Today Michael drove me to the Orthopedic Institute in Columbus at Grant Hospital to evaluate my shoulder. We had a really good doctor who listened to all we said. I have had a lot of back and side pain. Many were concerned that I had broke my back. Praise the Lord that is not the case. My fractured ribs can account for the side pain. When I was thrown in the van, I had a very large bruise on my spine. My doctor believes the bleeding from the bruise is causing my back to hurt. Hopefully, it will feel better soon.  Autumn’s hand is healing a little every day. The picture of her hand from the page Eternity” is not a before and after picture. It is a top and inside picture. The Lord was so good to preserve the top of her hand with minimal scaring. The inside (palm) and thumb is where all the scaring and stitches are. As you can see, it was messed up pretty badly. The surgeon was able to stretch her skin to keep her from having to have a skin graft. As the thumb is healing, some of it is still numb. She starts physical therapy in the two weeks.

 My husband is the pastor of a small church. Joshua, Autumn, and Sarah (one of the girls in our church) are part of  the orchestra. Wednesday evening, the 29th, Autumn picked up her bow and played in the church orchestra. Her bandages are still on and her fingers are very weak. Her bow hand was not what a teacher would have liked… but she played. To accomplish picking up a bow and being able to play even if it was not totally correct encouraged her to continue on.

 Autumn’s nightmares are not any better. She was in the passenger side front seat. Of all of us in the van, she is the only one that saw everything. She saw the pole coming at us powerless to do anything about it. She was also trapped in the van for a least 20 min or more. The trauma of all this is hard for an adult to deal with let alone a young girl on the verge of womanhood. Her spirit is good during the day; her mind wakes up at night. Pray for us as we deal biblically with her fears. Pray for her that she will come to a deeper relationship with her Saviour as never before.

 Sunday Joshua, Autumn, Melody, and Carissa will be singing the following song on Sunday morning.  As they were practicing, the words to the song took on a stronger meaning. I pulled Autumn aside and quietly put my arm around her telling her that to sing these words would mean that she would have to really believe this was true. A small smile, as well as a light of understanding, came over her face.

 A fear of the unknown is the fear many of us face if we were honest. Thank you for your prayers for us as we continue forward together serving our Saviour.

 "How Can I Fear?"

By Ron Hamilton.




When shadows fall and the night covers all
There are things that my eyes cannot see.
I never fear, for the Saviour is near.
My LORD abides with me!

When I'm alone and I face the unknown
And I fear what the future may be,
I can depend on the strength of my Friend!
He walks along with me.

Jesus is King! He controls everything!
He is with me each night and each day.
I trust my soul to the Saviour's control;
He drives all fear away!

How can I fear? Jesus is near!
He ever watches over me!
Worries all cease; He gives me peace.
How can I fear with Jesus?