I Will Give You Rest

Greetings Dear Friend:

God has been so faithful to us, answering so many of our prayers just like we asked.  There is an army praying on our behalf, and we don't take it lightly that so many would petition the Father to bless our family.  For that, we are so grateful and find comfort through the love of our brothers and sisters all around us.

It's so hard to believe that it's been three weeks since surgery.  God has worked wonders in just a short time, and I have been so blessed to have a front row seat to the work of the Great Physician.  Surgery day was so long.  We were at the hospital at 6:45am.  I remember being so overwhelmed as I passed Justin off to the neurosurgeon at 9am.  I had done my part.  I had kept the appointments, administered the meds, driven the car to new places, made the arrangements, answered the calls, waited in the rooms, planned for the family, answered the questions.  Now, it was time for the neurosurgeon to do his job...a job he does well and frequently, a job that requires skill and perseverance, a job that saves lives.  

I trusted the process.  I trusted my God.  But nothing prepared me to leave the prep room and have that door close behind me while I left my husband's life in a stranger's hands.  But, God made sure that something familiar was waiting for me...I immediately saw the faces of two of my very best friends who were waiting right there on the other side of the door with smiles and hugs.  The tears fell and the burden was lifted.  So many of my friends came to share my burden, and I can't even write that without a lump in my throat and a tear in my eye.  What a blessing to be loved so well!  There were more people than I could count.  Friends and family took off work, used their paid time off, paid for babysitters, just to sit and wait and sit and wait and sit and wait.  Because wait is what we did. 

Just before 11am, I got the generic text that my loved one was off to sleep and the procedure had started.  I got four generic text messages every two hours that surgery was still in progress.  I received a couple phone calls throughout the day with more specific information, but mostly I was in the dark.  All of the company kept me focused on the light though.  It was such a beautiful sight to see loved ones and the family of God all together in a big circle waiting and watching.  As the day progressed, I began to tire.  By six o-clock, many of our circle had to go.  I expected most of the friends to have gone by this time, but we had quite a few troopers.  After a while, we joked about how after waiting this long, everyone was too invested and must wait until the bitter end.  

Eventually, my exhaustion set in, and I began to stare in the direction that I expected the surgeon to appear from.  It was a comical kind of game for probably an hour of watching the "wrong" people emerge, as the waiting room emptied for the day.  There were stray students and employees walking around that sporadically caught my attention.  One noteworthy interaction took place between a red-headed young man and our crew.  He was walking through the waiting room carrying a fresh pair of blue folded scrubs that had apparently been retrieved from some sort of scrub vending machine.  He was gracious enough to educate us on this very intriguing machine that none of us had ever heard of...even the medical staff among us.  It was a lovely bit of much-needed comic relief.  

It was after 8:30pm before the neurosurgeon arrived to deliver my sigh of relief.  Yes, the surgery was a bit longer than expected, but they did get a later start and were able to be thorough and remove all of the tumor.  Praise the Lord!

There was more waiting up on the ICU floor, but by the grace of God, I saw Justin turn a corner as he was being wheeled back into ICU.  I noticed his breathing tube was already gone.  It was then that I could breathe.  After they got him all set up in his room, I was able to hold his hand.  I was surprised that he was already waking up (although very groggily) and gently responding.  I originally thought he wouldn't wake up until the next day.  What a blessing!  It was probably midnight by the time I got settled in my recliner bed that I set up right beside him. There wasn't much in the way of sleep through the night, but the Lord faithfully sent His rest to my weary heart.

Jesus offers each of us His great invitation of rest in the last verses of Matthew 11.  

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.  Matthew 11:28-30

In the simplest terms, a yoke is a type of frame built to help ease the struggle of carrying heavy loads.  I can't remember a time that life has felt heavier for me, but because I have put the work into knowing Jesus when things were simpler, I have been able to quickly find the rest for my soul that He offers.  I am currently discovering more about Jesus through a timely group study of the book of John.  This book gives us an intimate look into Jesus' time on Earth.  To help me make decisions or cope with troubles, I often ask myself...what would Jesus do?  He would richly bless others, allow himself to be humiliated, die a brutal death on a cross, and still make Himself available to carry burdens. 

Please remember us in your prayers. 

LOVE, THE DUFFEYS

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28

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