Merry Christmas!

It's hard to believe that Christmas is this week - where did this year go?  I am glad to have made it through this past fall - it has been an extremely busy few months for me.  But, the Lord gave me grace and helped me prioritize and get everything done in the right time. Now, all the shopping is done, the Christmas program at church is over and I am just planning Christmas dinner this week. Ahhhh - I am looking forward to a relatively quiet week...I hope.

McKayla is doing much better since starting the medication for her JRA.  She is experiencing less pain in her knees and wrist and the swelling is going down. The x-ray that she had in November showed significant swelling, but no joint damage.  Now that the swelling is subsiding, she is gaining better range of motion in her knee.  She is also showing less fatigue throughout the day.  We are very grateful to see that she is making progress and beginning to feel more like her perky self. She will be on the medication for at least another year - she has to go a full year with no symptoms before the doctor will begin to decrease the medication and eventually take her off of it completely.  So far, she has done very well on it with little to no side effects.  Thank you to all of you who are praying for her.

Tim is still feeling fabulous and got another good report at the last doctor's appointment.  They are now stretching his appointments out to every 6 weeks instead of every 4 weeks.  He has begun writing a book about things the Lord has done and taught him throughout the last couple of years and is very excited about how the Lord is leading in that endeavor.  We'll let you know when it's done!

Michael is 14 now and doing really well!  The intense autism therapy that he received this year has allowed him to make some significant gains academically, socially, mentally and physically.  We have continued "home therapy" this fall and he is scheduled to have another evaluation in January.  We are looking forward to seeing the results of those tests.  He loves his karate classes and is moving up the ranks.  He's also very proud that he is just barely taller than I am now!

McKayla is 8 and was baptized in August.  What a sweet service that was!  She is doing really well homeschooling this year and is enjoying piano lessons.  She played soccer this fall and was the star defensive player on the team - way to go, McKayla!  She loves Master Clubs at church and is memorizing lots of Scripture -she loves earning those badges!

Mark is now 7 and loves homeschooling this year, because as he says - he doesn't have "to wait for all the other kids in the class to answer the questions. That's soooo boring!"  :)  He enjoyed playing soccer this fall and is excelling at the piano.  He loves Mario Kart and Legos, Legos, Legos!

Please continue to pray for our oldest son, Matthew, who is now 18.  He is attending classes in a program out of state and enjoys his job.  It has been a rough year with him, but we know the Lord is working and we trust Him with Matthew's future.

Thank you for following us on this journey.  The Lord is so faithful to us and gives us exactly what we need for each day.  We are excited to celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ - May all of you have a wonderful Christmas with your family and friends.

McKayla

Our daughter, McKayla, is 8 years old and has the sweetest personality.  She has a real heart for the Lord, and she truly cares for others.  We are so blessed to have been given the privilege of raising her.  When she was only 18 months old, she was diagnosed with Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis.  It was very hard to watch her as a toddler experience stiffness in her joints and hear her cry out in pain during the night.  We battled it for about two years with different medications, and then finally the JRA went into remission when she was around 4; however, the remission was only for 6 months.  So at 4-1/2 years old, she went back on the treatment plan.  Again, it took about two years of treatment, and then at the age of 6-1/2, the JRA went back into remission.  It was a such a huge blessing that while Tim was very sick and going through his cancer treatments, McKayla did not experience any symptoms from the JRA and we were able to cut back on the frequency of the doctors appointments.

In June of this year, she began complaining of knee pain and experiencing extreme fatigue.  In August, the doctor determined that the arthritis had become active once again, and started her on just an anti-inflammatory treatment, but she has not responded to that.  So starting on Monday, we will begin the treatment plan that we have done twice before.  Please pray that McKayla will once again be able to tolerate the medications and that her body will respond in a way that forces the JRA to be calm again.  McKayla has such a sweet spirit and has not let the pain and stiffness steal her joy.  She doesn't complain and tries to be as active as her body will allow. One thing it has hindered her from doing is riding her bike. She loves to ride with Tim and the boys, but it has just been too painful for her. We are hopeful and praying that by the spring, she will be able to go on bike rides with her daddy again.  Please pray with us as she starts back on the medications that the side effects will be minimal and that she will respond positively.

Tim continues to feel great and has an enormous amount of energy!  We praise the Lord for the good reports he continues to receive from the doctor!

More Pictures...

Today, we received a few more pictures from the bike ride and I wanted to post them.  Tim and Marc both reached their goals - their total amount raised is $1,325.  Thank you to all who gave!!!

Tim next to his bike - it's the black and white one with gold "Z's" on it!

Tim and Marc

Just to note - Tim is feeling great!  He has so much energy right now, I'm having a hard time keeping up!

In Remission and On a Mission

Today was a beautiful day as Tim and Marc participated in the Closer to Free Bike Ride for cancer research.  They had great time riding 25 miles with about 250 other participants, several of which were cancer survivors.  Tim wore a sign that read " In Remission and On a Mission" as a testimony of how God has brought him through some dark days and allowed him to participate in this event. It meant so much to Tim to be able to ride.  It is almost 2 years to the day that Tim was first diagnosed with cancer.

Thank you to all those who gave to support and sponsor Tim and Marc - so far they have raised $1125!  Way to go guys!  If you did not get a chance to give, but would like to, you can go to www.rideclosertofree.org and click ride a sponsor.  They will accept sponsors until September 30th.  You can also go to that site to read more about the ride today.  We really appreciate each one of you that sponsored the guys!

Irene

Tree on our car

McKayla and Mark help wash the clothes

We survived the hurricane that came through last week.  We were without electricity, phones and Internet for 5 days.  We did have a tree fall on our car, but the damage was very little. We became very resourceful during our experience - we moved what food we could salvage to coolers and had to venture out to find ice each day.  The kids enjoyed doing laundry in buckets one day and learned what it was like to live "Little House on the Prairie style."  We are so thankful that we had water - while it was cold, it was still water.  Several people in our church have wells, so they have been without water in addition to all the other needs.  We are also thankful that the damage around us was not as severe as those in the town over from us whose homes were completely destroyed by the storm.  Our prayers are with them as they begin the task of rebuilding their lives.

By the way, Happy Birthday to Tim - he is 45 today!!!  He had another good report at the doctor this week and is very much looking forward to the bike ride next Saturday.

New Way to Donate

We are getting closer to the charity bike ride that Tim is participating in and he is very excited.  He and his teammate have been training and working hard to prepare.  We now have a new, more efficient way to donate.  You can go directly to the website: www.rideclosertofree.org.  Then, click on the green button that says "Sponsor a Rider."  You will then be asked to enter first and last name.  Enter: Tim Zacharias.   You will then need to click on Tim's name.  The next page you will enter your donation amount and follow the on-screen instructions.
If you are not able to or are uncomfortable donating online, you can still send your donations directly to us and we will make sure that it gets to the proper place.  (Our address is in the previous post.)
We appreciate all of your donations and support! 

Bike Ride for Cancer Research

It has been over a year now since Tim went through the stem cell treatment.  He is feeling really well and has gained his energy level and stamina back completely.  He just went to the oncologist yesterday for his monthly checkup and for his IV bone strengthening treatment.  All his levels are still at remission levels - Praise the Lord!  God has been so faithful to us throughout this very difficult time and we are grateful that He has chosen to allow Tim to feel so well.

Tim used to love to run in the mornings for exercise, but in the spring of 2009, a few months before he was diagnosed with cancer, he had to give up running because the pain was too much for him.  So, he began biking and really enjoyed it.  I even gave him a custom-built bicycle for Father's day that year.  Two men in our church, Marc Otfinoski and Jim O'Connor, worked to make this bike really special for Tim.  He was enjoying his new found sport and when his back pain became so intense that he had to give up biking as well, and he was very disappointed.  However, just a few months ago, the doctor gave him permission to get back on the bike.  He rides about 3-4 mornings a week and enjoys every minute of it.

The hospital that handled Tim's stem cell transplant is the Smilow Cancer Center at Yale-New Haven in New Haven, Connecticut.  They are holding a "Closer to Free Bike Ride" on Saturday, September 10.  Riding in this event means a great deal to Tim.  His goal is to raise $1,000.  (He is raising money for himself and for a team mate as well.)  The money raised will go towards cancer care and research at the Cancer Center.  If you would be willing to sponsor him in this ride, you can send your donation directly to Tim Zacharias at 23 Bellview Road, Branford, CT 06405 and we will make sure that it gets to the correct place. We will be updating as we get closer, and of course will post pictures and let you know about the ride.  We appreciate your support!

Our Godly Heritage

Tim and I come from fairly different backgrounds. His dad was a pastor, my dad was an Air Force pilot. Tim was raised in Michigan and lived pretty close to most of his extended family. I was raised in several states and even overseas for a short time, and did not live close to any relatives. I have lived in Branford longer than I have ever lived anywhere. Tim is a Yankee; I'm a Southerner. Tim grew up in the country; I am a suburb girl. When referring to a small stream, he says, "crick;" I say, "creek." :) There are lots of other differences in our backgrounds, but there is one common bond that we share - both of our dads handed to us a godly heritage.

Although we grew up in very different parts of the country, we were both raised to love the Lord and had instilled in us a desire to please the Lord. We were taught that Sunday was the Lord's day. It was a day set aside to attend church and to worship the Lord with fellow believers. It was instilled in both of us at a very young age that we would go to church as a family; and as teenagers, we didn't even consider asking if we could do anything else on that day...nothing trumped church. What a valuable lesson they taught us about faithfulness and commitment! God has blessed us for continuing that commitment to be in church each week, and it is amazing to see how the character trait of commitment spills over into so many other areas of our lives.

We were taught - not by constant preaching at us, but by gentle teaching and by quiet example - that our time with the Lord is special, that our testimony before others is of utmost value, that what we say and do has consequences, and that someone is always watching you and learning from you - either good or bad. We were taught to respect our dad and his leadership in our home. Our dads were not perfect, but they certainly lived lives that were worthy of respect and honor. They worked on building and shaping our character, not just our behavior. Instilling godly character traits into our lives was one of their highest goals. They were not concerned about whether or not we made a lot of money and were successful by the world's standards. They were concerned that their children were godly - not just good - and sought to do what God would have us to do.

We both have fond memories of our dads and our time growing up under their influence. Tim's dad, Joe, was a pastor of a small country church in Michigan. His quiet, somewhat obscure ministry left a huge impact on Tim and his siblings. During a difficult time in Tim's life, his dad's non-judgmental ways, his love and his faithful prayers were instrumental in helping draw Tim back to the Lord. Only the Lord knows how many people were influenced by him and his ministry. "Grandpa Zac" went home to be with the Lord several years ago. The legacy of ministry that he passed on to his children is still being lived out today. All three of his children are faithfully serving the Lord and seeking to do their Heavenly Father's will. Grandpa Zac's grandchildren are being taught the things that he passed on to his children. We miss him dearly, but know that he is in the presence of the Lord Whom he loved so much and served so faithfully.

My dad exemplified hard work, quiet strength, wisdom, consistency, and faithfulness to his family, his country and his Lord. I was taught to be patriotic and love and respect my country. My dad is a wonderful dad and an amazing grandpa. He has a corny sense of humor, but that humor has gotten us through some very difficult times! He is not only still attending church, but also still serving in the church. It is a testament to him -and mom!- that all 4 of his children are faithfully serving the Lord either in full-time ministry or as lay servants in the church. His godly heritage is being passed on to his 14 (soon to be 15) grandchildren. He is retired now and is enjoying a slower pace from the fast-paced life of a pilot. However, his faithfulness to the Savior and commitment to his family has not slowed down!

Proverbs 17:6 says, "Children's children are the crown of old men, and the glory of children are their fathers." We both are very grateful for our dads and appreciate their strong influence in our lives. They are both truly the glory of their children. So, on this Father's Day, I just wanted to take the opportunity to honor my wonderful father-in-law and my amazing dad and thank the Lord for giving both Tim and I a godly heritage.

~Stacie

May 2011

This picture is from Easter Sunday. I have not had the chance to update as often as I would like to. Since January, I have been driving 3 days a week back and forth to Norwalk. I feel as if I am becoming a permanent part of our van. Norwalk is nearly an hour away from our home, but that is where Michael is getting "Brain Balance" therapy and we are seeing some remarkable results from it. The progress that we see in him makes every hour spent on I-95 worth it. However, it leaves me in a time crunch to get everything else done. His sessions have been extended until the end of July, so we will keep wearing tracks in the road from here to there!

Tim continues to receive good reports from the oncologist, for which we are grateful. He has had a few other health concerns lately, but over all he is doing well. He has to have a root canal done - he began the process two weeks ago, but will have 2 more appointments before it is completed. That was pretty painful for him and he is not looking forward to the next two appointments, but he knows it is needed. He also recently had a reaction to one of the medications he receives once a month from the oncologist to strengthen his bones. After the IV infusion, he began to feel lethargic and dehydrated. It took about 4 days for those side effects to subside. It was unusual for this to occur, since he has had this treatment every month for several months. Anyway, he is doing well now.

Our family has again had our share of an awful stomach bug that lasted about 5-6 days. The week before Easter, Tim and all of the kids were very sick. Mark ended up in the emergency room because he had become so dehydrated he could hardly move. We also had our associate pastor's three children staying with us that same week. Pastor Fitch and Julie had gone out of town with some of our teenagers and we had agreed to keep their children all week. (Yes, I'm a great friend!) One of their kids got sick along with all of ours, so it was a tough week for me. I felt like a modern day Florence Nightingale, taking care of the sick people all day and through the night. I was exhausted, but praise the Lord I didn't get sick!!! Whew!

Yesterday was Matthew's 18th birthday. Can you believe I have an 18 year old son? I'm way too young for that!!! Actually, he was born when I was 23, so I guess I'm not that young anymore! (You can do the math.) Matthew is at Shenandoah Boys Ranch in Tennessee and is doing really well. It was so good to talk to him and hear his voice yesterday. He sounded so good. It has been a very long road with him and earlier this year, we were pretty despondent over his future. While we still are taking things with him one day at a time, we are surely enjoying the good reports we continue to receive. Thank you to all of you who sent him a birthday card. He was thrilled to hear from so many of you!

This last Saturday, I had the privilege to share our testimony with a group of about 130 ladies at Central Baptist Church in Southington, CT. It was truly an honor to do so. As I prepared, I had the opportunity to once again reflect on God's love and care over us through our difficulties. While I am NOT to the point where I am thankful for all we have endured, I am thankful for the LESSONS God has taught us and the opportunites He has given us to share His love and grace with others. It was a blessing to spend time with the ladies at Central Baptist - thank you!

Thanks for following along! Many blessings to each of you!

~Stacie

Counting Our Blessings

It's Valentine's Day and I am sitting here considering God's love for us. Earlier today, I read 1 Chronicles 16:8 that says, "Give thanks unto the LORD, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the people." We have so much to thank the Lord for, starting with His amazing love, so I'm counting some of my blessings today and "making them known:"

Blessing #1:

Tim is doing well. He is fighting a cold - it seems he gets more colds now than he did before, but other than that he is doing great. He went to the oncologist for his monthly check up today and all of his levels are in the normal range. We praise the Lord for his mercy in our lives.

Blessing #2:

In the past few weeks, I have had several people say to me that they check our blog on a regular basis. Everywhere we go, people approach us and ask how Tim is doing and tell us how they continue to pray for him. I originally started this blog to help our family and church family keep up with what was going on, but I really didn't think that many other people would read it. Honestly, we are humbled by the fact that so many people still continue to follow Tim's story and pray for us every day. Thank you for following along with us. It is a real encouragement to our hearts.

Blessing #3:
December and January were very challenging months for our family, due to some problems that we were dealing with regarding our oldest son, Matthew; but the Lord answered many prayers, and showed us how much He loves us during some very difficult days. Matthew is now at the Shenandoah Boys Academy in Tennessee - it is a miracle how the Lord worked it out for him to be there. We had so many needs over the last several weeks that were left unspoken to most people, but the Lord knew what we were facing and He is faithful. We are continually amazed at how He takes care of us and comes through for us in such a way that we can only say, "Blessed be the Lord!"

Blessing #4:
Michael started a new therapy for his Autism - we make 3 trips a week to Norwalk, which is about 45 minutes away. However, it typically takes at least an hour to an hour and a half to get home because of afternoon traffic. The drive can be brutal at times, (if you live around here, you completely understand that!), but we are so glad that Michael is getting some help and we look forward to seeing him make progress in the program. We are also amazed at how the Lord has provided the funds for this therapy. I'm glad we serve a God Who is bigger than our bills!

Blessing#5:
Grandma Zac came for a visit from Pennsylvania. She will be here most of February. It is really good to have her here. She and the kids love to play Skip-Bo and they love Grandma's back-rubs!

There are so many more blessings to count, but I'll stop for now. One of our favorite verses says, "O taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man that that trusteth in Him." (Psalm 34:8)

Have a "Lovely" Valentine's Day! :)

January, 2011

Well, we have had a crazy start to 2011! Some one in our family has been sick since December 22nd! I have either been sick myself or have been taking care of someone who is sick. Can we rewind and start 2011 over again? I have lost the first 2 weeks of January! We have had ear infections, bronchitis, strep throat, sinus infections and worst of all---the dreaded stomach bug! All of us got the stomach bug in the same week and it was a tough one! But, we think we are finally over it now. Today, everyone has been able to eat and no one has been sick, so we are making progress. Our church family has brought us a smorgasbord of soups over the last few day to help us. They are so good to us and they certainly know how to make some delicious soups! We are grateful that we are all feeling better now, and pray that we will stay healthy the rest of the winter.

Tim went to the oncologist yesterday, and everything looks good. His doctor is pleased with the results his blood work and the cancer is quiet, for which we are so grateful.

We are looking forward to the new year. We have several plans for our church as we continue to steadily grow. Since arriving in Branford in August, Pastor Fitch and Julie have been a tremendous addition to our church and a real encouragement to our family personally. We are blessed to have them here and look forward to what the Lord has for us this year.