Now that you're here

I can easily say that I never imagined that a simple website like this would bring so many people together. I was still for a moment one day before the surgery and thought that a site like this may be a good way of informing our small circle of friends and family of current news on Liza. I really never thought it would be anything more than that. I think I was wrong. From the comments on the site and personal interactions I've had with readers, it would seem there are maybe hundreds of people reading this little thing - that kinda makes my hands tremble.

So I thought since you're here and reading, that I'd share something that doesn't have to do directly with Liza's brain surgery. If you have found yourself on this site for any reason, let me say first that I'm glad you're here. If you happen to peruse the posts written throughout this volatile time in our lives, I pray and hope that you see a peace and trust in our feeble words. This peace in the midst of incredible uncertainty is not a kind of sheepish denial or nihilist "whatever" that attaches itself to those who don't care. Neither is it an ignorant or simply optimistic view of things. From the beginning, and with her own mouth, Liza said that if she didn't make it through this that she was okay with that. But she could make that statement, and I could heartily agree with her, even as her husband, only because of our faith in Jesus Christ the Son of God. It is only His life, death, resurrection and real presence with us that makes this kind of peace possible. Whether this breath is our last or not, we can take it knowing full well that it is but a shadow of what lies waiting for us as believers in Jesus in the presence of God the Father. This relationship and hope is the glue that holds all the words of this site together. Without that, at best this would be a site filled with whimpering, self-pity, and pitiful attempts at recognition. But I hope you can see that it has become much more than that. Through the faith, courage, and perseverance of my lovely bride (who actually has suffered but a fraction of what many thousand others suffer) the witness and history of this site has become something beautiful.

Now for what it's worth, I'm really a geek. I'm a full time graduate student in the field of Christian theology. I've read all the books required of me thus far (which are many), I've studied the original biblical languages for years (and fallen in love with them), I've read the Biblical authors themselves and countless others who have written about them, I've read the other world philosophies, I've studied cultures, I've traveled widely for a guy my age, and I've taught and meditated on these things for a long time. All that to say, for whatever it's worth,...I believe it. I wholeheartedly buy into the gospel of Jesus Christ expressed in both the Old and New Testament. I have based my entire life on it.

But don't just take a geek's word for it. Believe it yourself. Communicate with the God of the universe right now - He is near to you. The truth is, you've got a problem that only He can solve. The failures that you've committed, no matter how big, small, numerous or few, will forbid you any option other than separation from God. And that is a problem that only God can solve, because it is a God-sized problem. And since it is a problem only you should solve, since you are the one who has failed (and every other human that has ever lived), God became a human to solve the problem. Jesus of Nazareth's historical death and resurrection from the grave secured for all time access to God the Father for all who put their trust in Him, His life and His work. That's good news if there ever was good news. So if you're here at this site wondering why you've even read this far, maybe it is time for you to think seriously about yourself, about God, and about the differences between the two. Only God can rescue you from yourself, and the best news of all is...He is willing. He is love. He expresses that love just like you and I breathe in and out. Let Him love you to the fullest by rescuing you from yourself. All it takes is faith in Jesus. Thanks for reading.