We are fighting a battle. The enemy has taken the form of #Cysticfibrosis and it’s nasty, it’s sneaky, it’s deadly, and it’s a lonely disease. It takes breaths away. It makes you count calories because there is never enough. It makes you panic during a pandemic. It makes you examine blood levels, oxygen levels, iron levels, and more. It wakes you up at night to make sure your kids are still breathing. It makes you count pills before every meal. It makes you take frequent time outs, because you can see your teenager struggling to make a lay up. It makes the hospital tune up a regular thing. It makes you…it makes you realize your kids will always have to fight to be a normal breathing person like the person standing beside them that takes breathing and eating for granted.

Again, it’s a nasty-horrible-scary disease that the enemy uses to steal dreams and destroy lives. But, God is there. There is a flag waving in the middle of the battle that never goes down. God makes miracles happen every minute of every hour of every day and in every week. Remember, the battle is won.

I want to honor some people tonight who have held up our son during his hospital stay, and me as well being his dad. My wife, Annie is the lighthouse for our family and she is always there no matter what. She talks shop with every nurse, researches every new bacteria the doctor brings up, and is the only one that can truly calm Josiah down when anxiety creeps in and flies over with a nuclear attack. My in-laws are in the mix making sure the siblings have an incredible safe place to have fun when I’m working and Annie is in the hospital. It’s been hard on Levi not having big brother in the bunk bed at night, but he gets the biggest smile knowing G’Diddy and G’Mommy are picking him up the next morning to get out of the house to make memories. That’s so huge! When he thinks about his siblings battles, he will have incredible memories of his grandparents helping him too.

Then there is you. Your comments/ likes are life giving. I read out loud to Josiah your comments that are made, and remind him that our extended family loves him. You truly make a powerful difference taking the time to pray. Your prayers are like the unleaded fuel to my soul. We are in this together and know I want to thank you, I want to give you the biggest hug, and I want to serve you back 10x fold. Please always message me or text me if there is ever anything I can do and pray alongside with you as well.

Community is Biblical and that’s what we have. Moses arms were lifted up and that’s what lead to the Israelites winning a major battle. When they held his arms up because Moses couldn’t stand any longer, the enemy began to win. But when Moses’ friends held his arms up, the enemy lost ground. You are holding up my sons arms. You are holding up my arms. You are holding up Annie’s arms. You are holding up Levi and Grace’s arms. For that reason, we will beat this disease together. For that reason, we will minister to every nurse, every respiratory therapist, every doctor, every child life specialist, every janitor that takes our towels and trash, and every parent we see walking to the coffee machine on the 9th floor at 2am.

Battles are messy. Battles are scary. Battles take its toll on everyone involved. Battles don’t last forever. Battles make the victory so sweet too! Our battle isn’t over yet. But victory is on the horizon, and it will be so sweet. We (that means you, Josiah, and me) have got this because He’s got this! Legacies are growing daily.

Thank you for holding up our arms!