Author Archive: 'Carrow McClendon

Hello friends,

We are headed to bed tonight setting our alarms for 4:30am in order to get Cole to the hospital on time for surgery. Heaven help me. My husband, family, and past roommates can attest to the fact that I am NOT a morning person. But, I find myself looking forward to tomorrow because it feels like this one last medical hurdle will be behind us. There is still much to pray for, easy surgery, little pain, quick healing – but I can’t but feel hope too. Hope that these persistent medical issues will be behind us.

I found myself flipping back in my devotion book tonight and landing on Jan 14th. The title is “Everything For Good.” And the verse was Romans 8:28

28 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.

I love that verse. I’ve held on to it oh so tightly these last months. It’s amazing just how much those words have grown to mean to be. Before Kayleigh’s diagnosis they were just words. Words I believed, but that I had not experienced in action. But now, those words are threaded into the fibers of my being. I have seen my gentle Father take my ashes and broken pieces and fashion them into something altogether different and so much better.

The words “God is absolutely sovereign” have been proven true in our lives over and over again. And when your heart chooses to rest in the promise of God’s sovereignty you discover you are able to endure every situation with confidence. Confidence that God has everything under control. That no trial is able to slip through the cracks without God knowing. And somehow, those trials, while sometimes heart wrenching and painful, are the tools that are being used to refine you. To shape you into the person God is calling you to be.

So as I sit here tonight, yes, I believe everything is being used for good. Kayleigh’s cancer, Grace’s cyst, Cole’s lipoma… I have no doubt the devil intended those things to break us, but he will not prevail. Our God is so much bigger than that and we trust Him completely. Everyday we are seeing God’s hand guiding and directing is down a path we never wanted or expected. But wow, the path is amazing. It’s not all smooth sailing, but it certainly is being blessed and we are thankful.

We would appreciate You prayers for Cole tomorrow and for quick, easy, no complication healing for our guy.

Until tomorrow,
‘Carrow💜

I visited Kayleigh today and took her flowers. I know she isn’t there under that dirt, but it’s still my place to talk to her. I told her all about her amazing birthday party we are planning. I know she would have loved it.

Hello Friends,

I hope this update finds you all well. So much is going on around here these days it’s hard to narrow down just what to write about. Grace’s recovery, Cole’s upcoming surgery, new writing opportunities, Kayleigh’s big birthday bash, the new foundation coming online, work, life… sheesh – life is moving a warp speed! Yet there has been one lesson that keeps returning to my mind – in all we do we must bear good fruit.

If that doesn’t ring a bell to you, I’m not talking about apples, oranges and bananas. I’m talking about the fruits of the spirit. Specific spiritual traits that the bible tells us we will see in our lives when the Holy Spirit is the one in control of our lives.

Galatians 5:22-23
22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

It’s a simple list, but is quite difficult to implement. Impossible if we are trying to do it on our own!

I found myself in need of a short bio for myself recently. You would think that would be easy – it was not. I have plenty of words to describe what amazing things the Lord has done in my life and in my family’s. But when it comes to me, frankly, I’m not really worth talking about. What’s worth talking about is Jesus in me. Because if He can bring this hard headed, difficult, opinionated, independent, stubborn woman to her knees, and redirect all that energy to His service, all the while increasing my faith – that’s worth talking about. That is where I can truly see good fruit growing in my life.

I am SO thankful for that fruit, but I must work diligently to keep it growing. It requires time alone with the Lord – praying, reading my Bible, studying. It takes work on my part. Because while a good tree bears good fruit, a bad tree bars bad fruit.

Matthew 7:17-20
17 A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. 18 A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. 19 So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. 20 Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions.

As I unintentionally find myself more and more in the public eye,my prayer is that I will bear good fruit. I know that all that I do reflects on Kayleigh, the Prayers For Kayleigh Foundation, and on my Savior. That knowledge comes with a hefty weight. Yet, I have no doubt God has a perfect plan, and if He has decided this is where I belong, then who am I to question?

I hope as you are reading this you’re thinking about the fruits of your own life. Things you may need to change or do different. Change always seems so hard, yet God will bless your obedience in beautiful, amazing, mind boggling ways.

Until tomorrow,
‘Carrow💜

Because this sweet baby matters, and I want nothing but good things attached to her name.

What a mighty, awesome God we serve! Our day today has been blessed at every turn. Many of the nurses at the surgery center knew us and stopped to say hello. Another nurse popped in just to pray over Grace, and what a precious prayer it was. Her surgery went exceptionally well. Grace has had zero post op bleeding. She is not stuffy or congested. She has no drainage. She isn’t bruised anywhere. And her pain is very minimal. Not only were our prayers answered, God gave us so much more than we even thought to ask for.

Of course now comes the hard part – trying to keep a kid who feels good still and quiet. Thankfully, she is old enough to understand that taking care of herself is important. Even though she feels pretty good she still is on lifting and activity restrictions at least until next Monday when we go for her follow up. That should also be when we get the pathology report. Based on what her doctor saw he feels quite certain that it was a benign cyst. We certainly would appreciate your prayers that the Lord confirms that!

Psalm 30:2
2 O Lord my God, I cried to you for help, and you restored my health.

Jeremiah 17:14
14 O Lord, if you heal me, I will be truly healed; if you save me, I will be truly saved. My praises are for you alone!

Ephesians 3:20-21
20 Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. 21 Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all
generations forever and ever! Amen.

Indeed, all the glory goes to God, for His continuous blessings and unconditional love. Please pray for God’s hand to continue to be on Grace.

Until tomorrow,
‘Carrow💜

Four generations of Nancarrow’s in the hospital room

What girl doesn’t love flowers?

Grace Update – 10:00 am

Surgery is done and Grace is in recovery. Her doctor just left and said everything went great – Thank You, Jesus!!

There was very little bleeding, no packing or foam needed. She just needs to take it easy for a few days. Now we pray for the pathology report to come back clear and for Grace to have little to no discomfort.

Thank you for praying, we can see the fruits of your prayers and are so very thankful. Keep up the good work!

Until tonight,
‘Carrow💜

It’s been a lovely Sunday. Grace and Cole got to go down to Birmingham and spend the afternoon with Tim’s parents. They had a blast at the Brick Fair checking out all the amazing Legos. What a great way to keep their minds off the heavy things they are facing this week.

But as you know, you can only avoid reality for so long – it always catches up with you. And reality caught up with Grace tonight. At 11, she is old enough to know roughly what is going on, but there are still so many things that she doesn’t grasp. Words she hasn’t heard before. Procedures she doesn’t understand. I am so very proud of what a strong young lady she is, but even the strong break. The unknown coupled with and active mind is a breeding ground for fear.

So tonight, I sat in her bed. Praying over her. Asking the Lord to grant her peace and calm, to ease her fear. To guard her heart in mind in the name of Jesus. What a joy it is to hold my precious girl, even if she is just as big as me.

Would you pray with us tonight over Grace? For peace and calm, steady hands for her surgeon directed by God himself. Wisdom for her medical team to keep Grace at ease. For the cyst to be removed easily, be benign, not to return, and healing to be swift, with minimal pain.

I hate that our children have these fears looming over them, but I know Our God’s plan is perfect. I know that they are learning to trust Him in a very tangible way. My prayer is that Tim and I are able to help them overcome their fear with trust and faith in the One who made them and loves them above all else.

We will be at the surgery center at 7:45 tomorrow morning. I will update when I can.

Until tomorrow,
‘Carrow💜

My beautiful Grace

Oh how I love this girl

And oh how Kayleigh loved her Sissy Duck💜