Mi Familia
Well Well,,,
it has been far too long yet again. However it is sooner than 3 years so you should be thankful. Where do i begin my family. This year has been incredible and incredibly difficult. Good and Bad, Jim described it the best, foggy, with sunny periods. So where to begin. My last post i believe was january of last year. At that time i was full on in Fernie working with Skiers and Snowboarders for Christ. What an incredible experience. that i would most likley never do again. at least in that way. i had a fantastic-ally short season- working with SFC. RUnning our snowboard Team, team Grom, and being mr hospitality for dinner on the house. However, on that fatefull day, of friday the 13th, everything would change. I tore all the ligaments in my knee and i was out for the season. spending the rest of my season locked in my room doing homework. Yet God blessed me so richley in that. This was his way of getting my attention and saying SLOW DOWN. so i did. Not like i had a choice i couldnt walk.
So after that i spent alot of time doing more behind the scenes work, and relationship building. Than i left. it was bitter sweet. i loved that small town, but it was time to leave. so i packed up my life, and headed home on april 1st. This was to be the ongest period of time i had spent at home since grade 11. I was looking foward to it and very nervous. i came home and i did nothing. this was the first time i had ever done nothing. i spent the next 26 days hanging out with my mom which was so needed. than i was off to camp april 27th. I was so excited. more excited than i had ever been going into a summer. but who wouldnt be i had the best Job. I got to work with SHeri Geiger, Kristie Voth and Jim Badke all day everyday. And not to mention my incredible CITs whom i love so dearly. This summer was the best and the most difficult one i have had to endure. within the first month of the summer, i recieved an email saying "mom is in the emergency" this was a week after it had happened. Its always great getting an emaillike this. Especially 15 minutes before your CIts are coming. I find it quite difficult to be excited for CITS when your mom is dieing in the hospital. SO i phone home to find out my mom was rushed to hospital with severe kidney failure, after a weekend, of what felt like having my heart ripped out of my chest, i raced home. Raced home to see my mothers frail body in a hospital bed. The cancer had spread, it was now ravaging her body, shutting down her kidneys, infecting her spine and her legs. This is where my entire summer changed.
I had the weight of home continually looming over me as i was at camp. How was i supposed to disciple these young men, when it seemed as though my life was fallling apart. But by the grace of God i did it. and id like to think i did it well. With none of my own strength. My entire summer ws about humbling myself before the lord daily so he could work, it was about being softened and transformed as a man. It was not easy. It was about allowing others to care for me, it was about stepping back, and stepping up. This summer the lord did incredible works. I saw so many young men come with a flickr of passion for the lord, leaving completley on fire for him. God is sooo good.
I know im rambling, im sorry, but i need to.
After summer i was home for 3 days, than off to good ol bcrest where i am now. What an amazing blessing. I went to briercrest, not knowing why i was there. I decided the night before i needed to be there that i was going to go. It was a heart breaking decsion to leave my mom but i had peace about it. And to be quite honest i didnt know why i was there until last thursday, when i left. I came home on thursday, because i wouldnt have anymore chances to except for a week at christmas. So i flew home. My mothers health is deteriorating quickly. she can no longer walk for more than a couple steps, meaning minimal tasks she can no longer do. Her life consists of lying on a couch all day long, contemplating her existence. It is the most heartbreaking think a child can watch their mother go through. But as i got off the plane i knew i needed to be home. I needed to be there for her, for stew, but most importantly Jesse. We dont know how much time she has, no one will tell us, but when she does leave us jesse needs a role model, jesse needs someone stable. And the Lord has been preparing me ofr this day since i arrived at Bcrest. Thats why i was there this semester. I needed to be away so he could prepare me for what is to come. and for that i am so thankful. I dont know what the outcome of this turmoil will be but i know it will be for the Glory of the Lord an for that i praise him. I dont expect many of you to understand this. Most dont when i explain to them that i rejoice in what is happening. Of course i have times where i feel utter despair and have no idea what to do. i am human. however the lord is good and has given me kingdom eyes, a focus that is fixated upon him giving me exactly what i need.
SO where am i at now. Well i am on my pareents couch just getting ready to go to the airport. ok. thats probably not what you wanted to know. This week has been so many things for me. it has been eye opening. giving me clarity and direction. it has been difficult, revealing what this next year wil look like, and it has been so blessed. I have had so many people praying for me, including you guys and i can so feel it. I know that i am not completely ready to come back yet, thats why i have the rest of this semester, to be fully rooted in the word, and in prayer. to be honest im not looking forward to coming home because it will mean alot of sitting. and you all know how much i hate sitting around. it will require me watching my moter perish before my eyes, and it will require me to be the rock of this famiuly which is a rather large task. so if you guys would continue to pray, i would love nothing more.
i would love to share with you one last story. one night i was praying and this was just after i found out the current state of my mom. I prayed as i always do for her salvation. that the veil would be torn and scales cast from her eyes, allowing her to see the truth. and through that that she would also be healed physically. than God gave me some scripture. WHich i didnt realize until the next morning i chapel. it was 2 corinthians12:8-10. Paul is given a thorn in his flesh and he pleads with God 3 times asking him to remove it. but god says no. he says my grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness... oh no. it hit me. God spoke to me. he said tyler i will not take this away from you. Although thats really all i wanted. But he said "my grace is sufficient for you my son" i am all you need. you dont need this to pass. you need me. you need my grace. He said to me that my moithers health would not get better. it would get worse. this was only the beginning. But his grace is sufficient for me. his power is made perfect in my weakness. Liek paul i am content with weakness, insults, hardships, persecutions and calamities. This was a difficult thing to hear, but it has been so good. I am ready to face it. The Lord has blessed me so richly
so if you would continue to pray for
it has been far too long yet again. However it is sooner than 3 years so you should be thankful. Where do i begin my family. This year has been incredible and incredibly difficult. Good and Bad, Jim described it the best, foggy, with sunny periods. So where to begin. My last post i believe was january of last year. At that time i was full on in Fernie working with Skiers and Snowboarders for Christ. What an incredible experience. that i would most likley never do again. at least in that way. i had a fantastic-ally short season- working with SFC. RUnning our snowboard Team, team Grom, and being mr hospitality for dinner on the house. However, on that fatefull day, of friday the 13th, everything would change. I tore all the ligaments in my knee and i was out for the season. spending the rest of my season locked in my room doing homework. Yet God blessed me so richley in that. This was his way of getting my attention and saying SLOW DOWN. so i did. Not like i had a choice i couldnt walk.
So after that i spent alot of time doing more behind the scenes work, and relationship building. Than i left. it was bitter sweet. i loved that small town, but it was time to leave. so i packed up my life, and headed home on april 1st. This was to be the ongest period of time i had spent at home since grade 11. I was looking foward to it and very nervous. i came home and i did nothing. this was the first time i had ever done nothing. i spent the next 26 days hanging out with my mom which was so needed. than i was off to camp april 27th. I was so excited. more excited than i had ever been going into a summer. but who wouldnt be i had the best Job. I got to work with SHeri Geiger, Kristie Voth and Jim Badke all day everyday. And not to mention my incredible CITs whom i love so dearly. This summer was the best and the most difficult one i have had to endure. within the first month of the summer, i recieved an email saying "mom is in the emergency" this was a week after it had happened. Its always great getting an emaillike this. Especially 15 minutes before your CIts are coming. I find it quite difficult to be excited for CITS when your mom is dieing in the hospital. SO i phone home to find out my mom was rushed to hospital with severe kidney failure, after a weekend, of what felt like having my heart ripped out of my chest, i raced home. Raced home to see my mothers frail body in a hospital bed. The cancer had spread, it was now ravaging her body, shutting down her kidneys, infecting her spine and her legs. This is where my entire summer changed.
I had the weight of home continually looming over me as i was at camp. How was i supposed to disciple these young men, when it seemed as though my life was fallling apart. But by the grace of God i did it. and id like to think i did it well. With none of my own strength. My entire summer ws about humbling myself before the lord daily so he could work, it was about being softened and transformed as a man. It was not easy. It was about allowing others to care for me, it was about stepping back, and stepping up. This summer the lord did incredible works. I saw so many young men come with a flickr of passion for the lord, leaving completley on fire for him. God is sooo good.
I know im rambling, im sorry, but i need to.
After summer i was home for 3 days, than off to good ol bcrest where i am now. What an amazing blessing. I went to briercrest, not knowing why i was there. I decided the night before i needed to be there that i was going to go. It was a heart breaking decsion to leave my mom but i had peace about it. And to be quite honest i didnt know why i was there until last thursday, when i left. I came home on thursday, because i wouldnt have anymore chances to except for a week at christmas. So i flew home. My mothers health is deteriorating quickly. she can no longer walk for more than a couple steps, meaning minimal tasks she can no longer do. Her life consists of lying on a couch all day long, contemplating her existence. It is the most heartbreaking think a child can watch their mother go through. But as i got off the plane i knew i needed to be home. I needed to be there for her, for stew, but most importantly Jesse. We dont know how much time she has, no one will tell us, but when she does leave us jesse needs a role model, jesse needs someone stable. And the Lord has been preparing me ofr this day since i arrived at Bcrest. Thats why i was there this semester. I needed to be away so he could prepare me for what is to come. and for that i am so thankful. I dont know what the outcome of this turmoil will be but i know it will be for the Glory of the Lord an for that i praise him. I dont expect many of you to understand this. Most dont when i explain to them that i rejoice in what is happening. Of course i have times where i feel utter despair and have no idea what to do. i am human. however the lord is good and has given me kingdom eyes, a focus that is fixated upon him giving me exactly what i need.
SO where am i at now. Well i am on my pareents couch just getting ready to go to the airport. ok. thats probably not what you wanted to know. This week has been so many things for me. it has been eye opening. giving me clarity and direction. it has been difficult, revealing what this next year wil look like, and it has been so blessed. I have had so many people praying for me, including you guys and i can so feel it. I know that i am not completely ready to come back yet, thats why i have the rest of this semester, to be fully rooted in the word, and in prayer. to be honest im not looking forward to coming home because it will mean alot of sitting. and you all know how much i hate sitting around. it will require me watching my moter perish before my eyes, and it will require me to be the rock of this famiuly which is a rather large task. so if you guys would continue to pray, i would love nothing more.
i would love to share with you one last story. one night i was praying and this was just after i found out the current state of my mom. I prayed as i always do for her salvation. that the veil would be torn and scales cast from her eyes, allowing her to see the truth. and through that that she would also be healed physically. than God gave me some scripture. WHich i didnt realize until the next morning i chapel. it was 2 corinthians12:8-10. Paul is given a thorn in his flesh and he pleads with God 3 times asking him to remove it. but god says no. he says my grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness... oh no. it hit me. God spoke to me. he said tyler i will not take this away from you. Although thats really all i wanted. But he said "my grace is sufficient for you my son" i am all you need. you dont need this to pass. you need me. you need my grace. He said to me that my moithers health would not get better. it would get worse. this was only the beginning. But his grace is sufficient for me. his power is made perfect in my weakness. Liek paul i am content with weakness, insults, hardships, persecutions and calamities. This was a difficult thing to hear, but it has been so good. I am ready to face it. The Lord has blessed me so richly
so if you would continue to pray for
- the salvation of my mom (wendy)
- that i would continue to be weak, humble, soft
- that i would continue to soften
- would you pray that i continue to seek the lord steadfastly, forsaking all things that try and get in my way.
posted by TYLERcassidy at 9:41 AM
3 comments
