Abigail turned three years old May first. It feels like the last two years have flown by; whereas the first year, well really the first two months… still seem like they lasted forever.

Abby was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor in the newborn nursery a few hours after her birth. It shattered my understanding, my faith, my reality, everything…to go from the peaks of joy at her birth to the valleys of despair that followed. The first hospital that we went to sent Abby home on Hospice care. They didn’t think she could ever beat the cancer. It was a grade four Glioblastoma. And they worried that if by some chance she did make it into remission, her quality of life would be devastating.

So when Abby was three weeks old, we were sitting at home waiting for her to die. I wish that I could say I didn’t accept their opinions. I wish I could say that I always knew she would see her healing, but I can’t. I was wallowing in my own pity at that time. My life felt so miserable, so exhausting, that just to get out of bed every day was the most I could mange. Thank God I married Michael. He wouldn’t give up, when we were signing the DNR (do not resuscitate) orders, when the Hospice nurse came to visit, he kept believing.

He believed in the promise of God that he received the night before my ultrasound. That night he said “I think it’s going to be a girl, and I think we’re supposed to name her Abigail. (We later found that Abigail means “Her Father’s Joy” in Hebrew.) That was his promise, and he would not give up.

He emailed her information to various medical centers during Abby’s time on end of life care. He prayed that if it be God’s will to attempt the surgery, that the gates of Heaven would open and we would have surgeons knocking down our door. They didn’t come knocking, but they came calling. Within two days, three surgeons had called eager to perform the surgery.

We decided on Dr. Boop in Memphis. Abby underwent the surgery when she was five weeks. She started chemotherapy at six weeks. She was given less than a ten percent chance initially. She soared through twelve rounds, finishing just before her first birthday. She has been in remission almost two years now, and as for her quality of life- it’s a miracle. She is walking, running, jumping, singing, dancing, fighting with her big brother, and wrapping her Daddy and I around her little fingers. She is the happiest child ever! We are so very, very blessed. There are many times that I have seen God work in Abby’s life. There are so many specific prayers that have been answered that I don’t think I could ever list them all. But the first answer, the first miracle came before Abby had ever been conceived. God had already written the journey out while Michael and I were still dating. Even before that He had planted the seeds of stubborness and determination in Michael, the very traits that he would need to fight for his daughter’s life. He had given Michael a promise before either of us could ever know what it would mean. It’s in the looking back that I am always amazed. It was always part of God’s plan for Abby to get sick, for Michael to fight for her, for me to trust in God and my husband even when I was getting no answers in prayer. His plan is still unfolding, and it is magnificent to behold. I don’t know for sure if Abby is cured forever, I don’t know what the future holds, but I do know that her life, our lives are all part of his perfect plan.
Rachel Steer

Recently, my wife and I had to take our daughter, Madelynn, to Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital in Memphis, TN due to her seizure disorder. We were there almost all week. During our stay we had the opportunity to be ministered to by the organization, Habitat for Hope.

This organization, founded by Mark and Mylissa Horrocks, provides relational support, lodging and meals to families who have short and long term hospital stays in the Memphis area. When we were there I think we only bought two meals the whole week and we always had a place to rest our head. They have created a whole network of volunteers throughout the city who will take time out of their day and money out of their pockets to hang out with families in local hospitals and bring them meals. Their volunteers served with excellence and passion. It was truly remarkable. They never just dropped food off and left like they were in a hurry. They sat with us, shared our pain and offered encouragement. Without their support it would have been a lonely week because we don’t know anyone in the Memphis area.

Mark frequently reminded me that the lodging and meals are not the primary focus of the ministry. They are tools that enable them to create relationships with families during potentially difficult times in their lives. This notion continues to challenge me greatly.

For the ministries and acts of service, both inside and outside the church, in which I am involved is my focus on building meaningful relationships or on building successful organizations, tools, systems and structures? I think it is so easy to lose sight of the “point” of such ministries and in doing so lose the opportunity to truly show the love of Jesus to those the ministry intends to reach. Where is your focus?

This week, there are 15 people staying in this house – luckily many of them are little. The Logsdon’s are here for the week with Brenna, Bella and Jalen, and the Johnsons are still downstairs and will be for at least three more weeks.

I know many of you ask “how do they do it?”, but it is true that I feel most at peace when there are lots of little ones around, happy parents getting a break and smiling in the sunshine, and laughter and good company. We truly love it and feel blessed to be in this place.

Happy Spring!

Westin’s big sister Emma has been a dear friend of Bella’s for years – and Westin’s spirit surely lives on through Miss Emma. Equal amounts of sugar and spice, she never takes no for an answer when it involves her baby brother. She knew how to love him and protect him well, and also how to love on her parents and help them as they cared for Westin. She is wise beyond her years, and although we wish this road on no sibling, we know the Lord will use the time Emma and Westin spent loving each other mightily in her future.

Hailee and Alli are Westin’s older sisters, and the brilliant Alli wants to study medicine on behalf of her brother’s battle with cancer. She is a precious, beautiful girl that has a deeply compassionate heart. Hailee is equally bright and beautiful, but also shares her mother’s strong will and spirit. She loved Westin with abandon, and although angry at times over Westin’s disease, it never trumped her love and desire to protect Westin.
Paw-paw (Chuck) and MiMi (Betty) Miller are Julie’s mom and dad, and never have there been two more dedicated grandparents. Betty and Chuck were alongside Julie and Joel every step of the way with Westin, and did everything in their power to love and care for their children and grandchildren. As we drew close to the Dietz’s we grew equally close to Chuck and Betty – always admiring their ability to continue the parenting journey into adulthood, and yet respect Joel and Julie’s role within the life of the family. Chuck’s relationship with Christ is truly unparalleled; his love for God is infectious.
And Joel’s mom Jan Adams is equally precious, and well known as the family’s own Paula Deen. An amazing chef and a great need-meeter, she bustles around making sure everyone is fed and comfortable. Jan has raised her two boys, Joel and Brock, to be men who care deeply for their families and serve God fervently.

Westin’s mom Julie has relied fully on God’s grace for her life, and has prayed her heart out to Jesus over the past 4 years on behalf of Westin and her family. She encourages all of us by saying, “I have not changed my focus and I know that God answered our prayers just not in the manner in which we had hoped. I have heard people say that Westin is an angel now, but I don’t believe that way at all. You see angels can’t know the redemptive power of Jesus, but Westin knew Jesus. Westin knew Jesus as his personal savior and he loved him with all his heart. For that reason I don’t believe he is an angel……he is worshipping with the angels, but he is worshipping because he KNOWS who HE is and what HE has done for him. Jesus took his hand on Friday and led him into eternity………His ultimate gift to my son. I can say that I was there when he took his first breaths and stole my heart and I was there when he took his last breaths and entered into eternity. At that moment (as a friend reminded me) I was very close to Jesus!!! Though the loss is overwhelming and heart wrenching…..knowing that the Creator who gave him to me is the one who came to take him home-home gives me comfort.”

Joel and Julie, our hearts continue to break for the fact that we won’t see your sweet boy again till we reach heaven – but we grieve with you not as the world grieves, but as those who hope in God. We love you.

…I was so grateful for the opportunity to share with Habitat for Hope, Fellowship Memphis & other moms last weekend. I left the revival feeling refreshed and revived from sharing, praying and worshipping with my sisters in Christ. I also gained a new prayer partner for the two by two ministries for the praying for Memphis!

…you had to be there in order to explain it. I just want to say that the holy spirit rain in that place and I was able to be myself in the presence of the lord and be honest with myself and the lord and knowing that you are not alone regardless of what you are going through you still have friends like Jesus and mrs. melissa and all the other women that were on the retreat with us.I just want to thank god for all of my new friends, thank you all so much.

…thanks again for an incredible weekend, I came home refreshed and exhausted. It was so wonderful to meet some amazing women and get to know the ones I already knew a little better. I hope everyone is doing well, and is enjoying the season that they are in now a little better now that we were taught by Priscilla to enjoy the season. I kept counting down the rounds of chemo my son has left, thinking I just can’t wait for it to be done. But now I am trying to appreciate what we are going through now and when the next season comes I will be thrilled, but I won’t have regrets that I didn’t enjoy what I am going through now. It was great to be with women that understands what I am going through as a mother, wife, Christian, and friend. I found that many of us just don’t have the support at home from people that truly understand.

My sincere thanks to all of you that were a part of making this weekend happen – our donors for making it possible, Tona Ottinger, Missy Taylor and Heather McGugan for their help, and of course my sweet husband for giving me the time I needed to work on this and praying over me the whole way.

Friday, May 8th, 2009

Around 2pm my friend Leigh arrives at the house with her daughter Melody to spend the night. Leigh’s son (and Melody’s brother) has been treated for cancer since 2006. Since then, we have become dear friends, and I have watched Leigh press in to Jesus in the midst of some pretty serious pain. It is precious. She and Melody are here this weekend for the life celebration service of a little boy we all knew and loved that fought cancer for nearly 6 years. Leigh has asked me to stay close at hand, as Melody is really taking the passing of this little boy very hard.
3pm: our friend Brandi arrives to attend the wake with us. Brandi’s daughter Madelyn passed away just over a year ago after battling cancer for 4 years. She was dear to our family. We leave the house and go pick up another mom whose child is currently in the hospital. Earlier in the day, we picked up Emma, the daughter of this mom, and she is playing at our house. We drive around for a while trying to find the funeral home, as we didn’t print directions before we left. We are somber but laughing in the midst of many u-turns and misread addresses.
While at the visitation, we run in to several friends. It is hard to see the little man, but we are thankful to hug the necks of his parents and see the outpouring of love for their family. Melody is having a hard time, but she knows her friend loved her deeply.
After leaving the funeral home, we meet up with our friend Debbie, who has come to stay with us for the celebration service the next day. She also has a son fighting cancer, but has brought one of her older children with her. He has come with the intention of attending the service, but his resolve is wavering at this point. We all caravan back to the HFH House, where Mark Horrocks and Mark Ottinger are getting ready for volunteer fellowship.

6:30pm: Leigh and Melody get ready to go have dinner with a local friend, and Debbie, her son Brett, Brandi, and her husband Neal hang out with us for volunteer fellowship. We all share one of Mark’s famous meals, complete with guacamole that is not to be missed. We listen to Mark and Mo give us updates and news over dinner, and then Debbie asks to share her story and how HFH helped her family while they were away from home. Debbie does a great job at this, and encourages all of our newest volunteers to keep loving families even when its hard and busy. After this, we surprise volunteer Becky with a cake for her birthday. Then we break into small groups and pray for about 20 minutes for all of the families we assist and for Habitat for Hope.
11pm: We say goodbye to the last group of friends that were here for volunteer fellowship (yes, people like to hang around here) and I sit down and spend some time talking with Debbie and Leigh while Brett and Mark watch Basketball on TV. Melody and Bella and are playing a game upstairs. Emma has been driven back to her parents, after spending a fun evening hanging out with friends. We all head to bed about midnight.

Saturday, May 9th

We get up to enjoy a breakfast of Mark’s scones and coffee. Leigh is a hair stylist, and has offered to cut my hair this morning, which she starts around 9am. The kids all play together, and Brett decides he will stay here at the house instead of attending the service. I also stay home to help at the house, since at 11am we have a group coming out to help with a project. Around 11:30 Debbie and Leigh leave for the funeral.

At the same time, we welcome a group of teenage girls to the property to help “spring clean” the big red barn. They are part of a club from Trinity Baptist Church that does service projects in the community. Mo Ottinger comes over to lead them in their project. The Horrocks and Ottinger kids, assisted by our friend Brett, work for most of the day on the barn. When the group leaves, the barn looks better than it has looked all year.

Around 3pm, Debbie, Leigh and Melody return from the service. After eating a late lunch, Debbie and Brett hit the road for their drive home, and I spend some more time with Leigh and Melody. They are grateful to have attended the services of their little friend; they both know it will help greatly in their grieving process. This is the first service for a child that Leigh has attended since her own child was diagnosed with cancer. They leave around 6pm for home.

Just a typical couple of days in the life of Habitat for Hope – I hope you can appreciate the beauty of living in community and deep relationship with the families we love

This week, our associate pastor from VCCFM, Steve Morriss and his wife, Susan came to see us. They were only here one day; our time was too short! It was so lovely to spend that time with them. We are truly kindred spirits in many ways.

I will admit life has been a little strange lately; Habitat for Hope has been blessed in so many ways, and yet we are sobered and quieted by the circumstances of many families we assist. Your prayers are evident; God is hearing them. Please continue to lift us up as we do the work of this ministry and Habitat for Hope up as it marches ahead in God’s design.

We love you,
Mark and Mylissa