One year ago today.

This photo popped up in my photos today, and reminds me of so much this past year that has been really hard:

-Hearing he had a concussion from a fall in the middle of the night

-Coming home from Paris last year because of this guys fall.

-Cancelling our anniversary trip to the Amalfi Coast

-Going through nose surgery a few days later bc the bones “were like a bag of potato chips” in there (Drs words)

-Helping him recover from surgery, only to notice strange things happening to him…

-Realizing something was very wrong when he started shuffling his feet, feeling exhausted ALL the time and not being able to tie his shoes.

-Having the MRI technician wheel him directly from the MRI room into the ER for emergency surgery

-Hearing he had a brain bleed that was causing all of this, and the Dr not giving the best prognosis

-Having our family rush to the hospital to say they love him before surgery bc we didn’t know what was going to happen

-Recovering in the ICU for a week, right before Thanksgiving, with seizures that would put him on strong meds for months afterwards.

-Trying to enjoy the holidays in this new normal.

-Empty nesting in a rental as our new home was being built.

-And then his cancer journey we’re on…

I say all this out loud because maybe like me, you also have a tendency to brush things off and think everything’s fine. Do you go through the motions, do what needs to be done,  not realizing or acknowledging that what we’ve walked through this past year has been really, really hard?

I’m realizing that acknowledging, remembering and sharing are all ways that God shows us what He’s walked {WITH US} through. It helps us to recognize (and admit or accept) that it WAS a lot!  We also may need reminding that He is there in those dark nights of uncertainty.  It’s so important to see that in our joy and in our sorrow, He is always WITH us.

Listen to what Jesus says in Matthew 28, and the following commentary:

“…teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”Matthew 28:19-20

“The word translated "always" in this verse comes from a special Greek phrase only used here in the New Testament: pasas tas hēmeras. It literally means "the whole of every day." This is then extended to all eternity with the expression h󠅍eōs tēs synteleias tou aiōnos: "even to the end of the age." Jesus' promise is to be with His followers—in Spirit and in Truth (John 4:24) every minute of every day, until the very end of the present age, and into eternal life beyond.” (Enduring Word Commentary)

So friends… this Monday morning I hope this truth brings you great comfort.  It does to my heart today. I can look back and see hard things He’s brought me through and then trust that He will be with us all the way through… to the end, as well. Can I get a Yes & Amen!🙌🏻

““Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.” John 14:1

I hope you believe too.

If you’re going through hard things, I’d love to pray for you. Please know you can reach out, ask questions about this Jesus I always talk about… or simply write me a message to pray for you. God knows all the details of our lives, so trust Him with hem today friends.

Hugs to all,

Laura McCollough

P.S. I’m getting all the contracts together for the 3 retreats next year and will be sending out a “welcome email” with travel tips, the contract and payment plan schedules. Look for that this week if you’ve signed up for a retreat next year! And for those still praying and thinking about joining us, the spots are getting filled up, but there are still some openings in each retreat…but they won’t be for long. So keep praying about it and see if the Lord is calling you to step out in faith next year and join us!

Retreat Details are HERE.