Stories of Hope

As a parent, one of the most challenging parts of walking your children through medical difficulty is the decisions that need to be made. We’ve been in the thick of it for a few months regarding a decision we had to face with Audra’s eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) treatment and have been asking ourselves these questions: How do you make a choice between multiple options that will have an unknown impact on your child? How do you make wise decisions without doubting or second-guessing yourself down the road? How do you deal with the sometimes crippling fear of not making the “right” decision?  

It is an honor to introduce you all to some new heroes of ours, the Osborn family. My brother-in-law actually introduced us to them, and after reading their blog, I am so humbled and filled with admiration for this family. Ashlee and Kenny are walking their son, Charlie, through Hyper-IgM Syndrome, an extremely rare immunodeficiency disorder that makes it difficult for his body to fight off certain types of infections and viruses.

Around the 7 month mark in our journey to discover answers on why our daughter was still sick, we met with a truly amazing GI doctor. He was able to diagnose Audra’s condition: eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE), a relatively new disease that attacks the esophagus and is often aggravated by food allergies and intolerances. We were immediately plunged into a new world of elimination diets, endoscopies, new medications, allergy testing, and lots and lots of research on our part.

The beginning days of parenting our daughter Audra were filled with all the delight of most first time parents. Audra’s first week home, we would tiptoe into her nursery and just stare at her tiny form. We were in complete awe of our little miracle and so full of thanks and amazement as we watched her grow and change. The way she saw the world and took in every moment showed us glimpses of her personality.

The Shivers family faced an extraordinary diagnosis of trisomy 16 for their unborn daughter. Their story involves difficult decisions, long periods of time in the hospital, and ultimately, unwavering hope that extended beyond their circumstances. Read more to see how they faced each stage of their journey with trisomy 16 and VSD.

Andrew and I had the opportunity to talk with Nathan and Sarah Martin (of Go Forth Goods) about their journey with their youngest daughter Felicity’s diagnosis of TAPVR. Their daughter’s story is one of incredible HOPE, and there are fingerprints of God’s faithfulness in each layer. One of the most beautiful things about our time with the Martins was seeing their determination to grow together as a couple through this, Nathan’s leadership of their family, and Sarah’s sacrificial heart to care for and love her children. Get ready to be inspired. 

We recently had the pleasure of meeting Chris and Amanda Huffman and were so impacted by their love and care for each other and their rock solid faith. When their world was turned upside down by a life-threatening diagnosis for their son, they were truly able to see God in the storm. Their family is a beautiful example of the power of hope, and we are honored to share their story with you.

Bailey Lackey had just begun Kindergarten when her parents and teacher noticed that something seemed wrong. The normally joyful little girl was beginning to struggle behaviorally: anger, frequent meltdowns, and tears accompanied other symptoms, like exhaustion, thirst, and constant trips to the bathroom throughout the night.Her mother, Jamie, worked locally at a hospital at the time and had just completed a course on diabetes.

It is so fun to introduce you to some friends of ours, the Harman family. Anyone who knows Tim and Bethany would agree that they are servant-hearted, kind, loyal, and full of faith, and all of those qualities come through when you look at the way they love each other, parent their children, and walk through difficult days—including their daughter's unexpected diagnosis of congenital hypothyroidism. We absolutely adore this family and are so honored to share their story here.

Mary Brantley and her husband Nate were overjoyed when their twins were born healthy at 37 weeks, but within hours their son Ransom experienced respiratory distress, a moment that marked the beginning of their journey with Laryngomalacia and Oropharyngeal Dysphagia. Mary Brantley writes honestly about the ups and downs of their story and the hope that has carried them every step of the way.

Corrie’s life is marked by hope that is grounded in the faith of her parents, Clay and Paige, and the gift of life given to her through a liver transplant. Hers is a beautiful story, and it is an honor to share it with you today.

As a parent, one of the most challenging parts of walking your children through medical difficulty is the decisions that need to be made. We’ve been in the thick of it for a few months regarding a decision we had to face with Audra’s eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) treatment and have been asking ourselves these questions: How do you make a choice between multiple options that will have an unknown impact on your child? How do you make wise decisions without doubting or second-guessing yourself down the road? How do you deal with the sometimes crippling fear of not making the “right” decision?  

Around the 7 month mark in our journey to discover answers on why our daughter was still sick, we met with a truly amazing GI doctor. He was able to diagnose Audra’s condition: eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE), a relatively new disease that attacks the esophagus and is often aggravated by food allergies and intolerances. We were immediately plunged into a new world of elimination diets, endoscopies, new medications, allergy testing, and lots and lots of research on our part.

The beginning days of parenting our daughter Audra were filled with all the delight of most first time parents. Audra’s first week home, we would tiptoe into her nursery and just stare at her tiny form. We were in complete awe of our little miracle and so full of thanks and amazement as we watched her grow and change. The way she saw the world and took in every moment showed us glimpses of her personality.

The Shivers family faced an extraordinary diagnosis of trisomy 16 for their unborn daughter. Their story involves difficult decisions, long periods of time in the hospital, and ultimately, unwavering hope that extended beyond their circumstances. Read more to see how they faced each stage of their journey with trisomy 16 and VSD.

When you have a child with special needs and a seemingly profound diagnosis, panic can creep in. Each month of little progress can cause us to ask the question, “So, what if this lasts his whole life. What then?” We are so encouraged by the wisdom we gained from this courageous and hope-filled mother.

Two years ago we sat down with Caroline and John Carroll to speak to them about their journey with their daughter Claire. Claire was born with a heart defect and Down Syndrome, or Trisomy 21. At just two years old, when Caroline was only nine days postpartum with their third child, Claire was diagnosed with leukemia.

We met the Seabolts last summer, just before they brought their son, Charlie, home from China. Since then, it has been so inspiring to watch the way that they have truly created a family culture of adventure, hope, perseverance, and laughter. We love this family and are so honored to share their story with you.

It’s raining as I type this, and as I listen to the heavy drops falling outside my window, I’m reminded of the parable in Matthew 7 that Jesus tells about the wise man who builds his house on the rock. The storm came, and the wind blew and beat upon the house, and yet it did not fall. The foolish man built his house on the sand, and when the storm came, the wind blew and beat against the house, and it collapsed. And great was its collapse. John and Caroline’s journey of parenting their daughter with Down Syndrome and leukemia has been marked by a solid foundation.

In 2016, Miles Glee was nine years old, and his family was in the middle of new and exciting transitions. What they didn’t expect was a diagnosis of leukemia that would send them through a range of tests and treatments. Here is their story of how they held onto hope in the midst of challenging circumstances.

Two years ago we sat down with Caroline and John Carroll to speak to them about their journey with their daughter Claire. Claire was born with a heart defect and Down Syndrome, or Trisomy 21. At just two years old, when Caroline was only nine days postpartum with their third child, Claire was diagnosed with leukemia.

Last week we shared the story of Madeline Gaffney’s diagnosis with Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia through her parents’ eyes. This week, we have the privilege of sharing Madeline’s perspective with you.

In January 2009, Madeline Gaffney was approaching her fourteenth birthday when she began to complain of tiredness and joint pain. As an active teen, who maintained straight A’s while heavily involved in dance and competitive cheerleading, this news wasn’t immediately worrying.

It’s raining as I type this, and as I listen to the heavy drops falling outside my window, I’m reminded of the parable in Matthew 7 that Jesus tells about the wise man who builds his house on the rock. The storm came, and the wind blew and beat upon the house, and yet it did not fall. The foolish man built his house on the sand, and when the storm came, the wind blew and beat against the house, and it collapsed. And great was its collapse. John and Caroline’s journey of parenting their daughter with Down Syndrome and leukemia has been marked by a solid foundation.

The Shivers family faced an extraordinary diagnosis of trisomy 16 for their unborn daughter. Their story involves difficult decisions, long periods of time in the hospital, and ultimately, unwavering hope that extended beyond their circumstances. Read more to see how they faced each stage of their journey with trisomy 16 and VSD.

Andrew and I had the opportunity to talk with Nathan and Sarah Martin (of Go Forth Goods) about their journey with their youngest daughter Felicity’s diagnosis of TAPVR. Their daughter’s story is one of incredible HOPE, and there are fingerprints of God’s faithfulness in each layer. One of the most beautiful things about our time with the Martins was seeing their determination to grow together as a couple through this, Nathan’s leadership of their family, and Sarah’s sacrificial heart to care for and love her children. Get ready to be inspired. 

An in utero stroke weakened the left side of Emeril's body, causing cerebral palsy. She and her parents share about how they’ve adapted to life along their journey. While they have faced countless frustrations, challenges, and setbacks, they have also found joy in their story and been able to face the seasons with hope and faith.

Jacqueline and Josh Johnston didn't think much of it when they were referred to a perinatologist early on in Jacqueline's third pregnancy. Assuming this must be a routine precaution, they were both unprepared for the news they received: their baby's first sonogram had shown a life-threatening cystic hygroma — a fluid-filled sac on the baby's neck.

Mary Brantley and her husband Nate were overjoyed when their twins were born healthy at 37 weeks, but within hours their son Ransom experienced respiratory distress, a moment that marked the beginning of their journey with Laryngomalacia and Oropharyngeal Dysphagia. Mary Brantley writes honestly about the ups and downs of their story and the hope that has carried them every step of the way.

Unexpectedly, Bethany and Drew learned that their son had experienced a brain bleed — a cavernous hemangioma rupture or pediatric stroke. Although fears and uncertainties hit them like tidal waves, they relied on community and faith to anchor their hearts and minds through the toughest days. Their story of courageously fighting for hope is filled with both hope and wisdom.

The tone in operating room quickly switched from light and airy to hushed after the birth of the Hott’s second daughter. The Hotts were soon told that their daughter had a large birthmark, a Giant Congenital Melanocytic Nevus that occurs approximately once in every 500,000 births. When Rob was allowed to see his daughter, he was surprised to see that the birthmark covered most of their daughter's back and wrapped to the front of her body around her neck and arms. In her first hours of life, Addie was also diagnosed with a rare neurological condition: Neurocutaneous Melanosis. When asked what hope looks like for their family, the Hotts share a perspective that is deeply rooted in personal faith, as well as an awareness of the realities their daughter will face moving forward.

An in utero stroke weakened the left side of Emeril's body, causing cerebral palsy. She and her parents share about how they’ve adapted to life along their journey. While they have faced countless frustrations, challenges, and setbacks, they have also found joy in their story and been able to face the seasons with hope and faith.

As we’ve gotten to know Ilya and his dad, Todd, we’ve been impacted by their deep and genuine hope and transparency in dealing with the unexpected difficulties of life. We recently had the honor of sitting down with them to get the latest updates on how life with neurofibromatosis type II is going. Their story is truly an inspiration. You can read part one of their story here.

One of our greatest honors is telling the stories of families who are walking through challenges with hope. Chris and Chrissy are no exception. Their determination to seek and find the best in each other and their children inspires us, and we are so thrilled to introduce you to them today.

We had the privilege of serving alongside Ilya during our week with the Cornerstone Preparatory IMPACT team. We were aware that he was walking through medical challenges, but through the course of the week, we watched him serve countless families. His refusal to be a victim of his own medical diagnosis (Neurofibromatosis Type II) was a contagious inspiration for us. By the end of the week, Ilya approached us and said that he was ready and interested in sharing his story on the blog. It has been an honor to get to know Ilya and his dad, Todd, and share their journey of hope with you.

The more people we meet, the more I am convinced that hope is contagious. There really is something powerful about bringing hope and love to another person. Hope inspires hope. One of my favorite parts about Jackson’s story is that when he and his family had run out of hope, someone else stepped in and hoped for them with a love so powerful that it has changed the course of their family’s life.

In 2016, Miles Glee was nine years old, and his family was in the middle of new and exciting transitions. What they didn’t expect was a diagnosis of leukemia that would send them through a range of tests and treatments. Here is their story of how they held onto hope in the midst of challenging circumstances.

Two years ago we sat down with Caroline and John Carroll to speak to them about their journey with their daughter Claire. Claire was born with a heart defect and Down Syndrome, or Trisomy 21. At just two years old, when Caroline was only nine days postpartum with their third child, Claire was diagnosed with leukemia.

When Ben and Mary McMath’s son, Whit, was just three months old, his pediatrician noticed that he had nystagmus, or involuntary rapid eye movement. The doctor instructed his parents to take him to a specialist within the week. “That was my first indication that anything serious might be wrong,” Mary remembers.

Last week we shared the story of Madeline Gaffney’s diagnosis with Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia through her parents’ eyes. This week, we have the privilege of sharing Madeline’s perspective with you.

In January 2009, Madeline Gaffney was approaching her fourteenth birthday when she began to complain of tiredness and joint pain. As an active teen, who maintained straight A’s while heavily involved in dance and competitive cheerleading, this news wasn’t immediately worrying.

It’s raining as I type this, and as I listen to the heavy drops falling outside my window, I’m reminded of the parable in Matthew 7 that Jesus tells about the wise man who builds his house on the rock. The storm came, and the wind blew and beat upon the house, and yet it did not fall. The foolish man built his house on the sand, and when the storm came, the wind blew and beat against the house, and it collapsed. And great was its collapse. John and Caroline’s journey of parenting their daughter with Down Syndrome and leukemia has been marked by a solid foundation.

When Ben and Mary McMath’s son, Whit, was just three months old, his pediatrician noticed that he had nystagmus, or involuntary rapid eye movement. The doctor instructed his parents to take him to a specialist within the week. “That was my first indication that anything serious might be wrong,” Mary remembers.

We met the Seabolts last summer, just before they brought their son, Charlie, home from China. Since then, it has been so inspiring to watch the way that they have truly created a family culture of adventure, hope, perseverance, and laughter. We love this family and are so honored to share their story with you.

Corrie’s life is marked by hope that is grounded in the faith of her parents, Clay and Paige, and the gift of life given to her through a liver transplant. Hers is a beautiful story, and it is an honor to share it with you today.

We recently had the pleasure of meeting Chris and Amanda Huffman and were so impacted by their love and care for each other and their rock solid faith. When their world was turned upside down by a life-threatening diagnosis for their son, they were truly able to see God in the storm. Their family is a beautiful example of the power of hope, and we are honored to share their story with you.

It is an honor to share the Alsop’s story of hope with you. Katelyn and Michael faced difficult diagnoses during pregnancy (cystic hygroma, a heart defect, severe hydrops, and Down syndrome) and the loss of their baby, James, at 31 weeks. They shared with us about how they processed the diagnoses, worked together, and held onto hope.

We had the pleasure of meeting Ashley and Kyle recently after several people told us how much we would love connecting with them. Their reputation preceded them, and we were so grateful to talk with them about their journey through parenthood, caring for and making decisions for their terminally ill daughter, and holding onto their marriage after their devastating loss. After hearing them humbly share their hearts, we were struck by their strength and the fact that they are fighters, fiercely devoted, and selfless. It is our honor and privilege to introduce you to them and share about their beautiful little girl who they loved so well.

We love this family. Ernie and Alex are not only our pastors, but they are our friends, too, and it has been a tremendous honor to witness the way they have walked through the most painful season a parent can go through: losing a child. Their story is a mix of beauty and pain, joy and grief, fear of loss, and ultimately, hope.

Some stories are so compelling that you could read or watch them over and over again and never tire of them. Abigail Smith’s story is one of those for me. Her beauty, hope, and faith are so inspiring to see, and I can’t watch her without my eyes welling with tears. My heart resonates with knowing Jesus deeper through pain, and His kindness and goodness to meet us in those moments brings the most real peace I have ever experienced. Abby’s hope in God and life forever spent in relationship with Him is our ultimate HOPE, too.