Wow, so 4 days before Christmas we just got a letter from the SNAP food stamp program. I haven't worked in two years and my wife hasn't been able to because she takes care of me and our two toddlers. The letter states that they think we're making a fraudulent claim so I have to go to a hearing in January or they are going to look into pressing charges. Press charges for what? This feels a whole lot like persecution because I've been extremely honest every time I talk to these people even if it'll cost us our benefits. Please pray for us because this is the last thing we needed to hear, and now it looks like we're losing our food stamps for sure. Lord we trust you, please vindicate us, your children. Lord have mercy.

As song writer/performer John Mark McMillan writes: "Well, I've got no answers for heartbreaks or cancers, But a Savior who suffers them with me"

He really does suffer our afflictions with us and He helps us carry our cross of suffering as someone helped Him as well over 2000 years ago. 

We need Him more than the air we breathe. You know what I've learned; our King suffers with us as we suffer for Him. I've never felt so close to the Lord in my whole life. 

It's a scary thing to find yourself helpless in the hands of your creator, where there is no other choice but to just trust Him in all things. But once you realize where you are and that He is faithful to catch you up in His mighty hands you never ever want to leave. 

We're learning that through our current sufferings, never in our lives have we felt closer to the Lord but yet day by day in our sufferings it reveals areas of unbelief and fear and the Lord is delivering us from all these things one by one as we've learned day by day to abide more and more in His love for us. People may look at me on my sick bed and wonder why the Lord isn't doing anything, but I'm here to tell you that He has done and is doing mighty and miraculous things in our hearts, in me and in my wife and in our two boys. He is bringing healing to places we didn't know we were wounded and He will deliver me from this sick bed when He is ready. Then when I rise we will glorify His name in new ways to all the people that will listen for all the remaining days of our lives! 

The reason we're putting all our struggles out here for others to see is to encourage those that are struggling too. If one person can be encouraged, inspired, or touched by God to hold on to their faith in Christ through us sharing our story then it's all worth it, every embarrassing bit of it and the not so embarrassing parts and our victories too. The other reason we put our struggles out there is because we need help. That's what families are for. Not to do for someone else what they can do for themselves but rather to help carry their burdens when they become too heavy to carry them alone

For over 17 months now as many of you know, I have suffered from an illness called long covid that's invisible. It's decimated my immune system and the doctors can see all the signs of something ravaging my insides and now I know what it feels like to have people not believe you, to not feel seen, to not feel heard, to not feel loved by others; but I want to encourage you that if you are going through something like this don't keep it a secret, cast off your shame and run to the Father and abide there in His love. 

The one thing I know for sure is that God is working all things out for the good of those that love Him and are called according to His purpose, and every single month we've watched Jesus make a way for us through the love and support of so many of you over the last year and a half. You truly are His hands and feet, our friends, and our family. 

But in our weakness, Christ Jesus is our strength. 

Next week I'll have an update with more actual health information, over the last couple weeks they've done a lot of testing and I'm waiting for a lot of results to come back and I should have them by early next week. My disability claim is in limbo, I have not heard from them since I saw the doctor and it's been over 2 months now, so we're praying that very soon we will be able to be able to support ourselves. 

May God be glorified in our lives and in yours, and may the testimonies of His faithfulness be always on the tip of our tongues, ready to share with anyone else that needs hope. Love wins everytime. 

We aren't selling anything, but we are asking you for help. We really need some financial help so we can make it month to month. We understand that many of you are facing challenges of your own, so if you're not in a position to give, please don't feel obligated. We'd just ask that you continue to pray for us and if you could; like and share our campaign, that helps us ALOT too.🙂

🔥❤️🔥

Going into this Christmas season we're filled with hope because that's what Christmas is all about. Jesus is our blessed hope and we will celebrate the promise of God coming and being fulfilled because Jesus truly is the reason for the season!

I was just diagnosed with lupus and systemic sclerosis. Two autoimmune diseases that were activated by the spike proteins in my body that are for some reason, not leaving. I'm going to have my last appeal for disability within the next 4 months but right now our greatest need is just to make it and we've exhausted all of our resources. We know that this is a tough season for everybody, we know that so many of you have helped carry us for so long but we really do think that we are coming to the end of our journey and if my disability gets approved we won't have to ask for help anymore; but in the meantime keeping our place through the holidays and having electric and food for the boys would mean the world to us. 

Today somebody sent me this scripture and I pondered it because it's one of my favorite passages in all of Paul's letters. I hope it speaks to you and we just want to wish you guys all a Merry Christmas because we love you and without you, the body of Christ, we don't know where we'd be. 

God does Miracles all the time, but he does the most Miracles through those that are His. That's where the love is. You are all shining saints and living epistles that not only give us hope and encouragement, but you help us carry on. 

I hope this passage of scripture inspires you like it has me no matter what happens throughout this Christmas season, it's all about Jesus!

May God be glorified in our lives and in yours, and may the testimonies of His faithfulness be always on the tip of our tongues, ready to share with anyone else that needs hope. 

We also really want to say thank you; thank you for your love, thank you for your prayers, and thank you for you, that's right... you! 

We are forever grateful for the way y'all love Jesus and for the yes in your hearts to love us in the middle of the toughest trial we've ever faced in this life so far, while many of you are going through hard stuff right now too. We're so much better together, aren't we?

Let's just keep trusting the Lord! 

"You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! Trust in the Lord always, for the Lord God is the eternal Rock."

🔥Isaiah 26🔥

In Him,

Jeremiah, Maresha, Judah, Elisha, and Capone

"And working together with Him, we also urge you not to receive the grace of God in vain— for He says,

“AT A FAVORABLE TIME I LISTENED TO YOU,

AND ON A DAY OF SALVATION I HELPED YOU.”

Behold, now is “A FAVORABLE TIME,” behold, now is “A DAY OF SALVATION”— giving no reason for taking offense in anything, so that the ministry will not be discredited, but in everything commending ourselves as servants of God, in much endurance, in afflictions, in hardships, in difficulties, in beatings, in imprisonments, in mob attacks, in labors, in sleeplessness, in hunger, in purity, in knowledge, in patience, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in genuine love, in the word of truth, and in the power of God; by the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and the left, by glory and dishonor, by evil report and good report; regarded as deceivers and yet true; as unknown and yet well known, as dying and yet behold, we are alive; as punished and yet not put to death, as sorrowful yet always rejoicing, as poor yet making many rich, as having nothing and yet possessing all things. Our mouth has spoken freely to you, you Corinthians, our heart is opened wide. You are not restrained by us, but you are restrained in your own affections. Now in the same way in exchange—I am speaking as to children—open wide your hearts to us, you as well. Do not be mismatched with unbelievers; for what do righteousness and lawlessness share together, or what does light have in common with darkness? Or what harmony does Christ have with Belial, or what does a believer share with an unbeliever? Or what agreement does the temple of God have with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said,

“I WILL DWELL AMONG THEM AND WALK AMONG THEM;

AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE. “Therefore, COME OUT FROM THEIR MIDST AND BE SEPARATE,” says the Lord.

“AND DO NOT TOUCH WHAT IS UNCLEAN;

And I will welcome you. “And I will be a father to you,

And you shall be sons and daughters to Me,”

Says the Lord Almighty.

🔥Selah🔥

2 Corinthians 6:1-18

This is a pretty crazy moment in my life and walk with the Lord. I just tested positive for an autoimmune disease, we're starting to fall short on our bills and our mortgage, and we're barely even able to afford groceries. I know that so many of you have followed our story since I was hospitalized with covid pneumonia 2 years ago and almost died. Then they called it long covid and I've been sick ever since. 

It's been a long time and this season of testing feels like forever, but I also know that sometimes the best things in life take time. God's been so faithful and we've made it through so much in the last two years by His grace. 

I'm supposed to get an in person hearing with a disability judge sometime between January and June. The lawyer said this is where I'll get approval, it's just going to take a little more time. 

We have no idea how we're going to make it through all of this, but we're going to keep trusting the Lord. I just got back my blood work results from my homeopathic doctor who did a bunch of new tests to try to figure out if she could find anything definitive that was going on and a resounding yes came back from my testing. It was scary at first when I found out but after all the things we've walked through, we know we aren't walking through any of this alone. 

I've changed my diet, I'm changing my lifestyle, we've pressed into the Lord, prayed, fasted, cried, screamed and I am here right now sharing this with you and asking all of you for help. I know not all of you can give financially but we really need your prayers right now.

We have such a good good Father. We know He'll provide our needs, but sometimes we have not because we don't ask for it. Well, with that being said we're asking for help to get us through the next few months, or until my hearing takes place, whichever comes first. If you could join us in prayer we'd really appreciate it alot. 

We're so thankful for all of you. I wish I had more information to share about my health, but right now I just keep getting sick and then feel sick everyday even when I'm not sick so it's just been a really up and down season in my health and in our lives. Next month I will know more as there are more tests we're waiting for now. What a roller coaster but Jesus is and has been our peace. 

We've learned one thing through this season. God is faithful and He will make a way for us and for you no matter what you're going through. Our God is always faithful, and He loves you and me so much. So if you're going through some stuff we are here to testify of the goodness of God!

If you can help us, please think about us this Christmas season as we're more worried about paying our bills and having food in our fridge then we are about toys for our boys.

We thank God for all of you that have helped us carry this burden that's been too heavy for us to carry alone. Your prayers and support have touched our hearts in ways we don't even fully comprehend yet, may God bless you all ten fold in whatever way you need it the most. 

In Him,

Jeremiah, Maresha, Judah, Elisha, and Capone

If everyone could please pray for my husband, his health went on another plummet. For me this has been really mental, it seems like he's doing better for a few days and then his body goes into insomnia and extreme fatigue which knocks him down again. He caught my cold as well which was nothing for me but it totally took him out. 

Thank you to everybody who has been there for us helping us and encouraging us along the way. We don't know where we'd be without you. The body of Christ is truly amazing and beautiful. And the encouragement blesses our souls. ❤️ We truly love and care for you all tremendously. 

Everyday seems a little bit closer, to what I don't know but I do know his plans for us are good. And I thank him for this time to be able to have faith. 

The Lord's showed me a lot during this time about hope. If it weren't for hope I would have been in a dark place a long time ago. And my hope is fixed not on anything in this world which could ultimately fail (doctors, medicines, money, my own understandings, comfort, never going through trials) but my hope is fixed on Jesus Christ and I've surrendered to his will for my life and for my family's life. Sometimes I have to do it daily. And it's truly the best place to be. He knows better than I do about anything and everything. What a good place to be in the palm of our savior's hand. It has not been smooth sailing though every single day. Some days have been really hard where I've had to choose with an act of my will to anchor my hope in Jesus and just keep saying, I trust you. Even though my feelings want to take me out. I know your good and your here with us and you love us. 

So my Facebook family! If your going through a long season that feels like forever of testing and trials. Truly count it all joy. It will bring steadfastness in your faith. I want that! Don't you? Faith is an action. I've never had so much opportunity to practice faith every single day. In all of this it's worth it. Even though it's hard. Eternally it's worth it. And we have a good father who knows that too. 

So thank you Jesus for our trials where we can choose to have hope in you, and faith that you are with us always. Even in the darkness His light shines the brightest. ✨️✝️✨️

❤️ Maresha

Well to say I'm disappointed at the moment would be my biggest understatement of 2024. They just denied my first appeal for my disability claim after almost 2 years since I first filed. I'm trying to process through this happening right now but I'm not going to lie, this feels really, really heavy right now.

I received an email last Friday at 5:30 p.m. which said that my medical review was about to begin for my appeal. Then today after them taking only one business day to review my case, I received an email that said they denied me.

For the last two years I have not been able to take care of myself or our boys. This is why my wife can't work right now, because she has to take care of us. Per the doctors orders, I can't do any physical activities or excercise because of how sick I end up getting when I over do it and my symptoms are still all over the place, every single day. The doctors are just as concerned about me having a stroke or a heart attack as they were when I first left the hospital almost 2 years ago. I could go on and on about what they diagnosed me with and what my symptoms are like everyday but I won't bore you with all that. If you've been following our journey you already know all about it.

I've forgiven whoever denied my appeal and we're just going to keep taking one day at a time. God's brought us this far and we're going to keep trusting Him because there's no other place we'd rather be than where He wants us to be. 

My lawyer told me that if I was to get denied this time, it's par for the course. Dealing with Disability and Social Security in Washington State is crazy apparently. Now we're appealing again to get in front of a judge this time, so we can make our case in disability court. 

We were really hopeful that all of this would work out before Christmas and we were looking forward to not having to ask for financial help anymore. We're so ready for this chapter of our lives to give way to the new, but it seems that He's got different plans for us in His timing. 

My lawyer seemed to think that this next appeal will take 6 months or less and they're really confident that we're going to win...they only get paid if I win.🙂

Please keep us in your prayers for my physical healing, for my wife and boys as they endure me being sick for so long, for financial provision to carry us through, and for grace to continue comforting others with the comfort we've been given. 

Lord have mercy. 

🔥❤️🔥

We're still expecting a miracle and as many of you already know, due to Jeremiahs current and persistent health issues we've needed financial help just to make it month to month for a while now. We never expected it to go on for this long and so now we're asking for a little more help for us and our two little guys. Help to keep our lights and heat on, household stuff, clothes, medicines, gas, and keeping our bills and mortgage paid so we can keep a roof over our heads. Seriously we would have been homeless months ago had it not been for your generosity.

 Hopefully Jeremiah will be cleared to go back to work early next year but in the meantime, if you're able to help get us through the next few months with a financial blessing, we could sure use it right now. We know God's healing is real and we will wait on His timing, because I know He's going to heal me.

Thank you for all the love you've shown us throughout the last several months. One thing we promise is this; we will keep paying it forward!

Here's a couple different ways to sow into us, we also have zelle and cashapp.

If you message us in messenger we'll give you that info or our address if that works best for you. We only have a couple more months to make it through and we're trusting that God will get us through. It's hard asking for financial help with so much going on in the world but we put our trust in Jesus, our anchor in this storm, and we believe that He will supply all of our needs. If you need prayer please private message us. Jeremiah has alot of free time to pray and we'd love to be praying for you!

May God bless you and keep you, may His face shine upon you!

🔥❤️🔥

So I wanted to write a post and to be honest with you it's a hard post to write. See I think the hardest things to share with people on social media or Facebook are real things and it gets you wondering who you're going to offend or who might twist what you're saying to mean something other than what you actually mean. That's part of the problem with written communication but you can also have the same problems with verbal communication. You see throughout this whole thing going on the last almost two years now with me having long covid is that we've had like four different camps of friends. 

The first camp has really encouraged us to reach out for help and to ask other people in the body of Christ to help us in our time of need. The second camp they don't think that we should ask anybody for help and that we should just pray to God alone in the secret place and not make it public. Then we've had those other people in the third camp that believe that the things that are happening to us are because we don't believe or we have sin in our life or some kind of demonic entity is attacking us. But it's the fourth camp that ultimately has hurt us in our heart in a way that the other three camps couldn't. They use a scripture out of context that says that we should never have to beg for bread. They literally tell us that we're begging people for help and for money. They tell us that the way out of our crisis is to go back to work and basically do it on our own. Brothers and sisters if that was even a possibility my wife would have been back to work a year ago.

I myself have even overcomplicated this because I will have terrible terrible weeks and months that then all the sudden I'll have a good weekend and I want to go to the park with my boys and I see someone I know and then they see me at the park and they don't know that inside every part of my body is hurting but that I'm there not because I'm better but because I'm tired of watching my kids watching videos on YouTube of other dads playing with their boys when I'm sick and down and out in bed.

The reason I'm saying all this is because I've been praying a lot over the last 2 years for a lot of you and for us and I've gotten answers through prayer in a million different ways and one of the ways was there was a song that came out and the lyrics literally said "my dad can't get out of bed" and at the end of it he says I'll sing this song to you Dad when you get out of bed. And it broke my heart and so my heart has been breaking along with my wife's because so many people have written us off and called us beggars like we're using people and we're not and it's probably been the hardest test of our faith that we've ever experienced.

Today though God decided to speak through a song to me and so I had to go sell some things so that we can pay our bills and on the way back this song came up on my YouTube mix that I never heard before and it's by Josiah Queen. If you've never heard of them I really want to encourage you to look up his music but I'm going to share the lyrics with a song that blessed my heart and spoke to me in a way that I don't think God's spoken to me in a very long time. It was clear and it was precise and it turned my perspective right around because I didn't want to be out of bed today but I had to be and we don't want to ask for help but we have to and so I pray that as I share the lyrics of this song that not only do you look up this amazing Christian artist and listen to all of his music and his ministry because it's so real, but I pray that it speaks to you today because I would rather die a beggar than to die and beg at Heaven's Gates.

Hear the lyrics to the song;

"You can't love your money

And also love the Lord

I've tried before and I'll die before I try again

You can't gain fame and it ever satisfy

I've done and tried

It numbed me right down to my bones

It's impossible

It's impossible

I would rather die a beggar then to beg at heaven's gates

Pack the car and burn the bridges

I didn't need them anyways

If no ones riding with me

Then I'll travel on my own

I'd rather lose the world before the world can gain my soul

I tried to earn his love, but I really dug a hole and I got cold, a mortal soul can't bare that cross, my hands are red and I am guilty of a multitude of sins, without the cover of His blood

It's impossible

It's impossible

I would rather die a beggar then to beg at heaven's gates

Pack the car and burn the bridges

I didn't need them anyways

If no ones riding with me

Then I'll travel on my own

I'd rather lose the world before the world

Can gain my soul

It's impossible

To gain the world and have your soul

I would rather die a beggar then to beg at heaven's gates

Pack the car and burn the bridges

I didn't need them anyways

If no ones riding with me

Then I'll travel on my own

I'd rather lose the world before the world can gain my soul

When I die a beggar

And I walk through heaven's doors

All the evils of this rotting world

Traded for a home

You can go there with me

And you'll never be alone

You gotta lose the world before the world

Can gain your soul"

Song written by Josiah Queen

🔥❤️🔥

We love y'all so much,

Jeremiah, Maresha, Judah, Elisha, and Capone 

May this encourage someone today to just hold on, He's heard your prayers, and help, heavens help is on the way. 

Faith is the assurance of things HOPED-FOR, the conviction or the evidence of THINGS NOT YET SEEN.

Today's been a really hard day for us so far, physically, mentally, and emotionally. 

I look forward to the day that I'm completely healed and while I appreciate the hearts of those who've told me that I'm already healed and that I just need to walk in it or "name it and claim it", we need to call a thing what it is and I'm simply not physically healed yet. 

But why am I not healed if I believe that God can and will heal me? Why after so many people laying hands on me and the many prayers of the faithful am I still not healed yet?

Is it lack of faith? Is it because God's mad at me? Is it because I have hidden sin in my life?

 No, it's a big no to all three. 

(Not because I never sin but because I don't make a practice of it and when I do I confess it to my wife or another strong believer and I have a clear conscience before God and men)

So why am I not healed yet?

It's because Faith is the assurance of things HOPED-FOR, the conviction or evidence of THINGS NOT YET SEEN.

What we're going through is not a blind faithless wandering or the absence of faith, rather it's actually the tangible walking out our faith before God and the people in our lives. Jesus and the rest of the new testament scriptures talk so much about suffering, troubles, trials, and tribulations in the lives of believers.

Were they confused?

No, it's because they knew that Faith is the assurance of things HOPED-FOR, the conviction or evidence of THINGS NOT YET SEEN.

What does walking by faith look like? It looks like walking with Jesus everyday and growing into a deeper relationship and dependence on Him and on His Holy Spirit so that His love can pour out from you despite your current sufferings or circumstances. It looks like running to God and not leaning on our own understanding. 

I can only share my experiences but I pray that by sharing this it encourages someone today. 

Everyday we have a choice and even on the hardest days we have to simply choose to trust Him, that He will give us our daily portion. 

Today I chose to walk by faith just to get out of bed despite the fatigue and pain I'm feeling, I walk by faith to help my wife the best I can around the house and to help her with our boys, I walked by faith when I flew to Florida because I knew I had to go pray for my dad in what was a really grave situation where a miracle happened, not in my body though, but rather in his.

I walked by faith to go to my 5 year olds Pre-K graduation, I walk by faith to go the grocery store with my wife and help her corral our two boys, to watch my boys play outside and inside, to say yes when others have needed help or couseling, to go to a revival and see a dear brother in the faith, and we're walking by faith that God will provide our mortgage payment this month and again the next until I can go back to work, we walk by faith that He'll provide for us the provision through His body the church to continue paying our bills so that our lights and our heat stay on through the coming fall and winter.  

We've walked by faith when we've been led to give the little we have to others and even complete strangers, even though we ourselves really need the money. 

Now even today we're walking by faith although my body is simply not healed yet. My heart though, my heart has become filled with a new love for my wife, our boys, and our family. My hearts been filled with the conviction to pray for every prayer request we receive and the more I've prayed for others, the less I've prayed for me. 

Even though every step I take feels like I'm stepping on Legos all day every day, even though my vision is getting worse, even though my legs fall asleep almost everytime I sit down, even though my legs give out when I walk to much, even when I'm puking my guts out, even when my head pounds all day more often than not everyday, even when my heart feels like it's going to beat out of my chest everyday, even when my edema comes and goes along with the pain in my chest and my lungs, even when I'm exhausted 24/7, and even when I'm constantly forgetting what I'm saying or what someone else has just said to me, and even when by the end of each day I've got nothing left that's when I cry tears of gratitude to the Lord and I thank Him for the grace He's given to me to get through another day.   

We've seen miracles in our marriage, miracles of healing in others while I've been sick, we've continued sharing the good news as we go and we take every opportunity to allow ourselves to be interrupted for His purposes and His glory despite me being sick.  

It's not about me, nor about when I'm getting healed because I know that He will heal me and He will heal you too. 

It's about His love, His mercy, and His grace that has been more than sufficient to get us through this tough season without us giving up because, I know the Lord won't ever give up on us. 

After 20 months of being out of work and mostly in bed I can still honestly and boldly declare that God is good and He is so faithful. 

Don't you know that Jesus right now is at the right hand of the Father interceding for us, yeah that's right; for us, His church. For me and for you!

So if you're struggling physically, mentally or emotionally I want to encourage you to remember that His grace is sufficient for you and that His power is made perfect in our own weakness. That's when we're the strongest, it's when we realize we're helpless and we still choose to put our complete trust in Him. Then we can just be what He's created us to be and do what He's called us to do. Don't give up my friends because He's not going to give up on you. 

We pray grace upon grace to you all through Our Lord, Jesus Christ.

🔥❤️🔥

I believe they call it Murphys law when everything that can go wrong will go wrong. Talk about being tested, this is all beginning to feel less like a pop quiz and alot more like an end of the year final. 

That's ok though because our Lord walks on water, He calms the sea with His voice and can split the sea with His will, He can heal and even raise the dead in an instant, He is in all things, and our Lord even holds ALL things together. That's our God and those words pale in comparison to His awesomeness, power, and love! 

He's the reason that we can experience all that we're going through by faith, it's because we have hope stored up from all the miracles we've seen Him do in our lives and through our lives before we got here; to this season of so many challenges. 

I'm currently suffering from long covid with all of the normal symptoms that it entails; doing the smallest task makes me exhausted, sometimes I can't remember things whether they're important or unimportant or what day it is, headaches everyday, pain in my stomach, in my feet, and in my chest, trouble breathing along with trouble sleeping, anxiety, skin rash from inflammation in my stomach, anxiety, ptsd, extreme fatigue almost constantly, pain in my chest and bones, joint pain, heart palpitations, high blood pressure, chest pain when breathing, dizziness, my hands and feet falling asleep, extreme nausea with vomiting, diarrhea, insomnia followed by periods of extended sleep; like all day, brain fog, edema, sudden confusion, and ultimately I can't do the things I used to be able to do to live and if I push myself all my symptoms get worse. 

I've had several upper respiratory infections over the last few months (almost back to back) and so my doctor now has antibiotics literally on call for me at the pharmacy because if I get pneumonia again that'll be three times in 5 years and my doctor says my lungs won't recover, on top of that they're worried about me having a stroke because my heart and my blood pressure are still racing so fast and coming in so high. 

When I went to see if CO2 was building up in my lungs, they told me that my heart is not beating regularly and so now I've been referred to a Cardiologist for my irregular heartbeat.

Our vans transmission is slipping and our trucks lights are all lit up. Our dog Capone had several ear infections and after treating him several times at the vet they're saying that he needs to see a specialist because the part of his ear that protects his inner ear is completely missing which gives him vertigo all the time and he can barely walk down our front steps to go outside without rolling down them. He shakes his head and just falls to the ground but he's a trooper, he knows Jesus too. It's a long story and you can laugh at me if you want but I shared the gospel with Capone when he was a puppy and when I first met my wife, and at the end of my gospel presentation he barked. He's never barked on command ever since and we both looked at each other like oh my goodness; to be honest with you some days he inspires me to just get up out of bed, out of the chair, and to just try again because he literally never gives up. 

We're still trying to get our roof taken care of before September 10th so we don't lose our home insurance and we're praying that our insurance premiums don't go up after we get our roof fixed. Can you believe there are companies out there that want to charge 20,000 dollars to reshingle a manufactured home? I couldn't, but God is not surprised. 

On top of all these things my beautiful wife has recently been to the emergency room for pain in her stomach which has been going on for weeks now and at first it was really sporadic but it became very constant so next week she'll be going in for an ultrasound. She's a saint and God knew exactly what He was doing when He brought us together because she's an amazing woman of God, wife, mother, and friend. She's selfless and she inspires me everyday to be a better man. 

All of this reminds me of a passage of scripture, it's actually one of my favorite passages of scripture that the Apostle Paul wrote where he says: "We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed— always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So then death is working in us, but life in you." 

2 Corinthians 4:8-12

Isn't it interesting that he said "death is working in us, but life is working in you". 

I believe I understand that passage more than I ever have before because just as he shared what he was experiencing I have shared what our family has been experiencing, not to complain, not for pity, and not for self-preservation, rather we share all these things that are happening to us because we know that by sharing them and sharing with you how we are working through them with Jesus by Faith and Hope through Love; that our struggles might give new life to you out there that are facing trials and tribulations of your own, and for you out there that have never faced anything like this but because you've heard our story and our testimony, because you have read the New Testament; you will not be unaware that sometimes bad things happen to good people because we live in a fallen world, but that's not the end of our story or yours as we all learn to walk through hardships God gets all the glory and Jesus is manifested in the body! 

Not just at the end but the whole way through the storms of life we're here to tell you that He is always faithful. All we have to do is keep the right heart posture. 

This verse, Hebrews 11:6 explains it really well; "But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him."

We must stay in a place with trusting faith knowing that He's watching over us and He is God and He loves when we diligently seek Him. 

Take it from us, when hard times come you have two choices, actually in reality, we all have two choices everyday in just about everything. Are we doing what we think we should be doing or are we diligently seeking the Lord. 

Are we asking, seeking, knocking, and waiting on Him; constantly aware of His presence and attuned to hear His voice throughout our days. Its possible, it just takes some practice; and then trials, troubles, and tribulations give us the opportunity to experience God like we've never experienced Him before. We confess our fears and we cry out to Him because we know He hears us and we want you all to know that He hears you too!

God isn't far from you and God isn't done with us yet and He isn't done with you either. 

Oftentimes we'd love to know what's going to happen next or how it's all going to work out, you know? But if we knew what was going to happen and how it was all going to work out we wouldn't need faith and we wouldn't have hope because you can't hope for something that you already know or have. 

These situations have made us completely dependent upon Jesus, because that's exactly where we need to be. If you're going through hard stuff right now; trust us, there's no better place to be than Psalm 91:4. 

Here's what that verse says, "He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection." 

But in order to be there we have to choose to be there. Remember, as it's written; "The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold"

Psalm 18:2

Let Him be your refuge and your fortress in times of trouble and you will see dear brothers and sisters, He doesn't always change our circumstances right away but He shows us how to walk through them by Faith and He walks through them all with us and in us through His amazing grace. That's how much He loves us and it makes it so much easier to walk through hard times when we let go of fear and all the "what ifs" and simply choose to abide in His love. That's why God said over 300 times throughout the scripture to "fear not". It is because it's His perfect love that dispels all of our fears. 

"Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand."

Isaiah 41:10

So we pray grace upon grace to all of you through Jesus Christ our Lord and we humbly ask for your help if you're able. 

In His love,

Jeremiah 

As we come closer towards the end of July we find ourselves short just shy of $3500.00. That's for our mortgage, our yearly water bill (we're on a shared well), and the rest of our bills. This month has been the hardest due to us being dropped from the food stamp and TANF programs. We completely understand that many of you are facing challenges of your own, so if you're not in a position to help us financially, please don't feel obligated. We'd just ask that you continue to pray for us and like and share this post if it's encouraged you. 

If you're led to sow into our family during this hard time we're facing while I'm so sick, please know what there's no amount to small. It really does all adds up. If everyone of our friends gave just 2 dollars, we'd have exactly what we need; a fishes and loaves kind of miracle.

We are so grateful for all of you, your faith and love towards Jesus, us, and ultimately to eachother. We really are the body of Christ and we need eachother and we're so much better when we work together.  

It's truly a beautiful thing seeing faith work itself out through love in action first hand and we want you to know that we love you and we pray over everyone that's asked us to daily for the last 19 months.

Please don't hesitate to ask us for prayer, we may not have much money but we've got faith and time; especially me. I can pray all day and if you're close and need help, please let us know; if you need any kind of ministry we're here for you. 

One last thing: if you're in the fire right now; don't give up! Look up and reach out to us because breakthrough is coming and we're ready to war for you in the Spirit as you've been fighting for us. .

May God be glorified in our lives and in yours, and may the testimonies of His faithfulness be always on the tip of our tongues, ready to share with anyone else that needs hope. 

I would totally appreciate your prayers right now. 💐(Maresha) I'm really feeling my humanness right now. My hubby has been sick puking for the last few days, which isn't even abnormal unfortunately, but I do slip into worry. More times than I'd like to admit. This has been a long stretch. But I know some of you have been stretched longer. And I commend you and I appreciate your encouragement so much through this time and all of your testimonies. You bless me. I love you all so much. I haven't been on FB very much because there's just so much to do and keep up on with taking care of things around here and the boys. But it's been a hard few days and I thought I'd say something.🙏🏻 I try and stay thankful. That always helps. I know Jesus is right here. And he always holds me when I cry. And is my strength. But some days are just hard, strait up. ❤️ God bless you all so much. We've made the most amazing friends through this season and we cherish you all. ❤️ love always, Maresha 🌺

I know one thing; all this has been and is working for me and my family's good, because He loves us and because He lives in us. He walks with us and He talks with us, it's all to conform us into the image of the Son of God. We have only recently come to the place where we see it as an honor to suffer for His namesake. 

We won't curse the Lord, whatever He has given can also be taken away because He loves us and we praise His Holy name! We've both been saved, delivered, and made well for over a decade now; both of us coming from lives where most people never thought we would even survive because our addiction was so bad and yet He saved us and changed our hearts and gave us a new future and a family and two beautiful little boys! 

My God does not owe me healing, I know He heals, I've seen tumors shrink in front of my very eyes, I've seen someone with stage 4 cancer be completely healed after their doctors told them they would die and be on pain pills forever. All those things are amazing, but how can I, how could I ever reject the fellowship of His suffering? 

I won't, I won't curse the Lord; instead we count it a great joy and a great honor to suffer with Him and for Him and His church. When the time is right He will heal me and restore us but for now we bless the Lord with all our souls and all that is within us we bless His holy name!

🔥Selah🔥

🙌🏻✝️🙌🏻MIRACLE 🙌🏻✝️🙌🏻

God is so big. And he's such a good good father. Today Elisha and I (maresha) were crossing a busy intersection. There was a cross walk and we walked across it as the light said walk. As we were walking a woman started coming at us full speed on Elishas side. I thought this is it. This is really happening. She swerved and missed his little body by like 6 inches. I grabbed him and picked him up and he started yelling MOMMY GOD SAVED ME! GOD JUST SAVED ME. I was in shock. I was shaking and crying on the side of the road and I had to forgive the lady in my heart cause I was so angry but tonight as I think on all of this I just remember how big my God is. Mother's keep praying. He hears you. No matter what it may look like we can trust our mighty God. ❤️✝️❤️ 

Written by Maresha 6/7/24❤️

Today I was denied for my disability claim for several health issues that I've been suffering with caused by long covid. After 17 months of waiting, we were very much hopeful that we'd get approved the first time but as many of you already know that's not usually how it works.  

We want to say thank you for all your loving advice, support, and encouragement. 

I already have a lawyer lined up now. The real life issue is how we're going to survive financially in the meantime. It could take up to another year for an appeal, and Maresha can't work because she literally helps keeps me alive and takes care of the boys and pretty much does everything. 

Thank you for your love, we just need to really seek the Lord in all of this because we are barely making it now without going overdrawn every month. It's time for us to fast and pray to know if we must keep doing what we've been doing or it if it's time to sell everything, including our house. It's in the Lord's hands now, I am saddened by this obstacle, but I also know that in all of this, God is working all things for our good, and He loves us. God bless you, all, thank you for your prayers, your encouragement, and to all of you that have helped keep us afloat throughout this whole trial we've been walking through. We love all of you so much. ❤️

We could really use some financial help so we can make it month to month. We understand that many of you are facing challenges of your own, so if you're not in a position to give financially, please don't feel obligated. We'd just ask that you continue to pray for us and if you could; please share our campaign, because that helps us ALOT too.

God bless you all!❤️

As song writer/performer John Mark McMillan writes: "Well, I've got no answers for heartbreaks or cancers, But a Savior who suffers them with me"

He really does suffer our afflictions with us and He helps us carry our cross of suffering as someone helped Him as well over 2000 years ago. 

We need Him more than the air we breathe. You know what I've learned; our King suffers with us as we suffer for Him. I've never felt so close to the Lord in my whole life. 

It's a scary thing to find yourself helpless in the hands of your creator, where there is no other choice but to just trust Him in all things. But once you realize where you are and that He is faithful to catch you up in His mighty hands you never ever want to leave. 

We're learning that through our current sufferings, never in our lives have we felt closer to the Lord but yet day by day in our sufferings it reveals areas of unbelief and fear and the Lord is delivering us from all these things one by one as we've learned day by day to abide more and more in His love for us. People may look at me on my sick bed and wonder why the Lord isn't doing anything, but I'm here to tell you that He has done and is doing mighty and miraculous things in our hearts, in me and in my wife and in our two boys. He is bringing healing to places we didn't know we were wounded and He will deliver me from this sick bed when He is ready. Then when I rise we will glorify His name in new ways to all the people that will listen for all the remaining days of our lives! 

The reason we're putting all our struggles out here for others to see is to encourage those that are struggling too. If one person can be encouraged, inspired, or touched by God to hold on to their faith in Christ through us sharing our story then it's all worth it, every embarrassing bit of it and the not so embarrassing parts and our victories too. The other reason we put our struggles out there is because we need help. That's what families are for. Not to do for someone else what they can do for themselves but rather to help carry their burdens when they become too heavy for them alone to carry.

For over 17 months now as many of you know, I have suffered from an illness called long covid that's invisible. It's decimated my immune system and the doctors can see all the signs of something ravaging my insides and now I know what it feels like to have people not believe you, to not feel seen, to not feel heard, to not feel loved by others; but I want to encourage you that if you are going through something like this don't keep it a secret, cast off your shame and run to the Father and abide there in His love. 

The one thing I know for sure is that God is working all things out for the good of those that love Him and are called according to His purpose, and every single month we've watched Jesus make a way for us through the love and support of so many of you over the last year and a half. You truly are His hands and feet, our friends, and our family. 

But in our weakness, Christ Jesus is our strength. 

Next week I'll have an update with more actual health information, over the last couple weeks they've done a lot of testing and I'm waiting for a lot of results to come back and I should have them by early next week. My disability claim is in limbo, I have not heard from them since I saw the doctor and it's been over 2 months now, so we're praying that very soon we will be able to be able to support ourselves. 

Brothers and sisters we pray grace upon grace to you all through Jesus Christ Our Lord and Savior!

We aren't selling anything, but we are asking you for help. We really need some financial help so we can make it through this month and we understand that many of you are facing challenges of your own, so if you're not in a position to give, please don't feel obligated. We'd just ask that you continue to pray for us and if you could share out campaign that helps alot too.🙂

May God be glorified in our lives and in yours, and may the testimonies of His faithfulness be always on the tip of our tongues, ready to share with anyone else that needs hope. Love wins everytime. 

🌺By Maresha💐

I fall into fear and hopelessness more than I want to. With everything going on in our life, and all around us... it happens. 😕 But I'm super thankful.🙌🏻 Jesus, my husband, and my loved ones are always right there to tell me the truth ❤️. It really is a war for the mind.

Sometimes my feelings are so strong it is a fight to believe the truth. But I choose to. I have to.... I have to because I know if I give in and entertain the thoughts that are toxic to me I will continue to spiral down. 

We all have a choice in what we entertain in our thought life. Don't let the lies win. Hang on to the truth. Ask Jesus what He has to say. He is the truth so He's the best person we can ask, trust and believe. When the fiery darts come, be ready. Know yourself, know the truth, and the truth will set you free. 

✝️ Truth: Jesus said, "everthing is going to be ok". (2018 and still hanging on to that promise) 

✝️ Truth: Jesus said, " Jeremiah is not going to die but live and declare the works of the Lord". 

✝️ Truth: Jesus said, " He is working EVERTHING out for the GOOD, and rearranging our lives for the good as I trust Him and trust His timing. 

✝️ Truth: Jesus said, " The fear of man is a snare if you trust in Me you will be safe and trust your husband as I lead him". (Sharing everthing on FB is not always easy! Asking for help is not easy and has been one of the hardest things for me in this time of testing. My hope is to set an example for others. It's ok to not be ok all the time. It's ok to ask for help and let others help you beloved. It's been extremely humbling but God has used it so much for me in my refining and trusting God to get us through this and not worry about what other people might think. Brothers and sisters! THIS IS FREEEEEEEDOM!)

I could go on because Jesus has said so much to me, to us, during this time.... and when those fiery darts of the enemies lies come.... Nah! I'm going to trust my Jesus and hang onto everthing He said to me. My Jesus is faithful! He never leaves me. He holds me when I cry and collects my every tear. He is that close. 

My encouragement to you is and will always be... spend time with HIM. Ask Him questions. Listen for answers. Write them down and keep them in your heart. Test them if you need to. Not every voice is God. But when you know that you know that you know what God said! You know you can stand! Like Jesus said to the devil in the desert, IT IS WRITTEN! You can say, MY GOD SAID! And He is faithful. 

What a mighty God we serve 

❤️✝️❤️

For complete transparency up front, we've struggled financially alot over the past few months. Next week our mortgage, electric bill, and a few others are due and we have 364 dollars in the bank which leaves us being 2600 dollars short. 

It's been 5 steps forward and 3 steps back every week or so. My healing is a complex situation with new long covid studies finally being published, but to simplify it, here's where we're at.  

In December of 2022 I came down with acute covid pneumonia. I was put on a ventilator and my infection had filled my left lung over 70 percent and I had sepsis as the infection oozed from my left lung and surrounded my heart and ran throughout my entire bloodstream. 

I only found out recently just how rare it was for someone to even survive what I went through, but God. He has a different plan for me. 

In the words of a nurse from the hospital I was at during my two week stay; "very few people that were put on a ventilator here actually came off of it alive".

My heart and my lungs were both damaged. I'm still learning to cope with that damage that was done. They've diagnosed my heart with chronic diastolic heart failure, and they've diagnosed my left lung as being partially collapsed and I recently found out that I now have alot of scarring in the bottom of that very same lung which causes me excruciating pain even doing normal day to day tasks like breathing.  

It wasn't until a few months later that we all realized that the symptoms I had weren't going away, instead they were just getting worse. 

Then new and strange symptoms began to show up that had nothing to do with pneumonia. That was when I was finally diagnosed with long covid. 

My symptoms were and still are at times overwhelming; as they come and go in different combinations with no rhyme nor reason to their patterns. Every day is different, but this is the list I've made to share with my doctor when I see her again this coming Thursday to review and get follow up treatment for:

⭐️My testosterone dropped to a 4 and my body began creating estrogen instead of testosterone 

⭐️Anemia

⭐️Skin rashes and eczema 

⭐️Anxiety

⭐️Ptsd

⭐️Extreme body and brain fatigue

⭐️Pain in my chest and bones

⭐️Joint pain

⭐️Heart palpitations 

⭐️High blood pressure

⭐️Chest pain when breathing and trouble breathing

⭐️I'm exhausted after any physical exertion lasting anything longer than 10 to 20 minutes and then I have to take a rest or take a nap before I can get back up and even walk around some days; some days I can't do anything except persevere through the pain. 

⭐️Dizziness

⭐️Daily headaches

⭐️ My hands and legs fall asleep so the time

⭐️Nausea

⭐️Diarrhea 

⭐️Constipation 

⭐️Insomnia followed by periods of extended sleep; sometimes all day. 

⭐️Brain fog 

⭐️Edema

⭐️Sudden confusion 

⭐️Worsening eyesight 

⭐️Inflammation throughout my small and large intestines including throughout my whole body. 

⭐️Now C02 is building up in my bloodstream and soon I may need supplemental oxygen treatment.

Currently through all of these symptoms I've been experiencing, my body is fighting desperately for homeostasis and balance. I've prayed and fasted and the Lord keeps telling my wife and I the same thing, to trust Him, to share our story, to not be ashamed to ask for help, and that everything will be ok.

Unfortunately, due to the amount of covid infections that I was exposed to during my time managing three homeless shelters, the spike proteins from the virus are currently continuing to wreak havoc within all of my bodies systems. 

The doctors have told me that the exposure to the virus I got was equivalent to me getting over 50 shots which is crazy. 

During the entire pandemic I quarantined or stayed in place and on-site over 10 times in my work surrounded by hundreds of clients that had tested positive because either the county had no quarantine space available or I worked while those whom I managed quarantined themselves at home. 

I was exposed to the shedding of the live virus and now the truth is coming out that proves that those who received the shot actually shed the RNA version as well. For the record; that is not normal for a vaccination. 

Since the county offered vaccines to all of our clients; little did I know that I was being exposed to the very thing I refused to take myself twice a week for over 2 years. 

I'm not a medical professional yet I managed these sites during these circumstances because the love of Christ compelled me, and now the lingering spike proteins from all of that exposure and from me testing positive for covid over six times during that time along with chronic bronchitis; well simply stated, it completely overwhelmed my immune system, and unfortunately it still is almost 2 years later. I'm getting better, it's just alot slower than we'd like. My wife has had to take care of me and our two littles and I can tell you without a doubt that she's a saint.

It was then after 4 months in that my employer let me go, even though my boss had told me and my wife that my job was secure and that we didn't need to worry about my job security. I believed my boss because it was a Christian organization and especially because the very reason I was sick was soley because of the work I'd been doing for the Lord and for them. While they worked from home I along with my employees were on the front lines making sure that all of our clients were fed good food, were clothed, that they had activities available, and we shared the hope of Jesus Christ everyday, prayed with them, saw many come to faith and so much more. It was an emotional struggle and I felt betrayed when they let me go, but I can honestly say that now I have truly forgiven them and they don't owe me anything. 

It was then that I found out that my job was not protected by L&I or workers comp. For context; in Washington state, bikini baristas, or even regular baristas that made coffee at coffee boxes were protected by the governors definition of essential workers, but homeless shelter workers were not. Who would've thought? I didn't, that's for sure. 

Then I found out that because of all the fraud in unemployment claims during the crisis, they changed the requirements and now you can't get unemployment in Washington state if you're unable to look for work and take a job if you're offered one; even if it's by your doctor's orders due to a legitimate illness.

There are many studies going on right now about long covid and they're able to see the effects in the patients but treatments are almost exclusively based on the individual patients with alot of trial and error in medications, supplements, and diets.

We believe that we have a God that is bigger than any sickness and He can heal me in an instant, but even if He doesn't heal me, we still believe that we have a God big enough to sustain us through this time of testing and trials. His grace really is sufficient for us. 

I've applied for disability and we're praying for favor to be approved quickly. In reality they said I'd have an answer over 3 months ago, but yet here we are; still waiting. God's will, not ours, God's way, not ours, and God's timing, not ours.

He told us to open up and ask again for help and your help has become like manna from heaven for our family throughout this entire hardship we've been walking through. Lord willing it will come to and end soon and I will be healed, but even if I'm not, I'm all in on Jesus. Thank you for all of your prayers and support. 

Grace and more grace to you all through Jesus Christ our risen King. 

I prayed about today, pleaded with the Lord for a good day without many symptoms and then last night I tossed and I turned, I woke up every other hour and when my alarm finally went off it felt like I hadn't slept at all. My head hurt, my body hurt, to breathe hurt and I had to bow out of what we had planned for today. It's really hard for me to do that, maybe because I'm a man or maybe it's some pride left to die in me, or maybe it's because I remember what it felt like before this sickness caused havoc in my whole body. 

Learning and adapting to the new limits that have imposed themselves upon my body is hard, clumsy, and scary at times. I've had to hunker down and be a homebody because every time I'm exposed to someone that's sick; I get it. So when I'm not feeling good already, no way. But yet making the decision floods my mind with fears, that I'm not going to get better, that the pressure is too much for my wife and our marriage, that this will somehow mess up our boys emotionally and psychologically; but then they left. My wife brought my boys in to give me hugs and a kiss and say goodbye, but after they left, I just wept. I cried until I had no more tears and no more words and I heard the Lord say to me "Jeremiah I'm working things out that you have no idea about, I'm strengthening your marriage, I'm cultivating kindness and bravery in your boys, and last but not least I'm showing you who you are when all the things that you thought were you are taken away; not to punish you but to show you what you'll need for the road ahead."

I laid there and as I did I felt the love of God overcome the lies I was wrestling with. I repented and He has forgiven me. I will trust in Him in the times that feel good and the times that feel bad, will you join me?

See the walk of faith isn't all rainbows and butterflies but we've been given everything we need through Jesus Christ our Lord!

"His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence" 2 Peter 1:3 

It's not about pushing through though, it's all about pressing in. May our witness encourage someone else out there today because God knows how many others are fighting battles we'll never know about, but remember; He is risen! 

Because of this; "in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us."

Remember; It's not about pushing through though, it's all about pressing in.

God bless you all and may love, joy, grace and peace overflow towards you right now wherever you are through Jesus Christ our Lord!

🔥❤️🔥

Well the good news is that oil comes through crushing, and our faith is strengthened the more it is stretched. These past few weeks have been a whirlwind for me and our family, but we're getting oil for our lamps and boy are we having our faith stretched. 

So I saw my sleep doctor last week who did a gas exchange blood draw from my artery along with an overnight CO2 monitor like 3 months ago only to find out what I've been trying to tell them for 14 months; my lungs are not working correctly.

They found that I'm building up CO2 in my lungs at night while I sleep. Now they're going to do a new sleep study and give me oxygen and I may even have to use oxygen during the day depending on what they find out but it'll take at least another month before they can do the sleep study, and between 1 and 2 months before I can even get in to see a pulmonary doctor.

The good news is that I kept telling them about the pain in my chest and they finally did a CT scan with two different types of contrast that included my lungs and they were able to see quite clearly that the top left lung in my body is partially collapsed and the bottom of my left lung is riddled with scar tissue. After 14 months, 6 CT scans and over 50 x-rays they finally find out that what I've been telling them is real. 

I have never experienced gaslighting from doctors like I have in the last year. They've literally been telling me for over a year that my lungs should be fine by now.

I've also been dealing with alot of stomach issues and the gastroenterologist believes that I might have something going on inside of my stomach so on April 1st I'm going in for an endoscopy and colonoscopy. She told me that whatever they find they will deal with while they're in there unless they find something really serious. I'm not even sure what that means but I'm all for it. To have debilitating nausea and everything that comes with stomach issues everyday for like 6 weeks now is the worst. 

It's stirred me to begin praying for people that I know with crohn's disease because for the first time in my life I actually understand in a small part what some of them have endured throughout their entire lives.

The next thing that happened was somehow someone stole my debit card information and was able to use our account in California while we were sleeping. Apparently our bank was sleeping too because they didn't call it fraud until the 4th or 5th charge was already made. The good news is is that the charges were reversed and I finally just got my new card. Due to the financial strain month to month this was a really big test and challenge for me. I had to get on my face and forgive whoever did this and I prayed for their salvation, forgave the bank and told the Lord that I'm just going to trust Him. Then I prayed for more faith to help me believe that in my weakness.

Then just yesterday little Elisha decided to walk down the driveway to the road and just as Maresha was rounding him up she was bit by a neighbors dog. Thankfully the dog was up to date on its rabies shot and Maresha said this morning that besides the hole in her leg it doesn't really hurt that bad and it doesn't look like it's going to get infected. Thank you Jesus! I don't know what I do without my wife. She has definitely been more than a helper, she's my best friend, my greatest cheerleader, the best mom ever for our two boys and she has a powerful spiritual gifting of mercy and patience. All of these things have been working for our good. Maybe not on the outside, but definitely on the inside of both of us.

I share all this with you because we all want to grow and we all want to mature in Christ but I want to encourage you not to run from your sufferings or from the difficult circumstances you may be facing. Run to Jesus, run to Jesus with all that you have, even when it feels like you have nothing left to give. In our house when you walk in our front door there's a widow's mite that I framed along with a nail that was used in crucifixions.

I put it there to remind me everyday that whatever I have is His and I give it all to Him, and the nail is there to remind me that He did not run from His suffering but rather He prayed and He prayed and He prayed and finally said not my will but yours be done. It's because He endured the cross that we are saved! 

We want to be more like Jesus and I hope that our story encourages you because I know that you want to be more like Jesus too, otherwise you wouldn't even be reading this.

This has been the most tumultuous time in our born again lives but we remember the pit of sin and the living we were saved from! We know that if He saved us from addiction, self-centeredness, lying, stealing, you name it and I'll tell you that I probably did it. I'm not proud of it but I'll never forget how God has brought me from there to here. Even when everything seems to be falling apart, God has truly been with us. 

Whether it's holding my wife as we cry together or hearing my boys laugh and watching them learn and grow, or watching our love for God, eachother, and others grow; we know God will be faithful to complete the good work that He has begun in us.

He'll be faithful to complete His work within you too, you just have to dare to hold onto hope, stand firm in faith, abide in His love and love others the same way Jesus loves you. Whatever you do just keep holding onto Jesus. 

🔥❤️🔥

Even in the middle of all that's coming at our family, even after being in bed for the last 3 days now because of how much my whole body just hurts, even though everything looks bad in this snapshot of a moment in time; our God is always good and it's not over yet!

Jesus, you are worthy and we praise you for saving us from our sin and our selfishness, we praise you for your presence in the midst of our sickness and suffering. Jesus you are worthy of it all and no matter what happens we will bless your Holy Name! Thank you for the hope you've deposited within us that this world is not our home. We praise you Lord and we ask that you be glorified in our struggles, in our defeats, and in our overcoming. Glorify your name God in our lives. We will keep trusting in you because you are faithful and true, you are our pillar of cloud in the day and our pillar of fire in the night. Help my wife and boys Lord, please keep them in your perfect peace. Without you we would've given up long ago but we know you always keep your promises, and you've never failed us, our heart is that you can say the same thing about us. 🔥❤️🔥

This is crazy. Our bank just woke me up with a phone call at 4am telling me that someone was trying to drain our debit card in California while we were all asleep one small charge at a time. Please pray for us this morning. They said it'll be 7-10 days before the charges reverse and about 5 days for us to get a new card. It took 4 different charges before they denied the 5th. That's insane that we have to wait over a week to get the money back. This is the last thing we needed, but praise God my card is turned off now and it will be resolved! Whoever it was out there, we forgive you. Lord we thank you that your mercies are new every morning, that your compassion for us is new every morning, great is thy faithfulness!

Help us today to not forget that you are good and you are with us.

I know how truly powerful my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is. He revealed Himself to me under a bridge in an encounter that has forever changed my life. I've seen Him heal stage 4 cancer more than one time defying doctors and modern science. I've seen Him heal broken bones, messed up backs, and so many other ailments that people have suffered, I've seen this all with my own two eyes! I've even watched a hernia completely disappear through the laying on of our hands! I've seen demons cast out and I've seen people restored to sanity by just one touch from Him! I've seen Him deliver me and He's delivered my wife from the chains of demonic torment, addiction, sin, and shame! I've seen so many others reach out to Him and call upon His name in faith and I've watched as He has set them free, healed them, and delivered them from their torment; so I know that I know that I know that my God is able and that He is willing to heal Jeremiah! I will not allow the devil any room in my mind to tell me any different. We thank Jesus for all that He's done! We trust in Him and we reach out to Him now! We call upon Him in our time of need and we know that He will answer us. He is always faithful, He's full of mercy and He's deeply rich in a compassion that we cannot even comprehend. It's in His authority and it's in His name that we command this sickness to leave Jeremiahs body. We command his body to be made completely well so that through his healing you may be glorified Jesus!! It's all for your glory and for your glory alone!!!

Amen

🔥❤🔥

"Heal me, O Lord, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for you are the one I praise." Jeremiah 17:14

⭐️Update since this afternoon. My doctor called and told me I needed to go to urgent care and urgent care sent me to the emergency room, where I'm currently waiting on labs, and another CT scan of my stomach and pancreas. ⭐️

We are taking our thoughts captive, taking our feelings to the Lord, and not only wearing the armor of God, but also making our thoughts come in line with the truth of Jesus Christ. 

We're not giving up and we're not going to. Things feel like they keep going from better to worse but every cycle seems to be less intense in my body. Even my homeopathic doctor said last week that this is par for the course and that my body is healing albeit slower than we want. That's a key word. My body is healing, but slower than WE want. 

As you can imagine that was not but we wanted to hear but nonetheless it is where we are at right now. God's timing is perfect and His ways are so much higher. My wife and I just read in Corinthians where Paul lists off all of the sufferings he has endured and sickness and being close to death are in that list. 

Paul understood that these were the marks of His apostleship and call from God and even with the thorn in His flesh, no matter what you believe that thorn was, Paul prayed three times before God answered him and said "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me."

We believe in God's power to heal anything, anywhere, in anyone. We also know God allows seasons of testing and so this sickness in a very strange way has also been a very huge blessing. My wife and I have had to lean into the Lord more than we ever have before. We've had to trust the Lord to keep our hearts and trust that He'll keep providing all our needs according to His riches and Glory. 

We've had to share our fears and our hopes, our letdowns and our plans with a lot of tears and mourning with eachother and it's brought us closer together than ever. 

Health is something that I never realized I took for granted until it was taken from me, don't be me. If you are healthy, I encourage you to thank the Lord that you are healthy. If your family's healthy, give thanks again. There are so many of the faithful being attacked and coming under serious times of testing. We must stay humble and grateful, giving God praise and thanks continually for all He has done and all He will do. Don't ever let the devil steal the joy of your salvation, don't believe his lies. Fill your mind with the truth and let your life glorify God, whether you're at home, at work, or bedridden with sickness. 

There really is a spiritual war going on right now and what we do in our health and in our sickness matters. Wherever you are in life right now, whatever you say and do matters. Pray without ceasing, share your hope, share the gospel, treat others like Christ, and above all else love each other. 

That's what will see us all through, God's love shining through His bride on earth, a city on a hill, and a candle shining brightly in the darkness. 

If you're going through a hard time, run to the Lord, let Him be your stronghold and high tower in times of trouble. Doubt your doubts but please don't ever doubt that God sees you, He hears you, and even if it doesn't make sense right now, he is working all things out for your good. I believe I've quoted that scripture 100 times this last year to myself and in different posts but I hang my hat on that verse because sometimes when God is working things out for your good he needs to make moves and I've moved from constantly asking the Lord why this is all happening, to thanking the Lord for whatever He's doing because it'll be better than anything we can dream up on our own. Sure we have days or even weeks where we struggle to believe, we're human. What we won't do is turn our backs on the Lord who has already delivered both me and my wife from sin, fear, addiction, and so many other things. Remember all the good things God has done in your life? 

Write them down and then when the attacks come, just read that list and you'll see that the devil is nothing but a liar. We can entrust our entire lives, the ups and the downs to Jesus because by the power of the Holy Spirit, He will see us through this!

May we all get to the place that Jesus got to and pray John 12:27 

“My soul is troubled. What should I say - Father save Me from this hour? But that is why I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name!”

Whatever you're doing Father, glorify your name!

🔥❤️🔥

I'm sharing this because I know a lot of people have asked exactly what is going on with me. It's a complex situation but to simplify it let me say this, last year when I got covid pneumonia my heart and my lungs were both diagnosed, they diagnosed my heart with chronic diastolic heart failure, and they diagnosed my lungs as being so full of infection that the top part of my lung had collapsed and I had gone septic and the infection was literally leaving my lungs and affecting my heart. It wasn't until a few months later that when we all realized the symptoms weren't going away, rather they were getting worse and even new and strange symptoms showed up that had nothing to do with my pneumonia. That was when I was diagnosed with long covid. 

My body is fighting for homeostasis or balance but because of the amount of covid infections I was exposed to during my time working at a few homeless shelters, the doctors told me that the exposure was equivalent to me getting over 50 shots. The lingering Spike proteins from all of that exposure and me getting covid six times during that time simply overwhelmed my immune system.

I'm dropping this article here because if anyone is interested it's pretty well-balanced and written by Yale University. It also says a lot of the things that my homeopathic doctor has told me over the last several months.

There's a lot of studies going on right now about it, I may even be able to participate in one. I am not claiming any of these things to be mine I am just telling you what the doctors have diagnosed me with. We believe that we have a God that is bigger than sickness and can heal me in an instant, but even if He doesn't heal me, we still believe that we have a God big enough to sustain us through this time of testing and trials. 

I'm really trying to be careful about not saying that I have this or that but instead saying that this is what the doctors have diagnosed me with because I do not want to constantly curse my body and recently I was given good advice and correction about this by another brother in Christ.

 We want to say thank you for everyone that's encouraged us and sowed into our lives. You have become the manifestation of what was unseen and hoped for. Not just for financial support but to see the body of Christ love us like you have has changed the way we'll Shepherd and love people forever. 

We want you to know how much we love you, we pray for you all everyday and may God heal you, deliver you, save you and comfort you in whatever situation you're facing. Our God is bigger and Jesus is still at the right hand of the Father interceding for you; that's right.... He's interceding for you. 

If you are led to sow into us during this hard time, thank you. Please check out this link below for more Information about my condition and what Jeremiah has and is continuing to experience. Thank to all for your love. 

https://www.yalemedicine.org/news/long-covid-symptoms

Without agitation there can be no pearl. Pearls all begin as a problem to the oyster. 

Without heat and pressure there's no diamond. Coal needs to be pressed by intense heat and extreme pressure to transform into diamonds. 

Without the refiners fire there's no removal of the junk that keeps us from staying pure of heart. Precious metals cannot be used for their amazing properties without the heat of the forge fire separating the dross so it can be removed. 

Without the love of God there's no eternal hope, but if we know the love of God we find ourselves carried by the hope it cultivates in our hearts. 

Don't be afraid of the hardships and the giants that you face, instead embrace them; for they truly are the pathway to peace. Stay thankful, humble, and grateful as you trust fall into the arms of our faithful God. Ask God for help, seek His way, His voice, Seek Him and His kingdom, and keep on knocking even when it feels like the door is not going to ever open. With patient perseverance learn to live within the tension; between the problems, the attacks, the battles, and the trials we face and the breakthroughs we haven't had or seen quite yet. To do this you must learn to abide in Jesus, to abide in the love of God, and to not seek things to "go your way" or to turn out the way you want it to be. Faith is trusting the outcome to our heavenly Father knowing that because He loves you, it will all work out better than anything you could have imagined even when you're tempted in those emotional moments where you really wanted things to turn out different. Trust and obey, listen to His still small voice because when we choose to ignore it sometimes God has to yell, that's when the heat really gets turned up. 

So devote yourselves to lavishly supplementing your faith with a good moral compass and good character, and to good character add understanding, and to understanding add the strength of self-control, and to self-control add patient endurance, and to patient endurance add godliness, and to godliness add mercy toward your brothers and sisters, and to mercy toward others add unending love. Since these virtues are already planted deep within, and you possess them in abundant supply, they will keep you from being inactive or fruitless in your pursuit of knowing Jesus Christ more intimately. But if anyone lacks these things, he is blind, constantly closing his eyes to the mysteries of our faith, and forgetting his innocence—for his past sins have been washed away..........the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.

SELAH

🔥❤️🔥

Without agitation there can be no pearl. Pearls all begin as a problem to the oyster. 

Without heat and pressure there's no diamond. Coal needs to be pressed by intense heat and extreme pressure to transform into diamonds. 

Without the refiners fire there's no removal of the junk that keeps us from staying pure of heart. Precious metals cannot be used for their amazing properties without the heat of the forge fire separating the dross so it can be removed. 

Without the love of God there's no eternal hope, but if we know the love of God we find ourselves carried by the hope it cultivates in our hearts. 

Don't be afraid of the hardships and the giants that you face, instead embrace them; for they truly are the pathway to peace. Stay thankful, humble, and grateful as you trust fall into the arms of our faithful God. Ask God for help, seek His way, His voice, Seek Him and His kingdom, and keep on knocking even when it feels like the door is not going to ever open. With patient perseverance learn to live within the tension; between the problems, the attacks, the battles, and the trials we face and the breakthroughs we haven't had or seen quite yet. To do this you must learn to abide in Jesus, to abide in the love of God, and to not seek things to "go your way" or to turn out the way you want it to be. Faith is trusting the outcome to our heavenly Father knowing that because He loves you, it will all work out better than anything you could have imagined even when you're tempted in those emotional moments where you really wanted things to turn out different. Trust and obey, listen to His still small voice because when we choose to ignore it sometimes God has to yell, that's when the heat really gets turned up. 

So devote yourselves to lavishly supplementing your faith with a good moral compass and good character, and to good character add understanding, and to understanding add the strength of self-control, and to self-control add patient endurance, and to patient endurance add godliness, and to godliness add mercy toward your brothers and sisters, and to mercy toward others add unending love. Since these virtues are already planted deep within, and you possess them in abundant supply, they will keep you from being inactive or fruitless in your pursuit of knowing Jesus Christ more intimately. But if anyone lacks these things, he is blind, constantly closing his eyes to the mysteries of our faith, and forgetting his innocence—for his past sins have been washed away..........the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.

SELAH

🔥❤️🔥

Sometimes in obedience to God I feel like I'm going to break under the weight of what I'm bearing up under, but it's in these times when I remember that I'm not ever walking through any of it alone. I pause and I draw from the Holy Spirits presence within me and I find what I need to press through. 

Pride is what isolates us and cuts us off from God but it's humility before Him that is the key that opens up the strength of grace to overcome. 

It opens up the ability to trust in His ways, to trust in His timing, and to trust in His goodness. It's in this place where I lean into Him and it's here and only here in Him where I truly find peace. 

Not peace without problems, without suffering, or without persecution, but rather in Christ I have peace in the midst of all these things and can hold onto the hope that what I'm working towards in obedience to Him will be worth everything I've endured because in the end whether I fail or I succeed I've found myself closer to Him; and that's all that really matters in the end.  

"Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you."

1 Peter 5:6

We're short about $1000.00 dollars for our mortgage and bills that are due on the 4th of this month. If the Lord leads, we could really use your help. 

If you are led to sow into us during this hard time, please use these links and we also have zelle if you send us a private message. God bless you all, we wouldn't have made it this far without the body of Christ. 

🔥❤️🔥

I ended up back in the hospital yesterday with symptoms thst are too disgusting to describe in detail. All I can say is that my wife is a saint. Some people don't like that my wife and I have decided to share our struggles over the last year on Facebook. 

I understand because it's uncomfortable. Not only for some of you but also for us. We are called to be holy, open, honest, transparent, and not just a family; Gods family. Family isn't separated by distance only by a lack of love in the heart and selfishness. That's what walking in the light means, nothing is hidden. Everybody sees your junk, your character flaws, your weaknesses and your strengths. 

We don't want to share a false version of ourselves that makes it look like everything is great all the time. That's because it's not great all the time, but our God is good all the time!

We've had many voices offer lots of advice but in the end the advice we were given the most is to trust the Lord, wait upon the Lord and share our journey. The Lord's confirmed this over and over to me and my wife through many of you.  

Putting our struggles out there is to encourage others that are struggling as well. If one person can be encouraged, inspired, or touched by God to hold on to their faith in Christ through us sharing our story then it's all worth it, every embarrassing bit of it and the not so embarrassing parts and our victories too. The other reason we put our struggles out there is because we should be able to ask each other for help. That's what families are for. Not to do for someone else what they can do for themselves but rather to help carry their burdens when they become too heavy for them alone to carry.

One thing I learned growing up in church was that every Sunday I would ask people how they were doing and 99.9% of the time, they would all say everything was great. 

Over the last 10 years of serving people (that's what ministry means btw), what I found out is that many of those people were not being honest because they were shamed by people telling them that they don't have faith, or that God will provide, or that maybe there's sin in their lives. Some were silently suffering with horrible situations in their homes, or in their own bodies, or were financially drowning or aching from broken hearts because their loved ones didn't know the Lord. The more I pondered this in my heart the more my heart has become broken before the Lord because I realize how many times I've missed asking the right questions, taking the time to listen, and then to intentionally choose to invest either time, talent, or financially in another human being made in the image of God that is my brother or sister to help get them out of their suffering if it's within our means.

For over a year now as many of you know, I have suffered from an illness called long covid that's invisible. The doctors can see all the signs of something ravaging my insides and I now know what it feels like to have people not believe you, to not feel seen, to not feel heard, to not feel loved by others; but I want to encourage you that if you are going through something like this don't keep it a secret. Secrets only make us sick. 

Of course there are things that we should keep between us and the Lord, things that are for us and for us alone. But there are also times when it takes a village and our village is the body of Christ.

 I believe many people that are on our Facebook friends list needed a village at one point or need one now. Maybe the village showed up, maybe they didn't. But one thing I know for sure is that God is working all things out for the good of those that love him and are called according to his purpose. But we also know that as times grow harder the love of many will wax cold. Lord may it not be us. 

I have fallen on my face before the Lord many times weeping and doing battle with the thoughts in my head that tell me that I shouldn't have worked so hard through the pandemic, that I'm going to die, that tell me that this is all my fault because I chose to go to work and run three homeless shelters in the middle of a pandemic being exposed to some unknown virus thousands of times while everybody else stayed at home unless they were essential workers. I have wrestled with all these accusations and taken them before the Lord and after 12 months of praying I got my answer. I found what I was seeking in 1 Peter 4. 

Peter writes "Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name."

I then found this promise in Proverbs 28:27 that says "He who gives to the poor will lack nothing"

I hit the floor on my knees with tears running down my eyes as the Lord let me see that this was my cross to carry for now and that I should not be ashamed because he has and I am testifying today he has continued to provide in the most random ways for over a year now. When my wife got home I had to tell her and we got to cry together and read through all the scriptures in the Bible that speak of suffering and sickness.

Then my wife put it really clearly the other day to me when she said, Jeremiah even if you weren't an essential worker I know you still would have gone because you had to, your heart was for the ones that had no one. 

You know what, she's right. I'm so honored that she's my wife because I know the sacrifice that not only all those years of me running those shelters and pastoring a house church cost her. Even now she is sacrificing things for me daily. We really are one. 

But in our weakness Christ is our strength. 

 Suffering is a part of our Christian walk that people don't like to talk about. In Psalm 34:19 it is written, Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all.

Timothy suffered from many ailments, Paul had his thorn, Jesus Christ Himself learned obedience through suffering and whatever God is doing in our lives and yours is going to be better than anything you could ever imagine. Believe it. Help is on the way, all you have to do is humble yourself in the sight of the Lord and drop the charade. It's time to ask for help, for prayer, and for love; and our prayer is that a village shows up for you as they have for us. Don't give up, help really is on the way.

🔥Jeremiah 🔥

Brothers and sisters, we need a miracle. Somehow my health is going backwards again and my wife and I just got off the phone with my doctor who said that it's all part of my body healing. My immune system has been ravaged by the long covid. Then I've gotten RSV, something like the flu, and salmonella food poisoning; all in the last month and it's really put a hurt on me physically. 

At times everything hurts in my body and then after 5 steps forward every time I catch another illness I go 4 steps back. Unfortunately for the first 6 months after my covid pneumonia last summer I was seeing a group of doctors that were giving medicine to me that was making me worse so I've only been actually giving my body a chance to get better for the last 4 or 5 months and our doctor reassured me and my wife that we will get through this but it's going to take more time.... more time is the last thing we wanted to hear but yet here we are, but we are not alone.

I know that we serve a mighty God that can do anything and our faith is in Jesus, so we're not giving up. 

Financially it's becoming really stressful as you can imagine and right now the end is not in sight. We've applied for everything and until my disability claim goes through we've got nothing coming from the government for assistance except for food stamps and money from a program called Tanf to use for diapers and some basic needs that most of the time we have to use for my medicines that our insurance won't cover.

The emotional toll, and just the weight of being sick for all this time takes a toll on you and your whole family. Lord, please help others that read this that are experiencing autoimmune disorders or any other kind of sickness. Please comfort them Lord, provide for them, and heal them. Let them know that they're not alone. As Believers we are not supposed to suffer alone because we are one body. Never in a million years did we think that something like this could happen to us but then just like a light switch everything changed.

Please keep us in your prayers, we could really use them for my wife who is an absolute Saint, for our two boys Judah and Elisha to know God more through this, and that no trauma gives place to the enemy in all 3 of their lives. Please pray for my healing and for provision because we know that God does not have us in the wilderness right now just so we can die, somehow through all this even though we don't see it now, there is something better on the other side of all of this. 

Because of this we hold onto faith, hope, and love; and we're not letting go of Jesus because without Him the enemy would've taken us out long ago. 

-Jeremiah-

🔥❤️🔥

@highlight 

@followers

Asking for help is hard. Honestly it's harder than the illness because "self" needs to die. My doctors have agreed that I'm not ready for normal life. That stung. We've applied for every program and written letters to our congressman and senators and unfortunately right now we are going to be wrestling with disability for at least the next 6 months. 

The good news is that I've been able to take my testosterone treatment and hopefully when I get tested next week my testosterone will be at normal levels or at least way higher than a four. The other good news is that the sleep doctor has a pretty good hunch, but at night my heart and my lungs are still not working together and so I possibly have carbon dioxide poisoning every night I sleep. It's an issue with gas exchange and I turn in my watch tomorrow and they took blood as a baseline a few weeks ago. 

It's good news because God is blessing us with new doctors that are asking new questions and looking for the cause instead of just treating the symptoms. This whole year has been crazy but we know who holds next year and we are still trusting him for my healing and to sustain us until either I can go back to work or I can watch our kids and my wife can.

Both doctors agree that if I make it through the winter without pneumonia, then the next spring I should be able to return at least able to watch my kids and possibly work with some restrictions. By the summer they think that I could be completely better. Unfortunately it'll just takes more time and I know that we have asked a lot and so many of you have given; whether a widow's mite or enough to get us through a month. God has been faithful.  

After a year I'm sure you can understand that it not only becomes harder to ask for help but it becomes harder for people to help because there's a lot of people going through so much right now. We pray for people that we don't even know that God will be providing all their needs; and we trust Him that He will meet ours.

Brothers and sisters, we could really use your help.

We're looking at a few more months and Lord willing. Who knows, Lord willing, my disability will be approved, or I'll be completely healed.

If you would prayerfully consider sowing into our family or adopting us as we go into the new year, we'd appreciate it and could use financial help. Since coming here to western Washington; we've winessed salvations, baptisms, healings, deliverance, and families being restored. We're in the middle of a real spiritual war and even through our own season of suffering we've been able to freely give what we've been freely given, even when it hurts.

Thank you for all of your love, prayers, and support. We've experienced the love of God in ways we've never imagined possible in the midst of enduring a sickness I wouldn't wish on anybody.

Please keep our family in your prayers. Jeremiah is down again and the doctors are doing the best they can but long covid is still very misunderstood. We only know two things; our God is faithful, and our God is good all the time even when our tiny human brains don't understand His ways. We will hold onto our hope in Christ, may you hold onto yours as well. 

🎄We could really use some financial help to get us through into the new year. 🎄❤️🎁🎄❤️🎁 We're only looking at a couple months and Lord willing, I'll be back to work. 

Would you consider sowing into our family or adopting us for Christmas?

There's a lie that says you can't ask for help, because if you ask for help then you're not okay. Then everyone will know you're not ok.

It's ok to not be ok sometimes. Things happen in our lives that are out of our control and sometimes it can be overwhelming when more than we can handle ends up on our plates. The truth is that everyone needs help sometimes and most of us need it way more than we think we do.

Not being ok and asking for help doesn't mean that somethings wrong with you, it means that somethings going right. 

Instead of running away from God and those that love you, in shame and defeat, because some kind of difficulties or obstacles have shown up, but you're not running away, you're running towards love. 

Firstly to God and then to others. When you're walking by faith and ask for help, it means you've come to a place where you've realized your own limitations. That sounds like wisdom, that sounds like you're doing pretty well to me.

 The interdependence of the body of Christ is not just a comforting thought. It is a vital factor in our spiritual life. We simply cannot make it without one another. It's true that "God has given to each man a measure of faith", but alone in isolation we will never exercise it to the full, as the context of this verse makes clear. It needs a complete body to attain the stature of Christ and to display the fullness of His glory. This is why fellowship and unity in prayer are so important. 

Trusting Jesus ourselves is good, but it isn't enough. We must learn to trust Him in others also. We must learn how to pray in the reality of our oneness with the brothers and sisters in Christ, for only together will we get through in prayer to God's end. We need the help of the body because we need the help of the Lord, and because His life is the life of the body, we come to find that we really are better together. So if you're out there and you need help please reach out to us or someone because Jesus loved you so much that He thought you were worth dying for. That's what this season is really about, it's all about Him. So if you need help ask and if you're in a place to help someone else, do it. 

Jesus said "whatever you do to the least of these you have done to me."

I really do believe He means whatever. Whatever good. Whatever evil. How we treat our brothers and sisters in Christ is exactly how we are treating Jesus.

"For all who belong to me now belong to you. And all who belong to you now belong to me as well, and my glory is revealed through their surrendered lives.

“Holy Father, I am about to leave this world to return and be with you, but my disciples will remain here. So I ask that by the power of your name, protect each one that you have given me, and watch over them so that they will be united as one, even as we are one."

🔥John 17🔥

As the saying goes, you can't really understand someone else's experience unless you've walked a mile in their shoes.

 We've had pretty nasty bug running through us and then again, and then again and then again; but no more AGAIN! We are sick of being sick, seeing those we love being sick, we hate all the works of the enemy but do you wanna know a secret? 

If you abide in Christ you can be assured that any trial, tribulations, sickness, loss, or heart ache is being allowed by our Daddy in heaven, and it really is for our good, if we love Him.

Remember Job "One day the members of the heavenly court came to present themselves before the Lord, and the Accuser, Satan, came with them. “Where have you come from?” the Lord asked Satan.

Satan answered the Lord, “I have been patrolling the earth, watching everything that’s going on.”

Then the Lord asked Satan, “Have you noticed my servant Job? He is the finest man in all the earth. He is blameless—a man of complete integrity. He fears God and stays away from evil.”

 Satan replied to the Lord, “Yes, but Job has good reason to fear God. You have always put a wall of protection around him and his home and his property. You have made him prosper in everything he does. Look how rich he is! But reach out and take away everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face!”

 “All right, you may test him,” the Lord said to Satan. “Do whatever you want with everything he possesses, but don’t harm him physically.” So Satan left the Lord’s presence.

Now I see with Job that the enemy had to go to God first and ask for permission because God had put a hedge around job. The condition that God put on Satan was that he could not touch him physically. But he was allowed to touch everything else. Then after a period the devil came back to the Lord and said if God took Jobs' health he just knew that he would curse him and the Lord said that he(the devil) could take away his health but he could not him. And they're once again is another boundary put in place by the Lord that allowed this in job's life for a good that job probably could not at the moment see.

Then another interesting passage in the New Testament arises that carries the same sentiment, that in Christ everything that is sent to us is allowed by God, the good, the bad, and sometimes the ugly. Why is that? Because we are finite and our God is infinite, we see through a lens darkly but someday we will see clearly.

Paul wrote this about his experience to the churches at Corinth: 

"even though I have received such wonderful revelations from God. So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud.

Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

For when we are weak we are strong,

When we are helpless, he is our help, when we are lonely he is always near, let his love fill up your hearts and drown out every single fear.

Jesus is enough. Trust me I believe 100% in supernatural healing. The truth is though that it's not always sin or a demon, but the one thing I know for sure is that if you are a blood bought son or daughter of the most high God; then be of good cheer because Jesus has already overcome the world and you will too.  

One day at a time by faith remembering that when you are weak, that is in fact when you're strong. Look to the sky and call out to the one who created you or get on your knees and let every tear be caught by Him.

 His grace really is sufficient and our family is a living testimony of nothing but His glory being shown over and over again through us, in us, and all around us. 

"You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock"

Isaiah 26:3-4

Jesus said "In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Let's show the world our faith instead of always talking about our fears. You are the catalyst set by God to be exactly where you are to start sharing your faith in the middle of your trial and your circumstances, and pray pray. Keep praying because help was sent on the way the moment you started!

It’s not: 

“Listen Lord, your servant is speaking”

It’s:

“Please speak Father, Your child is listening”

Keep your faith! Trust in Him, and walk in His way!

🔥Selah🔥

We're working through the pile of paperwork for my disability so that's finally starting to roll but could take a few more months so, if you are led to sow into us in prayer, we need them. If you're led to sow into us financially, the links are below. We honestly still need help month to month but our heart as a family is truly to have a source of income as soon as possible that doesn't include asking for financial help. 

Thank you to those who have prayed, to those who have given, to those who've continued to give and for everyone that's seen Christ working in us over the last 6 years of our marriage and have given us grace by choosing not to see us as our former selves. We are forever grateful for all our Jesus family.

May our King be pleased with us and with you all as we continue to love Him and love eachother.

Good morning brothers and sisters!

🔥🧡🎁🧡🔥

It is a good morning this morning, right? I had some good time this morning in prayer and did my devotionals and and then when I went to see how our bills were coming along, I opened up my bank app, and the attached picture is all I saw. So three negative balances with the words right above it that say good morning Jeremiah! 

It is a good morning, it's actually a really good morning. Even though we ain't got money, God's grace covers us like an abundant waterfall of honey. I'm really thankful for Wells Fargo right now because they let all of our bills go through even though it took us negative in all three of our accounts. I'm not sharing this in any attempt to make you feel bad so that you give us money. We'd never do that. If you're led to, we appreciate it. If you're not in this encourages you in some area of your life where you're having a crisis right now, God bless you. We freely give because we freely received. God's love has been poured out into our hearts so that we can comfort others in the afflictions that we ourselves have overcome. 

I'm sharing this bank testimony with you all today because it's real life and it's really fresh in ours. I'm sharing it because these are the moments where our faith is tested and if we pass the test, we will end up closer to Jesus, our marriage will be even stronger, and our boys get to see the life of Jesus lived out through mommy and daddy, even while we're all sick again.

Here's some scriptures that I strongly encourage you to read. Jesus is the Way, the TRUTH, and the Life; no one comes to the father except through Him. 

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

Did you know that even the hairs of your head are all numbered by God? Fear not brothers and sisters; you are worth so much more than many sparrows, and we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose.

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers them out of them all. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.

 Those that are being led by God were chosen by God for this new life, a life full of love and abounding in joy and peace. Now put on Christ: His compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered, content with coming in second place or last place even, be quick to forgive any and every offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as Jesus forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, Always wear love. It’s your basic, all-purpose garment. Never leave home without it.

-SELAH-

🔥🧡🔥

Faith or fear?

I hope this encourages someone today. 

There isn't anything quite like waking up in the morning to a negative bank account balance.

Naturally I panicked first because tomorrow is Thanksgiving. I don't even know if I have gas in the car or if the banks will even be open on Friday if I still happen to get some money in our bank account.

It's happened a few times times since I've been sick and out of work, but everytime it does I begin to make a list of everything that I'm thankful for. That means that I've already told God what's going on and what our needs are. Now I give Him thanks and remember that it is written, "Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus."

 So I made my gratitude list today and it looks like this:🧡⬇️🧡⬇️

I'm thankful for:

• Jesus

• Freedom

• My wife Maresha 

• My son Judah

• My son Elisha

• Papa and nanny

• Grandma and Grandpa

• Opa

• Our home

• Electricity, heat, and A/C

• My brother's Tom, Nikki, Earthworm and Mark (look what God has done)

• The Holy Spirit

• The healing grace I've received and the healing grace that's coming to finish the job. 

• My wife

•Cars that run

• having toilet paper

• Getting to see my brother and niece this year

• Being closer to my dad and step mom than ever

• Having a healthy marriage

• Capone, the best dog ever

• The Bible

• God, the Father

• The gifts he's given me to help others

• That I'm not as sick as I was last year at this time

• That we didn't lose our house after I lost my job

• The Body of Christ that has come together around us not only in prayer but in practical ways. 

• For the people that have poured into us

• For the people that have let us pour into them

• For God's mercy, goodness, and grace

• For food stamps

• For all our amazing friends and family. 

• For taking care of us

• For a healthy wife and kids

• For changing me and giving me purpose, new life, and a new beginning. 

And now I put it all in our Fathers hands. 

Father God I thank you so much for all of these things and I know that you see our need Lord. I will trust you, my family will trust you and we will continue to testify of your goodness and your unfailing love to each other, our children, and everyone we meet. 

We know you are faithful. 

"Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!

For His mercy endures forever.

Let the redeemed of the Lord say so,

Whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy,

And gathered out of the lands,

From the east and from the west,

From the north and from the south."

🔥Psalms 107🔥

If you are led to sow into us in prayer, we need them. If you're led to sow into us financially, the links are below and we have zelle if that's better for you. Grace, peace, and joy to you all through Jesus Christ our Lord!

CashApp: $Wearekingdomtribe

https://venmo.com/u/Jeremiah-Swartz-5

https://www.paypal.me/Jswartz79

Please consider sharing our campaign:

https://givesendgo.com/HelpfortheSwartzfamily?utm_source=sharelink&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_campaign=HelpfortheSwartzfamily

To say that the last few weeks have been different would be an understatement. About 3 weeks to a month ago I was worshiping the Lord and three different people approached me that did not know anything about me. They literally spoke over the last 3 years of my life in such detail that I listened to every word because I knew it was from the Lord. These words encouraged me so much, like my joy was completely restored! The one thing that was consistent through it all though was that God loved me and that I was not running my race in vain. That all this suffering wasn't for nothing. 

I knew something had happened although it wasn't prayer for healing that did it; it was being in the Lord's presence, a few people that said yes to saying some things to a complete stranger because the Holy Spirit had given them unction, and faith. The next day I testified before the gathering because I felt different. I felt better, not all the way but better in a big way, and when they went to pray for me as soon as they touched me I fell to the ground where I heard the Lord speak to me "you are my son, I love you and I am proud of you". Tears ran down my face and I knew that I had been touched by God.  

But then I went back to the doctors because I just wanted to testify to them of what God had done and to get physical evidence that I was healed because I felt so much better than I had before. 

Unfortunately they did run more tests and although I am showing a great Improvement, they say I am definitely not ready to go back to work. I've asked them to run the tests again and I will be seeing my doctor next week to have them done. 

See, I've been living in the tension between my sickness and my healing and I just want to be open honest and transparent with you all that this has been one of the hardest fights of faith I have ever faced. Listen to me when I tell you this, depression is not your cup, hopelessness is not your cup, feeling unworthy and hating yourself which makes you unable to receive love from the father is not your cup. We must, I must, we all must walk by faith and not by sight. 

I must accept my own limitations for what they are at the moment. I must hold on to the hope that I have in Christ. I will not allow the enemy to steal my faith, silence my voice, or box me in. I'm here to tell you not to give up because I'm not giving up. If you ever feel like giving up, please reach out to us through a private message so that we can pray with you. 

Please don't hide these things, the reality is that there's so many other people that are going to read this that are experiencing the same exact things, but if we don't speak out and testify of God's goodness, some of them may not make it home with us. 

Use your voice, I know that I am being healed and that I will be healed. Remember faith is the proof of something you can't see, the evidence of something still unseen. Our proof is the Holy Spirit that we've been given by Jesus Christ, the unique son of the living God!

Faith doesn't mean that I ignore my high blood pressure, Faith doesn't mean that my feet don't actually hurt a lot, Faith doesn't mean that my lungs don't hurt, Faith doesn't mean that I'm not tired much more easily than I was before, Faith doesn't mean I ignore the doctors warnings of a stroke, Faith doesn't mean I won't feel so nauseous I could throw up, no brothers and sisters faith is what motivates me to run to the father every single morning so that I can ask for the grace I need to make it through today. 

A day without complaining but instead giving thanks, a day of finding a way to serve my wife and kids and the people we come in contact with, a day to be led by the Lord in spite of what I feel and see right now presently. 

We don't give up.

Jesus offers us beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that we might be called trees of righteousness, the plantings of the LORD, that he might be glorified!

Paul wrote:

"We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body."

🔥2 Corinthians 4🔥

I hope this blesses you and encourages you as you walk in the way of Christ. Grace upon grace to you all. 

Here's a couple different ways to sow into us if you're led, we could still use your help. We are actively pursuing getting SSI and disability going so that we don't have to ask for help, but I want you to know that your love towards my family has changed the way I see the church eternally, and I am so grateful for each and every one of you and I know my family is too.

CashApp: $Wearekingdomtribe

https://venmo.com/u/Jeremiah-Swartz-5

https://www.paypal.me/Jswartz79

Please consider sharing our campaign:

https://givesendgo.com/HelpfortheSwartzfamily?utm_source=sharelink&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_campaign=HelpfortheSwartzfamily

If this isn't testing, I don't know what is. First my unemployment is denied after waiting months for my appeal and then in the middle of it, both of our boys got sick and now I am sick again. My amazing wife is unscathed and well so far. Please pray for her, she's a saint, an awesome wife, a caring mother, and my best friend. Without her love and patience I don't know where we'd be. She's also had to carry alot more responsibility than she should have to. Please pray blessing over my wife Maresha, she truly is a woman of God. 

The devils already been chirping his fear crickets but we already know, the devil is nothing but a liar. I figure we must be really close to something powerful if the enemy is fighting so hard to shut us down. 

Spoiler alert: in our house, we don't give up.

Here's a couple different ways to sow into us if you're led:

CashApp: $Wearekingdomtribe

https://venmo.com/u/Jeremiah-Swartz-5

https://www.paypal.me/Jswartz79

Please consider sharing our campaign:

https://givesendgo.com/HelpfortheSwartzfamily?utm_source=sharelink&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_campaign=HelpfortheSwartzfamily

I'm finally starting to feel better because of a recent and powerful encounter with God, I'm having all of my bloodwork done again and we're believing that I'm healed, being healed, and will be completely healed. We also got the news that in two weeks I'll have my unemployment appeal hearing. This could be what helps us stop having to ask for more financial help but in the meantime as many of you know already, we've needed financial help just to make it month to month. We never expected it to go on for this long. We would have been seriously been homeless months ago, had it not been for your generosity. I can't wait to get my bloodwork back and I'm then going to brave a Facebook live to share what's happened over the last couple months. 

Lord willing I'll be cleared to go back to work really soon after the new year. We know God's power is real and His timing is always perfect, He is faithful. 

Thank you for all the love that you've shown us throughout the last year. We are forever changed by it. Also, please don't hesitate to let us know how we can be praying for you! If you're led we could still use your help financially but Lord willing, I'll win my unemployment appeal that's coming up soon which is a miracle in itself. 

May God bless you and keep you, may His face shine upon you!

🔥❤️🔥

We're still expecting a miracle and as many of you already know, due to Jeremiahs current and persistent health issues we've needed financial help just to make it month to month. We never expected it to go on for this long and so now we're needing a little more help. Help to keep our lights and heat on, diapers, clothes, medicines, gas, and keeping our bills and mortgage paid so we can keep a roof over our heads. Seriously we would have been homeless months ago had it not been for your generosity.

 Hopefully Jeremiah will be cleared to go back to work early next year but in the meantime, if you're able to help get us through the next few months with a financial blessing, we could sure use it right now. We know God's healing is real and we will wait on His timing, because I know He's going to heal me.

Thank you for all the love you've shown us throughout the last several months. One thing we promise is this; we will keep paying it forward!

We only have a couple more months to make it through until Jeremiah's unemployment hearing and we're trusting that God will get us through until then. It's hard asking for financial help with so much going on in the world but we put our trust in Jesus, our anchor in this storm, and we believe that He will supply all of our needs. If you need prayer please private message us. Jeremiah has alot of free time to pray and we'd love to be praying for you!

May God bless you and keep you, may His face shine upon you!

🔥❤️🔥

If you could please keep us in your prayers, I'm having new bloodwork run tomorrow to see how much progress I'm making. It's also to find out what's going on with my testosterone, my red blood cells, and the pretty constant pain I've been experiencing throughout my body. It's made sleep hard, but we're believing that God is making a way even now! I see new specialists next week too. Maresha also had to have some bloodwork run today to check on some things, so she could use your prayers to, especially because she's definitely been my biggest cheerleader throughout this last year. She must have at least ten intercessors praying at all times, because she truly is a saint. It's been beautiful to watch what the Lord's been doing and to see us both becoming more selfless and alot less selfish. Tough times remind us of what's really important in this life and His name is Jesus and He loves you, so love Him and then love the people that come in your path. This is the way. 

Thank you all for your encouragement, for showing us the tangible love of God, and for sowing into us financially throughout this crazy year we've had because of my illness. Hopefully we just need to make it through three more months, but we see so much good fruit and it encourages us more in the faith than you know. 

We get to see the Lord operating through you all in all of your different giftings and callings, so we pray Grace, peace, and joy to you all through Our Lord Jesus Christ!

🔥❤️🔥

Well here we are, 10 months later and as soon as there was light at the end of the tunnel, the doctors unfortunately found some more issues. 

Currently I'm now anemic, I've never been anemic except this year apparently. She said I've been anemic 4 times this year. I also got the lowest testosterone test in her 20 plus years as a doctor. I'm a 33. If you're in the medical field than you know how low that is. 

Now they're looking into what's causing these new issues along with treating everything else I've been experiencing. Some days it feels overwhelming heavy, while other days are relatively light. It wears on our relationships never knowing how I'll feel from one day to the next. Makes it hard for us to plan our lives. It's challenging because having symptoms that are mostly internal mean that most people don't know that while we're talking I feel like I'm dying. Without Jesus there's no way I could've made it this far. 

When they told me last week, to treat myself like I had an auto immune disease, it really surprised me. How many millions of others are silently suffering like me, then it got me praying. Praying for their healing, praying for their provision, and ultimately for their salvations. What would it look like if the entire church prayed in agreement for these types of things? For today I'll do my part and invite you to do the same. 

This year has been full of unexpected challenges but a cord of 3 is not easily broken. Our marriage is healthy and strong (doesn't mean we don't get right with eachother often), our boys are healthy, and God has blessed us through many people around the world to make it month after month until hopefully soon, we won't need to ask. We're staying close to Jesus and our faith gets hotter after every time its doused by doubt. 

I've written our state senator about my unemployment appeal and pray she intervenes before the end of the year. If you're out there and you're struggling too, reach out and we'd love to pray for you. Don't give up brothers and sisters, love each other well. People are hurting and we're better together. 

We never expected in a million years that my health issues would go on for this long. Every month gets a little financially tighter for us. Please pray about it, but if you're led and able to help get us through the next few months with a financial blessing, we could sure use it. 

Thank you all for the love you've shown us over these last 10 months. May God meet your every need according to His riches and Glory and may what you've sown produce much fruit through our shared spiritual labor.

Here's a couple different ways to sow into us, we also have zelle and cashapp.

If you message us in messenger we'll give you that info or our address if that works best for you. It's hard asking for financial help with so much going on in the world but we put our trust in Jesus, our anchor in this storm, and we believe that He will supply all of our needs. If you need prayer please private message us. Jeremiah has alot of free time to pray and we'd love to be praying for you!

May God bless you and keep you, may His face shine upon you!

🔥❤️🔥

CashApp: $Wearekingdomtribe

https://venmo.com/u/Jeremiah-Swartz-5

https://www.paypal.me/Jswartz79

Slowly but surely the doctors are becoming optimistic and are seeing some positive changes in Jeremiah; now we just need some help to get through the end of this year. Hopefully by then we'll have won his unemployment appeal. It's been a hard year but it's also brought us even closer to God and each other. Jeremiahs' still having bad days, on those days even getting around is hard. They want him to treat himself like he has an auto immune disease and they're saying this winter will be critical for him. The good news is that he's not getting worse anymore and Jesus has been with us every step of the way. God is healing Him even now and we know that God will supply all our needs according to His riches and Glory, so If you'd prayerfully conside sowing into us, we'd greatly appreciate it. Sharing our campaign helps us alot too; at our give, send, go campaign you can read our full story. We also have these other ways to give if you are led:

 cashapp: $Wearekingdomtribe 

https://venmo.com/u/Jeremiah-Swartz-5

https://www.paypal.me/Jswartz79

Good bless you and keep you, may His face shine favor upon you and may His grace strengthen you to run this race set before us to obtain the prize!

🔥❤️🔥

May this update encourage someone today to just hold on, He's heard your prayers, and help, heavens help is on the way. 

Faith is the assurance of things HOPED-FOR, the conviction or the evidence of THINGS NOT YET SEEN.

Today's been a really hard day for us so far, physically, mentally, and emotionally. 

I look forward to the day that I'm completely healed and while I appreciate the hearts of those who've told me that I'm already healed and that I just need to walk in it or "name it and claim it", we need to call a thing what it is and I'm simply not physically healed yet. 

But why am I not healed if I believe that God can and will heal me? Why after so many people laying hands on me and the many prayers of the faithful am I still not healed yet?

Is it lack of faith? Is it because God's mad at me? Is it because I have hidden sin in my life?

 No, it's a big no to all three. 

(Not because I never sin but because I don't make a practice of it and when I do I confess it to my wife or another strong believer and I have a clear conscience before God and men)

So why am I not healed yet?

It's because Faith is the assurance of things HOPED-FOR, the conviction or evidence of THINGS NOT YET SEEN.

What we're going through is not a blind faithless wandering or the absence of faith, rather it's actually the tangible walking out our faith before God and the people in our lives. Jesus and the rest of the new testament scriptures talk so much about suffering, troubles, trials, and tribulations in the lives of believers.

Were they confused?

No, it's because they knew that Faith is the assurance of things HOPED-FOR, the conviction or evidence of THINGS NOT YET SEEN.

What does walking by faith look like? It looks like walking with Jesus everyday and growing into a deeper relationship and dependence on Him and on His Holy Spirit so that His love can pour out from you despite your current sufferings or circumstances. It looks like running to God and not leaning on our own understanding. 

I can only share my experiences but I pray that by sharing this it encourages someone today. 

Everyday we have a choice and even on the hardest days we have to simply choose to trust Him, that He will give us our daily portion. 

Today I chose to walk by faith just to get out of bed despite the fatigue and pain I'm feeling, I walk by faith to help my wife the best I can around the house and to help her with our boys, I walked by faith when I flew to Florida because I knew I had to go pray for my dad in what was a really grave situation where a miracle happened, not in my body though, but rather in his.

I walked by faith to go to my son's Pre-K orientation, I walk by faith to go the grocery store with my wife and help her corral our two boys, to watch my boys play outside and inside, to say yes when others have needed help or couseling, we're walking by faith that God will provide our mortgage payment this month and again the next until I can go back to work, we walk by faith that He'll provide for us the provision through His body the church to continue paying our bills so that our lights and our heat stay on through the coming winter. We've walked by faith when we've been led to give the little we have to others and even complete strangers, even though we ourselves really need the money. 

Now even today we're walking by faith although my body is simply not healed yet. My heart though, my heart has become filled with a new love for my wife, our boys, and our family. My hearts been filled with the conviction to pray for every prayer request we receive and the more I've prayed for others, the less I've prayed for me. 

Even though every step I take feels like I'm stepping on Legos all day every day, even though my vision is getting worse, even though my legs fall asleep almost everytime I sit down, even though my legs give out when I walk to much, even when I'm puking my guts out, even when my head pounds all day more often than not everyday, even when my heart feels like it's going to beat out of my chest everyday, even when my edema comes and goes along with the pain in my chest and my lungs, even when I'm exhausted 24/7, and even when I'm constantly forgetting what I'm saying or what someone else has just said to me, and even when by the end of each day I've got nothing left that's when I cry tears of gratitude to the Lord and I thank Him for the grace He's given to me to get through another day.   

We've seen miracles in our marriage, miracles of healing in others while I've been sick, we've continued sharing the good news as we go and we take every opportunity to allow ourselves to be interrupted for His purposes and His glory despite me being sick.  

It's not about me, nor about when I'm getting healed because I know that He will heal me and He will heal you too. 

It's about His love, His mercy, and His grace that has been more than sufficient to get us through this tough season without us giving up because, I know the Lord won't ever give up on us. 

After 8 months of being out of work and mostly in bed I can still honestly and boldly declare that God is good and He is so faithful. 

Don't you know that Jesus right now is at the right hand of the Father interceding for us, yeah that's right; for us, His church. For me and for you!

So if you're struggling physically, mentally or emotionally I want to encourage you to remember that His grace is sufficient for you and that His power is made perfect in our own weakness. That's when we're the strongest, it's when we realize we're helpless and we still choose to put our complete trust in Him. Then we can just be what He's created us to be and do what He's called us to do. Don't give up my friends because He's not going to give up on you. 

We pray grace upon grace to you all through Our Lord, Jesus Christ.🔥❤️🔥

Well before you read any further I want you to understand that we are not complaining nor are we having a pity party. What we are doing is being transparent with you because our heart is that through our struggles you might find something in all of it that encourages you, strengthens your faith, and gives you hope. In reality I'm giving you a glimpse of what it looks like when I need to preach to myself and I'm definitely preaching to myself.

Sometimes in our walk of faith, everything that can go wrong will go wrong. Ever since I started having all my health issues we've experienced so many things that have just plain gone wrong, and it's made the psalms come alive to us as God is birthing something new within my wife and I. The reality that we're still human and that trials and troubles are part of learning to walk in the way of Christ. 

Jesus didn't promise us a life without troubles, rather what He promised was that we would have them, but to have hope because He has overcome the world first. That's why in Revelations over and over it says for those that overcome and John says that we as believers are also called to overcome the world as Jesus has. Jesus promised us something far greater if we are willing to walk through our troubles while trusting that He will be with us through them all. His Holy Spirit and the scriptures will lead us if we let go and know that He is God and He is good. 

Ever since I was released from the hospital after my pneumonia became septic, our hot water heater exploded, my wife and I were then assured by my boss that my job wasn't in any danger and then a couple weeks later they just let me go, then my wife's van started having issues in the winter and the heater went out, I've ended up in the hospital 6 more times since December, then the doctors almost killed me with to much prednisone, then my dad had some intense medical issues and so has Mareshas mom, then our van had more problems, then our dog got a terrible ear infection, then unemployment denied me because my job said I didn't return from my leave and they have interpreted that as inexcusable absences even though I've provided documentation that I've been on medical leave by a doctors order ever since I got out of the hospital in January and now I won't have a hearing until closer to the new year, I'm 8 months out of work and can't work because the doctors fear I'll have a stroke with my heart condition, my symptoms have continued to be all over the place, we're struggling to pay our bills, and then today my truck literally started falling apart and we're grateful that not one of us got hurt. 

Why am I sharing all of this with you? 

Well it's because I want to remind you that we are living in hostile enemy territory. 

This world is not our home.

We're pilgrims here looking forward to our home in the Kingdom of Heaven. That is our blessed assurance that the new covenant promises us. Not only that but by the grace of God we've received the Holy Spirit and the Kingdom of Heaven is within us too.  

I remember when I was a baby Christian I always mistakenly associated worldly success or a lack of problems with God's favor and then slowly as I've grown in the faith I've realized how wrong I really was. I saw that the scriptures didn't actually support that view at all. The prosperity we are promised is an internal one and it's only born through the Holy Spirit and abiding in Christ, and in the truth. 

The enemy is trying his hardest right now to discourage us, to scare us, and ultimately to pull us away from our faith in God entirely, but the enemy doesn't stand a chance. 

Maybe you're feeling it too in your life. If you are, then I want to remind you that we are still in enemy territory but our God is BIGGER than any troubles that we might face. Can He deliver us? Yes. Can He heal me? Yes. Will He? Well that's up to Him, because He knows what's best for us and if Jesus learned obedience by the things He had to suffer, maybe we should too?

Isn't that what Satan tempted Jesus with? Jesus was hungry, thirty, and tired after 40 days in the wilderness and it was then that satan offered Him a deal. A deal, what deal you might ask? Well simply put, Satan wanted Jesus to give up His birth right by offering him what was his first. He tempted Jesus with food but it wasn't really about food it was about offering a solution to His human weakness, then he tempted Him to prove Himself, and last but not least he tempted Jesus with all the riches and worldly power he had to offer but Jesus stood firm upon the WORD. 

Satan was taunting Him saying "if you are the son of God" but Jesus saw right through it because He is the Word made flesh and He stood upon the scriptures and not upon His weakness and His feelings. Jesus knew He was the Son of God. He didn't need anything except fellowship with His Father and He walked homeless during His ministry proclaiming the Kingdom of Heaven as He went regardless of whether He had shelter, food, or worldly comforts.

If you're thinking that what I'm saying is crazy then I encourage you to read Hebrews chapter 11, read what Paul wrote about all he suffered for the faith, when Paul was first saved the scriptures say that the Lord showed him all the things that he would have to suffer. Guess what, he followed Jesus anyways. 

Think about what happened to the 11 other apostles and so many more that we read about in Hebrews 11 and the entirety of the scriptures. They all realized that we were just sojourners here because our kingdom is not of this world.

 Our calling is to advance the Kingdom of God in this world in the midst of our suffering. In the times of plenty and in the times of famine. We're called to share the good news and live lives that hold all material things loosely, helping those in need, loving those that that the world has rejected, and destroying the works of the devil.

So along with Meshack, Shadrach, and Abednego we declare "Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”

In these tough times and firey trials we all must learn to praise God despite our circumstances or our feelings. To hold on to our hope and the joy of our salvation, to count our blessings, to stay grateful, to stay humble, to be content, and to let go of our need to control things and simply to keep on trusting the Lord. He knows exactly what He's doing and His banner over us is love. 

🔥❤️🔥

I look forward to the day where I can say I'm healed but my health situation currently is about the same with my symptoms coming and going often enough to disrupt any chance of a "normal" life right now. I have lost over 30 pounds which is good, but while my dad was in the hospital I had to go to the ER myself because I could feel my heart beating through my chest, my vision seemed to be getting worse, and my edema was really bothering me. After checking my blood pressure, it was 187 over 92. They took me back and doubled my heart and blood pressure medications. The worst part though is the brain fog where I literally forget what I'm talking about in the middle of talking with someone. If you know me, then you know that's not normal at all for me as I'm generally a talker and love to discuss things and debate things while wrestling towards the truth. 

We were looking at pictures and 2 years ago I was so healthy. It's so crazy that in about 2 years western medicine literally almost killed me. Long covid they say, who would've thought? It's been a struggle at times to let go and realize that everything in this season is out of my control, everything that is except how I respond to it. Will it be faith or fear? 

 Some days all I can do is tell myself to believe and choose to fill my mind with the word and what's true, pure, lovely, and good.

We're still praying and we're still full of hope though especially after seeing God touch my dad. My unemployment appeal is still currently pending, but we are just going to keep praying and keep trusting the Lord. He has provided our needs through you, His body up till now, so we know He's going to keep seeing us through until the end. We just know God will heal me so we're thanking Him for my healing, even before it happens. Tomorrow I see the lung doctor and then next week I see my new homeopathic doctor for a follow up before I see my primary care doctor the following week. 

It's been pretty overwhelming after the scare with my dad and hearing the doctors tell me that if my heart doesn't slow down I'm going to start having strokes. I don't believe them but sometimes my head does. Hopefully someone understands what I mean by that. 

Now they're telling me that my unemployment claim appeal could take between four to seven more months. I don't know how people make it, that would put us at needing about 18000.00 dollars to make it until I get approved. 

I keep forgiving the unemployment people when I feel frustrated about why I'm not approved yet, then I was led to Psalms 94 last week and this verse virtually jumped off the pages, it says:

"When my anxious thoughts multiply within me, Your comfort delights my soul."

Psalm 94:19

Yep, that scripture right there was a bullseye. I'm learning more and more that to depend on God is really terrifying at times and then can also be really easy at others. I guess that means I'm human huh?🤣🤣🤣 I've also learned that our struggles really do bring us closer to God when we choose to seek His Kingdom and let go of our own. 

I just have to stay vigilant taking my thoughts captive and not letting my emotions take over. With Jesus as my anchor those things are nothing but loud winds and waves, but Jesus, He calmed both with just a word. 

I know He's going to see us through this, and that He can see you through whatever it is you're facing too. Let's trust Him, read the word, pray and listen for His voice, and then when He speaks or gives us an unction, let's just simply obey Him and we'll see, He is so faithful. Keep testifying of His goodness, we need to do it even more when we're going through hard times. 

God is making a way, even when there seems to be no way. 

The life I have now, even with all these struggles is better than the old life that I was recued from, because now I am His and He loves me, He loves you too by the way. Now I'm on God's side and I know that he said not to be anxious for anything because he would supply all of our needs according to his riches and Glory, He will give His angels charge over us because Jehovah Jirah cares for us. 

What if He's keeping me from something that I won't know about until I'm home with Him, what if He's keeping you safe from something too? No matter what though, I know, that I know, that I know, that God still heals and that prayer still works. 

I pray that this encourages you. Don't give up if you're going through hard times and struggles too. Sometimes we just need to preach to our own hearts and sometimes we just need to cry out to God for a fresh filling up of His Holy Spirit and His love. 

May God bless you as we share our struggles with you and our victories. 

Please share our campaign if you would. We want you all to know how much we deeply appreciate your love, your encouraging words, your prayers, and your financial support through all this. 

"For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us."

🔥Romans 8:18🔥

May He be glorified in your life as well in Jesus name, 

Amen

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The goodness of God never ceases to amaze me!

Jesus touched my dad and he's finally home now and doing so much better than he was.  We're trusting that his health is only going to continue getting better and better as he rests and gains back his strength. 

As for me, it's given me a tremendous amount of hope for the future. Our God is just so faithful! I can't say it enough!

There is power in the name of Jesus that is greater than every disease, every pain, every fear, and every circumstance. Trust Him, don't make any moves until you hear His voice, and refuse to budge an inch towards self reliance. It may not feel good now but just wait, those seeds you've been planting are about to be ripe for the harvest. Don't give up, except to give up on you pushing through in your own strength. 

"When my anxious thoughts multiply within me, Your comfort delights my soul."

🔥Psalm 94:19🔥

I'm flying back to Seattle tomorrow but I am so glad that the Lord brought me to my dad's side. I am so grateful for His provision to get me here, and now we have the provision to get me back home. God seems to always makes a way when we step out in faith and obedience, even in our doubts. Faith isn't a matter of feelings but rather it is a matter of conviction. Then it's up to us to act on them. 

After almost 18 years of addiction my dad never gave up on me so I was not about to let the enemy tell me that I wouldn't be able to physically do this. Nope, not today satan. I know that I know that I know, that prayer works,  and that my dad's going to recover even more quickly than the doctors expect. 

I've been able to spend time with my dad and mom everyday at the hospital and we've all just kept encouraging each other along the way. I've been able to spend time with my brother and niece that graciously let me stay at their house in town. I've even got to spend time with my aunt Debbie and that's been good for my heart. Something about this time here was really, really special and to see the Lord answer prayers in real time is always a wonder to behold. The word I've kept hearing while I've been here has been "appointed time".

It'll be good to see my wife and boys tomorrow. I've missed them very much. It's been such a blessed time, even with all the difficulties we've had to face. I'm going to try and do a video update soon because God's hand was all over this even when the enemy tried to catch us in his traps. It's been rough at times but God's grace is been sufficient. He's helped me tremendously to carry me past my symptoms, and to comfort me throughout this entire ordeal. As I've been spending more time in prayer, I found that although I'd really like to be healed in an instant, God really has been working out all things for our good and like I said, we've gotten to see it in real time. Our God is so very, very good! 

My health situation is about the same but we're praying and we're full of hope. My unemployment appeal is still currently pending, but we are just going to keep praying and we're going to keep trusting the Lord. He will provide so I'm just going to keep thanking Him for my healing, even before it happens. 

I know that if He can see us through this, He can see you through whatever it is you're facing. Trust Him, read the word, pray and listen for His voice, and then when He speaks or gives you an unction, just simply obey Him and you'll see, He is so faithful. 

God is going to make a way, even when there seems to be no way. If He's brought us this far then we're going to walk this out until it ends bringing glory to our Lord Jesus. 

Please share our campaign if you would. We want you all to know how much we appreciate your love, your encouraging words, your prayers, and your financial support through all this. 

May He be glorified in your life as well in Jesus name, 

Amen

🔥❤️🔥

"but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us."

🔥Romans 5:3-5🔥

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Here's the latest update on our family health issues and Jeremiah's health issues that we've been walking through one day at a time as we've learned on a whole different level the need to stay yoked up with Jesus. 

My dad (Tom Swartz) has been having some unexplained health issues all throughout the last year; much like I have. He had many strange unexplained symptoms that came and went only to be replaced by new ones. Last week we had a call that my dad's health had quickly taken a turn for the worse after he underwent a surgery that was supposed to help him. 

Then a fear came out of nowhere and hit me (Jeremiah) so fast that all I could do was weep, moan, and cry out to the Lord. In an instant it felt like my faith was sucked out into space and I found myself hopeless, full of anxiety, and powerless.

Here I was, already living a life in bed about 70% of the time, still having all the same symptoms and a few new ones, still waiting on my unemployment appeal and the verdict for me getting temporary disability. I was let go from my job because I couldn't return when they wanted me to.(they had less than 50 employees and my return to work date kept getting pushed back. They had told me they did it so I could collect unemployment and get some income coming in. I was even told to contact them once I'd been released from my medical leave to see what jobs they had available. Unfortunately either unemployment made a serious mistake or something happened that I'm unaware of, because the reason listed for me being fired from my job( in the opinion of Washington states unemployment) was because I frequently was tardy or absent from work and didn't return to work from my leave.

I had never even been written up, was managing 3 shelters, and was promoted 3 times in 5 years. 

So I can barely get out of bed or I have to sit with my feet up for hours due to the pain. We've lived almost exclusively on the love donations that so many of you have poured out on our family. 

Then I had this unction and I knew that I knew that I knew that I had to go to Florida to see my dad. But how? Our bills were miraculously taken care of but we were living on manna, how could I ask anyone for any more help? All I could do was weep. 

False humility bred by fear had paralyzed me from asking anyone else for any money to go, BUT GOD HAD A DIFFERENT PLAN. The next day my wife told her mother about my dad and then being led by the spirit and love Mareshas mom and step-dad offered to fly me to Florida. It is an absolute miracle that I am here right now in Sarasota Florida sitting next to my dad at the hospital. Despite all the difficulties our family has faced, is facing, or will face; God has shown me that He really does take care of His family. 

See, I can't do much right now at all, but I can sit on a plane and I got up several times to stretch and put my feet up on the layover. I can sit next to my dad at the hospital. I can fast, I can pray for his healing and deliverance. I can love and have learned to love in hard times and suffering more through this season than any other I've ever been through. 

My mom and dad belong to Jesus, my family belongs to Jesus and then it hit me that Jesus had just cleared my calendar for the rest of the year. I'm not going to go into the details of what's going on with my dad. It is serious; but our God is BIGGER, STRONGER, AND HE IS FAITHFUL; whether we understand "why" it's all happening or not.  

Now, right before finding this out I had just seen the homeopathic doctor for a third opinion and after her hearing my story, she cried. Yep, I was already crying most of the visit, but then

 she looked at my wife and I and said that she was so sorry but unfortunately the doctors did this to me, they had wrecked my immune system by giving me meds that made me even sicker. They had not paid attention to my 5 year history with them, they fought against my complaints of how the treatments and meds were affecting my body and my mind. Under their care I had gone from weighing around 200 pounds to where by the time I had pneumonia this last December I weighed 350 pounds. She's convinced that the amount of steroid medication that I was prescribed, along with the allergy shots that were suppressing my immune system, and then prescribing meds that shouldn't even be taken together because these were also suppressing my immune system. 

So after having over 50 upper respiratory infections in two years, walking pneumonia, covid five different times, and my allergies being worse than they'd ever been......... BOOM. That's what culminated into severe acute pneumonia, sepsis, chronic diastolic heart failure, pleurisy, a partially collapsed lung, edema, and a fatigue that I haven't yet been able to shake. 

This new doctor said she could see my inflammation when I walked in. That because of everything my body had been through I have actually been suffering with long-covid and then she looked at me again and said "if you don't give up on me, I won't give up on you, this can be fixed but it's going to take a while" then she prescribed me ivermectin and a blend of systemic anti-inflammatory enzymes. 

My dad is asleep at the moment, I'm staying the night in his room at the hospital to pray for him, for our family and for you. Yes, for you, because there is a war going on. I can't even imagine how many times my dad has prayed for me. My dad prayed because he knew we're in a war, the Spirit of Christ versus the antichrist, revival versus the spirit of the age and the traditions of men, and even more rampant and dangerous are those that spend their whole lives studying scripture and teaching without ever being born again into Christ themselves. Do you know Him? Have you surrendered all? Are you willing but afraid? We're here for you. 

See, I'm not afraid to look like a fool for Christ today because our family has seen the power of God with our own eyes. Salvation, healings, miracles, and deliverance. Not only in others, but in us, and through us to others. 

See in a funny way, I'm here because I knew that I needed to put my faith where my fear was and once again abide in the love of God. 

So I'm going to finish this book of a post to pray for my dad, will you pray with me for my dad's healing and my family today?

How about you? What crazy step do you need to take in your faith? It won't make sense to the world but that's because we're not of it. Remember that. 

And finally thank you; for all your prayers, continued support, and kindness towards us as our family walks through these difficult times. Healing is coming, I believe it! If you need healing it's coming for you too. If you need prayer, please let us know in the comments on this post in Facebook and we will join you in prayer for the breakthrough you need. Grace, peace, and love to all you amazing, awesome Jesus people!

P.S. 

I started seeing miracles the moment I stepped into SeaTac and they haven't stopped since I got to Sarasota despite how my body feels. Nothing is impossible for God. 

(I can't wait to share it with you, another time though)

"Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."

Thank you for all your prayers, the truth is we really still need them. After 7 months it's been a total roller coaster ride; emotionally, spiritually, and physically. 

I was recently hospitalized again by my new doctor because my blood pressure and heart rate were both way too fast even with my meds that are supposed to lower them. This resulted in a massive amount of new bloodwork that finally showed that I definitely had been suffering from the effects of Cushings syndrome. It's pretty awful. 4 out of 7 days I'm in bed or not doing much because I should be in bed. They're also keeping long covid in mind. It's good to finally have some kind of answers but unfortunately that doesn't make everything better. Last month I was taken off the two other inhaled steroids I was using. So I was told by the doctor that 6 months after the last steroids taken is the longest it should take for me to recover. So that's another 6 months from July. Not the best news but I could also recover sooner. Next week I'm seeing my wife's homeopathic doctor that has gotten all of my medical records together and is going to see what she thinks after looking at all of it before seeing me.

I'm hoping that she agrees or even better, diagnoses me with something that she can treat LOL. That would be the best outcome. I've been denied unemployment because I am not able and ready to work. I filed an appeal but they said it would take up to 120 days for that appeal to take place which is crazy. I'll just leave that there for anybody else out there that has gone through anything like this, some of these programs really don't help the way you might think they would. I've also applied for Social Security while I'm looking for a lawyer that would take on my case for free but that process is about a year out as well. I know this has been the roughest season our marriage has been through as of yet. We've cried together, at first we cried alone, but lately it feels like both of us just cry more and more together. I know that probably sounds really depressing but it's really beautiful. I just want to keep it real because I know God heals. But I also trust him, because even though I am still sick, God is still with us. If you've been where we are then you know what I'm talking about because it's the end of your rope. 

It's that place where you come face to face with just how powerless you really are without God. I've been here before, but with a wife and two toddlers, and a house with a mortgage..... this is a whole new level of being undone. 

So where do we go from here? We have decided will wait upon the Lord. In the meantime God's been hard at work in our hearts. Revealing my fear of failure, revealing my own selfishness, pride and all that other nasty stuff that I didn't even know was still in there. Thank you Jesus that we are NOT who we used to be and we're not turning back. 

Thank you for all of your prayers, kind words, financial support, and the love you've shown our family through all of this. If you're led to sow into us we could use it. God will see us through, heal me, and our little family is going to come out stronger than ever from this trial. If you've been going through it, just keep holding onto Jesus. He will see us through the good and the bad. It's ok to be human. Just hold on to Jesus, lean into Him, stay in the word, and abide in the love of God. 

"And through your faith, God is protecting you by His power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see.

So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world."

🔥1 Peter 1:5-7🔥

These have definitely been some of the hardest challenges I've ever been through in my Christian walk. These last months my faith has been tested like I've never experienced. I battled fear that something was deathly wrong with Jeremiah, and waiting patiently on God's timing through all of this and still waiting... it's been hard but I do see God's hand in all of it. We've never been so close and in unity than now. Being with each other all day everyday we've talked about every little thing there is to talk about. And it's good. I've never been so in love with my husband than now and I'm honored to be able to take care of him. Jesus helped me with that too, having a servants heart all day everyday. Through sickness and health we vowed. Thankfulness has been one of my biggest weapons against the enemy. When fear, or grumbling come up in my heart or my mind it has to have no place and staying thankful, God has brought us already out of the pit and he's with us no matter the challenge we face. We face it together. I wanted to say thank you to everyone who has given to us. It hasn't been easy but all of the blessings everyone has given helped us so much stay afloat. I pray everyone be blessed with more of His presence and through anything you might be facing as well. Even though we're not out of the woods yet I do see God's Mighty hand in everything that we're going through. I pray if you are facing challenges and trials right now that you trust Him and draw near to Him because He will draw near to you. I know it. I feel closer to God than ever before going through this time and having no other choice than to trust Him. So in the eternal perspective, all this is worth it because He is so worth it all. 

Love and blessings, Maresha Swartz 

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I needed this today:

The word says that the joy of the Lord is our strength. The word says return to me the joy of my salvation and renew a right Spirit within me.

I NEEDED TO SEE THIS SPELLED OUT TO ME.

I've been sick for 6 months and some people have been sick their entire lives, yet I was beginning to get frustrated and overwhelmed with such a sense of despair that I had forgotten the joy of my salvation. I want to say it again because it's taken me 6 months to get this; the reason I was losing the battle in my mind was because I had forgotten the joy of my salvation and my spirit was not right within me. I was focused on the outcome, I felt disappointed, I felt let down, I felt tiny and insignificant, I felt fear for my family and then ultimately for myself. I've seen God do amazing miracles and yet here I am sick in bed and then the thoughts come that God's left me in a million different shades of the very same lie.

 It's been a hard season for my family because of my illness. The lies came for my wife first but then after a few months they started coming after me really hard.

( I want to publicly give her recognition, because my wife as many of you know is a saint and I watched her push through doubt and fear like a warrior should, all while taking care of two toddlers and her 40-year-old husband)

I know Jesus. I love Jesus. I long to know Him even more. I was born again. I am not who I used to be. The Spirit of Christ lives inside me!

Even if I'm not healed from this sickness quickly, or at all. I wouldn't trade being saved and delivered from over 20 years of drug addiction for healing now no matter how bad I feel in this moment. That seed of faith has grown and the truth is that knowing God is the most important thing right now and throughout all eternity. Jesus said eternal life was to know God, and so I will entrust myself to God because I know Him and He is always working things out and bailing me out, even from my own ignorance at times. No matter what lies the devil tries to use next, I will stand upon the WORD of God and I will remember the joy of my salvation.

He loves us because he loves us, because he loves us.

I will remember where I came from and the bottomless pit He pulled me from!

I hope this encourages someone else, because I needed this encouragement today. I really needed this encouragement today.

🔥❤️🔥

We really could still use your help to make it through until my unemployment starts. At that point we'll at least have a steady monthly income. Thank you Jesus for your body and that we get to be a part of it!

After a weekend of barely crawling out of bed because of how nauseated and how much pain I had trying to walk and just breathe, I had to see my Dr. And they noticed I didn't look so good. I took their advice and went to the ER only to be discharged as I'm not in "crisis". As frustrating as this was the good news is that they ran a bunch of blood work and I'll be talking to my Dr. about the results tomorrow. None of this makes sense, but we just know that God is going to get us through all of this. 

I found out today that it's going to take between 3-4 weeks before I can be approved for unemployment. This is because they have to verify things with my doctor and previous employer. Please keep us in your prayers and if you are led to help us get through the month we'd greatly appreciate it. 

I am getting better, I'm supposed to have a diagnosis within the next two weeks. Currently nausea and vomiting have been the worst of what I'm experiencing, besides that it's still chronic chest pain and pain in my feet when I walk.

Thank you for all the love and prayers, 

Jeremiah, Maresha, Judah, and Elisha 

Facebook apparently couldn't wait to post on my wall that yes, as of May 31st, I was let go due to my extended medical leave. It was the best decision for both them and myself. 

It's been six months and as of now the doctor is still working towards a diagnosis for me which means I'll have no firm return to work date until I'm better or they figure it out.

As many of you may know this is good news and bad news. I've applied for assistance through SNAP, for State Healthcare, and for unemployment. My only concern is unemployment,  because due to me not being able to work, my application was flagged. One of their conditions is that I be able to look for work but because of my medical conditions, I won't meet their criteria. They said I may still receive benefits but it could take up to a month to verify all my information before they respond. 

Please if you could; pray that these things all go smoothly. Applying for disability would take months, even up to a year before we had a monthly source of income.

It's been hard on my amazing wife and even as I feel at times like I can't even get out of bed, I'm often reminded by the Lord that she is carrying this burden with me. I am so thankful for her patience, kindness, and perseverance in faith. Normally I'm the faith pusher but honestly it's been her that's pushed me to believe at times over the last few months. 

I've had some new symptoms come and go. My blood pressure has been really high again, I still experience dizziness when I stand up. My chest pain is still as prevalent if not more now that allergy season has started. I've been almost constantly nauseated with everything that comes with that, my pulse is still high and I often have little to no energy at all. 

That's what is happening but we know that we serve a God that makes things happen and we still believe He will make a way for us. We're still sharing our faith, we're still holding onto our hope in Jesus Christ and letting the world know that there is good news. 

I always hope the next update is the last and we are so grateful for you all. Your prayers, love, and support mean the world to us and we love all of you and pray for many of you. 

If you're led, over the next month or so we could still use help financially. If you can't please share our campaign and we just want you to know how much your amazing love has touched my wife and I. 

Sincerely, 

Jeremiah, Maresha, Judah, and Elisha 

We look forward to the day that this is all behind us. Unfortunately today isn't that day and I wish I had a better update. We are so hopeful, but I find myself fighting the thoughts that bombard my mind, taking each one captive and making them obedient to Jesus. Worry, doubt, and symptoms that I just can't shake have complicated things. I'm finding encouragement in the word and prayer and I know Maresha is too. We've been praying, crying, receiving prayers, and crying some more. 

 In about a week I'll have been out of the hospital for almost 5 months with very few answers. At first unfortunately they were so concerned with my post pneumonia symptoms that my new doctor thinks that they missed getting me a proper diagnosis of what was causing my symptoms that weren't related to my pneumonia at all. Namely my chronic diastolic heart failure, high blood pressure, edema, and continued chest pain due to my left lung never fully opening. 

The good news is that my new doctor believes what caused everything was cushings syndrome or something very similar which is caused by my body producing to much cortisol or not getting rid of it fast enough. It may have even been because of my having undiagnosed sleep apnea for so long. Then after months of my having high cortisol my body, it had nothing left to fight the pneumonia as it grew and all the other symptoms can be attributed to one or both of these other issues. She seems confident that my heartbeat will return to normal, along with my high blood pressure, and my edema. She's running new tests, looking back over months of medical history and has already found things that my last doctors all missed. For example, my blood work showed me as anemic 3 out of the last 4 months. I thank God for Him leading me to leave and go to a completely different clinic. 

This month I'll have some retesting of some things and then we'll get some new scans of all my organs that were not working right, off and on over the last few months. 

I was reminded this morning of the testimony I read of A.B. Simpson. He was a minister in the late 1800's- the early 1900's. He suffered physically over a very long period of time before after much seeking he learned to receive Christ as His healing.  

I too am on this quest, A.B.Simpson asked an elder friend what he thought about Jesus as our healer, to which his friend replied "All you need in order to bring you into the blessing you are seeking, and to make your life a power for God, is to be annihilated". 

In this season there have been terrifying moments, moments of joy, and everything in between but that's my prayer too. Lord annihilate anything of my pride or sin in my life, Your Word says that you are our healer, and that you are our provider and so we will keep walking through this, asking, seeking, and knocking. Your faithfulness will most assuredly see us through as we hold onto the holy fear of doubting you. Instead we will trust you, with my health, our finances, and that your love for us covers us as we walk through the trials and tribulations of suffering. 

I was just in bed for over 3 days straight and all I could do is pray and we will not lose heart or fear because even if I lose my job, even if we lose our house, even if I never get healed, our house will serve the Lord.

Sincerely, 

Jeremiah, Maresha, Judah, and Elisha 

I went to the doctor yesterday and they took more blood. Yesterday was a rough day as I threw up pretty much all day off and on but we're hopeful because if it's what my new doctor thinks it may be, there's a treatment for it. My blood work showed a very high sedimentation rate, low red blood cell count, possible anemia, and a large vitamin D deficiency. Now they're testing my acth and cortisol levels before possibly sending me to see an endocrinologist, depending on the results. My doctor is confident that my body has been fighting an active disease process and has probably been going on long before I got pneumonia in December. 

We're hoping to have more concrete answers by the end of this week. Thank you so much for your continued prayers and if the Lord puts us on your heart we could use more help financially. We've come this far, and there's no way we could've without your compassion and our Gods great power. 

Be blessed in your coming in and your going out, 

Jeremiah, Maresha,Judah, and Elisha 

We'll know more next week but what the new doctor has found is that my body is currently fighting a disease of some kind, Monday I'm having more blood work done after fasting that we hope will possibly show us what is going on. Please pray for us, it looks like it might not be over because unfortunately all the doctors have been doing for the last 5 months is treating the symptoms I've been experiencing, but the good news is we prayed and so I went to the doctor that I felt the Lord was prompting me to see and she was able to come up with a couple pretty good hypothesis. Now she's going after the root of all this! Thank you Jesus! Please help us get through, thank you all for your love for me and my family.

Sincerely, 

Jeremiah

Here's the latest update on my health, our family, and where the Lord is working. 

 To say that this season has been like a roller coaster ride still feels like an understatement. 

Overall, most of my symptoms are improving and generally under control with the help of medication. That's good news and it's bad news. Due to the fact that 5 months after getting out of the hospital, the doctors that I have seen have not been able to diagnose what is causing the pain I'm still experiencing in my chest, my racing heartbeat, my high blood pressure, and my edema and fluid retention throughout my body. At this point they're not even trying to get to the bottom of it. If I follow their current advice, I will have to continue taking about 12 medications daily, some more than once a day, and learn to live with these symptoms until they resolve themselves. About this, they have no idea of how long it might take. At this point I really am feeling like I'm just being shuffled along on meds and this seems to be happening to alot of people I know as well. 

In my spirit, that just doesn't sit right, so this Thursday I am getting a second opinion from a different doctor that is completely outside of the organization I've been going to for the last 5 years.

Please join us in prayer that this doctor's fresh perspective can diagnose and effectively give us the answers that we have not yet been able to get. We know that God is healing me and is going to finish healing me, in His time. It's amazing how fast 5 months can go by, but it seems that we're still at the same place with all of these symptoms; chronic diastolic heart failure, edema, high blood pressure, high resting heart rate, a partially collapsed lung, and recently I've even started throwing up every few days. 

 The other issue that we're going to face really soon is whether or not I can return to work on June 1st. As of this present moment we are financially strapped. This of course is a great motivator for me to want to return to work, although the medical restrictions may prove to much for my employer to keep me. How realistic is putting my feet up for up to 20 minutes every other hour while performing my assigned tasks? There's more but, I just don't know. We're hoping that in getting this second opinion they will be able to see clearly what's happening so that I can return to work and when that should be. 

We are so thankful for all of you, for your love, your encouragement, and your financial support.  

Throughout all of this God has showed us time and time again to trust Him, to wait on Him, and to allow room for my wife and I to be human. There's been alot of tears shed, alot of laughter (mainly from our two crazy brave boys), and alot of conversations and prayers that have strengthened our faith as we experienced Him in new ways. 

God knows what He's doing even when we don't, so if you would consider helping our family financially or through prayer and sharing our campaign, we'd greatly appreciate it. We're hoping my appointment this Thursday sheds a little more light on what's going on with my body. 

Sincerely, 

Jeremiah, Maresha, Judah, and Elisha. 

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Finally, I get to share some positive things. A brother from Germany prayed for me over voice clips via messenger that tangibly filled me with new hope and peace, and then a week before that, a dear sister in Christ sent me two bottles of a supplement that she said would help and now the swelling in my legs and edema is finally starting to lessen! So far it's been better for a few days in a row. I'm talking minimal compared to what it was before. My feet, ankles, and calves were like 3 times their normal size for almost two month! My heels cracked last weekend but even with that pain, it's starting to be less and less painful and we got an ointment for that which seems to be working. That means My immune system is starting to fight well again! The new medications that my doctor has me on are working too!

My blood pressure is staying within normal limits and my heart rate is finally under 100 bpm at rest. Next I have to lose 15 pounds so they can scan my liver again, I get a new CT scan of my heart and valves next week, I'm getting new X- rays of my lungs the following week, and I'm requesting another EKG and ultrasound of the great veins in my legs that were leaking. Some days it is still really painful to walk and I am confined to a chair, I'm still having sharp chest pains throughout the day but we're finally seeing improvement. Finally, I'm feeling improvement!

I'm seeing the doctor twice a month and I'm hoping that this positive trend starts gaining momentum. My recovery has been so up and down that we just have to take it one day at a time. But hey, that's what Jesus says to do anyways right?

I'm definitely not going back to work until possibly June 1st because there are still alot of normal day to day things I really struggle with and with my "diagnois" of chronic diastolic heart failure, my fatty liver infiltration, and my lung pleurisy, my doctors are being very conservative.

Thank all of you for your prayers, your encouragement, and for sticking with us throughout this crazy ordeal.

Sometimes I just want to delete all of this because it feels like all I do is share how much our situation isn't getting better, ask for prayers and money, and honestly at times I feel like a big annoying burden. It's been a huge helping of humble pie for me to ask for help, but I have needed to learn how to ask for help for a very long time now. 

We are constantly blown away by the fact that with all of your help; we still have a roof over our heads, I've been able to afford all the medications I've needed, the specialist doctors fees, the visit co-pays, some of the hospital bills, we have food in the fridge, our electric is on, and we haven't been late on not one of our bills. 

As I said in the last update, my FMLA leave has expired and so our income has dropped to below 20% of what it would be if I was working and getting paid my normal salary. We are confidently believing and hoping that this new course of treatment works, that God heals me, and that I won't have to have any vascular surgery done; major or minor. Then I can get back to work. (Also please pray that my job is still there once the doctors release me.) 

That means for two more months minimum we could still use your help. Please keep praying for us and for my healing. If you can spare a few bucks please consider donating, if you can spare alot please consider donating, and if you can't spare a few bucks please pray for us and then share our campaign on your social media page. If we have blessed your life in any way because of the grace given to us please let others know and share our campaign to your Facebook or Twitter wall. We are trusting that the Lord will provide one way or another,  but we also know that sometimes we have not because we ask not and God gets all the glory for what's transpired over the last four months! We've experienced love like we never have before, gotten to speak with and pray with people we haven't seen in forever and some we've never even met but are kingdom family from around the world. 

Our God is faithful and we are living proof! Thanks for loving us, we love all of you too and remember, HE IS RISEN!!!

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So here's what's funny, and I don't mean funny like haha funny, I mean funny like you think you understand how God works and how the world works and then you realize how little you really know. If you would have told me 4 months ago that I would still be dealing with symptoms of a pneumonia that I had at the end of December, I probably would have told you you were crazy. Somehow I've become a mix of Pentecostalism/ name it claim it/ Jesus only/ charismania. Now granted that's only because I take the four gospels in the book of Acts at face value. I never in a million years would have imagined that it would be me going to see the doctor every couple weeks, having them do tests only to find out that my body is not doing so well. Has this challenged my faith? I guess you could say it has. First of all there is no name it claim it at the moment, because if my heartbeat is 130 beats per minute at rest, that's true it's not speculation. If my blood pressure is so high that it freaks my doctor out, it doesn't matter what I believe, my blood pressure is really high. When my leg starts swelling to where I can't see my ankles or wear my shoes anymore, there's definitely a problem. Now with all that being said, I believe 100% that God can heal me right now. Why he hasn't isn't because there's hidden sin in my life, because I don't believe enough or have enough faith, rather it's because my body is sick and you know what, through this sickness I feel like I've grown closer to God then I ever have when I've been well. When you read the Beatitudes it's interesting because God says blessed are all these people that suffer all these things. Do I think we should seek out suffering, absolutely not. But I know that when God said he would give us life and life abundantly it's not in the way that we think, it's in the way that God thinks. Jesus said to gain your life you have to lose it and that if you seek to gain your life you will forfeit it. The Kingdom of Heaven is all upside down, and I will choose to trust him in the middle of the conundrum that we call Faith. He saved me from drugs, he saved me from death over and over again, he's given me a family, beautiful children, and he has completely changed my heart to where I am absolutely sold out for Jesus Christ. I'm not saying this to boast but I'm saying this because what I want you to know is that whether he slay me or heal me I'm going to go out saying that Jesus is the answer to everything! I've watched him heal people of cancer, I've watched him heal hernias by just touching someone's stomach and watching it shrink, I've seen him heal broken bones, and you know what I've seen him bring dead people back to life. I've seen him save people, I saw him save me, and you know what he saved my wife. I'm saying all that to say this, it's been 4 months since I was in the hospital, you know what I have new symptoms that are still popping up. Besides the edema, the pain when I breathe, the cracking heels that I'm experiencing from the medication they're giving me to get rid of all of the liquid that is gathering inside my body, and much much more, I will glorify and praise His name because you know what; he has saved me, he is saving me, and he will save me. That's what I know for sure because 10 years ago I was lost in the darkness so deep that most people couldn't even understand just how deceived I was. But Jesus, he showed up under a bridge when it was just me and him and I didn't see him as a person but just a ball of light and he told me that he loved me. That moment changed my whole life, now my whole life is his. Take it or leave me here, I've surrendered and I'm not fighting to live and I'm not fighting to die, I'm just fighting to let you know that Jesus is the answer to whatever you're facing, what I'm facing is I believe Jesus teaching me. Because you know what; I've always run when things got hard, but this time I am doing all I can and just standing in faith knowing that my God will deliver me. I promise you, he can deliver you too.

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Please share our campaign.

Well my Washington State sick leave has officially ended which was helping us to make ends meet. As a husband and a father that's actually quite terrifying. The doctors are not going to let me return to work for at least the next 2 months. We've got our mortgage mostly paid for this month, God has provided through this entire ordeal and we believe that he's going to continue to provide. They've started me on my new medicines, one of which costs over a $1000 a month because my insurance will not cover it, but it will keep me from having to have a $45,000 surgery, if it works. We are believing for a miracle and that my body would be reset and healed but also asking for your practical help. I never imagined this would go on for so long, but even if you can't donate please just share this campaign and pray for us. Others will be able to read the entirety of it and the Lord will do the rest. The one thing we do know is that God will provide and that he will heal me, but in the tension between the sickness and the healing we are walking day by day, by faith, and in faith, in the one, the Son of God, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Thank you for all of your prayers, your encouragement, and your financial support. For real, for real we would have never made it this far without you and I just know the God has not brought us this far for us to lose everything. Even if he has, we'll give it all back to him, because we know that he is working everything out for our good. Grace upon Grace to you all. 

Eternally grateful, 

Jeremiah, Maresha, Judah, and Elisha

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This is what the Lord said to me once when I was praying about all the crazy happening around my life right now. 

"You won't breakthrough if you don't press through." 

Through the pain, through the temptation to change course, through the testing, through the fire. 

Oftentimes I used to pray for deliverance from my circumstances or pain without trusting that God was with me in it. During those times I would lose faith and seek out sympathy, affirmation, and escape, seeking to find the path of least resistance. Seeking for a way to numb the pain. There's no substitute for hard work though, and I learned that the hard way. Over time I learned to hear God's voice and was determined to stay the course of obedience no matter what may come. I still pray for deliverance, but in the meantime I do what He's put before me. Let me tell you what, when I settled that in my heart it didn't get better, it got harder. It felt like the whole kingdom of darkness was working to make me change directions, but once I saw it for what it was I took responsibility for my part in moving forward in faith, trusting that if I kept my hope in His words and direction, everything would be OK.

That's when breakthrough comes. 

When we've come to the end of ourselves and by His Spirit we keep on moving forward. 

God told me once, if it doesn't cost anything then it's really not worth anything.

At the time I had no idea how true that was, but now, I do. 

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Firstly, I want to say thank you again to everybody that has been praying for us, for all the love and support, all the phone calls and text messages, and for those of you who have given us financial support in times that are hard on everyone. This has been one crazy roller coaster ride, that's for sure. 

Secondly, I want to say that our faith in God has not wavered and we are still trusting him 100% not only to heal me and sustain my family, but that He would be glorified through this as we share this journey with you all.

I got a second opinion from another heart and vascular doctor. It's good news. I don't talk about it much on social media much but for the last two years I have had covid three times that I know of, upwards of 30 upper respiratory infections, bronchitis, walking pneumonia, a concussion, and finally this last bout of pneumonia that kept me in the hospital for two weeks with two return visits for a grand total of three weeks in the hospital. When I met with the second heart specialist it was like God hand selected him for me. He had read all of my previous history and told me three things, the first thing is that I will heal, the second thing is that it's going to take alot more time than a person that hasn't had all of the things going on that I have, and the third thing is that surgery will be the last resort. Basically he said that my body was still producing an over immune response to many things that have happened over the last couple years, put all the medications and oral steroids on top of that, and my body has been through a battle while only my faith and will has kept me going.  I don't say that to boast, because honestly seeing the look in my wife's face as she fears for my health I realize that faith as a husband and a father is not without its consequences that must be attended to in practical ways which I had neglected. I should have been a better advocate for myself but all I could see was the calling and the field in front of us. Well now I know better, between the heart specialist, the lung specialist, the gastroenterologist, and my primary physician right now we have a plan in place where I will not be on medication forever but for a season I will need to let my body recoup, heal, and reset. 

To be honest as a husband and a father that scares me more than anything. They've asked me to stay out of work for another two months as I continue to allow my body the space to heal.

After almost three months I can barely walk around the house and chase the boys without losing my breath, then I start coughing, my lungs start hurting, then my legs start hurting, and then my edema gets even worse and has led to blood pooling in my feet and ankles. Sometimes it's hard to see past the present you know what I mean? Sometimes it's hard to see past the present pain. But we press on to obtain prize that we were promised and we are trusting God 100%. For provision, for my job to still be there, for my healing, and that this time together binds my family in love more than ever. 

The doctors have decided to give me two months, in this period they are going to use the medications available to control my symptoms while my body heals. It's quite amazing that they are all in consensus on this, it was the perfect storm so to speak and now my body just needs time and before they operate on my heart or remove any veins from my legs they want to allow this space because they all believe that I can recover.

The incredible part is I've been able to share my faith, I've been able to share with them that I believe that Jesus will heal me, and although they do not hold the same beliefs they have all also stated this week that it looks like my body is beginning to heal itself. So I would ask that you not grow tired and praying for my family, my wife in particular, that you pray for my kids and for their understanding, that they are not traumatized by seeing their father wearing a CPAP machine and not able to do the things that I wish I could do with them. Prayers for provision and if the Holy Spirit speaks to you we could use your support through prayers and financially. The medicines that they want to put me on are not cheap and I'm about to run out of my Washington State sick leave pay. I still have a short-term disability insurance that will pay $90 a day towards me while I'm out but that covers our mortgage and our electric. I'm not saying all this to ask for more money but I do want to share this journey with you because we have been blown away by the love and support we've been shown, and we just know that in 2 months God is going to heal me and I will not have to go under the knife or back to the hospital one more time.

We love you, we bless you, we pray God's grace fill you up to overflow, he is still working miracles, he is still healing people, he is still saving people, don't you doubt it for a second, because we don't. Nothing is impossible for those that believe.

With all of our love, 

 Jeremiah, Maresha, Judah, and Elisha

So aside from a couple rough days, the pain in my chest is sporadic and not constant anymore! My edema although it hurts my feet constantly is finally looking like it's starting to come down, Monday I'm getting a second opinion from a different heart specialist and although I've been out of work for almost 4 months now, your support has kept us afloat not just financially but emotionally, mentally, and most importantly spiritually. My boss at work says that I have no worries about having a job to come back to, I just won't know when that will be until they figure out what's going on with my heart. As I've been seeking the Lord I really believe that all of this is just a much longer healing process than anyone anticipated but that God is healing me. I am hoping, we are hoping, that no surgery on my heart will be needed, and that no surgery in my legs on my veins will be needed, because that's exactly what happened when they went to drain the fluid from my lungs. One week it was clear as day on a CD scan but the following week when I went in to do the procedure it was all gone. Please join us in prayer as I see this other doctor on Monday and then meet with my primary care physician again on Wednesday so we can come up with a plan moving forward. We love you all, God bless you, you have impacted Our Lives in ways that you may never understand, but we've experienced the love of God through you!

Praise God! I was able to get into see another heart doctor for a second opinion on the two operations they are recommending next Monday, first thing in the morning. That's a miracle in itself because it's been 2-6 week minimum just for regular appointments, let alone to see a specialist. 

He is in the same "pool" of doctors from this area but my primary care has recommended I start there and if I need another opinion he'll refer me to a doctor if my choosing out of my normal "pool" of doctors. 

Please pray for us to have wisdom and discernment and patience as we walk through all of this. My edema is so bad, it hurts whether I'm sitting standing and even wakes me up at night sometimes. The good news is that the pain in my chest when I breathe is about half of what it was even a week ago. God is healing me, I just know it!

Thank you for all your prayers, financial support, encouraging words, and love. We wouldn't have made it this far without you and we just know this is and will become an even testimony of the goodness of our Father God!

Blessings to you and your family's 

Jeremiah, Maresha, Judah, and Elisha ❤️

The question I'm going to be faced with this week is whether I let them close off my two great veins in my legs even though they have told me straight up that it may not heal my edema or the pain that I'm experiencing in my legs and feet. At this point we have not heard from the Lord although we are praying and pressing into him so I am asking you to pray for clarity, for answers, for revelation, and if I need to get a second opinion that's what the Lord opens up for me. There's no way we would have made it this far without your financial support, your prayers, or your encouraging words. May the peace of Christ and his grace abound in you and your family's now and forever, my family is faced with a Russian Roulette situation but we know that if God says to do or not do that he knows best. Please please join us in prayer that we hear his voice clearly in this situation, because the only other step after this is open heart surgery unless I am completely healed.

It's been a while since we let you all know what's going on because we're still living in the wait and see period. Jeremiahs lungs and breathing are still getting a little better everyday. Daily living activities are still very hard for him though. The edema in his legs and feet is very painful and even with taking the new diuretics and him wearing compression socks everyday, at times it's to painful for him to even walk. We've begun attempting to walk and exercising for up to an hour a day when he's having a good day. Jeremiah has done really well with pushing truth the pain. The steroids they were prescribing hin caused over 60 pounds in weight gain and that's only complicated things. He has another follow up with the heart specialist later this week to discuss the two great veins they want to close in his legs. Our only hesitancy is that they don't know for sure it'll help with the edema but they say it would absolutely help with his diastolic heart failure and blood pressure. Then they're going to look at his heart arteries in a CT scan as well. It's seemed to be a little harder the longer this has played out simply because the symptoms that are making life hard for him are the ones they haven't been able to explain or alleviate very well. We aren't losing hope, we know that God is doing something and that all of this is for a purpose. Please pray about our decisions regarding his surgery, that we not make decisions from fear but rather fun knowing that it's what God wants us to do. Please pray that we rest in Him as we're tempted to try and control things, to become angry with the doctors, or to lose hope. We're hanging in there, but your prayers, support, and kind words have and continue to really help us through this. 

Blessings to you and your families through Jesus Christ our Lord, 

Jeremiah, Maresha, Judah, and Elisha. 

"those who wait for the LORD Will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary."

Despite all we're facing, my present health issues and all of our concerns; everytime I start thanking God for all He's done, I quickly and always come to the realization that in comparison these issues and concerns we're facing seem rather small compared to a list of blessings that I couldn't even finish if you gave me a week to try and write them all down. 

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At the moment it looks like they want to close off my two main veins in my legs where blood is not flowing back to my heart fast enough. I'm also awaiting the test results that will show if they need to do open heart surgery because I'm having the same backwash problem in my heart which they are calling chronic diastolic heart failure. We live in reality but we also know that the God we serve is bigger than all of this. Please join us in prayer that when they do these scans I will not need to have open heart surgery at 43 years old and that they will not need to close down my two biggest veins in my legs without any sign of varicose veins. None of this was present before my pneumonia and I'm praying for a miraculous recovery. Thank you for all of your support through all of this, I can't say it enough, we love you, we love you, and we appreciate every single one of you and all of your prayers and financial support through this tough time. It's incredible to me how complicated the medical complex is, and how even with insurance things can be so expensive. So far God has provided exactly what we need when we've needed it and he has used you to provide it. I pray that someday we can pay it forward in a way that honors your love and heart towards us and our heavenly father. Grace upon grace to you all.

I was having trouble sleeping and then out of no where I threw up, not once but several times. At this point it's only dry heaving. My pulse is high but my blood pressure is normal. Please keep my in your prayers, I do not want to wake up my wife and boys to go back to the hospital. At this point all I feel is very weak and very nauseous. Your prayers would be very appreciated. 

Jesus, please help me!

So after what feels like a hundred different tests, this is where I'm at. Left ventricular hypertrophy in my heart, chronic diastolic heart failure, and Severe bilateral GSV reflux. In a nutshell that means that my heart has been working overtime because my veins that are in my legs are not working as well as they should Against Gravity pushing the blood back up to my heart. My heart on the other hand is trying to pump faster to get it there. Is left untreated or unhealed it would eventually lead to a heart attack. The good news is that my lung doctor said that my lungs have made a miraculous turnaround with only a partial collapse left in the place where the bacterial infection was leaching into my body. My kidneys have finally gotten back to a place where they are in good working order, and my liver doctor says that although the medications have wreaked havoc on my liver it too will heal in time. As the partial collapse in my lung heals, the pain that I've experienced when I breathe is going to become less and less as my lungs fully expand with less than 5% scarring. At the moment the only thing that they cannot explain is why I've had such severe edema and all the pain that comes with it even with stronger diuretics. They're going to do a CT scan of my arteries in my heart but unfortunately that won't be until mid April so if you could please pray that an appointment opens up before then we would greatly appreciate it because otherwise this will put me out of work for at least another month. The heart doctor says that depending on the results of that test if I was to have to undergo heart surgery or them closing off some of my veins in my legs it would be another 4 weeks to 6 weeks in recovery. We're still standing in faith, in hope, and loving each other through this and we're just grateful for you all. I wanted to send you an update because I do believe that God is moving and right now we're just living in the tension of waiting on his perfect timing. Blessings to you, we love you, and your help and your prayers have helped us stay rooted and grounded in his love. Sometimes it's the Practical stuff we need to experience from friends and loved ones even more than the miraculous because we know God does miraculous, but through you all we've experienced his love in a whole new way. 🔥❤️🔥

 If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”

The good news is that two weeks ago I had a CT scan that showed scarring in my lungs in almost 25% of my left lung. Today I saw the pulmonary specialist and it's less than 5% confirmed. The bad news is that unfortunately part of my long is still collapsed because it's the area where the pneumonia was pushing pus into my bloodstream. Monday I see the liver specialist, the reality is because of all the antibiotics and prednisone and different medications they had me on is probably the reason that my liver is swollen to such extent that it covers up my bottom two ribs. Nevertheless it is not doing well and is causing complications at the moment. The good news is that my kidneys have stabilized but my heart is still working harder than it should. Today I had an ultrasound on my arteries in my legs and next week I'm going to have a CT scan on the arteries in my heart. The lung doctor it was very optimistic because he said he has never seen lungs heal quite like mine after such a severe pneumonia. Part of the reason that I've had such complications is because the pus and the infection from the bacterial infection was literally oozing out of my lungs into my heart and the rest of my body which he called a nasty kind of fluid. I'm going to find out in the next 2 weeks whether I have to have heart surgery, but I'm trusting God for a complete healing in my body. Thank you for your prayers, thank you for your support, and I just want to tell you that I believe that God can heal me 100%. I do believe that you have to believe it to receive it, and I believe it. Please pray for us, please pray for are unbelief and our fear and anxiety as this thing plays out test after test. I think all of you for the wisdom you shared, for your opinions, for your Healthcare advice, and for your love. God is Not brought us this far to only bring us this far. It looks like I'll be out of work possibly even through April, so I ask that you share this post, that you pray for us, and that God's will will be done in their lives, and that he will sustain us. If you feel led to donate to support us please do, if all you can do is pray please pray, this is definitely been one of the hardest times of our whole lives, but though he slay me, we will still put our trust in him. May you be blessed and may your families be protected from the evil one in Jesus name we pray, amen.

The good news is that two weeks ago I had a CT scan that showed scarring in my lungs in almost 25% of my left lung. Today I saw the pulmonary specialist and it's less than 5% confirmed. The bad news is that unfortunately part of my long is still collapsed because it's the area where the pneumonia was pushing pus into my bloodstream. Monday I see the liver specialist, the reality is because of all the antibiotics and prednisone and different medications they had me on is probably the reason that my liver is swollen to such extent that it covers up my bottom two ribs. Nevertheless it is not doing well and is causing complications at the moment. The good news is that my kidneys have stabilized but my heart is still working harder than it should. Today I had an ultrasound on my arteries in my legs and next week I'm going to have a CT scan on the arteries in my heart. The lung doctor it was very optimistic because he said he has never seen lungs heal quite like mine after such a severe pneumonia. Part of the reason that I've had such complications is because the pus and the infection from the bacterial infection was literally oozing out of my lungs into my heart and the rest of my body which he called a nasty kind of fluid. I'm going to find out in the next 2 weeks whether I have to have heart surgery, but I'm trusting God for a complete healing in my body. Thank you for your prayers, thank you for your support, and I just want to tell you that I believe that God can heal me 100%. I do believe that you have to believe it to receive it, and I believe it. Please pray for us, please pray for are unbelief and our fear and anxiety as this thing plays out test after test. I think all of you for the wisdom you shared, for your opinions, for your Healthcare advice, and for your love. God is Not brought us this far to only bring us this far. It looks like I'll be out of work possibly even through April, so I ask that you share this post, that you pray for us, and that God's will will be done in their lives, and that he will sustain us. If you feel led to donate to support us please do, if all you can do is pray please pray, this is definitely been one of the hardest times of our whole lives, but though he slay me, we will still put our trust in him. May you be blessed and may your families be protected from the evil one in Jesus name we pray, amen.

Today I saw the heart specialist and unfortunately we did not get the answers we wanted. Friday I'm going to get an ultrasound of the veins in my legs, I'm also going to get a new CT scan of my heart arteries because for some reason my heart is working much harder than it should. They said the good news is that I have a strong heart, the bad news is that the diastolic or resting of each pump my heart makes isn't enough for my heart to get the nutrients that it needs. The other thing is that my edema has come back so the medication that they had given me to slow my heart rate was discontinued today due to the amount of pain I had in my feet and legs. My feet are so swollen that I can't even fit them in my tennis shoes. I've been taking diuretics for 3 weeks and they could not explain why the fluid is not being removed. The heart specialist is now sending me to a gastroenterologist because apparently some of these things might all be tied to my liver and my lungs. Friday I'm seeing the pulmonary doctor I'm hoping for a better report on my lungs. Please keep my family and my health in your prayers. By now sometimes when I post these updates I even wonder if I should because honestly I've been praying for breakthrough and it gets discouraging that I'm still going through the meat grinder so to speak. We know that God has a plan for all this though, somehow we're being protected from something, we just know that he's in the middle of all this and we are just trusting him. I'd be lying if I told you that we weren't worried and sometimes we're just downright scared, there's no feeling like that feeling when I can't play with my son that wants me to get on the ground to build train tracks but because of the pain I just can't and he's too young to understand. I'm trying to find new ways to connect, trying to find new ways to steward my wife's heart because I know that if I'm concerned she's even more concerned than me. With all the follow-ups I don't even know if I'll be returning to work in April so what I can tell you is that I know the same God that delivered me from my heroin addiction is going to deliver me from this and we are so grateful for all of your love, prayers, and financial support during this tough time. I'm sure some of you are going through some things too and I just want you to know that every night I look through and pray for every single person that has chosen to support us whether through prayers or financially. 

We love you and pray blessings to you and your families. 

In Him, 

Jeremiah, Maresha, Judah, and Elisha

This Wednesday; Jeremiah sees the heart specialist, Friday the pulmonary specialist, and then next Monday we'll hopefully have answers about his kidney disorder, his severe fatty liver, and their plan for him. Please join us in prayer for him. We will not submit to the lies of the devil, we know that Jesus is our great physician! Nothing is impossible with Him! Thank you for all your love and support!Grace and more grace to you, 

Sincerely, 

Jeremiah, Maresha, Judah, and Elisha