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Thank you Lord for a better day. Not better for any amazing reason, better because even while it was hard – I found Jesus waiting for me every time I looked for him. More than once today I needed the Lord’s strength, and every time is was there the moment I needed it. Resting in His word are the answers to everything.

So tonight I’m going to share with you the many different verses that the Lord put in my path today to encourage, strengthen, and enable me to continue moving forward. Like I said, I needed quite a bit of help today, so there are more verses than usual. But if you can hang on and read them all, I think you will be amazed at just how perfect His words were for me today…

Colossians 1:9-12
9 So we have not stopped praying for you since we first heard about you. We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding. 10 Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better. 11 We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need. May you be filled with joy, 12 always thanking the Father. He has enabled you to share in the inheritance that belongs to his people, who live in the light.

What comforting words for wisdom, understanding, strength, endurance and patience. All things we need on a daily basis.

Psalm 126:4-6
4 Restore our fortunes, Lord, as streams renew the desert. 5 Those who plant in tears will harvest with shouts of joy. 6 They weep as they go to plant their seed, but they sing as they return with the harvest.

A gentle reminder that now, as we share our tears, planting seeds, one day there will be a harvest. We will never know the impact of Kayleigh’s life until we get to heaven, and that is ok. We know God promises a harvest with shouts of joy!

And finally…

John 16:33
33 I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”

What more fitting verse could God have given me to end my day on? He has told me all these things so I may have His peace. There is no better gift.

So again I will say, thank you Lord for a better day. I am looking forward to what He has in store for tomorrow.

Until tomorrow,
‘Carrow💜

This precious treasure was done just weeks before Kayleigh went home to be with Jesus. It lays by my bedside so I can hold her hand for just a moment each night before I go to sleep. How thankful I am for such a treasure.

Hello friends – today was the first work day of 2017 for me. Actually, it was the first day of work for me since May 10, 2016. I have been blessed beyond measure to take leave from work to care for Kayleigh. I am so thankful for the time I have had with her and with my family. I did not miss a single, precious moment of her life. What a beautiful gift.

After Kayleigh’s death I just wasn’t ready to return to work immediately. While I find it therapeutic to write each night, I couldn’t imagine resuming work or answering questions so soon after her death. I decided to take off through the holidays to take care of Grace and Cole and try to get our new lives in order. I am so thankful for that time as well. Time to process, grieve, and find my footing. As always, God’s timing is perfect. He blessed me with enough time – and then, the desire to return to work.

As I lay down tonight, I can say it has been a good but difficult day. Good to be back with friends, family, and co-workers that I love. But hard to resume normal when my heart feels anything but normal. I keep reminding myself that moving forward is not leaving Kayleigh behind. In truth, moving forward is taking me closer to her, little by little. And while I move closer to her and eternity, my job is to try to help as many people as possible find hope in dark situations. Joy in pain.

I know for a fact my faith in Christ Jesus is all that has carried me. Each morning He give me the strength for one more day – and that is enough. All I need is one day at a time. One. Day. At. A. Time. And my eyes on Jesus.

Hebrews 2:1b-2a
1b And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. 2a We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.

Even though today was a hard day, I am looking forward to tomorrow. Because I know each day God will heal my heart a little more. Each day will get a little better, a little easier.

Until a better tomorrow,
‘Carrow💜

January 2, 2017

We have certainly enjoyed and welcomed a few days of rest from school, work, and the craziness that we all tend to add to Christmas in general. New Years seems to be a little more low key and even restful and real rest is what we all have needed since November. ‘Carrow has been able to take a leave from work since May and chose not to return until now being after the year. I returned to work after Thanksgiving but knew that she wanted and needed more time than I did. God’s timing was perfect and made a way for ‘Carrow to stay home as long as she needed. In that time at home my wife has been able to transform our home. She has redecorated two rooms that we entertain friends and family in and have plenty of space to sit and talk and space to occasionally send the kids to their own area . She has created beautiful reminders all over our house of Kayleigh from family pics to large Kayleigh prints over the fireplace. Not to make us sad but to always remember our wonderful memories and special time with our girl. So tonight when I was asked by a family member at dinner ” what was your favorite Christmas gift this year?” My answer was came to me quickly. My favorite gift was it the hard work that my wife spent countless hours on to make our home a special place for all of us. So as we continue to figure out this “new normal” please pray for ‘Carrow’s transition back to work. I know she will be fine and do great but, I also know what it was like for me to go back. Continue to pray for those kids still battling this disease. We continue to closely follow quite a few other DIPG families and share their stories when we can .

Until tomorrow
Tim 💜

Happy New Year!

And so it begins – a new year, blank slate, fresh page… the question is, what are you going to do with it? Every one of us is staring at a book with 365 fresh pages just waiting to be filled. Some of the days will be filled with joy. Some of the pages will be filled with pain. Some will be easy and others hard, but one thing I know, we are all the authors of our stories. We get to decide the perspective. As you narrate your story will you share your good times and thank the Lord? Will you look at the trouble you face and choose joy? Will you make the choice to praise God no matter the circumstance? Will you stay positive and trust His plan even when you can’t see the next step?

Trust me, I know just how difficult that is. Some days we stand tall in the strength of our Savior. Other days we struggle. But every day that we have chosen to find the joy, God has blessed us. No, it isn’t usually what we expect. Often God answers our prayers in ways we don’t expect. But His ways are always better than ours. I pray that each of you, as you begin this new year, will set a goal to find the joy in every situation. And yes, we have been able to find God’s joy in our darkest days because of the love of Jesus. You will be amazed at how your heart is transformed. How your anxiety can be turned to peace.

Psalm 13:5
5 But I trust in your unfailing love. I will rejoice because you have rescued me.

Psalm 28:7
7 The Lord is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving.

Until tomorrow,
‘Carrow💜

And just like that, 2016 comes to a close – and I’m not ready. I would like to linger in this, the year of Kayleigh, a little longer. As irrational as it may sound, I feel like starting a new year without her is like leaving her behind. I’m starting a new year where she won’t be present for anything – and that grieves my heart. Yet, we can’t stop time, nor slow it down, no matter how much we may want to. We can only make the best of each moment the Lord chooses to bless us with.

So, even though my heart is a little sad, I can still choose joy. I can choose to hope. And God’s word is so good to remind me of His beautiful promises. Only God Almighty can make beautiful these ashes.

Psalm 94:22
22 But the Lord is my fortress; my God is the mighty rock where I hide.

Romans 15:13
13 I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Psalm 145:14
14 The Lord helps the fallen and lifts those bent beneath their loads.

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.

Wishing you and yours much faith, hope, and love in this new year. May the Lord bless each of you. Thank you for your continued prayers on our behalf. We need them more than you can know!

Until tomorrow,
‘Carrow💜

Ringing in the New Year with our small group

Write a good one indeed 💜