It is now been just over four months since we began this journey with a brain tumor. The road God has led us on has taken us through mountains and valleys, sections of clear straight highway and down uncertain narrow footpaths.
Through it all, God has walked with us, giving us joy and strength, comfort and peace. When Jesus walks with us, then we can be free not to worry about what may lie ahead or the dangers that may be to our right of left, but instead we simply must listen to His voice as He leads us forward step by step. Throughout the Bible, we see God present with His people. His presence with us has meant that we never have to walk this road alone.
One of God’s primary provisions for us, and evidence of his presence with us, has been the community found in other followers of Christ, especially in our church family. At some of the most difficult points over the past four months, God has guided His people to encourage us exactly when we need it most and directed others to pray for us in ways we did not even know we needed. In real tangible ways His people have come alongside us though providing meals, caring for our children, and countless other acts of kindness. We are so blessed to be a part of the body of Christ. In our culture we are told to always project strength and to trust the power of the individual. We could not have made it this far in our own strength or on our own without the support of others. Thank you for the role that each of you have had in our lives over the past several months.
We do not know what tomorrow may bring, but as best we can tell we are not at the middle or near the end of this journey with a brain tumor. Unless God intervenes in some miraculous way, we are still very much at the beginning of the journey. Our neurosurgeon described the infection that lead to the second surgery as a bump in the road. This bump includes months of antibiotic treatment and a third surgery to replace the portion of the skull they had to remove. All of this is in addition to monitoring for any growth or return of the tumor. Pray that God would completely remove both the infection and the tumor and restore me to health. If He chooses not to do this, pray that Christ would continue to provide us with his presence and strength. Either way, we will step forward in faith, trusting Christ to use this for our good and for His glory.
Eyes on the Unseen 
Keeping you guys in our prayers…
My dear Jonathan and Karla,
I thank God for the evident grace and strength that He has given you over these past months and for your testimony to the solid truth that He can be trusted with ALL your circumstances, no matter how frightening.
Your message yesterday reminds me of truths in Lamentations 3 (you will see that I have taken the liberty to change the order of the verses):
Who can speak and have it happen?
Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that both calamities
and good things come?
[But] men (and women) are not cast off by the Lord forever.
Though He brings grief, He will show compassion, so great is His
unfailing love.
For He does not willingly bring affliction or grief to the children of men.
Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His
compassions never fail.
They are new every morning. Great is Your faithfulness!
I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait
for Him”.
The Lord is good to those whose hope is in Him, to the one who
seeks Him;
It is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord.
We love you,
Mary Eva
Hi Bean family,
Praise God that Jon is home, praise God for the wonderful people He has surrounded your lives with and praise God for His redeeming love & care that brings us closer to Him – even during “bumpy roads”! We’re praying for you all and we trust that the Lord will continue to care for your lives. We love you all very much, and wish we could be closer to serve your family.
With love,
Brad & Mirela