your life with us. God truly is faithful and will continue to grow you and your beautiful family in His time and for His glory! Love you sweet sister in Christ even though we have not yet met!
You are an awesome Woman of God! Thank you for continuing to share your heart!
Deb
Thank you, Deb! Scott speaks so highly of Mike. I appreciate you taking a moment to leave such a kind comment and word of encouragement for me.