Fasting

My heart is sad, hopeful, faithful, and breaking all in one today. I have been fasting for my friend Anita's sister-in-law, something I've never done for anyone before, but in knowing her story, felt compelled to do in service for her to Him. She is battling for her life against Aplastic Anemia, which ironically, was an immune system reaction in response to her being pregnant with her first child. This is not the kind of anemia that can be made better by taking an iron supplement, and since it didn't go away after the birth of her son, Kellan, on March 22nd of this year, the treatment is dire, and the prognosis 50-50 for survival factoring in her age. For the past nine days Andrya has undergone chemotherapy in preparation for a bone marrow transplant which took place today.

Andrya does not know Jesus as her savior, and neither does her husband, Ryan, who is currently enlisted in the United States Navy and stationed in Hawaii. Andrya is in need of 24-hour care, and Kellan's need for care is obvious for anyone of us who has had a four-month old infant. Because of Ryan's commitment to serve our country he is unable to provide this care himself, and subsequently, Andrya and Kellan have recently had to move in with Ryan's and Anita's parents in Kansas City, Missouri. They, along with my beautiful friend, will be providing this care.

The next 100 days of Andrea's life are critical. They will determine whether or not the transplant is successful and Andrya will get to be the one to raise Kellan, or if Ryan will become a widower. Because of the suppression of her immune system, and that required to allow the transplant to take, Andrya must live in a sterile environment, and is unable to even hold Kellan. My motherly heart is breaking for her inability to hold and soothe her baby, as doing so would risk infection that could kill her.

Thousands of miles from the love of her life, her husband, Ryan, Andrya is living with her in-laws, fully-reliant on their care for both herself and for her infant son, whom she cannot have physical contact with, enduring horrifically-painful procedures which bring blinding headaches and mouth sores, but are her only chance at survival.

I am moved to tears as I tell her story, and pray with all that I have in me that the Lord will show His mercy on her, allowing her to see her son grow as I get to see mine, something I feel today like I am taking for granted. I pray that Andrya will open the door to her heart as the Lord continues to knock- patiently, lovingly. I pray for His grace upon Anita and her parents as they painfully watch Andrya fight for her life, only being able to help her by lovingly praying and caring for she and Kellan.

I am putting together a ladies night where I will host a card-making session in Andrya's honor. We will snack, enjoy our friendships, pray for Andrya, Ryan and the entire DeGhelder family, and make homemade cards which I will send to Andrya throughout what I hope is her successful recovery. My goal in doing this is to bombard Andrya with Christ's love in hopes that she will come to accept Jesus as her Lord and Savior. The most compelling reason for my involvement in this is to bring someone who is mortally ill to Christ, that if His plan is for her to leave her husband and baby son behind, she will not suffer eternally, but live instead in the God's kingdom.

Please check back with me here or on Facebook for the date and time for this event, and if you are out-of-town and want to help, please contact me for options other than taking a road-trip to Vegas (although you know I'd love that too)!

If you are a prayerful person, saved by the Lord Jesus Christ, please inculde these people in your prayers. If you are prayerful and not saved (as I have lived out the majority of my life) pray for yourself along with this family. If you are neither saved nor prayerful, consider your own mortality and pray for salvation. I love each of you more than I've probably ever told you, and the thought of death coming for you before you are in His grace brings panic to body's core like watching a car nearly run down my son in a crosswalk after school a couple of months ago did. Thank you all so much for taking the time to follow our blog and keep up with what's going on in our lives. Your friendship and love is everything to us.