The unknown can be a scary and uncomfortable experience, but, as followers of Jesus, we can take comfort in His promise to walk beside us through life's challenges. These challenges can come in many forms, such as health concerns, mental illness, financial struggles, relationship issues, work stress, or school setbacks.
Many know our story, but for those who don't, my wife, Emma, was diagnosed with a rare soft tissue sarcoma in 2016 at the age of 19. Since then, our story has had its ups and downs which include the birth of our first son, Valor, marital challenges, seven miscarriages, and the birth of our second son, Titus. Throughout this season of our lives, we chose to keep nearly everything to ourselves, fearing vulnerability and our perception of weakness to the people in our lives. Although it seemed that the odds were stacked against us, we held on to our true hope which gave us the strength to continue pushing forward, one step at a time.
It wasn't until March 2023, while driving to Emma's oncology appointment at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, Maryland, that we finally realized the impact that can be made when we choose to open up and share our story with others. Without the prayers and support of our church, family, friends, and our community, we would have continued to spiral deeper in this challenging season of our lives with nobody to lean on for support. This appointment established our new plan, which includes a series of invasive biopsies and scans that will ultimately lead to Emma's surgery.
As we prepare ourselves to receive the results of Emma's latest scans which show new masses similar to her previous sarcoma diagnosis, we are reminded of the uncertainties that life can bring. However, as believers in Jesus, our family takes comfort in His promise to walk beside us through life's challenges.
Regardless of the unknowns we face, hope is always in front of us. When you're feeling overwhelmed or scared, remember that Jesus is alive and always working to make a way for you, even when it seems impossible. We are grateful for the support and prayers of our family, friends, and community. #LivingValor #BeBrave