Wednesday, June 28, 2006
Whitney Cerak's Blog Copy
Hi,
Like most people, I have been amazed at this story, here is a copy of the entire blog for those who have missed the beginning which was done by Laura Vanryns sister, Lisa. While this is such a wonderful outcome for the Cerak's, hope turned into tragedy for the Vanryn Family. While Whitney continues to be in our prayers, please also keep the Vanryn's and the other families in your thoughts and prayers as well.
Here's the Blog by Lisa VanRyn as well as Whitney's Family:
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VANRYN
This blog is to provide up to date information on Laura and allow you to share your thoughts and prayers.
Thursday, May 04, 2006
Thursday - 5/4/06
Here’s the latest on Laura’s condition. They have reduced her dependence upon the ventilator, now that they believe her body can handle more of the burden of breathing. They were providing 12 breaths a minutes and backed it down to 6 breaths a minute. She handled that so well, that they reduced it to 2 breaths a minute. This means that her body is making up the difference and she is breathing quite regularly without it.They connected the feeding tube to her stomach yesterday and her body is handling that very well! They had physical therapists evaluating her condition today. It was mostly just an evaluation of her abilities and limitations. They moved her to a special chair that allows her to sit up and a slightly reclined condition. The plan was to have her in that for about 2 hours today. Although she is still in the coma, they are trying to start her rehabilitation as quickly as possible.Her right hand and leg were very active again today. However, she was not responding to commands today, which reminds us of the doctor’s comments that this may be more like a marathon than a sprint. I know we are hoping it’s more like a mini-marathon, or a 5K, so please continue to pray for God’s healing hand to wake Laura from this coma soon.The neurologists were quite positive yesterday after doing a brain scan and examining her yesterday. There is no bleeding from the brain and they were comfortable enough with her condition, to remove her cranial pressure sensor from her head. The family is very pleased with her care thus far and there is one doctor who has really taken ownership of Laura’s case and is working closely with Laura and the Van Ryns.
posted by Laura VanRyn at 4:48 PM
Wed - 5/3/2006
Information from around 1 p.m. Eastern and things haven’t changed much over the past 24 hours. They inserted a “port” yesterday into her stomach for her feeding tube. This should be hooked up to her feeding line sometime today. Apparently it’s normal to wait 24 hours to start feeding after the port is hooked up. They chose to leave the device in her head, which monitors her cranial pressure. They might take it out today, but it’s not a major deal either way. It just gives the nurses an easier way to monitor things. She hasn’t been real active today, due to sedation and being worn out from yesterday’s procedures.Don’s request today is that you pray for her to come out of the coma soon. Now that a lot of procedures have taken place and some positive signs have been seen, please pray for her to emerge from the coma soon. Pray also for her physical and emotional well being. She will have a lot of tragic news to sort through after she wakes up. She will have to be ready to handle the rest of the news of the accident.On a side note, Dawn Larson, whose brother Brad died in the accident, is at the hospital visiting Laura and her family. Please continue to pray for Brad’s family and for the families of all those involved in the accident. The Lord has spared Laura, please pray for her to emerge from her coma soon, without any significant neurological damage.
posted by Laura VanRyn at 3:55 PM
Tuesday - 5/2/2006
Great news today!! This is based on information received at 4:15 Eastern Time (Tuesday).Laura's surgeries today went great! They set her broken leg and elbow, and added a couple of plates for stabilization. She'll get to be more entertaining going through metal detectors now! The surgeon was very pleased with the surgery. Laura was still quite heavily sedated from the surgeries, this afternoon.The tracheotomy went very well also. There is still no sign of pneumonia and moving the ventilator to the tracheal tube will reduce the risk of infection and the potential to get pneumonia. They are suctioning excess fluids from her lungs, with the tube inserted into the trachea. There is no longer anything in her mouth; all tubes, etc. have been removed.Laura’s color has improved a great deal. Her temperature is normal. She also is still moving quite a bit. She continues to move the limbs that are not weighed down by heavy casts. They have tied down her right arm, which is in a sling from the broken clavicle bone, so she doesn’t grab her tubes.Her heart rate has come down to a very good level. While it was up at 125 a few days ago, it is down in the 80s and apparently a very good resting rate for someone in Laura’s physical condition is 60.They plan on removing her monitor that measures cranial pressure, sometime this afternoon. This is because they are very comfortable that there isn’t any swelling to be concerned with. Her numbers have been consistently low for a number of days.At 4:30 (Eastern) they were planning on doing one more procedure on Laura. This was to take place in her ICU room. To allow for more direct feeding and eliminate the tubes from her mouth, they are inserting a feeding tube directly into her stomach. They will make an incision in her abdomen and poke a hole directly into her stomach. Through that hole, they will run her feeding tube straight into her stomach. This will be in place until Laura is able to eat own her own.The family has been reminded not to get too excited about small high or lows; however, she is making great progress so far. The signs continue to be very positive. Continue to pray for Laura’s recovery and the family and Aaron’s strength through this process. By the way, Mark and Kenny’s professors have been very understanding and are being flexible with their course work. Mark is going to be able to do a lot of his work online. The VanRyns wish to remind you to remember to praise God for his continued faithfulness and all of the improvements we have seen thus far.
posted by Laura VanRyn at 3:51 PM
Friday 4/28 - Monday 5/1
Monday Update:Laura continues to hold steady. She had a good night Sunday, with stable vitals, no fever, and no swelling of the brain. Her lungs are ok and there isn’t any sign of pneumonia. She had a quiet day yesterday, but she made a positive step forward also. Her nurse told her to put her thumbs up if she understood her, and Laura raised her thumbs! Keep in mind, she is still in a comatose state, but she is sporadically responding to commands/requests now. Sometimes the responses appear to be involuntary, but she has given some voluntary responses over the last 2 days.Tomorrow morning, Laura is scheduled to go into surgery at 8:30. The fact that they are planning on doing surgery, at this point, is good news; it means they believe she is stable enough to handle a number of procedures. First, they will be setting her broken elbow and leg (femur) and possibly inserting pins where necessary. After the accident, they set them temporarily and now they will be setting them for good. While Laura is under, they will also do a Tracheotomy. This has a number of purposes. They will remove the ventilator from her mouth and throat and insert it directly into the Trachea at the incision point. This will help to reduce the risk of infection from the ventilator. This will also reduce the risk for pneumonia and lessen the severity of pneumonia, if she was to get it. The Tracheotomy will also increase the potential to take Laura off the ventilator sooner.When they do the surgery tomorrow, they will probably remove the tube from her head that monitors her Inter Cranial Pressure (ICP). This is the device that has been measuring any potential swelling of the brain. Since they haven’t detected any significant swelling and pressure, they expect to remove it.Please continue to pray and pass this along to your prayer groups.Sunday Update: This is based on information from Sunday morning. Laura was stable throughout the night, and showed some positive signs this morning. Yesterday she developed a fever of about 102.5, the cause was not known, but this morning the fever has come back down. The most positive sign is the fact that she appeared to be responding to commands from the nurse this morning. Before this point, she had been moving and there was a lot of question if the movements were voluntary or involuntary. It appears that this morning’s movements were voluntary, which is obviously a very positive sign. Yesterday, she was squeezing hands and raising/kicking her leg. Today, they are trying again to feed her intravenously, rather than just giving her a glucose IV. This feeding is in the form of liquid nutrients that would be given through IV. They tried to feed her yesterday, but her stomach wasn’t ready yet; apparently this response is natural the first time they try to feed someone this way. So, please pray that this feeding will be successful. A concern they have right now if the potential for Laura to develop pneumonia. Apparently if someone is on a respirator for at least five days it is almost a natural occurrence for them to develop pneumonia. Monday night will be five days. Please continue to pray for Laura and the family, especially for these recent issues that require God’s healing.Saturday update:This update on Laura was written on Saturday morning. Laura started moving a lot more throughout the day Friday, and her movement continues today. At times, she squeezes hands, wiggles toes, squints her eyes (though still closed), and moves her legs and arms. She is still in a comatose state, but her movements are very positive signs. They inserted a device into her leg Friday, to prevent blood clots from endangering her. The doctors were concerned about the potential for clotting because she has been and probably will be lying in bed for a while. This device prevents clots from reaching her heart, if any were to develop. The doctors are emphasizing that it will be a “marathon and not a sprint”, so improvements may be slow and not to get too high or low with the gradual changes which occur. Your prayers have been felt and God’s hand has been upon Laura. Please continue to pray for Laura, for the families who have lost children, and for all those who will be traveling to the funerals.Friday update:This is an update on her condition as of Friday morning. Laura is in Parkview Hospital in Fort Wayne, Indiana. She was airlifted here Wednesday night. The accident occurred when Laura and her coworkers were traveling back to Campus, after setting up a banquet for Taylor, in Fort Wayne. A semi-truck crossed the median on I-69 and hit the 15 passenger van Laura was traveling in. It hit toward the back of the left side of the van and ripped it open. Laura was thrown about 50 feet from the van and seemed to take the brunt of the force on her left side. Laura is currently in a comatose state, and has been unconscious since the accident. This morning, she has made some small movements. There was a small move of her leg, squinting of the eyes, and some small finger movements. She has a respirator doing most of the breathing for her right now. The doctors believe is wiser to use the machine to breathe for her right now, so her body’s energy can be focused on other areas. Her left leg (femur) and left elbow are broken and have been placed in casts. Her right clavicle bone is broken also and it is in a sling right now. She has some fractured ribs, and an array of cuts and bruises. She had some swelling in the face, and it is going down. They have inserted a small monitoring device into her skull to monitor swelling. As of this morning, there was no significant swelling of the brain. It is standard procedure to insert the device with to monitor swelling, with injuries of this sort. There has not been any bleeding of the brain. They have done cat scans and xrays to evaluate any impact on Laura’s cognitive abilities. As of now, they cannot say one way or another what impact the injuries have had upon her cognitive abilities. Cat scans have looked good, but it’s too early to tell.The family is encouraged by signs of progress in Laura’s condition. It is apparent that she feels pain, which is actually a good sign. It also appears that she has been making some small self generated movements. The family is extremely grateful for all the love that has been shown, especially for everyone’s prayers and support. Keep praying!! God has shown himself to be mighty and to have had his hand upon Laura and many of the events that have transpired. The hospital has been great, excellent facilities and very supportive people. Don and Susie and the kids are staying at a house, for no-charge, provided by a local Christian ministry, which is very close and convenient.
posted by Laura VanRyn at 3:11 PM
Friday, May 05, 2006
Friday - 5/5/2006
May 5, 2006 12:10 pmLaura is doing well this morning, and we continue to cling to the Lord’s promises. From Psalm 33: 20-22: We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. May your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord, even as we put our hope in you.Here’s an update for you all this morning. The nurse has braided her hair :) and the color in her face continues to improve. Overnight she was moving her leg so much (draping it over the side of the bed) that they have restrained it somewhat by tying it to the bed. She was squeezing our hands pretty well this morning also, and it’s hard to tell, but she seems to be trying to open her eyes a little bit more. They are still giving her two breaths a minute and allowing her to breathe the rest. Again, all of her vital signs remain steady and positive. They are continuing to feed her through the feeding tube directly to her stomach which her body has been accepting for a couple of days now.We praise the Lord for sparing her life and continue to pray for her recovery. From the family, thank you for your prayers most of all, and also for your visits and gifts. We are amazed and overwhelmed by the family of God at this time. We are experiencing his grace and love through you, his people.~ Lisa VanRyn, Laura's Sister
posted by Laura VanRyn at 12:15 PM
Saturday, May 6 2006 1:30 pm
Isaiah 55: 8-9 "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways," says the Lord. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than Your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts."When Mom and Dad visited Laura this morning around 7:30 they she was sitting in a chair and was making some small movements with her leg and arm like she has been lately. She still is not largely responsive to commands but we trust that she will be in the right time. Laura yawned and swallowed this morning which is a positive sign (and is super cute to witness). And we're pretty sure she's enjoying the music they've put on for her. We continue to pray for her to wake up and trust that she will in the Lord's timing. We ask that you also remain praying against infections and pneumonia. So far there has been no sign of either which has been a great blessing.And for those that are interested - Laura's hair is in pigtails today. :)Posted by Lisa Van Ryn
posted by Laura VanRyn at 1:00 PM
Sunday, May 07, 2006
2:15 pm
Romans 8:18, 22-25I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.... We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.Laura is still sporting the pigtails and her face is looking quite normal; there is virtually no swelling at all. They had her in the chair again this morning continuing to stimulate her muscles, helping to keep her lungs clear, etc. as part of her occupational therapy. Laura had three cuts that required stitching - one on her right thigh, one on the stomach, and the other on the back of her head. They have removed the stitches from her leg and stomach as those have been healing nicely. Other than that, her condition remains stable and she looks very peaceful... sleeping has always been one of her talents. :) We trust that God, in His mercy, is allowing her to sleep through some pain and that He is able to do more than we could ask or imagine. She is in His hands.Posted by Lisa Van Ryn
Monday May 8, 2006 1:30 pm
Last night our family was able to attend the memorial service held at the Taylor University campus for the 5 people who lost their lives in this accident. We were encouraged by the testimonies of those families and to hear how God has been working in the lives of so many through this situation. We would ask you today to continue to uphold those families in prayer (the families of Whitney Cerak, Laurel Erb, Monica Felver, Brad Larson, and Betsy Smith). And rejoice with them as well, that those dear children of God are not dead today but alive and in the presence of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!We continue to see encouraging signs from Laura today as she is now breathing entirerly on her own. They have removed the respirator and she is breathing through the trach at what the nurse called "a very normal rate". Again this morning they had her sitting in a chair and she's been looking pretty peaceful so far today. Continue to pray that the Lord would touch her brain and wake her up for us soon - even as we rest in His promises. "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." - Romans 8:26-28One other thing: I know some would be disappointed if I didn't mention that her hair is braided in one braid today - lookin' good. :)Posted by Lisa Van Ryn
posted by Laura VanRyn at 1:09 PM
May 9th, 2006 12:40pm
Your love O Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies. Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your justice like the great deep. O Lord, you preserve both man and beast. How priceless is your unfailing love! Both high and low among men find refuge in the shadow of your wings. They feast on the abundance of your house; you give them drink from your river of delights. For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light. Continue your love to those who know you, your righteousness to the upright in heart. - Psalm 36:5-10We would like to thank all of you today for the comments of encouragement you've been leaving for us on this site. It's been such a great blessing to hear from you and to be continually lifted up by your prayers.It's a beautiful sunny day again here in Fort Wayne and we have some encouraging signs from Laura to share with you today. She has been stretching and moving around quite a bit. The doctor lifted her eyelids and Laura seems to be trying to focus her eyes a little bit more. Her trademark "shaking of the leg" was in full effect this morning and she was even snapping her fingers when we asked her to! While these little signs keep us encouraged we realize that this road is going to be a long one. Keep praying that the Lord would give her the peace and comfort that she needs as she slowly wakes up and begins to understand where she is and what's happening.This afternoon they are doing an MRI on her head and another on her spine to make sure it's alright to remove her neckbrace (which has only been there for precautionary measures). They plan to move Laura to the 7th floor today where she will have her own room and we will be able to spend a lot more time with her. That will be snice.Posted by Lisa Van Ryn
posted by Laura VanRyn at 12:40 PM
Wednesday, May 10, 2006
Wednesday, May 10, 2006 12:15 pm
If You say go, we will goIf You say wait, we will waitIf You say step out on the waterand they say it can't be done,we will fix our eyes on You and we will come.Your ways are higher than our waysand the plans that You have made are good and true.If You call us to the fire You will not withdraw Your hand,we will gaze into the flames and look for You..... this song was sung at the closing of the memorial service at Taylor last weekend and the lyrics have been a great encouragement to us. If you know it, join us in making it our theme song for Laura during this time.Laura has been moved to the top floor, with a great view of the helipad and lots of trees. We enjoy watching the same chopper that brought Laura to the hospital departing and arriving regularly. DV and Suz stayed overnight with her last night and took turns catching some sleep. Today Laura has been moving anything that isn't weighted down (by casts) quite a bit which is a normal release of energy for comatose patients. We can hardly keep her in the bed sometimes! They have started passive occupational therapy twice daily and she is responding well (but not yet to direct commands). We haven't yet received the results of yesterday's MRI's. Continue to pray that she will awaken and respond favorably to her surroundings. We are aware that it will be gradual and that she will need much therapy.Her hair has been down this morning and the nurse has promised to wash it today.
posted by Laura VanRyn at 12:07 PM
Thursday, May 11, 2006 12:30 pm
Good afternoon from the 7th floor. We thank the Lord for another day full of His mercies and love. "Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer." - Romans 12There's not too much new information to share with you today. The occupational therapist continues working with Laura and getting her up in the chair for short periods of time. Right now she is resting well which we're glad to see after a very restless night. She was giving Dad quite the workout - especially with a new move she's developed which he likes to call "the Scissors". Even the cast on her leg is no longer too heavy for her to swing around. Dad says he was, "wrestling with an angel in the wee hours of the night". They did take an x-ray of her stomach today because she was experiencing some discomfort there so you could pray that that won't be too serious. We have been playing the guitar for her today as well. :)We continue to receive encouragement from the staff here at the hospital which includes a couple of doctors who are Taylor grads. And again, we want you to know (if it's even possible) how touched and encouraged we are to read your comments and know of your prayers daily. Our God is real and is making Himself known.Also - the nurse (who shall remain unnamed) did not follow through on her promise yesterday to wash Laura's hair. But rest assured, it was washed this morning and is pulled up in a pony tail on the top of her head.Posted by Lisa Van Ryn
posted by Laura VanRyn at 12:30 PM
Friday, May 12, 2006 4:00 pm
Our hope is in the Lord. We find comfort and life within the pages of His Word. Part of Psalm 37 reads, "Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun. Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him." His Word is like a breath of fresh air - take a deep breath and breathe it in! We rest in Him.We've come to realize that life on the 7th floor is a lot of work. They've encouraged us to have someone from our family in the room with Laura at all times - night time included. Dad and Mom were able to get some sleep last night and Mark and Lisa stayed with Laura. She had a more peaceful / restful night than the night before so that was an answer to prayer. We did get the results back from her stomach x-ray yesterday and everything is fine there.The speech therapist spent some time with Laura this morning and told us she was seeing some positive signs. Laura squeezed her hand a couple of times on command and also seems to be following sounds with her eyes. She is also doing some tracking of movement as well. They suspect that she may have double vision which could explain why she opens her left eye a lot more than the right. There are ways to help her correct this if in fact it is the case. Overall, she's been very active the past couple of days and we continue to hope that she will wake up soon. In fact we think she is in that process now, however this is not the movies - the eyes just don't pop open and everything is back to normal. It is a gradual awakening and rehab process. Her lungs have remained clear and she is still breathing well on her own. Please continue to pray against infections and fevers which make her uncomfortable. She had a small fever early this morning but her temp is now back to normal.On a practical note: We're at the stage right now where we can't have any visitors. We're spending a lot of time in with Laura and for her, it is best for only immediate family to be in the room and then only 1 or 2 of us in front of her at a time. And while we have been encouraged to have so many of you visit, it has become difficult to make time for that as well. We ask simply that you continue to pray. Again, we trust in the Great Physician to heal her completely and to work for the good of those He dearly loves. *Are you remembering to pray daily for the 5 families that have lost loved ones - Ceraks, Erbs, Larsons, Smiths, & Felver?My apologies for the tardiness of this update... night duty had me a little sleepy this morning. :)Posted by Lisa Van Ryn
posted by Laura VanRyn at 2:14 PM
Saturday, May 13, 2006 2:00 pm
Ken Van Ryn had some thoughts he wanted to share with you today:May yesterday, today, tomorrow and the days to come be a reminder of the power an individual holds. May you be aware that everyone residing on this earth, everyone breathing, has a heart, mind, body and soul just as you do. May we continually strive to look at one another with respect. May we continually learn from each other, because we all have something to teach - every last one of us. My prayer to you is that we take the few precious seconds given us and invest them in the concept of people. Without one another we wouldn't feel, see, hear, etc. Simply, we are all God's children no matter where we're from or where we've been. Will we ever be able to accept someone merely for who they are? We pass by countless people each day who have so much to show us but we're too selfish to realize. To be real, it's sad that it takes moments like this to make us think. I beg myself and I beg you to not let another day pass without searching, asking, and wondering how we can both learn from ourselves and others.I believe one of the greatest things God has given all of us no matter if we believe in him or not is hope. Hope that one day everything will be ok, one day we will be alright. As I sit here next to my little sister Laura at 1:49 am while her, my brother and father are all resting their eyes for the night right here in the belly of the beast I am reminded of all the times I should have said I love you. I'm ashamed of myself for allowing a day to pass without letting them know what they mean to me and how they've impacted my life. I'm ashamed that even if I've said it, I've failed at times in living it out. I leave you with something my good friend Bradley J. Larson wrote to me in an email a few weeks before he passed..... "Love is just a word. It is the actions that accompany a loving relationship that really show a person how much you love them."---------------------------------------------------------John 6:68 - "... Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God."Laura had another relatively peaceful night last night and we're thankful for that - as attested to by Kenny and Mark who were on the night watch.We're told that Laura has been waking from the coma over the past couple of days and is now in a state of "minimal consciousness". This means that she is still making a lot of spontaneous moments and her body is becoming more and more active, but her responses to commands are still very limited. Like we've been saying, this "waking up" process will be slow and gradual. But the signs are definitely positive and again, we want to thank you for your fervent prayers.We've begun talking with the rehibilitation services in Grand Rapids and are beginning to think about transfering Laura closer to home. We are only in the beginning stages of this process so no moving date (or even a tenitive date) has been scheduled yet. Pray for wisdom in this process for the doctors and staffs involved and for Mom and Dad as they make decisions.THANK YOU for the thoughts you've been sharing... for the verses, prayers, cards, and gifts. Wow. We're overwhelmed by the ways in which God shows himself through his people - through YOU. Thank you. Our Great God loves and holds our little Laura Jean. What a comfort. And what a hope. Faith. Hope. Love. It's amazing.Posted by Lisa Van Ryn
posted by Laura VanRyn at 1:24 PM
Sunday, May 14, 2006 1:00 pm
John 14:15-18 "If you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever - the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you."Matthew 18:19 "Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them."I've been thinking about prayer. About asking the Father for things - and expecting Him to answer as He's promised to. You and I have been praying for Laura and asking God to heal her. We've come together, though far apart, in His name to ask Him to heal her. We were overwhelmed to read from Dave that over a thousand people may be daily checking this site to learn about how to best pray for Laura. So I was wondering if today we could, with one voice and one heart, cry out to the Father on Laura's behalf. Let's pray the following together, with expectant hearts - knowing that our Heavenly Father knows all of our needs and all about Laura's life and body and what is best for her.Dear Father,We praise you for being all knowing and indescribably good. We praise you for being the Living God - the only true God. We thank you and are humbled for the way you love us and care for us. We thank you again, for sparing Laura's life and together, we ask you to heal her completely. Restore her to us in your time and give us strength as we wait. We completely trust in you and your perfect plans. May this experience be bringing many into closer relationships with You. You are a good God. We know that you can do so much more than anything we could ask or imagine. Thank you for what you're doing. Teach us how to crawl up into your lap and be your children. Help us to love you and to love others. Watch over Laura today - we know she is in your hands. We ask all of this in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen - let it be.Laura's condition is much the same today - she's still very active and working on opening up those beautiful eyes. Yesterday they were able to remove the staples from her left leg and replace the wrapped cast with a soft walking cast. They also removed the cast and staples from her left elbow and that arm is now in a sling. Her hair is back to one braid today. Again, she seems fairly peaceful and we're praying that as she begins to wake, God will give her peace and comfort as she begins to deal with her surroundings and situation. In all things, to God be the glory.Posted by Lisa Van Ryn
posted by Laura VanRyn at 12:31 PM
Monday, May 15, 2006 12:30 pm
Let us acknowledge the Lord; let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises, he will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth.Hosea 6:3Laura's yawn may by the cutest thing I've ever seen. In the early hours of the morning they put a cap on her trach and removed the respiratory tube (which was only there to keep the moisture in the trach balanced) which means she is now breathing entirely through her nose and mouth. She can make little sounds and coughs like normal and the therapists are beginning to encouarge her to talk. It could still be a while before that happens, but we're headed in that direciton. She was sitting up for a while in the chair again this morning and we took her for a small stroll down the hallway. When we were transferring her from the chair back to her bed, the therapist actually had her stand for a moment with most of her weight on her right leg (the one without the cast). She was of course, still leaning on us, but we wanted to see if her leg, given the chance, would react and do it's job to try and support her body - which it did! Also - her hair was washed today and is back in a pony tail, nice and clean.Posted by Lisa Van Ryn
posted by Laura VanRyn at 12:15 PM
Tuesday, May 16, 2006, 2:30 pm
2 of 2Wow. Thank all of you for your comments already today! We can't tell you how much joy it brings us to hear from you.Just a couple of other things to add today. Laura did very well in both of her "therapy sessions" today (usually 30-60 minutes each morning and same in the afternoon). She has verbally responded to questions they've asked her... for example, "Laura, do you want to sit up or lay down?" After a few seconds she said, "Sit back" and we helped her lay down. Also, she has been standing a little bit more today and using those leg muscles. We had her in the chair for a while again and she helped us move up and down the hall by pushing her leg against the floor. Now, while we're greatly encouraged by all the steps she's taking, she's also starting to realize a lot more of the pain that her body has / is going through. It can make her uncomfortable, confused, and frustrated. Please keep praying for her in this regard.Last night we were able to put some fresh nail polish on her toes. :)And one thing to clarify for you: Aryn's name is spelled "Aryn". :)Posted by Lisa Van Ryn
posted by Laura VanRyn at 2:17 PM
Tuesday, May 16, 2006 9:45 am
1 of 2Now don't get too used to this early morning post - but we had a couple things we wanted to share with you this morning.Proverbs 16:1 says "To man belong the plans of the heart, but from the Lord comes the reply of the tongue." Laura started talking to us last night! She's said "hi" several times and repeated the phrase "good morning" back to Mom this morning. Also this morning she said "hi" and Dad said, "can you say Pop's?" and she said "Pops". As we celebrate her progress, let's keep praying that the Lord would give her peace and comfort as she continues to wake up.Also, we've learned from Taylor that she will be receiving her diploma (with credit for both her major and minor) this coming Saturday along with the rest of her class. As of this time, Lisa plans to walk in her place. Pray for that ceremony - especially for the families of Brad and Betsy who were Seniors this year as well.We'll post another update later this afternoon. And be assured that our family enjoys daily reading your comments. They have wireless here in the Hospital and it's definitely one of the highlights of our day to hear from all of you! Thanks!Posted by Lisa Van Ryn
posted by Laura VanRyn at 9:42 AM
Wednesday, May 17, 2006 12:30 pm
And when I think that God, his Son not sparingSent him to die, I scarce can take it inThat on the cross my burden gladly bearingHe bled and died to take away my sinThen sings my soul, my Savior God to TheeHow great Thou artHow great Thou artThen sings my soul, my Savior God to TheeHow great Thou artHow great Thou art"Hi Laura," said nurse Jane. "Hi," replied Laura. "How are you?" asked nurse Jane. "Good," said Laura. (approx. 11:00 am today)Laura rested very well last night and Dad got a "good morning" out of her today. :) She's had one more scan this morning and all the doctors have cleared her to move. They also took the trach out this morning. She is scheduled to be transported to Grand Rapids by ambulance tomorrow morning at 9:00 am. There, she will be enrolled in an excellent comprehensive rehab program. That facility is fairly close to home for us, close to friends, to a nice deli and best of all to one of our favorite ice cream places. So... after three weeks, it looks like we're finally heading home. Please pray for safe travel for us tomorrow... we've got 4 family vehicles here that we'll be driving home as well. Pray specifially that Laura will do well on the trip.Fort Wayne has been good to us. We've made a lot of friends here at the hospital and in the community. We've been well taken care of through this time and we're grateful for that. While it will be great to get home, we'll miss the people here. Thanks FW for taking care of Laura and us.We remain in His good care.Posted by Lisa Van Ryn
posted by Laura VanRyn at 12:09 PM
Thursday, May 18, 2006 6:00 pm - from GR!
Thank you for your patience with me today - it's been a long one. This update will be short as I'm low on energy and clear thinking ability :), but I promise a good update for you tomorrow.Laura did well on the trip to Grand Rapids (thank you Lord) this morning and is settled into her new room. We arrived at about 12:15 pm. At this time it is still not in her best interest to have visitors outside of her immediate family. And as her family, we ask that you give us a chance to get settled back into home life - as we're making adjustments as to what that looks like now. This weekend will be a busy one for us - getting to know the ropes at Laura's new place and also Dad, Mom, and Lisa will be traveling to Taylor tomorrow night for Saturday morning's commencement ceremony. We love and are thankful for all of you and the support you have been giving us and Laura. We hope to be able to visit with you very soon and will be sure to let you know when that time is right.That's all I've got for now - Laura is doing fine. Please pray for a good first night for her in a new environment and also for our family as we continue to make adjustments.One more thing: THANK YOU so much to those of you that took care of our house while we were gone and went shopping for us etc. A great gift.Posted by Lisa Van Ryn
posted by Laura VanRyn at 5:51 PM
Friday, May 19, 2006 5:30 pm
In about 5 minutes we're heading down to Taylor, so this will be quick. (One of the downsides to leaving the FW hospital is that this new facility that Laura is in doesn't have internet... so give us a little time to figure out the best time and way to keep you updated.)Just a little update for you today. For her first night, Laura was pretty restless but seemed to be settling in better today. She had a couple good therapy sessions and continues to make us smile with her small words and head nods. I'll try to get you some greater detail on things in the next couple of days - as soon as I can.Laura graduates from college tomorrow. Wow Laura... you did it. We are so proud of you. I am honored and humbled to "walk" for you at the ceremony. Keep up your good work right now. Many are praying for you. Rest well tonight. We love you.Posted by Lisa Van Ryn
posted by Laura VanRyn at 5:35 PM
May 21, 2006 Sunday 2:45 pm
We're thankful that Laura was able to sleep most of the night last night... perhaps the peaceful rest of one who has just received her hard-earned college degree.Accepting Laura's diploma yesterday reminded me of God's grace. It didn't feel right receiving something that someone else had done all the work for. I felt I should have done something to earn the right to be there. But God has done all the work for us through Jesus Christ. And he asks us to receive his gift - to know that there's nothing we can do to earn it.Please keep Laura in your prayers - specifically for 3 things:1. The day we left Fort Wayne they did a final scan of her brain and discovered a small amount of fluid. This is a fluid that the brain produces (about a tablespoon a day) and is usually absorbed into the bloodstream. Laura is producing the right amount but it isn't soaking in properly. This is not an uncommon thing to have happen in these situations, but we need to pray that her body naturally corrects itself. They will check it again in about 7 days and if the fluid is still there, they will have to drain it.2. Laura's left leg is not healing as well as it should be. They have started giving her calcium to help aid in the process.3. She is still experiencing a lot of discomfort and restlessness. Pray for continued healing of her body and spirit. And also that she would start consistently sleeping well at night.Posted by Lisa Van Ryn
posted by Laura VanRyn at 2:25 PM
Monday, May 22, 2006 1:45 pm
"And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ - to the glory and praise of God." Phil. 1:9-11Yesterday evening Laura's lips were chapped. Her mom reached for the chapstick and Laura saw her momement and the chapstick in her hand and asked, "what's that?". "It's chapstick," Mom replied. Laura, laying down in bed, reached for it but it dropped out of her hand and fell just above her right shoulder. Without turning to see it, she reached back with her right hand and picked it up. She felt the chapstick and turned it around so that the correct end was facing her. Then Laura raised her hand to her mouth and fixed that annoying little chapped lip problem all on her own.We continue to be encouraged and impressed by Laura's fine motor skills. In physical therapy this morning she did well following commands - opening her eyes when they asked, sitting up on her own for short periods, moving her legs and arms, etc. We also spent some time talking with the speech therapist ("we" being Dad, Mom, and Lisa... Laura was too exhausted from the physical therapy! :). She told us some more about how Laura has been processing information. Right now she needs a very limited amount of stimulation. With all of the trauma that her brain has gone through, it is going to take her some time to learn how to properly process things. For example, when we hear the clock ticking on the wall, the car passing outside, the birds singing, and someone talking to us, we know to focus on the voice. For Laura, those can be four equal amounts of stimuli that she has to process and focus on - it can be very overwhelming for her.Let me take a minute here and try to answer a Frequently Asked Question. "So... is Laura out of the coma now?" The answer to that is yes. However- is she alert, bright eyed, and aware of all that's going on?... no. As was stated above, her brain needs to be retrained (or reminded perhaps) to handle information. Once again, it's going to be a long road for her. This waking up process is a slow one. And once again, we're reminded that God has spared her life for now. She is His. His beautiful child and we believe He's got something more for her on this earth. We're just blessed to be a part of her family and to have the opportunity to walk with her through this time.We continue to thank you for your prayers and interest in Laura's progress. We are confident that God is working and we place our hope in Him. For those that didn't read yesterday's blog entry, we listed a few specific things you could be praying for. Thanks!!Posted by Lisa Van Ryn
posted by Laura VanRyn at 1:27 PM
Tuesday, May 23, 2006 10:30 pm
Laura had a relatively good day today... good therapy sessions and tonight she even helped us put her shirt on! She is doing some amazing things with her motor skill abilities. She also tried to put her own hair up in a pony tail and gave Kenny a couple of peace signs when he said, "Hey Laur, throw me one of dem peace signs."Laura's current sleep pattern remains a concern. She's into a "napping" habit instead of sleeping through the night and being awake during the day. She'll sleep for 20 or 40 minutes at a time (sometimes for an hour or so) and then be awake and restless. Please continue to pray that this would change. It would be healthier for her, and better for her therapy sessions if her body could rest better and more consistently.Last night I sat with Laura while she was very restless. I was looking at her and thinking about how much I love her and am thankful for her. I did my best to protect her injured leg and arm and to keep her as comfortable as I could. She was really movin' and was wearing me out! I thought about how tired I was but that I would stay with her as long as she needed me to no matter what. And then she started hitting me. And kicking me. She'd make a fist and swing it at me. She wanted me out of the way so that she could do what she wanted to - which included ripping that neck brace off as quickly as possible. And then I wondered, how many times have I done that same thing with God? How many times have I deliberately wanted Him out of my way? How many times have I made a fist and swung it at Him? Hurting Him. And how many times has He looked at me and said "nothing you could ever do would ever make me love you any less."Posted by Lisa Van Ryn
posted by Laura VanRyn at 10:13 PM
Wednesday, May 24, 2006 3:45 pm
John 1:16 "From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another."Laura had another restless night with some short naps and finally a solid 2 hours of sleep from 5 am to 7 am. In therapy this morning she was doing some great things including kicking a rubber ball with her right leg while she was sitting up. The ball was rolled toward her and she swung her leg at the right times to kick it back. She did the same with her hands hitting a balloon (a pink one) after it was tossed in her direction. This morning she also fed herself some applesauce which she swallowed well and then washed down with a little bit of orange juice. I can't say it went quite as well this afternoon with the mashed potatoes... but I ducked at the right time and the wall and shirtsleeves have all been cleaned up. :)Her hair was washed this morning and was braided in two braids. She's sporting her "standford" T-shirt and TU lacrosse shorts... very cute today.A message from DV (aka Dad):We cannot adequately express our feelings of love and appreciation to those of you who have responded on the blog. My heart goes out today to those of you who have lost loved ones in similar accidents and to those who are going or have gone through rehab. Will everyone please pray today for those who have shared their stories on the blog. Pray also today for the families involved in Laura's accident, especially the Cerak, Smith, Larson, Erb and Felver families. Thanks! - DVPosted by Lisa Van Ryn
posted by Laura VanRyn at 3:34 PM
Thursday, May 25, 2006 3:30 pm
"Ok Laura, I want you to try and finish my sentences. They will all be one word answers," said Therapist Stephanie. "The sky is...," she began."Blue," Laura finished her sentence."Apples are...," Stephanie began."Green," said Laura."Yes," replied Stephanie, "and they can also be another color.""Red," Laura answered."Ok Laura, now I'm going to say some words and I'd like you to tell me the opposite. For example, I'll say 'black' and you'll say 'white'.""Black," said Stephanie."White," replied Laura."In," said Stephanie."Out," replied Laura."North," said Stephanie."South," said Laura."Laura, this morning we talked about what day it is today. Do you remember?," asked Stephanie."Thursday," Laura answered.Laura had some great therapy sessions today. She drank some more orange juice - she lifts the plastic cup to her mouth by herself and does a great job with it. She also fed herself some pears. She sat up by herself for over 2 minutes as she caught and threw a ball. It seems like she's trying to talk more and tell us things as well - a lot of which it can still be difficult to understand, but she's trying. She also enjoys spending time in her chair and talking "walks" up and down the hallways and occasionally sitting outside. DV and Suz bought her a smooth pair of sunglasses that she puts on and takes off when she wants to. :)As Laura relearns how to express herself and tell us things that she needs or wants, it can be frustrating for her - especially when she tries to say something verbally and we don't understand her. Please pray for her as she works through this process.We are thanking the Lord today that Laura finally got some good sleep last night! - about 5 solid hours and 1 more hour in the morning. Hopefully her sleeping pattern will only improve from this point on.Hair is in one braid today and held by a white hair tie. And she has named her bear, "Theodore".Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will - to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. Ephesians 1:3-8Posted by Lisa Van Ryn
posted by Laura VanRyn at 3:18 PM
Friday, May 26, 2006 4:00 pm
"Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds." Hebrews 10:23-24Thank you for your deligent prayers for Laura. Our God hears, loves, and answers. Laura slept for another 5 hours last night from 2 am to 7 am - praise the Lord! She's had another pretty good day of therapy... enjoyed her teddy grahams and apple juice this afternoon. She also threw the frisbee with Dad this morning - she was sitting up on the edge of a bed and gently throwing it a few feet to him (while she wasn't throwing it a great distance, she was making the proper frisbee motion - PT, that should make you proud!). For occupational therapy, they've been encouraging her to write the past couple of days, and she's drawn a couple of recognizable shapes including an impressive star this morning.A few people have asked if Laura opens her eyes a lot and if she recognizes people. She does open her eyes quite a bit now, but it's tough to tell sometimes what she's focusing on. When we ask her if she see's something, she will usually nod her head to respond. Yesterday we were looking at some birds and Dad said, "Laura, finish my sentence. The birds beak is.." And Laura said, "pink" which was pretty accurate. And if you ask her to look to her right of left she does that most of the time. As far as recognizing us... we think that sometimes she does, and sometimes she doesn't. Today she was asking for "my Dad" by name and when he went over to her and held her hand, she was satisfied to have him there.Laura's neckbrace continues to irritate her. Again, it is only there for precautionary measures but we're hoping that the doctors will soon OK it to be taken off. There was no bone damage in her neck but they're not sure if the ligaments were hurt at all. They'd also like to verbally hear from Laura that her neck does not hurt but it's been tough to get consitent answers from her in that regard. Please continue to pray for both her physical comfort as well as her cognitive and emotional healing. She occasionally complains of her leg or stomach hurting and is easily frustrated when we don't understand what she's trying to tell us.Thanks again for walking alongside of Laura and our family during this time. You've been and continue to be a great blessing and encouragement to us.Posted by Lisa Van Ryn
posted by Laura VanRyn at 4:19 PM
Saturday, May 27, 2006 3:30 pm
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Matt. 11:28-30, Jesus speaking.Good news today. Laura slept for a good 8 hours last night! We have to believe that God has been hearing our prayers for her rest. We are reminded of his love and care for her as we see him meet her needs. She's been in her chair again today but has been resting quite a bit. She usually doesn't have therapy on the weekends so this is a good day for her to catch up on some sleep. We are also noticing that she's talking more and more which is great (have noticed a gradual increase of words over the past 3-4 days). It's important for her to continue in exercizing her voice and to verbally ask us or tell us things.Our God is so good. He is our healer and our protector - no matter our circumstance.Posted by Lisa Van Ryn
posted by Laura VanRyn at 3:17 PM
Sunday, May 28, 2006 3:15 pm
"Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say this - ... let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men, for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things... Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress. Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men... He sent forth his word and healed them; he rescued them from the grave. Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men. Let them sacrifice thank offerings and tell of his works with songs of joy... Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men... Whoever is wise let him heed these things and consider the great love of the Lord." Let us encourage you to read Psalm 107 in it's entirety - it's a wonderful passage.Another great night of sleep for Laura last night. She slept from about 8:30 pm to 10:30 am with a few stirrings in between. The nurse tells us that sleeping this much is a normal phase in the recovery process and we're glad she's made it to this point and is finally getting some rest! The sleep she's been getting over the past couple of days is especially encouraging because it appears to be the most "restful" sleep we've seen her get so far. She looks very relaxed and peaceful (as opposed to uncomfortable and irritated) as she sleeps now.It also seems that Laura, over the past couple of days, is becoming more aware and alert. Yesterday when she woke from a deep sleep, she seemed a little more taken back by her surroundings and wondered where she was. She has also said a few complete sentences and is getting better at letting us know what her needs are. We're hopeful that as her communication skills continue to improve, this will cut down on her frustration levels as well."Not to us, O Lord, NOT TO US but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness." (Ps. 115)Posted by Lisa Van Ryn
posted by Laura VanRyn at 2:52 PM
Monday, May 29, 2006 11:15 am
Ephesians 2:8-10 "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."Laura slept through the night again and we're glad for that. :)Her clarity continues to improve. Earlier today she played a game of "connect 4" with one of the therapists and did quite well. At the facility there are several doors that say "Alarm will sound if door is opened". Talking a walk down the hallway they happened to pass one of these doors and when Aryn asked her if she could read what it said, Laura read it perfectly to him. While certain things seem to be coming back to her, she still has times where she'll say things that don't make much sense.Also, DV bought her a hat today that says, "life is good".Posted by Lisa Van Ryn
posted by Laura VanRyn at 10:57 AM
Wednesday, May 31, 2006 3:15 pm
2 of 2 (so far)Laura's Memorial Service is scheduled for 3:00 pm, Sunday, June 4. There will be a reception following. It will be held at Kentwood Community Church. If you need to mapquest the address...Kentwood Community Church1200 60th St. SEGrand Rapids, MI49508
posted by Laura VanRyn at 3:18 PM
Wednesday, May 31, 2006 1:00 pm
(1 of 2)"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." - Hebwrews 13:8What may come to us as a shock, does not shock the One who made us. We have some hard news to share with you today. Our hearts are aching as we have learned that the young woman we have been taking care of over the past five weeks has not been our dear Laura, but instead a fellow Taylor student of hers, Whitney Cerak. There was a misidentification made at the time of the accident and it is uncanny the resemblence that these two women share. Their body types are similar, their hair color and texture, their facial features, etc. Over the past couple of days, as Whitney had been becoming more aware of her surroundings, she'd been saying and doing some things that made us question whether or not she was Laura. Yesterday, we talked with a Spectrum staff member and began the process of making a positive ID. We now know without a doubt, that this is Whitney.The Cerak family came down from Gaylord and we had the privelege of meeting with them this morning. While we discussed some of the action steps that will need to take place over the next couple of days, we were also able to share with them some of the great things we have seen Whitney accomplish over the past month. It is a sorrow and a joy for us to learn of this turn of events. For us, we will mourn Laura's going home and will greatly miss her compassionate heart and sweetness while knowing that she is safe and with her King forever. We rejoice with the Ceraks, that they will have more time on this earth with their daughter, sister, and loved one. We also want to thank you for your prayers for our family as well as the other families during these past few weeks. Your love and support have been amazing. It is our hope that the Cerak's would continue this blog in Whitney's name so that we may continue to pray with them for Whitney as she recovers. Please continue to check this site and we will let you know about this possibility.We will also use this site to communicate our plans for a memorial service for Laura. Hopefully, this service will take place this coming Sunday.Thanks again for the support that you've been. Please continue your prayers. Our God is good and continues to be our help, our guide, our comfort.
We love you Sweets.Posted by Lisa, for the Van Ryn family.
Thursday, June 1, 2006 9:15 pm
The following update on Whitney Cerak has been provided by her sister Carly.Hebrews 11:17-19 By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had received the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, even though God had said to him, "It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned." Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from the death.I couldn't get this verse out of my head as we drove down to Grand Rapids. I did not believe my sister was in the hospital; I thought for sure this was a mistake. When I walked into the hospital room I was shocked and overcome with joy. Soon after we saw Whitney, our family met with the Van Ryns and our joy for ourselves was pushed aside by the pain we felt for them. It is hard because our joy is their pain. The Van Ryns have been amazing to Whitney and we are privileged that if under any care besides ours that she was under their great care. However, we know the pain they now feel all too well and our hearts break with them. There is a deep connection that has been made between our families and together we look to God as we walk through this.We were told that Whitney was asking for us and when we saw her she was coherent enough to cry, so we all cried together. She immediately began to say "Let's go home." We spent the day crying and praising God for the 'resurrection' of Whitney. She began listing people she wanted to see, starting with our dad (who was on his way back from New York with the Youth Group). She kept telling us to call him and when she talked to him she told him she loved him and to "come over." Matt, her boyfriend, arrived and she wanted him to lie down next to her. She blew us away with her detailed memory and ability to speak. Towards the end of the night she spoke clear sentences. When our dad arrived she grabbed his hand, my mom's hand, and looked at Sandra and I and sighed like everything was finally right.Today many of her friends have arrived and she has wanted to see them all but is very exhausted from yesterday. She saw a few of them and then wanted to sleep. Whitney woke up to someone bringing in flowers for her. This triggered something and she wanted to know who they were from and then she wanted to have all her family in the room. She began to cry and said "You think I'm dead." We spent a good part of the afternoon comforting her as she has began to realize that she was in an accident and we weren't with her for a while. Her tears are a mixture of joy and the fear of not knowing what has been going on. She took a break from crying when her therapist brought her actual food! Today she ate her first meal. She had grilled cheese, applesauce, and a milk shake. Within the next week she should be done with her tube and just eating food. After she ate she showed off her basketball skills and made three baskets in a row during physical therapy. She quickly slowed down and wanted to sleep again. Not only is it still unbelievable that she is alive but she has amazed us with her progress.Earlier today my dad said, "Every time I look at Whitney I think of the Van Ryns." We are so blessed and overjoyed about Whitney but our hearts and prayers are heavily on the Van Ryns.Posted by Carly Cerak
Saturday, June 3, 2006 11:00 am
The following is an update from the Cerak family on Whitney’s progress that was written yesterday, Friday. We, the Van Ryn’s, continue to pray for them and rejoice with them for Whitney’s life and progress.Romans 12:15“Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.”We read this verse to Whitney this morning as we spent time in the Word as a family. My dad followed her to physical therapy where she was put into a wheel chair that allowed her to use her good arm and leg to push herself back to her room! She ate all of her meals today and had good times of sleep.For the rest of the day she was very aware and wanted to sit up for most of it. Whitney wanted to talk to everyone she could think of and had us call many of her friends. Some of her friends came for short visits and she would greet each with a hug and was able to hold conversations with great interaction. She made me laugh so hard when she asked two of her friends this question, "What has your day consisted of?" I walked away from her bed laughing after she asked us to write it down, and she told her friends that her sister was making fun of her.In speech therapy the therapist has begun to walk her through the events of the past five weeks. Today she just listened and nodded her head as the therapist gave her a very basic run down. However, her biggest worry of the day is when Hunter is going to arrive. She has been asking when Hunter, our dog will get here all day. We have called him many times at her request.In the afternoon, we had to transport her to another facility where she had a CT Scan. My dad, Sandra, and I had to drive in a separate vehicle, so we put in a worship cd we had been listening to for the past 5 weeks to find comfort in. This immediately brought back all the realness of the pain we felt only a few days ago. Our thoughts were focused on the Van Ryns as put ourselves back in their shoes. We will continue to rejoice with those who rejoice and mourn with those who mourn.- Carly CerakPosted by Lisa Van Ryn
posted by Laura VanRyn at 10:56 AM
Wednesday, June 7, 2006 1:00 pm
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade - kept in heaven for you.... In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith - of greater worth than gold.. may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. - 1 Peter 1:3-7This will be our last post from this website and we want to thank you for your prayers and the support you've shown throughout this entire situation. We continue to lean on the Lord for our strength and will need your prayers throughout these coming days, weeks, and months. We know and trust that God will take care of us - he is always faithful and will remain so as his Word tells us.Our final encouragement to all is this: Do not hang on to the things of this world too tightly. Life here is but a vapor and there is an eternity ahead. Consider what God calls us to do - "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where theives break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where theives do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."Let us continue to reach out to those around us who need prayer, love, and encouragment. As you remember the Van Ryn and Cerak families, let us encourage you to look to your neighbors as well. God calls us to love.Within the next 24 hours we will be getting rid of this blog. How the Cerak's choose to update on Whitney's progress is up to them.Thanks again.
Monday, June 05, 2006“ I am overcome with joy because of your unfailing love, for you have seen my troubles, and you care about the anguish of my soul.“ I am trusting you, Oh Lord, You are my God ! My future is in your hands.”Psalms 31: 7, 8, 14, 15“Only a God whose “thoughts are not our thoughts and ways are not our ways” could have seen and known all that was going to take place over the last 6 weeks, but God Most High is sovereign and while we sometimes can’t understand His ways, we know that He is eternal and had planned each and every moment in time and we can rest in the fact that He was, He is, and He always will be in control.”This is a quote from one of the many cards Whitney has been receiving each day. It speaks to how we feel as a family in this mind numbing chain of events. We absolutely believe God is in control NOW, as we did during the 6 weeks that we thought that Whit was no longer with us. We are resting in His promises. Promises that we will be held up in His strength, promises of our security in Him, promises of our eternal salvation in His eternal presence.We are overjoyed with Whitney’s progress in the past several days since our last communication. She has been increasing in endurance each moment it seems – sitting up to eat her meals, feeding herself and cleaning the plate. We are told that if she keeps this up, the tube they have been using to feed her will be removed soon. Praise God! She sleeps soundly through the night waking only once or twice to use the restroom. After her therapy sessions she sleeps more, getting much needed rest so that she can continue to heal. She continues to ask when she go home and when she can be rid of the neckbrace. She speaks sweetly in a soft voice asking of those she meets “Hi”; “How are you?”; and “What have you been doing?”Her college roommate was able to visit and when she sat by Whitney, Whitney asked “Who are you going to room with next year?” To which her roommate replied pointing at Whit and said “You”.Her smile is coming back, it is beautiful to see!! Her sister seems to get her to smile most often, once getting a laugh from Whitney. Today we had lunch together with Whit in the dinning room and it was like we were sitting at the Cerak’s dinner table once more, smiling, laughing, telling stories with limited participation from Whitney…but still participation!Whitney is making progress but has such a mountain to climb. Please keep her in your prayers as you have in the past. Thank you all so much for your concern and your tender words of support.Our hearts STILL choose to say…Blessed be the name of our Lord.In Christ alone, Whitney’s dadPosted By : Newell Cerak
Tuesday, June 06, 2006"Christ Jesus, who died-more than that, who was raised back to life- is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:34-39We find all we need in Jeus Christ. And as God's scripture says, nothing will separate us from His love if we have chosen to accept His gift of His Son Jesus Christ. Christ, who was the only perfect sacrifice for our sin, died on the cross and rose 3 days later. Through His death and His resurrection, if we believe and accept Him into our lives and then live for Him, we are more than conquerors. We simply need to believe and accept His free gift. We, the Cerak's, love being counted with those around the world who have accepted this precious life giving gift. It is God who strengthens us, yesterday and today and in the future.We continue to marvel at how God put our bodies together and how Whitney's is mending. Last night I felt as though she had a set back- not eating her dinner at all - so the feeding tube is still in place. But after looking back over the day I realized how worn out she had gotten and it made sense to me then. Today has been a beautiful day! She wrote her name clearly and on the line. Then off to physical therapy where she not only is balancing on her right foot but is hopping, too! Hopping the entire 12 foot length of the parallel bars, three times. Then for her next session she got to sit in front of a computer to play some games that help to reactivate her mind. She lit up when she was pushed in front of the computer, taking the mouse in her hand and click, click, clicking away.She also met with an orthopedic surgen who took some pics of her mending bones. The great news is that she was 3 out of 4 to the good. Her elbow, collar bone and neck (no more neckbrace!!!) all got the okay. Her left leg did not begin to heal straight so surgery is being scheduled to correct the problem. Whitney nodded her head in agreement when the decision was made to redo the surgery. We are praising God for awesome doctors. One last blessing of the day before I sign off. We have a CD player in the room now and as it was playing "It is well with my soul", I looked at Whit and tears filled my eyes. Not just due to the powerful words in relation to all that has happened...but Whit was mouthing the words and singing softly along. Truly, it IS well with my soul!In Christ alone, Whit's thankful Dad Posted By : Newell Cerak
Newell, Colleen, Carly, and Whitney, I started following all of this soon after the accident and found the original blog started by Lisa VanRyn in early May. This story has touched my heart like none other that I have ever read. I check daily to see if I can find out about Whit's progress and she seems I'm so happy to hear that to be well on her way to recovery. My heart aches for the VanRyn family and while my thoughts and prayers are with all of you, it's also with them. Both of your families are so awesome and I hope and pray some sort of bond stays with both families. In one of the posts on the other blog I read about some things. A guy from Australia wrote that he wished he had what both of something that yourmade me think families had. In a way, I have the same feelings. Back in 1989, I lost my mother to a very long caand difficult battle with cancer. She was a strong, devoted Christian. It hurt me so much to see the way she suffered and I have to admit, I lost some of my faith. Just after Whitney's accident I lost my job of 23 years and felt like my world was crumbling down around me. Fortunatly, I have a strong Christian family so I do have some support. But as things developed with your situation, your family, and the VanRyns, it's somehow touched me. Instead of feeling sorry for myself and my current situation, my thoughts turned to yours. Somehow, my faith that I thought I had lost, has returned somewhat. I have a warm feeling inside me now that tells me that somehow, things are going to be alright in my life. As I sat here a few times reading about Whit and your family, sometimes in tears, I felt a warm, embracing feeling and I know that HE was here, comforting and encouraging me in some way. I now know I'll be ok, and that feels so good to me. I admire all of you so much and you will remain in my thoughts and prayers and even though we are miles apart, I somehow feel like I've found some new friends (even though we've never met) and for that I thank you. I especially thank your special daughter and Laura as well....they have touched me in a very special way. I also hope Whitney gets to see "Hunter" soon. I am a dog lover and understand how sometimes that special pet can warm the heart. Get well Whit!!!!! You and your family remain in my prayers. Alan B Pittsburgh, PA awb825@msn.com
Posted By Alan B, Pittsburgh, PA on 07-Jun-06
Wednesday, June 07, 2006 Whitney's day today was another good day, because it was simply another day we have had to enjoy her. She is back to eating her meals once more, eating most all that is put in front of her this last day. She turned her nose up at the fish sandwich but gobbled down the peanut butter and jelly and every milk shake she receives she enjoys like a good steak. We are praying that she continues to eat not only to be rid of the feeding tube but so she can more importantly keep up her strength. Her therapy takes its toll on her throughout the day which is understandable and expected as she is still so weak. But praise the Lord! She gets a little stronger each day it seems. She remains focussed a little more each time getting tired as she goes farther into each session. The staff here is doing a marvelous job. We are so overjoyed with all who are taking a part in Whit's recovery. This facility is more than we could have hoped for and we are so thankful that she was placed here. There is a very special place in our hearts for the folks here at Spectrum. Today she hopped a little more at the parellel bars and even turned around on her good leg with the help of her therapist. She has improved in her driving her own wheel chair up and down the hallways.The therapist did check to see if her ankle is flexing to which she gave a thumbs up even though it moved only a few degrees. But the thing that is so encouraging is that her mind seems to clear a little more each day. We are elated with each little hurdle that she comes upon and works hard to clear. It speaks for her character and the Lord's strength in her life. Now we understand that there is still a long,long way to go, yet we in our hearts jump for joy when she is able to endure more. Please know that her road up the mountain could take a long time so your continued prayers are still coveted by the family. Yet we are truly encouraged by her efforts. Our hearts ache when she says "I want to go home", knowing that that is exactly what we want. Please keep us in your prayers for patience through the long uphill process.Another blessing to report to you happened last night. We went to the dinning room once again to have dinner. We all grabbed hands as is a normal custom at the Cerak table, bowed our heads and listened as Whitney gave the thanks for the food we were about to eat. That did this father's heart so much good, I don't remember much of what she prayed...I was leaping for joy that her heart is still God's and always will be.We continue to pray for the VanRyn's. They are a kindred spirit with us. We sense their loss and know that their continued strength comes from partly from good friends. But it is God Himself who is sustaining them. As someone wrote us a line from a Ray Boltz song, "the anchor holds though the ship is battered". God is that anchor that continues to hold us firm in the storm.In Christ alone, Whitney's dad
Posted By : Newell Cerak 52 Comments
Timeline:
Associated Press
April 26
April 29
Cerak's 19th birthday passes, while the woman thought to be VanRyn remains in critical condition.
April 30
Funeral services are held for Whitney Cerak in Gaylord, Michigan
May 7
Taylor University holds a memorial service for the five killed in the accident. Cerak's older sister, Carly Cerak, also a student at Taylor, gives a remembrance speech in honor of her younger sister. The woman identified as VanRyn remains hospitalized.
May 18
The woman identified as VanRyn is transported to Spectrum Health Continuing Care in Grand Rapids, Mich., to be closer to family. VanRyn was from Caledonia, near Grand Rapids.
May 20
Lisa VanRyn, VanRyn's sister, walks in her place during Taylor University's commencement exercise held at the Wheeler Memorial Football Stadium. VanRyn receives a bachelor of arts degree and three posthumous degrees are awarded to seniors Bradley Larson and Elizabeth Smith, as well as junior Laurel Erb, all of whom died in the accident.
May 25
Lisa writes on a Web diary: "As Laura relearns how to express herself and tell us things that she needs or wants, it can be frustrating for her -- especially when she tries to say something verbally and we don't understand her."
Tuesday
After Spectrum staff was approached by the VanRyn family with concerns regarding the identity of their daughter, an exam of VanRyn's dental records did not match those of the patient at Spectrum.
Wednesday
Spectrum Health Center officials confirm that the woman believed to be Laura VanRyn is actually Whitney Cerak. The Web diary says: "Over the past couple of days, as (the patient) had been becoming more aware of her surroundings, she'd been saying and doing some things that made us question whether or not she was Laura ... We now know without a doubt, that this is Whitney."
June 4
A memorial service for Laura VanRyn is scheduled for 3 p.m. at Kentwood Community Church in Grand Rapids.
Sources: Detroit News research, http://lauravanryn.blogspot.com/ and Taylor University
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Article from Whitney’s Hometown Paper after the accident:
Indiana tragedy hits home: Semi jumped I-69 median to strike van By Michael Jones, Staff Writer
GRANT COUNTY, Ind. - Whitney E. Cerak, a 2005 graduate of Gaylord High School and standout athlete in three high school sports, was one of five Taylor University students and school employees killed Wednesday evening on Indiana's I-69 freeway when the school van they were riding in collided with a tractor-trailer which reportedly had crossed the median.
A Thursday news release from the Indiana State Police reported the crash occurred around 8:09 p.m. approximately 10 miles north of the main campus of the evangelical Christian college of 1,900 students in Upland, where the van with its nine occupants was returning from the school's Ft. Wayne campus.
The 18-year-old Cerak, daughter of Colleen and the Rev. Newell Cerak of Gaylord, and the four other victims, all passengers in the van, were pronounced dead at the scene. Four other occupants of the 1999 15-passenger Ford van were injured, as was the truck driver, identified by investigators as 37-year-old Canton, Mich. resident Robert F. Spencer. The injured were transported to area hospitals for treatment of injuries.
“I have been with the state police for 21 years and this was the most horrific crash I have ever seen,” Indiana State Police public information officer Sgt. Rod Russell said Thursday of the fatal wreck.
According to the new release, Spencer's vehicle, which was northbound on I-69 in Grant County between Ft. Wayne and Upland, crossed the median and collided with the southbound school van in which Cerak was a passenger.
The impact from the crash tore through the entire driver's side of the van causing several of the occupants to be ejected from he vehicle. The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
“It would be irresponsible at this point to even speculate what caused the driver of the semi to cross the median,” said Russell, who noted it would likely be several days before the department's accident reconstruction team would complete their
investigation.
The van driver and front seat passenger were both reportedly wearing seat belts. Russell noted because of the severity of the crash, seat belt usage of the other passengers was not able to be determined at this time.
Reports indicate the van was returning from Ft. Wayne where the five student employees and four food service employees had been setting up for a student scholarship banquet as part of inauguration activities for new college president Eugene Habecker.
For Whitney, the job was helping her pay her way through school.
Russell said once the crash report was completed it would be forwarded to the Grant County Prosecutor's office for review to determine if there would be any criminal charges forthcoming.
Taylor University senior Cammy Miller and close friend of Cerak said classes were canceled Thursday and a memorial service for the victims from Wednesday's crash was scheduled for Sunday night. “It left us all dazed,” Miller said Thursday of the tragedy. “The mood has been very somber on campus.”
Others killed, injured in crash:
In addition to the death of Whitney E. Cerak in Wednesday's fatal crash in Indiana, three other Taylor University students and one food services employee, all van passengers, were pronounced dead at the crash scene:
€ Bradley J. Larson, 22, Elm Grove, Wisc., student;
€ Elizabeth A. Smith, 22, Mount Zion, Ill., student;
€ Laurel E. Erb, 20, St. Charles, Ill., student; and,
€ Monica Felver, 53, Hartford City, Ind., school employee.
The drivers of both vehicles in Wednesday's crash and three passengers in the wrecked van were injured as a result of the accident. Their status as of Friday morning was:
€ Robert F. Spencer, 37, Canton, tractor-trailer driver, was air-lifted to Parkview Hospital. Condition status not known.
€ Vickie L. Rhodes, 54, Fairmount, Ind., van driver, school employee, was transported to Marion General Hospital where she was listed in stable-good condition.
€ Connie Magers, 50, Gas City, Ind., van passenger, school employee, was transported to Marion General Hospital and listed in stable-good condition.
€ Michele M. Miller, 43, Marion, Ind., van passenger, school employee was air-lifted to Parkview Hospital. Listed in fair condition
€ Laura J. Vanryn, 22, Caledonia, van passenger, student, was air-lifted to Parkview Hospital. Listed in critical condition.
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Whitney Cerak’s “Obituary” from 5/2/2006:
Whitney Erin Cerak
Whitney Erin Cerak, age 18 of Gaylord, died in a tragic car accident Wednesday, April 26, 2006 in Marion, Ind. She was born in Muncie, Ind. on April 29, 1987 to Newell and Colleen Cerak.
She lived a wonderful and full, but short life. She attended Gaylord Community Schools from kindergarten to 12th grade, where she made many friends and endeared herself to all. She was very active in sports, student government and the E-Free Youth Group.
She was a freshman at Taylor University where she was growing in love and knowledge of her Friend and Savior, Jesus Christ. She is now living with Him in Heaven.
She is survived by her parents, Newell and Colleen Cerak; sister, Carly; “sister” Sandra; and many relatives.
Funeral services for Whitney will be held on Sunday, April 30, at 3 p.m. from the Gaylord Evangelical Free Church. Visitation will be on Saturday at the Nelson Funeral Home from 3 to 8 p.m., and on Sunday at the church from 2 p.m. until the time of services.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Invisible Children through the Nelson Funeral Home, PO Box 1548, Gaylord, MI 49734.
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Pastor describes joyful reunion: "A small glimpse of heaven"
6/4/2006, 5:57 p.m. ET
By JOHN FLESHER The Associated Press
GAYLORD, Mich. (AP) — Hope and fear swirled in pastor Jim Mathis' mind as he accompanied Colleen Cerak down the hospital corridor toward the room where a young woman lay recuperating from a horrific automobile crash that had killed five people.
Were they really about to see 19-year-old Whitney Cerak alive, weeks after mourning her at a funeral and burying a body they thought was hers? If so, would she be badly "banged up?"
And how would the family of Laura VanRyn, who had stayed constantly by the young woman's side believing her to be theirs, cope with such a crushing blow?
"Just so many emotions," Mathis told nearly 1,000 rapt worshippers Sunday during a service at Gaylord Evangelical Free Church, where Cerak's father, Newell, is pastor of young adults.
In a sermon that moved many to tears and was punctuated by frequent "Amens" from the congregation, senior pastor Mathis described Wednesday's ecstatic reunion of one family and another's sorrowful but courageous acceptance that their daughter was gone.
Authorities acknowledged that a tragic error led them to identify Cerak, who survived the April 26 crash in Indiana, as VanRyn, 22. Cerak was temporarily in a coma from a brain injury; her face was swollen and her neck was in a brace.
As she recovered, the VanRyns began questioning whether she was really Laura. A check of dental records last week confirmed their suspicions.
Both young women were students at Taylor University, a Christian school in Upland, Ind.
Mathis said he was awakened around 2 a.m. Wednesday by a phone call from Colleen Cerak, who had been asked to rush her daughter Whitney's dental records to Spectrum Health in Grand Rapids. Newell Cerak was in New York with a church youth group.
Initially fearful of a cruel hoax, Mathis made phone calls to ensure the identity questions were genuine. Then he drove to Grand Rapids with Colleen Cerak and her daughter Carly. On the way, they called Newell Cerak and broke the stunning news.
Arriving before dawn, they met with a hospital official who began briefing them before Colleen Cerak interrupted: "I want to see my daughter."
The room was dark as they entered. The bed was covered with a mesh material that made it difficult to see the patient.
Choking with tears, Mathis said: "As we walked toward the bed, let me tell you, the closer we got ... total joy, folks. I wish all you could have been there. Total joy. It was obvious to her family who loved her that that's who it was. It was Whitney."
Colleen Cerak called Whitney's name. She opened her eyes.
"And for the next amount of time, I don't know what, it was just joy and tears and hugs," Mathis said. "It was so personal that I didn't think I should be a part of it, and I walked over to another part of the room and just wept tears of joy."
Then came a meeting with the heartbroken VanRyns. Mathis prayed for strength.
"The VanRyn family was wonderful" as they shared thoughts and memories, he said. "And the VanRyn family, in the midst of all their conflicting emotions, ministered to the Ceraks, and the Ceraks ministered to the VanRyns. And hear me, folks, God was there."
Newell Cerak arrived that night — "a scene I'll never forget," Mathis said.
"Whitney sat up in bed, reached out to her dad, called him by name. Newell ran to his daughter, threw her in his arms ... gave her a great big old bear hug. Both of them laughing, both of them weeping, both of them just sharing how much they loved each other."
It called to mind the resurrection of Jesus, he said.
"I saw a small glimpse of heaven," Mathis said — "the child being reunited in the arms of the heavenly father. Listen, my friend, don't be afraid of death. I've seen what awaits you."
The worshippers offered prayers of thanksgiving and sang hymns, some of which they had sung during Whitney's funeral.
Don Golinski, an usher, said he'd been taking attendance as Mathis spoke but had to stop, overcome with emotion.
"I believe that God has put something in motion; there's a reason behind all this," Golinski said. "He has a plan."
Meeting after the service, members of the senior high Sunday School class discussed how the events had strengthened their faith and said they longed to welcome Whitney Cerak home.
"It's going to be strange the first time I see her," said Kendra Sereno, 17. "We've gone through so much, we all thought she was dead. But I'm excited to see her."
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Thursday, June 08, 2006 "But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel, so that it has become evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my chains are in Christ; and most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak the word without fear." Philippians 1:12-14This portion of scripture written by Paul speaks to this entire event from the beginning and who knows where it will end. But the reason we quote it today is that we have seen that the things that have happened in, not only Whitney but, all those that have been affected by the tragedy, are things that have furthered the gospel of Jesus Christ. It has been and continues to be so amazing as to how God is using Betsy, Laurel, Laura, Brad, Monica as well as Whitney to cause others to come closer to God and in many cases meet Him for the first time. We see Him working through these lives and the families of these people to share the gospel message as did Paul. It has given to many the boldness to live for Christ, to share His love for them with others and to pray for all to come and experience the healing springs of God almighty.We continue to pray for the families of those who were lost, praying for the Lord to keep them in the palm of His hands. Only God can truly shore you up. Whitney had a hard time getting to sleep last night. Finally, she found the most comforting place with her mother, Colleen. It was satisfying to wake in the morning to see both Whit and Colleen sleeping peacefully side by side. It sometimes seems the morning comes to quickly but it is the start of the new day with our daughter and being able to watch her yawn and stretch makes it seem as though it didn't come quickly enough.Her day was a good one after the long night. During her ocupational therapy time they worked on her elbow extention and contraction. It hurt her but is necessary to get that joint to loosen up. She was given some homework following the painful time. The ladies said that she could work on it herself if she wanted to because she would know the limit of her pain. Later that day as she was resting in bed I noticed Whit was placing her right hand on her left arm giving it a push to extend it and giving a pull to contract it. I asked her what she was doing to which she replied, "going home sooner." Bless her heart and her dedication to her goal. The rest of the day was spent in more therapy, walks to the courtyard enjoying the sun, as well as playing Connect Four. When Whitney, Carly, Colleen and I were sitting out in the sun we were commenting on how well Whit had done during the day. Carly said she should be proud, but Whit shook her head, no. When she was aked why she wasn't proud she responded, "I want to do more." Her desire to get home is so strong that I pray she does not feel her progress should be moving faster and become disappointed. We are so proud of her continued moving ahead and couldn't ask for more. Please keep praying for her each day if we can ask that of you. You have all been so good to us, we are constantly humbled by your cards and emails telling us of your thoughts and prayers for us. We will always covet them as we have said before.Our God is still God and our trust rooted ever deeper in Him.In Christ alone, Whitney's dad Posted By : Newell Cerak
Friday, June 09, 2006 "Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say this - those he redeemed from the hand of the foe, those he gathered from the lands, from east and west, from north and south. Some wander in the desert wastelands, finding no way to a city where they could settle. They were hungry and thirsty, and their lives ebbed away. Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble and he delivered them from their distress. He led them by a straight way to a city where they could settle. Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men, for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things." Psalm 107:1-9 We are daily amazed at God's unfailing love. It will endure forever. And it is His amazing love that continues to keep us strong, we thank him so much for His faithfulness. His love and faithfulness stand to remind us that this is not about us but all about Him. He has a plan in motion that we do not fully know at this time. We are praying that we will follow Him by a straight way, we are praying that we will be sensitive to His leading and always open to be used by Him. We pray this for all those that have opened their hearts to Him in these days. What an amazing impact we all can have on this world if we simply open our hearts more and more to Him each day.We are thanking God for Whitney's restful night! She slept through the entire night. We had to wake her up or she would have slept on till noon as was her habit on weekends at home and I think at college too. She dressed herself this morning with a little help. She likes wearing her "First East Beast" shirt from her dorm wing at TU. Whit has told us several times how her dorm wing was champs in dodgeball and soccer. Whitney has been pointing out the hair on her legs and has been quite ready for a good shave. This morning she was given the opportunity to do just that and she did a great job.One other step forward for Whitney was using a four legged cane to walk during her physical therapy. She was able to hop again this time with the therapist holding up the leg with the cast. It was quite tiring but she did another great job. She keeps gaining more strength each day. It is so awesome to see her continue to put forth such a great effort. We were able to have a special lunch with her today. Colleen, Carly and I were able to sit in a smaller room just the four of us and have a chicken shiskabob lunch. Whitney loves it when we grill those out at home, so she devoured the lunch eating all her vegetables too. After lunch she rested before her afternoon therapy sessions. She has been doing so well with getting the rest she needs to improve, we are all so proud of her. She met with the neuropsychologist today and was able to engage him in a pleasant conversation about his vacation plans. She told him that it will be a great memory maker for him and his family. He was impressed with her marked improvement and looks forward to seeing her on his return. At dinner time she was able to sit and eat with her college roommate and three other friends. She has been able to sit and listen to more than one person at a time now which is a great indication of her moving ahead as well. She tires but not nearly as quickly as she had before. Praising God for this too!! Colleen enjoyed reading to her before they took a half hour walk. It was a very good day. Thanks again for your prayers. I am reminded daily of how the prayers of God's people are like sweet nector to our souls. Your faithfulness in praying has been such an inspiration to us all. We pray God's blessings for you. Another blessing for me today: I had to leave for the rest of the day. I was quite sad at the thought of leaving Whit even for an hour but as I leaned over to hug her goodbye I said "I am sorry I have to leave you, Whitney." To which she replied, "It's okay Dad. Don't worry. I'm okay." I couldn't believe it...my daughter was comforting me in the midst of her distress. I am truly amazed by God's strength that is running througth this young lady's life. She is a solid example to her family of His love and constant care. Again, thankyou all so much for your comments. They are such an encouragement to us all. You are forever in our hearts. God has granted us a tremendous view into His kingdom through all of you and it is good. In Christ alone, Whitney's Dad Posted By : Newell Cerak
Saturday, June 10, 2006 "But as for me,I will always have hope;I will praise you more and more. My mouth will tell of your righteousness, of your salvation all day long, though I know not its measure. I will come and proclaim your mighty acts, O Sovereign Lord; I will proclaim your righteousness, yours alone." Psalm 71:14-16Whitney had a good day and an emotional night. Weekends around here are very laid back. The usual 7:30 breakfast turned into a 9:30 breakfast. Carly read out loud and started our day with God. Whitney liked the quiteness of the morning and fell back asleep. We woke her up at noon when her lunch came because we were ready to go outside and enjoy the day. We ate outside then took a long walk. We came in and read cards. She smiled as we read the notes and remembered special things about the friends that wrote. She gave me a scare when helping her to the bathroom she fainted as she stood up. The nurses took her blood pressure and said it was normal to have this happen if you stand up to quickly after laying down. Whitney had a special treat when a friend who works here brought her some movies to watch. We haven't had a TV in the room so she was excited to watch a movie. We all settled in and watched the movie passing the time till Sandra, Matt and Newell would come back to the hospital. We were all gathered around the bed talking and having a great conversation. Whitney was happy and talking in full sentences when her mood got somber. She began to tell us that she was in a dream and she was waiting for her roommate to wake her up. She is now becoming more aware of lost time and can't fill in the blanks. This frightens her and was difficult to watch. The nurse assured us this was typical of somebody with TBI. We have so much to learn, continue to pray for us. Pray for Whitney as she gains more memory. Even through this hard time Whitney's humor showed for a second. We told her we were each going to pray for her and when her dad started praying she interupted and said "a short one". I've been nervous to write on the blog as I am not the writer of the family but I have so much love and thankfulness for all of you. I know your prayers are making a huge difference in our lives and how we handle each day. I also see the amazing day to day improvements. My hope continues to be firmly rooted in God.With love,Whitneys mom Posted By : Colleen Cerak
Sunday, June 11, 2006I was reminded of a song or two which are precious to me especially at this time in my life. The first song is an oldie but indeed a goodie. Just part of the chorus goes like this: "Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face. And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace." The second song goes like this: When I look into your holiness,When I gaze into your loveliness, When all things that surrond become shadows in the light of you.When I've found the joy of reaching your heart,When my will becomes enthroned in your love,When all things that surrond become shadows in the light of you.I worship you.....I worship you....The reason I live is to worship you.....I worship you.....I worship you....THE REASON I LIVE IS TO WORSHIP YOU.In the light of God's glory all this (the events of the past month)pales. We are here to honor and glorify Him. I know Whitney's life has, and I pray will continue to honor and glorify our Heavenly Father. May His named be praised for what He is doing through the lives of all. It is not about us...it is ALL about Him!! What this world has to offer is growing dim, it is only what is done for Christ that will last. Live for Him. This has been a tremendous source of encouragement and strength for us. Blessed be His holy name!Today was a good day! Every day that we are able to spend together is a good day and we thank God for the opportunity. Praise be to God almighty!!Whitney had a good restful day today. She is still asking about when she is going back to TU to finish her freshman year and when is summer going to start. We have to keep reminding her that she is not in a dream, that all she is experiencing is for real. It is those last several weeks of time that are missing from her memory and that cause her to feel it is all a dream and we are part of her dream. As we said last night, this is typical but hard to watch her go through. I know you are praying, I sense the Holy Spirit's presence in our lives ever stronger each day. Thankyou so much for caring for my family. It truly is a humbling experience - overwhelmingly humbling. God be praised.She has had a very good day despite the feeling of being in a dream. Today she wanted her eyebrows plucked and as it happened she kept saying "Ow!" But she did not want Colleen to stop - she thought she was sprouting a unibrow.Matt came by today as did Sandra. Time off from Spring Hill. It added to her upbeat day and was a welcome to us all. She has been able now to watch movies if she cares to and today she had us all watch with her the movie "Prince of Egypt". This was followed by some great conversation. Whitney is able to converse with us in complete sentences making absolutely great sense as she does. In the course of the chat she asked Matt a question, to which he could not remember what the answer was. Whitney's great sense of humor came out when she suggested that it was Matt who should be in this hospital, not her. She played Rummy with Colleen and even beat her at points once with her mom showing no mercy. We were quite impressed. For us it seems as though her thinking skills are improving in great bounds. For lunch she didnt want the hospital food. Instead she asked for a couple of hard tacos from Taco Bell. Her appetite is very healthy, I know because she wanted a Pepsi as well. She also took another long walk this evening. It has been so wonderful to see her endurance increasing.God continues to supply us all with His strength. I know there is no limit to His supply, at least we have not experienced it and I know we will not ever see the end of His graciousness. Another special blessing came this morning when it was just myself and Whitney in the room. The others had gone to church and Whit sat and listened as I read from the Bible. God's word is such a source of our strength. After reading I asked Whit if it was okay if we prayed and would she want to pray as well? Yes was the nod of her head and the word from her lips. I felt so much comfort and peace as I heard her pray for God to heal her so she could go home. Again with a strained voice I echoed what she said, so grateful to see her life still centered on Him.I would be remise if I didnt again thank you for your prayers. You are truly a blessing to us and to all the families effected. Please keep them in your prayers as will we. We are forever grateful.In Christ alone, Whit's dad
Monday, June 12, 2006 Job 8:21 "He will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy.Boy has God filled Whitney's mouth with laughter! All of our cheeks hurt after today. Starting late last night when she was going to sleep, she has had a serious case of the giggles. It has really boosted my confidence because she laughs at everything I have said. It is such a blessing for me to see how resilient she has been to having the news of the accident and mix-up largely revealed to her these past few days. She has had many questions and many tears, but then God has given her this amazing gift to smile and laugh. Many of the church staff from Gaylord came to visit my parents today and Whit was more than willing to greet them all. She had them smiling as she went around the circle saying all of their names. And we all got to see Jim Mathis speechless for the first time when she said goodbye to him in these words, "Thanks for speaking at my funeral." She really is approaching the situation with a light heart and it makes me so happy as it also makes me wonder. I wonder how much of it has actually set in, but even while it continues to become real to her, I can see how God is truly a God of healing, peace, and laughter. Posted By : Carly Cerak
On Wednesday, Whitney underwent leg surgery to improve her ability to stand. The Cerak family reports that Whitney’s surgery went very well. She now has a rod extending from below her knee to the ankle. Her recovery is remarkably fast, her abilities are quickly returning and she looks great! We praise the Lord for His abundant grace.Because of the nearly 110,000 hits to the website we have received over the last week, the former blog (hosted by another service) was timing out people's attempt to access. Because of this, we have changed services. We apologize that previous comments were not carried over.Pastor Sam Smith, Gaylord Evangelical Free
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Thursday, June 15, 2006
June 15, 2006
"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality." Romans 12:12-13We are so thankful for all of you that continue to pray for Whitney and for all involved in this situation. It is because of your united prayers that we are full of joy because of the hope found in Jesus Christ...that we are patient in this recovery road with Whitney...and our prayers combined with yours help us to remain faithful. We feel that you are sharing with us in a way that the world does not know. We want to apologize for not updating in the past couple of days. There was a technological difficulty that prevented us from posting. So, today we will bring you up to date.On June 13, Whitney had another good day. Her strength and endurance have remarkably increased. She started off the day slowly, telling the nurses that she is not really a morning person. After breakfast it was therapy sessions again. She made sandwiches for her Dad and Matt - one a chicken and ham with mayo and one ham and cheese with miracle whip. Then for herself she made a PBJ. She handled it all beautifully.In the afternoon we learned how to transfer Whit from her wheelchair to our Suburban. We all did pretty good, good enough that if all goes well with her surgery the doctor might give permission for some time off campus. It could be a glorious Father's Day!Her short term memory keeps improving. She surprises us with what she remembers from the day before. She keeps reminding us of her surgery as well as little facts she was told 24 hours earlier. It is not totally there (short term memory) but each day gaps get smaller.She had a surprise today. She was on a walk with Matt when Lisa VanRyn came by to see Carly. Carly had visited with her earlier and wanted to be able to say goodbye to Lisa before Lisa heads up to the U.P. to help at summer camp. While we were talking Whitney came into the room and was introduced to Lisa. Due to what we are told is post traumatic amnesia, Whit did not recognize her. It was a pleasant conversation with the two realizing they had at least two things in common, Spring Hill and Taylor U. We were glad for the encounter between these two women. Lisa and her family mean so much to us. When the time is right and presents itself to us, we want Whit to know this awesome family who cared for her in those difficult weeks. VanRyns - we want you to know that we are indebted to you - we want you to know we are constantly praying for you. You are part of our family in the Lord. That night Whit wanted to see the magazine with her picture on the front. So we showed her and she began to ask questions. She wants so to fill in any gaps. She found out for the first time that there were more just one life lost that night. When she found out the only response was a soft, sorrowful "Wow", repeated over and over. That night before sugery she had a very hard time sleeping, trying to digest all that she had learned. She wanted Colleen to lay beside her and rub her back and somehow her mother's touch helped her through it that night. I know you are...but please keep praying for her as she comes more and more to grip with the reality of her situation.They got us up at 5:00am on Wednesday and Whit had her surgery at about 9:00. Doctor Ringler said that it went as well as he hoped for and that his goal for her is still to be as good a new. Soon she will be playing dodgeball again for her wing, pitching softballs for her coed team, and running down the soccer field. We are praising God for this as well. She had a good night resting from her ordeal in the surgery room and is scheduled to be released from the hospital today if all goes well. Then it will be back to Spectrum Continuing Care and back to therapy for her leg. But the doctor says that in two weeks she will probably be walking on it. Today he says she is able to put as much presure on her leg as she can stand. Tremendous progress! We are again sorry for the delay in the update but so thankful for God's faithfulness in all of this. PS...Colleen, Carly and Sandra are doing very well, thanks for asking.In Christ alone, Whit's dad
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June 15, 2006 " But encourage one another daily..."
"But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness. We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first." Hebrews 3:13-14It is so obvious to us that you encourage us daily. We have through the Holy Spirit been held up in this time in our lives and we owe that to the prayers of God's children...those who have accepted the gift of His son Jesus Christ. We can all share in Christ if we hold firm to the belief that there is only one God and no other. That it is He that has made us and not we ourselves. My prayer for you tonite is that you understand the truth of God and come to know His Son personally.We continue to be undergirded by your thoughts and prayers. We were discussing tonight with some friends from Mississippi, that with all of the prayers being offered up to God on Whitney's behalf, she is already safe in His care. I am so thankful that she made the decision to accept what Christ did for her, on the cross. That decision is the biggest she has ever made or will ever make. I dont have to pray to God for her safety because I know she is safe in Him forever more. So as you pray know that it is being answered as God gives her more strength for each new day. And as you pray, pray for the safety of those who do not know Christ as their Savior and Lord. Pray that they are safe till one day they make that decision to accept Him. The day was topped off with a sweet homecoming of sorts. Whit made it back to the Spectrum Continuing Health Center. She had a big smile on her face and was able to relax in her old bed. The leg is doing well. She has some pain still after surgery but is doing so good. She ate well and is drifting off to sleep having had a long day in the Spectrum Butterworth Hospital. We want to thank all the staff there for their care and watching over our daughter. Tomorrow is back at it day. Back to therapy. We pray she gets a great nights sleep.In Christ alone, Whitney's dad
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Friday, June 16, 2006
June 16, 2006
"You will seek me and find me when you seek me with ALL of your heart." Jeremiah 29:13This is my favorite verse. I love it because I used to seek God when it was convient, when I needed something, when it made me look good or to please my parents. When I was in college I gave God ALL of my heart and the fun began. The games were over and God has been there for me in the good times and the hard times.Today was a quiet day for Whitney. She had a great nights sleep and woke up looking forward to getting her stomach tube out. It was painful but she is so happy to have it out. Because of the pain medication, she was tired but still did her 3 sessions of therapy in the morning and afternoon. Her therapists were all glad to have her back and her OT's even had a special project for her that we will tell you more about another day. Sandra pampered her by cutting her toenails and painting them. What a sister.Whitney had a few special visitors but also needed alot of rest. We read cards then she wanted to call her grandma to wish her Happy Birthday. She ended her day watching "Dodgeball" with Carly and Newell,it was good to hear the laughter.The most exciting news of the day was that we were approved to have a short leave on Sunday. We have wonderful friends that are going to grill a steak special for Whitney. It is going to be the best Fathers Day ever.With love,Whitneys mom
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Saturday, June 17, 2006
June 17, 2006 " And I pray that you..."
"And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge - that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God." Ephesians 3:18-19We have power together with all the saints but we have yet to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ. We are constantly impressed and hold in awe the wonder of God Himself. It is too much to behold yet it is sufficient enough for our needs here on this earth. We are held in His loving care and know that as we have taken time to look back and see His hand holding us up throughout our entire life. But it is indeed very evident at this specific time. We continue to thank God for His faithfulness.Today was a great day for Whitney. She had a good nights sleep after a couple of short nights due to her surgery. She and her sister Carly had a sister night last night giving Colleen and I our first night away. But we realized that we missed Whit so much that we couldn't wait to get back to her as soon as possible. She looked so beautiful when we opened the door and she smiled a 'good morning' to us. She had a therapy session in the morning. Her left arm is becoming more and more flexible as time has gone by and today she tossed a ball with it, caught with it, and began to push off with it. Her knee that gave her such a difficult time the first night back, is now less painful. Today she had her first therapy with that as well...the range of movement is very, very good (at least to us). Today was a special day for Whit as two very good friends from TU came by and brought her Chicago pizza. Brad and Matt showed up at lunch time and made Whitney's cheeks hurt from all the smiling and laughing. It was the therapy she needed after being so tired from all the medication she had to take. She is amazing with how her wit is so sharp even now. We look forward to tomorrow with great anticipation. No one is more excited than Whit except possibly me. The steak, she can almost smell. The strawberries and ice cream, cause her a big satisfied smile even before she parttakes in them. I pray that the ride will not be too much for her and tires her out so that she can't enjoy the day out. But God has brought Whit this far, so tired or not it will be blessing for us all simply to be together.Many of you have wondered about the past Mother's Day for Colleen. While it was a sad at that time, some very good friends of ours took us out to eat and we had a wonderful time. After youth group that Sunday night, Colleen had the opportunity to lead a young girl to Jesus Christ. We shared that with Carly on the phone who then said, "What a great Mother's Day present that Whitney has given you, Mom. Even from Heaven she has reached out to you." That was a very special present that made Colleen tear up and smile. Although sad at the time, what joy to know that God had used Whit's life to touch another.God bless you all. And Happy Father's Day. To Don VanRyn and the Larsons, Smiths, Erbs, and the Felvers my prayers are with you as your children share in this day with you. What a blessing to know that Laua and her friends are safe in the arms of their Heavenly Father.In Christ alone, Whit's dad
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Sunday, June 18, 2006
June 18, 2006 "Do not let your hearts be troubled."
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” John 14:2-3Today, in light of Father’s Day, I am reminded of our Heavenly Father. He loves us unconditionally. He loves us in spite of our short comings and our sins. His love surpasses all that we can understand. In that while we were still sinners and in need, He sent His only Son to die for us. What a tremendous display of love for His creation. Christ gave His life for us and will one day come back for us because He loves us so much. What a tremendous show of love for His children, those that love Him and have given their life to Him. I thank God for His love. I am reveling in the day today. It has been a gorgeous day for Whitney. After a good nights sleep (another sister night) Whitney gobbled up her breakfast. After which we spent some very good time as a family in reading God’s word and praying. It was special to listen as Whit prayed for God to forgive her sin and then praying for those families that have suffered so in this event. We headed to our friends for the afternoon,Colleen, Carly, Laisa (Sandra is at Spring Hill), and Whitney. We transferred Whit into the Suburban and she smiled as we drove down the road listening to Guster, one of her favorite singing groups. At our friends’ home we were greeted by their Black Lab, Kirby, who bumped her with his back end so she would scratch it. The smell of steak coming from the front porch was all we needed to head in and sit around the table. Whitney ate a nice big piece of steak and a helping of mashed potatoes. Then after the great meal, Whitney presented me with a cake that she made all herself. I was truly impressed with that and the card she personally made. I have to tell you what it said, it was so precious, so please indulge me. Inside the card were these words: “Dad, Happy Father’s Day. I’m glad I got to see you again! Good thing I did, huh Dad? Isn’t my card better than Sandra’s and Carly’s? I think it is and I am not away this summer. I love you, Dad.Love, Whitney.” Well, I have to tell you this dad’s heart swelled and my eyes filled with tears. I thank God for this time that He has given to me to spend with my girls Whitney, Carly and Sandra. God has blessed me in ways that are so hard to put into words. In spite of me He has blessed me and I am humbled in His presence.We are praying for a good day tomorrow after such a busy, love filled time today. I pray you had a good day with your children as well. God bless.In Christ alone, Whitney’s dad
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Monday, June 19, 2006
June 19, 2006 "Has not my hand made all these things?"
" Has not my hand made all these things, and so they came into being?" declares the Lord. "This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word." Isaiah 66:2We are continuing to thank God for His mercy and His grace. Grace that goes beyond my human comprehension. Grace that even in spite of my sins and my short comings, covers me over with love and forgiveness. I thank Him each day for His amazing grace, without it I am nothing. The days seem to be stacking higher and higher in favor of Whitney. This was another good day today and we praise God for it. After an awesome Father's Day Whit had a hard time getting to sleep but when she did, she slept great. We are so thankful for those good sleeping times because we know that in those times her brain gets to rest and recover. This day of therapy was another sweet step for her. She was able to traverse the length of the parallel bars, twice, while holding herself up with BOTH arms. Yes, she is able to put weight on the elbow that was damaged in the accident and hop the entire length both times. What a praise! Oh, it tired her out but she was smiling at the end.Then later she was given an different wheelchair and practiced getting herself into it from a bench seat. She did a couple practice runs and then wheeled back to her room. When she got there she was able to transfer from the chair to her bed with me simply smiling and watching. It was a joy to behold. Holly her very good friend was there to witness the event and got to spend the afternoon. She and Whit had a great time swapping stories and finding out what had been going on in each other's life. Whitney had a special afternoon then as well. She and a few others from the Center went on a little outdoor adventure to get some ice cream. The therapists gave her some cash to purchase ice cream and when her turn came she gave her order, paid for it and asked for the receipt. Wow! Not sure she ever asked for a receipt before!! I loved it. This evening she had a great time at dinner with her roommate from college. They then sat in her room, Whitney, Emily and Carly and chatted about college and all their friends. She is doing so well conversing making great eye contact and now has more inflextion in her voice than before. We thank God for you who are praying for not only our situation but all those involved in the accident. We add our prayers with yours and as we do God continues to use this for His good.Thankyou again, from our hearts.In Christ alone, Whitney's proud earthly father
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Newell, Colleen, Carly, Sandra and WHITNEY,Hi. I was out of town the last 5 days at a family wedding and was really missing "the blog." In fact, I kept thinking about wanting to get home to get updated on how all of you were doing.It still amazes me how this story has touched so many people as well as how it's touched me personally.GO WHIT!!! Keep up the good work!!Al B.Pittsburgh, PA
10:51 AM
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Tuesday, June 20, 2006
June 20, 2006 "However, I consider my life worth nothing..."
"However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me - the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace." Acts:20:24That is our prayer tonight. That we finish the task that we have been called to do. That all of us that have believed and are saved, never shrink back from spreading the gospel. This event has given a new boldness to share Jesus Christ and because of God's work in all of us, many are coming to know Him as their Savior and Lord. We are not always sure of what direction God wants us to take but we are certain that He wants us to live our entire life to honor and glorify Him. Let's continue to pray that more will know what we know as the truth. The one and only truth. God's truth.Whitney had that great night sleep that some were praying for and we saw the results in her therapies today. She worked hard and pushed herself as always. Today she did something new again. She walked (or hopped) with the aid of a walker, doing it mostly all herself. Colleen or I walked behind her to make sure she didn't fall, but she walked about 60' with little or no help. WOW! Praising God again! She now is somewhat independant of us in that she can get in and out of bed without our help; and now she can walk to the restroom and back solo as well. We are going to have to guard the door soon so she doesn't start for home too soon.Her speech therapy is going very well, too. She is getting beyond concrete thoughts and describing things that she sees in pictures; describing in depth too. Thankyou God! Someone said from our church office that they are predicting her return to Gaylord by Alpenfest. Not sure that will happen but with God, we are not ruling anything out! We would be fools to! God is way bigger than I can think or dream...so as the Bible says, all things are possible with God, and so we believe.One thing to make you aware of so you can pray. In Whitney's healing leg, there is some infection that has set in. When she had her surgery last week, Dr. Ringler took a culture and had it analized. It showed some infection and right now it appears they can handle it with medicine taken by the mouth. We are praying that the antibiotics will clear it all up.Thankyou from our hearts. In Christ alone, Whitney's dad
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Wednesday, June 21, 2006
June 21, 2006 " Throught Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer..."
"Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise - the fruit of lips that confess His name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased" Hebrews 13:15-16What tremendous verses! Let us continually confess His name, the name of God almighty, the creator of heaven and earth. This is how we praise our Lord and Savior and King. We want to be careful to give God the praise for all He has done and continues to do in and through us as well as our Christian brothers and sisters the world over. We honor God with doing good and sharing with others. Sharing not only of what we have been blessed with but also sharing the great news of salvation. We want to honor Him today with our lives. Pray for God's strength as we join our hearts together, with Christians everywhere, to make a difference for Him.God is indeed good! As many of you have said, even in the midst of this unbelievable situation God continues to use it for His good. The comments of how God is changing lives and hearts is so encouraging and we thank you for what you are all sharing. When we share these things with Whitney, she simply says, "wow". It is blessing her and giving her strength. Thanks from the Ceraks.She had a quiet good day today. It seems evident to me that she has been a little more on the tired side the past couple days. We are aware that this could be due in part to the infection that has set in her leg. She is taking antibiotics orally and we are meeting with the doctor of infectious diseases tomorrow. We are praying that this is the only medication she will need in regards to this situation. Her therapies went well. She played solitare on the computer and did well. Her strength gains a little more each day. Her range of motion in her elbow has improved a lot, and she keeps working on it as she lays in her bed. Today, she had a couple of friends over to visit which brightened her day. Whitney sat at dinner eating pizza and laughing with her friends and family. Even though she had started the day off slowly and tired, she ended it with good fellowship and now rest. Thanks again for your prayers offered up for the other families involved. The Erbs, the Larsons, the Smiths, the VanRyns and the Felvers. We are amazed at our God and His people.In Christ alone, Whit's dad
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Thursday, June 22, 2006
June 22, 2006
“I lift up my eyes to the hills- where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip- he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord watches over you- the Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all harm- he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.” Psalms 121I have had a great day watching Whitney. I have enjoyed ever minute of it. Watching her gives me such joy. Watching as she shot baskets in therapy brought back memories of many evenings watching her play sports growing up. Watching her hop on her foot in therapy brought back memories of her learning to walk. Watching her play brain games on the computer in speech therapy reminded me of playing “memory” and games growing up. She had great therapy time and I loved sitting back with Newell and watching.Whitney had a doctor’s appointment for the staff infection in her leg and thank you for your prayers because it is able to be treated by oral medication.Whitney also had friends visiting her today and it was fun watching them talk and laugh and hang out like girls do best.It’s been a quiet night. Newell and Whitney have been playing brain games, I’m not sure whose winning, but they are having fun and again I am having fun watching.At the end of today I thought about God watching me his daughter and wondering if he had as much fun watching me as I did Whitney. Did my actions make him proud the way I was so proud of Whitney? I am so thankful for the unconditional love God has for me. “Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom.” Psalms 145:3. Don’t forget God is watching over you too. With love,Whitney’s mom
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Saturday, June 24, 2006
June 24, 2006 "Without weakening in his faith..."
“Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead - since he was about 100 years old - and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. 20. Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, 21. Being fully persuaded that God had power to do what He had promised.” Romans 4:19-21I was looking for a different verse but saw a star in the margin next to this verse and a star next to the footnote explaining this verse. The footnote: verse 19 - Abraham had some anxious moments but God did not count these against him. Faith does not refuse to face reality but looks beyond all difficulty to God and His promises. Verse 20 - because Abraham had faith to believe that God would do what He promised. Whereas works are man’s attempt to establish a claim on God, faith brings glory to him.I like these verses because I have had my anxious moments-I will tell you about one in a moment- but in every one either through His word or encouragement of family and friends God’s promises have been true. My faith has been strengthened and I see each day it is God’s power in me and He deserves all the glory. Whitney had another day of great accomplishment. She hopped up a curb using her walker, she easily transferred herself from wheelchair to bed or chair. She practiced some of the same games on the computer and the improvement is remarkable and substantial. Her math calculations have also gotten faster. We were given a weekend leave from the hospital. In order for us to do so, I needed to be able to give her a shot that she receives nightly. After some training, it was my turn for real. Whitney dislikes this shot because she has to take it in her belly and it stings. She usually asks one of us to hold her hand and distract her as she receives it. Today it was just me and Dan, one of the nurses. I got ready, Whitney looked at Dan and asked him to hold her hand. I was as frightened as she was but I did it successfully that they trust me enough to do it on my own tomorrow when we are away from the center. Whitney, Carly and I left the hospital and were joined by Sandra, Tara, Matt and DJ. We ate dinner and listened to camp stories. I am so proud of them for allowing God to use them as counselors at camp. Spring Hill has great memories for Carly and Whitney, it was there during their growing up years that they felt closest to God. Some family friends came over and brought the dvd “Chronicles of Narnia”. We talked, ate popcorn and relaxed till late. What a perfect Friday night! As I helped Whitney climb into bed, I thanked God for His faithfulness, power and love. With love, Whit’s mom
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Sunday, June 25, 2006
June 25, 2006 "We were under great pressure..."
"We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life...but this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God...On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers." 2Corinthians 1:8b-11aWe are reminded by Paul as he writes to the Corinthians, that we are to rely not on ourselves and what we bring to the table, but to rely on God and Him only. In that chapter he tells us that God has delivered in the past and He will deliver us again. We have set our hope that He will be true to His word. And you know what? He has never failed to give strength where needed; He has never failed to forgive us when we have sought His forgiveness for our sin; and He has never left us at any time in the good or bad of life. I find comfort, at times, in songs that I know from my memory. One song that has been in my head here of late is this:He is able, more than able, to accomplish what concerns me today...He is able, more than able, to handle anything that comes my way...He is able, more than able, to do much more than I could ever dream...He is able, more than able, to make me what He wants me to be.He continues to teach us as we go through this time. He continues to show His mercy and His love. He continues to stretch our faith. He continues to make us what He wants us to be...if we are willing to let Him work. We combine our prayers with yours for each of us to keep trusting in Him.Whitney had a great weekend. Thanks for your prayers. The time away was amazing for her phyical self and her mental self. She got up early to say goodbye to Tara, Sandra, and Matt as they headed back to Spring Hill. Then laid down again for some more sleep. We have told you she is not a morning person, so the weekend lended itself to her sleeping in as of old. A very good friend of hers is back from Equador and came by with her family to say hi. Whit loved seeing Amy and it did her so much good. They sat and talked and laughed, just what the doctor ordered. Then back to the Continuing Care Center. She worked on a 'word search' doing quite well and then relaxed to the 'Sound of Music'. She is now fast asleep, getting the sleep she needs for the routine of the week tomorrow. We thank you again for all the comments and prayers. God bless!!In Christ alone, Whit's dad
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Monday, June 26, 2006
June 26, 2006
"I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the Lord sustains me." Psalm 3:5God continues to give strength and support through His grace. He is sustaining us each and everyday. Without Him we would be lost. Whitney has had another good day. After returning here yesterday from her weekend away she got a good night's sleep. In the morning she returned to her therapies, improving from what she was able to accomplish on Friday. Using the walker she walked from the little gym down the hallway, I a not sure how far it was but it was the most she has walked since using the walker. Her arm strength increases through the therapy. She lays in bed and asks to have her leg and arm stretched. She so wants to become independant. She played the basketball game, 'Pig' while balancing on her right leg and did an awesome job. In the afternoon there was more work on her leg movement. Her files keep getting put back in place in her speech therapy. It is such a joy to watch. Three friends came by today at different times and visited. Her conversation keeps getting better and better. She is engaging and very pleasant to talk with. Her smile keeps radiating her warmth and improvement. One thing we forgot to tell you about Friday. She had two visitors. Don and Lisa VanRyn ate lunch with us. It was a sweet reunion although Whitney does not remember them. She knows that they are the family that took care of her for first 5 weeks, and it was good of them to come and share some of that lost time with her. They are such awesome people and Whitney will always know about what they did for her. We continue to lift them up in prayer for God's strength to support and comfort them. What a tremendous showing of God's love through this wonderful family.Tomorrow, Whit gets her leg checked on to see if it has healed correctly and if that cast can come off. If it all goes as hoped for, she will be fitted with a walking boot that she can put all her weight on. This is amazing! She is moving ahead at a steady pace. And we are praising God for His goodness.Thanks be to God for you all.In Christ alone, Newell
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Tuesday, June 27, 2006
June 27, 2006 "Praise the Lord, O my soul."
"Praise the Lord, O my soul. I will praise the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live...Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God, the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them - the Lord, who remains faithful forever." Psalm 146:1-2; 5-6We marvel at God's faithfulness. He is and always will be here for us. Please know the God of Jacob, the same God that we serve and worship this very day. Our hearts still choose to say...blessed be the name of our Lord.Today turned out to be a blessed day. Whitney got a good nights sleep with Colleen sleeping in the room as well. I think knowing she is there puts Whitney's mind at ease and puts her at peace. The power of a mother's love! She headed into her therapy with great energy and purpose. In her physical therapy she accomplished a feat of sorts. She walked using the walker...and she walked... and she walked. She hopped for more than 250'. That is truly amazing when you realize that she began to learn how to do this just last week. Her arms and shoulders are getting stronger and her balance is quite excellent. It is what she needs to do so that she no longer has to receive those shots in her belly. If she can continue to do this for a few days in a row she will succeed. She did go to the doctor's today. This was to check on her leg and see if she could begin to walk on it with all her weight. Good news is that her leg is healing properly...the bone is straight and the joint is perfect. The only set back is that she has to keep off the leg for 4 more weeks. (So the necklaces have to stay on for while more, VanRyns, sorry.) Whitney was somewhat disappointed but is in good spirits in spite of the situation. She is now wearing a removable boot which makes it possible to shower and to work her ankle. Some good news in addition that has kept her spirits up is that she found out today that she has offically completed her freshman year at TU. We are praising God for that bit of news and Whitney was excited to hear. Carly was a welcomed sight for Whit this evening, it is amazing how sisterly love can help to make each of them stronger. God keeps amazing us with His faithfulness. We are thankful beyond words.In Christ alone, Whit's dad
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Wednesday, June 28, 2006
June 28, 2006 "Great is the Lord..."
"Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom. One generation will commend your works to another; they will tell of your mighty acts. They will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty, and I will meditate on your wonderful works." Psalm 145:3-7We are praising God continuially. Every time we see Whitney increase in any area we give thanks. Every day we spend with her is a blessing. We can not fathom His greatness but we know He is worthy of all our praise. Before I start tonight I need to thank some very special people. We want to thank all of the staff at Spectrum Continuing Care Center. We would love to thank you all by name but we dont want to leave anyone out. So the biggest thank you to ALL of you. You all made this part of Whitney's recovery and stay, so great. The way you give...your hearts...your love for all the patients...is so evident and such an encouragement. And to the other patients that Whitney met...thank you for being sweet to her. God bless you as you continue your therapy there. It is an awesome place, you couldnt be treated better. From our hearts...a deeply indebted thankyou. We love you for who you are - extrodinary care givers and therapists. Grand Rapids...you are fortunate to have such a place!!We, tonight, are coming to you from a new address. Whitney is now under the care of the Hope Network, Grand Rapids Rehabilitation Services. You can look at the Gaylord E. Free Church website to see the address. Whit said her goodbyes yesterday and today...she had a special lunch and loved the entertainment the staff provided. (the milkshake dance was especially loved by Whitney and all of us.) Then today we packed up and left for the next step in her recovery. She is so excited and loves the room she has...she says is so big. In just a very short time here, the staff has made the transition smooth...already working on Whit's ankle...time in speech therapy...and an appointment with the neuropsychologist. The differences from her first meeting to this are huge! We had almost forgotten how she struggled and to see the changes at this time was astounding and so enjoyable. Wecloming back 'files' to the correct 'folders'. I have gone on too long...I am sorry...but Whitney is excited and so are we! She has that look in her eyes that says I am going to work hard to make home the next step. Your prayers are so uplifting and needed. Thank you so very much. We continue to meld our prayers with yours, for all the other folks; the Erbs, the Smiths, the Larsons, the VanRyns, the Felvers as well as for Whitney. Keep Vickie in your prayers too please.We are meditating on His wonderful works. His touch goes out to so many. His Holy Spirit is working. Praise God for lives changed!!In Christ alone, Whitney's dad
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Friday, June 30, 2006
June 30, 2006 "Now have come the salvation..."
"Now have come the salvation and the power the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ. For the accuser (Satan) of our brothers, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down. They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death." Revelations 12:10-11 NIVPraise God for His saving salvation!! As we sit with Whitney and talked, she has mentioned on several occasions her concern for people to know Christ as Savior and Lord. Christ intervenes on our behalf before God the Father each and everyday. Satan has no power over us anymore because death can not keep us from the love of God. If we know Christ as our personal Savior and Lord then we do not shrink from death. We do not love our lives here on this earth so much that we do not look forward to the day when we are with Him. Even though we have this time with Whitney here on this earth our eyes are still on Heaven and God's glory. What a day that will be!! Our meeting those who have gone on before us to Heaven. That is the hope we hold to. That is going to be one fine reunion! God be praised!!!I just want to let you know that Whitney is responding well to her new digs. Hope Network - Sojourners - is somewhat like a dorm setting. She and her sister are roommates of sorts and it is what Whit needs at this time! We again thank God for places like Hope! She is becoming more and more independant...still a long way to go...but the progress is still on the up slope. Her first full day was a long day and it tired her out. She started early (for her) in the morning, around 8:30am and was in therapy till about 4:30pm. She is such a hard worker but she finally had to say "uncle". lol She was able to hop with her walker over 100' in the morning and combined 162' in the afternoon. She so wants that needle to the belly to stop soon as possible. She enjoyed lunch out today with two of her therapists...had an omlett (?) and a cinammon role. She moves about easier than ever...getting in and out of bed; going to the bathroom; going to the kitchen and her therapies on her own. She is really becoming the independant lady that we knew from before...still a ways to go though. Two of our very close friends came by to visit and brought strawberry shortcake. Whit loved that and ate very well. Then she went to sleep a little earlier and slept like a log. She is improving greatly for which we continue to praise God! She has a way to go, however, in getting her brain to function as before, but the therapies have been awesome and it is such a joy to see her growth from week to week and day to day. She would say that she hasnt made that much improvement but when she got to see the differences in her writing she was amazed that it was she that wrote that scribble before. Please continue to pray for her healing. We thank God for all the prayers on her behalf.We also thank God for the prayers being offered daily on all the other's behalf as well. We want you also to know that we pray for those who ask for prayer in their comments too. We are amazed at what God can do...we probably shouldnt be amazed but we ARE!In Christ alone, Whitney's dad
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Saturday, July 01, 2006
Sunday, July 02, 2006
July 2, 2006 "Not that we are competent in ourselves..."
"Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God." 2Cor. 3:5"Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain." Psalm 127:1We are so thankful that God is our Lord and that He is watching over us. We are nothing apart from Him. We have no super power or strength...our strength comes only from Him and His Holy Spirit who is within us. ALL praise is due HIM!!Whitney has been enjoying a lot of good sleep for which not only is she thankful but so are we. This morning both she and her sister were able to sleep in. Whit has been waiting to be able to do this for a week and she savored every minute of it. We were able to take her away for the weekend again! So together we have enjoyed a very relaxing day. After a lazy morning and eating a good breakfast…it was stretch those joints time, to which Whit rose to the challenge. She is the one that normally says, “Hey, can we work on my ankle or can we work on my elbow?” She doesn’t always like the stretch due to the pain but she knows it is a good thing for her. She keeps a stiff upper lip and counts along. Following that there were devotions…and getting ready for the day out. Today we had the chance to go and visit with some of Matt’s family. The drive wasn’t too long and the day turned out to be great…sun shining and the wind died down some. She was driven around on a golf cart at this Christian camp Matt attended in his formative years. She really enjoyed herself as did we all. Her spirits are very good right now…not having to think of therapy and a little distraction were just what she needed. The one thing she wanted to see was fire works but due to the wind it didn’t happen. Maybe Tuesday!The family enjoyed the day outside after having been inside for much of the last several weeks. It is so good to see Whit smiling and having some fun. Then back to our haven of rest. After devouring some strawberry shortcake, for the second day, followed by a root beer float…and then some more stretching…all are fast asleep. We are hope you get to enjoy the holiday. The fourth has always been a great time for us, we all like the fireworks. As we headed back from our visit away, the sun was setting in the west. It was spectacular! The clouds covered part of the sun as we looked in the sky…there were rays of sunlight shining out past the clouds, as we looked we remembered this was our first (seeing a sunset with Whitney) since the accident. It brought tears of joy to my eyes and also tears of sorrow for those who do not get to see it with their loved ones on this side of Glory. But what a sunset must be on the other side of Glory!! And I look with great anticipation to that first sunset and sunrise with God Himself, that some of our number have already gotten to enjoy.
Monday, July 03, 2006
Wednesday, July 05, 2006
July 5, 2006 "Because of the Lord's great love..."
“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning, great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for Him.” Lamentations 3:22-24 NIVGod is ever faithful and we wait on Him for our hope is in Him. And His compassions are new every day, what God has done for us in the past He will do for us again and again. He continues to uphold us in His grip. Even in the midst of our strife and trials He is with us. Praise be to God, the creator of heaven and earth!!We are not great parents by any means. We have stumbled along as many have. We trust God and His word! And while we have made and will make mistakes and sin, the one thing we ought always try to avoid is taking our eyes off Him. With the Holy Spirit’s help we can keep looking up to God. We will continue to experience His forgiveness and mercy as we move along. Holidays are great! You get to sleep in and change your routine for a few hours or maybe a few days. Today Whitney got to do one of her favorite things again…sleep in. When she did get up we had a great family breakfast time together. After some more rest we had a visit from Jen who was on her way to Chicago. Then we loaded up for a fireworks show. Our very good friends took us out on their boat at Grand Haven. Whitney’s anxious anticipation was satisfied with a spectacular show. We were able to get the front row on the river (if you can do that in a boat) and it seemed as though we were right under the fireworks. Feeling every whoosh and explosion as they shot up and covered us in a bright colored glow was an awesome experience. Whit’s smile was the best glow to look at and we counted our blessing again and again. It did turn into a very late night before we got back, but according to Whitney, “It was worth it.” It was a fabulous 4th of July, one we will not forget. It was good to see her enjoy herself…it was good to see her smile and eat caramel popcorn.We pray you had a good holiday. We are finding that just another day is a good day – holidays or not. Another day here on earth is another day to live for Christ and to praise Him.You are in our prayersIn Christ alone, Whitney’s dad
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Thursday, July 06, 2006
Friday, July 07, 2006
July 6, 2006 "And whatever you do..."
“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” Colossians 3:17 NIV“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” Colossians 3:23-24 NIVAs we watch Whitney work hard each day in her therapies we are seeing this in action. Whitney is committed to Jesus Christ, for which we will be eternally thankful. And as we listen to her pray for those involved in the accident as well as those who don’t know her Christ as Savior and Lord, we remember that this is not for her praise or glory. It is for God’s glory alone! Her desire is to serve him with her life. Glory be to God for what He has done and is doing through all of this! I know we have said this before but it is so important to say it again and again…to GOD be the glory!Thursday was another early morning …no sleeping in today. Back to the hospital for a follow up cat scan. The same nurse did the scan before and commented to Whitney that she looked so much different than the last time. The nurse said it was nice to see her out of her neck brace and moving about by herself. Whitney smiled till the nurse then said she had to put an IV in her arm so they could give her some solution to take the CAT scan. This has not been a favorite of hers but true to form her reaction was simply, “ouch”. After the appointment we had a little time before Whitney’s therapy started. We drove to Subway for some lunch. Whit’s appetite is good and she was plenty hungry so she ate it all up in almost one gulp!Back at Hope we had some time to talk. Whitney is becoming more spontaneous as time goes on. She talked about home and college and wanting to be there soon. The nurse came in and delivered some news about the belly shot – 2 more weeks…ugh! Later I was explaining why the doctor’s had decided that, and Whitney stopped me and asked, “But what do you say, dad?” To which I said I didn’t know. She then replied, “But didn’t you stay at a Holiday Inn last night?” We both laughed at her quick wit. She spent the afternoon in her therapies and returned to her room tired. Needing the rest she went to bed early with dreams of Saturday in her head. She is doing so well and we are continually thanking God for His grace and mercy.
Saturday, July 08, 2006
July 7, 2006 "He Himself bore our sins..."
“He Himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by His wounds you have been healed.” 1 Peter 2:24 NIV“Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 NIV“Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.” Psalm 95:7b-8aToday I have been reminded by the Holy Spirit to lay my burdens down at Jesus’ feet. We have been burdened, but as we look around we understand fully that our situation is small when compared with so many. So many are in situations that are as trying and many who are sagging under the load of harder situations. People dealing with severe physical, mental, emotional, financial, relational, and spiritual needs as well as the loss of loved ones. It is so important to hear and know that Christ knows and understands. He asks us to lay down all these trials and concerns at His feet. He gives strength, He gives hope, and He gives wisdom as we trust His word. There is still a burden but with God they are lighter. Be free of your burden of sin that holds us down. He paid the price on the cross. Come to Him – experience His promises.Whitney had a long day yesterday, but she was smiling throughout it. Physically, she gets stronger. She walked (hopping still) over 300’ which truly impressed me. Her voice is getting stronger and louder! It does get softer by days end but she is getting better. After therapies a friend from Olson Hall at TU came by before we loaded up Whitney and took off again for the weekend. Whit enjoys these weekends away – she continues to long for home with Hunter and Taylor (the cat) – but she does like getting away. Some hometown friends brought some needed things to us and visited. It was so much fun to sit and listen to them walk down memory lane with Whitney. She was all smiles and laughs.She is enjoying herself right now – sleeping in – it is now 11:15 am. Old habits are hard to change, but it is good and she deserves and needs it!It is another beautiful sunrise here in Grand Rapids with promise of a good day. We count our blessings each day.
Monday, July 10, 2006
July 10, 2006 "Set your hearts on things above..."
“Set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” Colossians 3:1-2 NIVAs we have been reading, God has brought to us some scriptures that are familiar which have reminded us about our place here on this earth. We are so thankful for being able to be with Whitney and yet when we thought she was in Heaven we were filled with such great comfort. As we continue to watch her progress we sometimes feel we have taken our eyes off the Heavenly realm. God has shown us of what we should be looking toward and it is not located on this earth. It is with Him in Heaven. So we want to set our minds on things above and be working to make that our daily thought and let that effect how we live our lives each day. Saturday was a beautiful day! After her college habit of deep sleep till almost noon, we left for a lake. This time no boating but lying in the sun and sitting in the water. Whitney has not had the opportunity to enjoy the sun much so this was a great step forward for her. She really likes the color on her face. That night we went out for ice cream. We had a nice evening sitting, talking, and eating our treats. It is good to see Whitney enjoying more of the things that were once a part of her life. Sunday we joined with other brothers and sisters in Christ, for church. It is so encouraging for us to sit together with fellow believers and praise and worship the maker of Heaven and earth. To observe Whit singing in her soft voice is definitely a blessing! We spent the afternoon eating at a great restaurant by the water. Whitney definitely likes steak! We were able to sit at outside tables…so steak and sun…what a great combination for Whitney. Then a return to Hope where two of Whitney’s very good friends visited for the evening. Emily and Amy bring that smile to Whitney’s face. The events of the weekend are good therapy for Whitney, although it does tire her out. She increases in her strength and endurance each day but still has not fully recovered fully. This will take more time and rest.Each day we thank God for the blessing of Whitney and her continued life here on earth. It reminds us each time we look at her to pray for the VanRyns. We pray for the Erbs, Smiths, Larsons and Felvers. We pray for their strength and for God to shore up their faith as He has done. We pray that the aches you feel are softened in the knowledge you have knowing where your loved ones are…they are not lost…you know where they are…they are with Christ. That is the destination for all who love God and are committed to Him. Praise God for the upcoming reunion!We keep in our prayers and thoughts as well, Vicki, Connie and Michelle. We pray for your recovery, health and strength.
Like most people, I have been amazed at this story, here is a copy of the entire blog for those who have missed the beginning which was done by Laura Vanryns sister, Lisa. While this is such a wonderful outcome for the Cerak's, hope turned into tragedy for the Vanryn Family. While Whitney continues to be in our prayers, please also keep the Vanryn's and the other families in your thoughts and prayers as well.
Here's the Blog by Lisa VanRyn as well as Whitney's Family:
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VANRYN
This blog is to provide up to date information on Laura and allow you to share your thoughts and prayers.
Thursday, May 04, 2006
Thursday - 5/4/06
Here’s the latest on Laura’s condition. They have reduced her dependence upon the ventilator, now that they believe her body can handle more of the burden of breathing. They were providing 12 breaths a minutes and backed it down to 6 breaths a minute. She handled that so well, that they reduced it to 2 breaths a minute. This means that her body is making up the difference and she is breathing quite regularly without it.They connected the feeding tube to her stomach yesterday and her body is handling that very well! They had physical therapists evaluating her condition today. It was mostly just an evaluation of her abilities and limitations. They moved her to a special chair that allows her to sit up and a slightly reclined condition. The plan was to have her in that for about 2 hours today. Although she is still in the coma, they are trying to start her rehabilitation as quickly as possible.Her right hand and leg were very active again today. However, she was not responding to commands today, which reminds us of the doctor’s comments that this may be more like a marathon than a sprint. I know we are hoping it’s more like a mini-marathon, or a 5K, so please continue to pray for God’s healing hand to wake Laura from this coma soon.The neurologists were quite positive yesterday after doing a brain scan and examining her yesterday. There is no bleeding from the brain and they were comfortable enough with her condition, to remove her cranial pressure sensor from her head. The family is very pleased with her care thus far and there is one doctor who has really taken ownership of Laura’s case and is working closely with Laura and the Van Ryns.
posted by Laura VanRyn at 4:48 PM
Wed - 5/3/2006
Information from around 1 p.m. Eastern and things haven’t changed much over the past 24 hours. They inserted a “port” yesterday into her stomach for her feeding tube. This should be hooked up to her feeding line sometime today. Apparently it’s normal to wait 24 hours to start feeding after the port is hooked up. They chose to leave the device in her head, which monitors her cranial pressure. They might take it out today, but it’s not a major deal either way. It just gives the nurses an easier way to monitor things. She hasn’t been real active today, due to sedation and being worn out from yesterday’s procedures.Don’s request today is that you pray for her to come out of the coma soon. Now that a lot of procedures have taken place and some positive signs have been seen, please pray for her to emerge from the coma soon. Pray also for her physical and emotional well being. She will have a lot of tragic news to sort through after she wakes up. She will have to be ready to handle the rest of the news of the accident.On a side note, Dawn Larson, whose brother Brad died in the accident, is at the hospital visiting Laura and her family. Please continue to pray for Brad’s family and for the families of all those involved in the accident. The Lord has spared Laura, please pray for her to emerge from her coma soon, without any significant neurological damage.
posted by Laura VanRyn at 3:55 PM
Tuesday - 5/2/2006
Great news today!! This is based on information received at 4:15 Eastern Time (Tuesday).Laura's surgeries today went great! They set her broken leg and elbow, and added a couple of plates for stabilization. She'll get to be more entertaining going through metal detectors now! The surgeon was very pleased with the surgery. Laura was still quite heavily sedated from the surgeries, this afternoon.The tracheotomy went very well also. There is still no sign of pneumonia and moving the ventilator to the tracheal tube will reduce the risk of infection and the potential to get pneumonia. They are suctioning excess fluids from her lungs, with the tube inserted into the trachea. There is no longer anything in her mouth; all tubes, etc. have been removed.Laura’s color has improved a great deal. Her temperature is normal. She also is still moving quite a bit. She continues to move the limbs that are not weighed down by heavy casts. They have tied down her right arm, which is in a sling from the broken clavicle bone, so she doesn’t grab her tubes.Her heart rate has come down to a very good level. While it was up at 125 a few days ago, it is down in the 80s and apparently a very good resting rate for someone in Laura’s physical condition is 60.They plan on removing her monitor that measures cranial pressure, sometime this afternoon. This is because they are very comfortable that there isn’t any swelling to be concerned with. Her numbers have been consistently low for a number of days.At 4:30 (Eastern) they were planning on doing one more procedure on Laura. This was to take place in her ICU room. To allow for more direct feeding and eliminate the tubes from her mouth, they are inserting a feeding tube directly into her stomach. They will make an incision in her abdomen and poke a hole directly into her stomach. Through that hole, they will run her feeding tube straight into her stomach. This will be in place until Laura is able to eat own her own.The family has been reminded not to get too excited about small high or lows; however, she is making great progress so far. The signs continue to be very positive. Continue to pray for Laura’s recovery and the family and Aaron’s strength through this process. By the way, Mark and Kenny’s professors have been very understanding and are being flexible with their course work. Mark is going to be able to do a lot of his work online. The VanRyns wish to remind you to remember to praise God for his continued faithfulness and all of the improvements we have seen thus far.
posted by Laura VanRyn at 3:51 PM
Friday 4/28 - Monday 5/1
Monday Update:Laura continues to hold steady. She had a good night Sunday, with stable vitals, no fever, and no swelling of the brain. Her lungs are ok and there isn’t any sign of pneumonia. She had a quiet day yesterday, but she made a positive step forward also. Her nurse told her to put her thumbs up if she understood her, and Laura raised her thumbs! Keep in mind, she is still in a comatose state, but she is sporadically responding to commands/requests now. Sometimes the responses appear to be involuntary, but she has given some voluntary responses over the last 2 days.Tomorrow morning, Laura is scheduled to go into surgery at 8:30. The fact that they are planning on doing surgery, at this point, is good news; it means they believe she is stable enough to handle a number of procedures. First, they will be setting her broken elbow and leg (femur) and possibly inserting pins where necessary. After the accident, they set them temporarily and now they will be setting them for good. While Laura is under, they will also do a Tracheotomy. This has a number of purposes. They will remove the ventilator from her mouth and throat and insert it directly into the Trachea at the incision point. This will help to reduce the risk of infection from the ventilator. This will also reduce the risk for pneumonia and lessen the severity of pneumonia, if she was to get it. The Tracheotomy will also increase the potential to take Laura off the ventilator sooner.When they do the surgery tomorrow, they will probably remove the tube from her head that monitors her Inter Cranial Pressure (ICP). This is the device that has been measuring any potential swelling of the brain. Since they haven’t detected any significant swelling and pressure, they expect to remove it.Please continue to pray and pass this along to your prayer groups.Sunday Update: This is based on information from Sunday morning. Laura was stable throughout the night, and showed some positive signs this morning. Yesterday she developed a fever of about 102.5, the cause was not known, but this morning the fever has come back down. The most positive sign is the fact that she appeared to be responding to commands from the nurse this morning. Before this point, she had been moving and there was a lot of question if the movements were voluntary or involuntary. It appears that this morning’s movements were voluntary, which is obviously a very positive sign. Yesterday, she was squeezing hands and raising/kicking her leg. Today, they are trying again to feed her intravenously, rather than just giving her a glucose IV. This feeding is in the form of liquid nutrients that would be given through IV. They tried to feed her yesterday, but her stomach wasn’t ready yet; apparently this response is natural the first time they try to feed someone this way. So, please pray that this feeding will be successful. A concern they have right now if the potential for Laura to develop pneumonia. Apparently if someone is on a respirator for at least five days it is almost a natural occurrence for them to develop pneumonia. Monday night will be five days. Please continue to pray for Laura and the family, especially for these recent issues that require God’s healing.Saturday update:This update on Laura was written on Saturday morning. Laura started moving a lot more throughout the day Friday, and her movement continues today. At times, she squeezes hands, wiggles toes, squints her eyes (though still closed), and moves her legs and arms. She is still in a comatose state, but her movements are very positive signs. They inserted a device into her leg Friday, to prevent blood clots from endangering her. The doctors were concerned about the potential for clotting because she has been and probably will be lying in bed for a while. This device prevents clots from reaching her heart, if any were to develop. The doctors are emphasizing that it will be a “marathon and not a sprint”, so improvements may be slow and not to get too high or low with the gradual changes which occur. Your prayers have been felt and God’s hand has been upon Laura. Please continue to pray for Laura, for the families who have lost children, and for all those who will be traveling to the funerals.Friday update:This is an update on her condition as of Friday morning. Laura is in Parkview Hospital in Fort Wayne, Indiana. She was airlifted here Wednesday night. The accident occurred when Laura and her coworkers were traveling back to Campus, after setting up a banquet for Taylor, in Fort Wayne. A semi-truck crossed the median on I-69 and hit the 15 passenger van Laura was traveling in. It hit toward the back of the left side of the van and ripped it open. Laura was thrown about 50 feet from the van and seemed to take the brunt of the force on her left side. Laura is currently in a comatose state, and has been unconscious since the accident. This morning, she has made some small movements. There was a small move of her leg, squinting of the eyes, and some small finger movements. She has a respirator doing most of the breathing for her right now. The doctors believe is wiser to use the machine to breathe for her right now, so her body’s energy can be focused on other areas. Her left leg (femur) and left elbow are broken and have been placed in casts. Her right clavicle bone is broken also and it is in a sling right now. She has some fractured ribs, and an array of cuts and bruises. She had some swelling in the face, and it is going down. They have inserted a small monitoring device into her skull to monitor swelling. As of this morning, there was no significant swelling of the brain. It is standard procedure to insert the device with to monitor swelling, with injuries of this sort. There has not been any bleeding of the brain. They have done cat scans and xrays to evaluate any impact on Laura’s cognitive abilities. As of now, they cannot say one way or another what impact the injuries have had upon her cognitive abilities. Cat scans have looked good, but it’s too early to tell.The family is encouraged by signs of progress in Laura’s condition. It is apparent that she feels pain, which is actually a good sign. It also appears that she has been making some small self generated movements. The family is extremely grateful for all the love that has been shown, especially for everyone’s prayers and support. Keep praying!! God has shown himself to be mighty and to have had his hand upon Laura and many of the events that have transpired. The hospital has been great, excellent facilities and very supportive people. Don and Susie and the kids are staying at a house, for no-charge, provided by a local Christian ministry, which is very close and convenient.
posted by Laura VanRyn at 3:11 PM
Friday, May 05, 2006
Friday - 5/5/2006
May 5, 2006 12:10 pmLaura is doing well this morning, and we continue to cling to the Lord’s promises. From Psalm 33: 20-22: We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name. May your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord, even as we put our hope in you.Here’s an update for you all this morning. The nurse has braided her hair :) and the color in her face continues to improve. Overnight she was moving her leg so much (draping it over the side of the bed) that they have restrained it somewhat by tying it to the bed. She was squeezing our hands pretty well this morning also, and it’s hard to tell, but she seems to be trying to open her eyes a little bit more. They are still giving her two breaths a minute and allowing her to breathe the rest. Again, all of her vital signs remain steady and positive. They are continuing to feed her through the feeding tube directly to her stomach which her body has been accepting for a couple of days now.We praise the Lord for sparing her life and continue to pray for her recovery. From the family, thank you for your prayers most of all, and also for your visits and gifts. We are amazed and overwhelmed by the family of God at this time. We are experiencing his grace and love through you, his people.~ Lisa VanRyn, Laura's Sister
posted by Laura VanRyn at 12:15 PM
Saturday, May 6 2006 1:30 pm
Isaiah 55: 8-9 "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways," says the Lord. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than Your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts."When Mom and Dad visited Laura this morning around 7:30 they she was sitting in a chair and was making some small movements with her leg and arm like she has been lately. She still is not largely responsive to commands but we trust that she will be in the right time. Laura yawned and swallowed this morning which is a positive sign (and is super cute to witness). And we're pretty sure she's enjoying the music they've put on for her. We continue to pray for her to wake up and trust that she will in the Lord's timing. We ask that you also remain praying against infections and pneumonia. So far there has been no sign of either which has been a great blessing.And for those that are interested - Laura's hair is in pigtails today. :)Posted by Lisa Van Ryn
posted by Laura VanRyn at 1:00 PM
Sunday, May 07, 2006
2:15 pm
Romans 8:18, 22-25I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.... We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.Laura is still sporting the pigtails and her face is looking quite normal; there is virtually no swelling at all. They had her in the chair again this morning continuing to stimulate her muscles, helping to keep her lungs clear, etc. as part of her occupational therapy. Laura had three cuts that required stitching - one on her right thigh, one on the stomach, and the other on the back of her head. They have removed the stitches from her leg and stomach as those have been healing nicely. Other than that, her condition remains stable and she looks very peaceful... sleeping has always been one of her talents. :) We trust that God, in His mercy, is allowing her to sleep through some pain and that He is able to do more than we could ask or imagine. She is in His hands.Posted by Lisa Van Ryn
Monday May 8, 2006 1:30 pm
Last night our family was able to attend the memorial service held at the Taylor University campus for the 5 people who lost their lives in this accident. We were encouraged by the testimonies of those families and to hear how God has been working in the lives of so many through this situation. We would ask you today to continue to uphold those families in prayer (the families of Whitney Cerak, Laurel Erb, Monica Felver, Brad Larson, and Betsy Smith). And rejoice with them as well, that those dear children of God are not dead today but alive and in the presence of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!We continue to see encouraging signs from Laura today as she is now breathing entirerly on her own. They have removed the respirator and she is breathing through the trach at what the nurse called "a very normal rate". Again this morning they had her sitting in a chair and she's been looking pretty peaceful so far today. Continue to pray that the Lord would touch her brain and wake her up for us soon - even as we rest in His promises. "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." - Romans 8:26-28One other thing: I know some would be disappointed if I didn't mention that her hair is braided in one braid today - lookin' good. :)Posted by Lisa Van Ryn
posted by Laura VanRyn at 1:09 PM
May 9th, 2006 12:40pm
Your love O Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies. Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your justice like the great deep. O Lord, you preserve both man and beast. How priceless is your unfailing love! Both high and low among men find refuge in the shadow of your wings. They feast on the abundance of your house; you give them drink from your river of delights. For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light. Continue your love to those who know you, your righteousness to the upright in heart. - Psalm 36:5-10We would like to thank all of you today for the comments of encouragement you've been leaving for us on this site. It's been such a great blessing to hear from you and to be continually lifted up by your prayers.It's a beautiful sunny day again here in Fort Wayne and we have some encouraging signs from Laura to share with you today. She has been stretching and moving around quite a bit. The doctor lifted her eyelids and Laura seems to be trying to focus her eyes a little bit more. Her trademark "shaking of the leg" was in full effect this morning and she was even snapping her fingers when we asked her to! While these little signs keep us encouraged we realize that this road is going to be a long one. Keep praying that the Lord would give her the peace and comfort that she needs as she slowly wakes up and begins to understand where she is and what's happening.This afternoon they are doing an MRI on her head and another on her spine to make sure it's alright to remove her neckbrace (which has only been there for precautionary measures). They plan to move Laura to the 7th floor today where she will have her own room and we will be able to spend a lot more time with her. That will be snice.Posted by Lisa Van Ryn
posted by Laura VanRyn at 12:40 PM
Wednesday, May 10, 2006
Wednesday, May 10, 2006 12:15 pm
If You say go, we will goIf You say wait, we will waitIf You say step out on the waterand they say it can't be done,we will fix our eyes on You and we will come.Your ways are higher than our waysand the plans that You have made are good and true.If You call us to the fire You will not withdraw Your hand,we will gaze into the flames and look for You..... this song was sung at the closing of the memorial service at Taylor last weekend and the lyrics have been a great encouragement to us. If you know it, join us in making it our theme song for Laura during this time.Laura has been moved to the top floor, with a great view of the helipad and lots of trees. We enjoy watching the same chopper that brought Laura to the hospital departing and arriving regularly. DV and Suz stayed overnight with her last night and took turns catching some sleep. Today Laura has been moving anything that isn't weighted down (by casts) quite a bit which is a normal release of energy for comatose patients. We can hardly keep her in the bed sometimes! They have started passive occupational therapy twice daily and she is responding well (but not yet to direct commands). We haven't yet received the results of yesterday's MRI's. Continue to pray that she will awaken and respond favorably to her surroundings. We are aware that it will be gradual and that she will need much therapy.Her hair has been down this morning and the nurse has promised to wash it today.
posted by Laura VanRyn at 12:07 PM
Thursday, May 11, 2006 12:30 pm
Good afternoon from the 7th floor. We thank the Lord for another day full of His mercies and love. "Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer." - Romans 12There's not too much new information to share with you today. The occupational therapist continues working with Laura and getting her up in the chair for short periods of time. Right now she is resting well which we're glad to see after a very restless night. She was giving Dad quite the workout - especially with a new move she's developed which he likes to call "the Scissors". Even the cast on her leg is no longer too heavy for her to swing around. Dad says he was, "wrestling with an angel in the wee hours of the night". They did take an x-ray of her stomach today because she was experiencing some discomfort there so you could pray that that won't be too serious. We have been playing the guitar for her today as well. :)We continue to receive encouragement from the staff here at the hospital which includes a couple of doctors who are Taylor grads. And again, we want you to know (if it's even possible) how touched and encouraged we are to read your comments and know of your prayers daily. Our God is real and is making Himself known.Also - the nurse (who shall remain unnamed) did not follow through on her promise yesterday to wash Laura's hair. But rest assured, it was washed this morning and is pulled up in a pony tail on the top of her head.Posted by Lisa Van Ryn
posted by Laura VanRyn at 12:30 PM
Friday, May 12, 2006 4:00 pm
Our hope is in the Lord. We find comfort and life within the pages of His Word. Part of Psalm 37 reads, "Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun. Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him." His Word is like a breath of fresh air - take a deep breath and breathe it in! We rest in Him.We've come to realize that life on the 7th floor is a lot of work. They've encouraged us to have someone from our family in the room with Laura at all times - night time included. Dad and Mom were able to get some sleep last night and Mark and Lisa stayed with Laura. She had a more peaceful / restful night than the night before so that was an answer to prayer. We did get the results back from her stomach x-ray yesterday and everything is fine there.The speech therapist spent some time with Laura this morning and told us she was seeing some positive signs. Laura squeezed her hand a couple of times on command and also seems to be following sounds with her eyes. She is also doing some tracking of movement as well. They suspect that she may have double vision which could explain why she opens her left eye a lot more than the right. There are ways to help her correct this if in fact it is the case. Overall, she's been very active the past couple of days and we continue to hope that she will wake up soon. In fact we think she is in that process now, however this is not the movies - the eyes just don't pop open and everything is back to normal. It is a gradual awakening and rehab process. Her lungs have remained clear and she is still breathing well on her own. Please continue to pray against infections and fevers which make her uncomfortable. She had a small fever early this morning but her temp is now back to normal.On a practical note: We're at the stage right now where we can't have any visitors. We're spending a lot of time in with Laura and for her, it is best for only immediate family to be in the room and then only 1 or 2 of us in front of her at a time. And while we have been encouraged to have so many of you visit, it has become difficult to make time for that as well. We ask simply that you continue to pray. Again, we trust in the Great Physician to heal her completely and to work for the good of those He dearly loves. *Are you remembering to pray daily for the 5 families that have lost loved ones - Ceraks, Erbs, Larsons, Smiths, & Felver?My apologies for the tardiness of this update... night duty had me a little sleepy this morning. :)Posted by Lisa Van Ryn
posted by Laura VanRyn at 2:14 PM
Saturday, May 13, 2006 2:00 pm
Ken Van Ryn had some thoughts he wanted to share with you today:May yesterday, today, tomorrow and the days to come be a reminder of the power an individual holds. May you be aware that everyone residing on this earth, everyone breathing, has a heart, mind, body and soul just as you do. May we continually strive to look at one another with respect. May we continually learn from each other, because we all have something to teach - every last one of us. My prayer to you is that we take the few precious seconds given us and invest them in the concept of people. Without one another we wouldn't feel, see, hear, etc. Simply, we are all God's children no matter where we're from or where we've been. Will we ever be able to accept someone merely for who they are? We pass by countless people each day who have so much to show us but we're too selfish to realize. To be real, it's sad that it takes moments like this to make us think. I beg myself and I beg you to not let another day pass without searching, asking, and wondering how we can both learn from ourselves and others.I believe one of the greatest things God has given all of us no matter if we believe in him or not is hope. Hope that one day everything will be ok, one day we will be alright. As I sit here next to my little sister Laura at 1:49 am while her, my brother and father are all resting their eyes for the night right here in the belly of the beast I am reminded of all the times I should have said I love you. I'm ashamed of myself for allowing a day to pass without letting them know what they mean to me and how they've impacted my life. I'm ashamed that even if I've said it, I've failed at times in living it out. I leave you with something my good friend Bradley J. Larson wrote to me in an email a few weeks before he passed..... "Love is just a word. It is the actions that accompany a loving relationship that really show a person how much you love them."---------------------------------------------------------John 6:68 - "... Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God."Laura had another relatively peaceful night last night and we're thankful for that - as attested to by Kenny and Mark who were on the night watch.We're told that Laura has been waking from the coma over the past couple of days and is now in a state of "minimal consciousness". This means that she is still making a lot of spontaneous moments and her body is becoming more and more active, but her responses to commands are still very limited. Like we've been saying, this "waking up" process will be slow and gradual. But the signs are definitely positive and again, we want to thank you for your fervent prayers.We've begun talking with the rehibilitation services in Grand Rapids and are beginning to think about transfering Laura closer to home. We are only in the beginning stages of this process so no moving date (or even a tenitive date) has been scheduled yet. Pray for wisdom in this process for the doctors and staffs involved and for Mom and Dad as they make decisions.THANK YOU for the thoughts you've been sharing... for the verses, prayers, cards, and gifts. Wow. We're overwhelmed by the ways in which God shows himself through his people - through YOU. Thank you. Our Great God loves and holds our little Laura Jean. What a comfort. And what a hope. Faith. Hope. Love. It's amazing.Posted by Lisa Van Ryn
posted by Laura VanRyn at 1:24 PM
Sunday, May 14, 2006 1:00 pm
John 14:15-18 "If you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever - the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you."Matthew 18:19 "Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them."I've been thinking about prayer. About asking the Father for things - and expecting Him to answer as He's promised to. You and I have been praying for Laura and asking God to heal her. We've come together, though far apart, in His name to ask Him to heal her. We were overwhelmed to read from Dave that over a thousand people may be daily checking this site to learn about how to best pray for Laura. So I was wondering if today we could, with one voice and one heart, cry out to the Father on Laura's behalf. Let's pray the following together, with expectant hearts - knowing that our Heavenly Father knows all of our needs and all about Laura's life and body and what is best for her.Dear Father,We praise you for being all knowing and indescribably good. We praise you for being the Living God - the only true God. We thank you and are humbled for the way you love us and care for us. We thank you again, for sparing Laura's life and together, we ask you to heal her completely. Restore her to us in your time and give us strength as we wait. We completely trust in you and your perfect plans. May this experience be bringing many into closer relationships with You. You are a good God. We know that you can do so much more than anything we could ask or imagine. Thank you for what you're doing. Teach us how to crawl up into your lap and be your children. Help us to love you and to love others. Watch over Laura today - we know she is in your hands. We ask all of this in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen - let it be.Laura's condition is much the same today - she's still very active and working on opening up those beautiful eyes. Yesterday they were able to remove the staples from her left leg and replace the wrapped cast with a soft walking cast. They also removed the cast and staples from her left elbow and that arm is now in a sling. Her hair is back to one braid today. Again, she seems fairly peaceful and we're praying that as she begins to wake, God will give her peace and comfort as she begins to deal with her surroundings and situation. In all things, to God be the glory.Posted by Lisa Van Ryn
posted by Laura VanRyn at 12:31 PM
Monday, May 15, 2006 12:30 pm
Let us acknowledge the Lord; let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises, he will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth.Hosea 6:3Laura's yawn may by the cutest thing I've ever seen. In the early hours of the morning they put a cap on her trach and removed the respiratory tube (which was only there to keep the moisture in the trach balanced) which means she is now breathing entirely through her nose and mouth. She can make little sounds and coughs like normal and the therapists are beginning to encouarge her to talk. It could still be a while before that happens, but we're headed in that direciton. She was sitting up for a while in the chair again this morning and we took her for a small stroll down the hallway. When we were transferring her from the chair back to her bed, the therapist actually had her stand for a moment with most of her weight on her right leg (the one without the cast). She was of course, still leaning on us, but we wanted to see if her leg, given the chance, would react and do it's job to try and support her body - which it did! Also - her hair was washed today and is back in a pony tail, nice and clean.Posted by Lisa Van Ryn
posted by Laura VanRyn at 12:15 PM
Tuesday, May 16, 2006, 2:30 pm
2 of 2Wow. Thank all of you for your comments already today! We can't tell you how much joy it brings us to hear from you.Just a couple of other things to add today. Laura did very well in both of her "therapy sessions" today (usually 30-60 minutes each morning and same in the afternoon). She has verbally responded to questions they've asked her... for example, "Laura, do you want to sit up or lay down?" After a few seconds she said, "Sit back" and we helped her lay down. Also, she has been standing a little bit more today and using those leg muscles. We had her in the chair for a while again and she helped us move up and down the hall by pushing her leg against the floor. Now, while we're greatly encouraged by all the steps she's taking, she's also starting to realize a lot more of the pain that her body has / is going through. It can make her uncomfortable, confused, and frustrated. Please keep praying for her in this regard.Last night we were able to put some fresh nail polish on her toes. :)And one thing to clarify for you: Aryn's name is spelled "Aryn". :)Posted by Lisa Van Ryn
posted by Laura VanRyn at 2:17 PM
Tuesday, May 16, 2006 9:45 am
1 of 2Now don't get too used to this early morning post - but we had a couple things we wanted to share with you this morning.Proverbs 16:1 says "To man belong the plans of the heart, but from the Lord comes the reply of the tongue." Laura started talking to us last night! She's said "hi" several times and repeated the phrase "good morning" back to Mom this morning. Also this morning she said "hi" and Dad said, "can you say Pop's?" and she said "Pops". As we celebrate her progress, let's keep praying that the Lord would give her peace and comfort as she continues to wake up.Also, we've learned from Taylor that she will be receiving her diploma (with credit for both her major and minor) this coming Saturday along with the rest of her class. As of this time, Lisa plans to walk in her place. Pray for that ceremony - especially for the families of Brad and Betsy who were Seniors this year as well.We'll post another update later this afternoon. And be assured that our family enjoys daily reading your comments. They have wireless here in the Hospital and it's definitely one of the highlights of our day to hear from all of you! Thanks!Posted by Lisa Van Ryn
posted by Laura VanRyn at 9:42 AM
Wednesday, May 17, 2006 12:30 pm
And when I think that God, his Son not sparingSent him to die, I scarce can take it inThat on the cross my burden gladly bearingHe bled and died to take away my sinThen sings my soul, my Savior God to TheeHow great Thou artHow great Thou artThen sings my soul, my Savior God to TheeHow great Thou artHow great Thou art"Hi Laura," said nurse Jane. "Hi," replied Laura. "How are you?" asked nurse Jane. "Good," said Laura. (approx. 11:00 am today)Laura rested very well last night and Dad got a "good morning" out of her today. :) She's had one more scan this morning and all the doctors have cleared her to move. They also took the trach out this morning. She is scheduled to be transported to Grand Rapids by ambulance tomorrow morning at 9:00 am. There, she will be enrolled in an excellent comprehensive rehab program. That facility is fairly close to home for us, close to friends, to a nice deli and best of all to one of our favorite ice cream places. So... after three weeks, it looks like we're finally heading home. Please pray for safe travel for us tomorrow... we've got 4 family vehicles here that we'll be driving home as well. Pray specifially that Laura will do well on the trip.Fort Wayne has been good to us. We've made a lot of friends here at the hospital and in the community. We've been well taken care of through this time and we're grateful for that. While it will be great to get home, we'll miss the people here. Thanks FW for taking care of Laura and us.We remain in His good care.Posted by Lisa Van Ryn
posted by Laura VanRyn at 12:09 PM
Thursday, May 18, 2006 6:00 pm - from GR!
Thank you for your patience with me today - it's been a long one. This update will be short as I'm low on energy and clear thinking ability :), but I promise a good update for you tomorrow.Laura did well on the trip to Grand Rapids (thank you Lord) this morning and is settled into her new room. We arrived at about 12:15 pm. At this time it is still not in her best interest to have visitors outside of her immediate family. And as her family, we ask that you give us a chance to get settled back into home life - as we're making adjustments as to what that looks like now. This weekend will be a busy one for us - getting to know the ropes at Laura's new place and also Dad, Mom, and Lisa will be traveling to Taylor tomorrow night for Saturday morning's commencement ceremony. We love and are thankful for all of you and the support you have been giving us and Laura. We hope to be able to visit with you very soon and will be sure to let you know when that time is right.That's all I've got for now - Laura is doing fine. Please pray for a good first night for her in a new environment and also for our family as we continue to make adjustments.One more thing: THANK YOU so much to those of you that took care of our house while we were gone and went shopping for us etc. A great gift.Posted by Lisa Van Ryn
posted by Laura VanRyn at 5:51 PM
Friday, May 19, 2006 5:30 pm
In about 5 minutes we're heading down to Taylor, so this will be quick. (One of the downsides to leaving the FW hospital is that this new facility that Laura is in doesn't have internet... so give us a little time to figure out the best time and way to keep you updated.)Just a little update for you today. For her first night, Laura was pretty restless but seemed to be settling in better today. She had a couple good therapy sessions and continues to make us smile with her small words and head nods. I'll try to get you some greater detail on things in the next couple of days - as soon as I can.Laura graduates from college tomorrow. Wow Laura... you did it. We are so proud of you. I am honored and humbled to "walk" for you at the ceremony. Keep up your good work right now. Many are praying for you. Rest well tonight. We love you.Posted by Lisa Van Ryn
posted by Laura VanRyn at 5:35 PM
May 21, 2006 Sunday 2:45 pm
We're thankful that Laura was able to sleep most of the night last night... perhaps the peaceful rest of one who has just received her hard-earned college degree.Accepting Laura's diploma yesterday reminded me of God's grace. It didn't feel right receiving something that someone else had done all the work for. I felt I should have done something to earn the right to be there. But God has done all the work for us through Jesus Christ. And he asks us to receive his gift - to know that there's nothing we can do to earn it.Please keep Laura in your prayers - specifically for 3 things:1. The day we left Fort Wayne they did a final scan of her brain and discovered a small amount of fluid. This is a fluid that the brain produces (about a tablespoon a day) and is usually absorbed into the bloodstream. Laura is producing the right amount but it isn't soaking in properly. This is not an uncommon thing to have happen in these situations, but we need to pray that her body naturally corrects itself. They will check it again in about 7 days and if the fluid is still there, they will have to drain it.2. Laura's left leg is not healing as well as it should be. They have started giving her calcium to help aid in the process.3. She is still experiencing a lot of discomfort and restlessness. Pray for continued healing of her body and spirit. And also that she would start consistently sleeping well at night.Posted by Lisa Van Ryn
posted by Laura VanRyn at 2:25 PM
Monday, May 22, 2006 1:45 pm
"And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ - to the glory and praise of God." Phil. 1:9-11Yesterday evening Laura's lips were chapped. Her mom reached for the chapstick and Laura saw her momement and the chapstick in her hand and asked, "what's that?". "It's chapstick," Mom replied. Laura, laying down in bed, reached for it but it dropped out of her hand and fell just above her right shoulder. Without turning to see it, she reached back with her right hand and picked it up. She felt the chapstick and turned it around so that the correct end was facing her. Then Laura raised her hand to her mouth and fixed that annoying little chapped lip problem all on her own.We continue to be encouraged and impressed by Laura's fine motor skills. In physical therapy this morning she did well following commands - opening her eyes when they asked, sitting up on her own for short periods, moving her legs and arms, etc. We also spent some time talking with the speech therapist ("we" being Dad, Mom, and Lisa... Laura was too exhausted from the physical therapy! :). She told us some more about how Laura has been processing information. Right now she needs a very limited amount of stimulation. With all of the trauma that her brain has gone through, it is going to take her some time to learn how to properly process things. For example, when we hear the clock ticking on the wall, the car passing outside, the birds singing, and someone talking to us, we know to focus on the voice. For Laura, those can be four equal amounts of stimuli that she has to process and focus on - it can be very overwhelming for her.Let me take a minute here and try to answer a Frequently Asked Question. "So... is Laura out of the coma now?" The answer to that is yes. However- is she alert, bright eyed, and aware of all that's going on?... no. As was stated above, her brain needs to be retrained (or reminded perhaps) to handle information. Once again, it's going to be a long road for her. This waking up process is a slow one. And once again, we're reminded that God has spared her life for now. She is His. His beautiful child and we believe He's got something more for her on this earth. We're just blessed to be a part of her family and to have the opportunity to walk with her through this time.We continue to thank you for your prayers and interest in Laura's progress. We are confident that God is working and we place our hope in Him. For those that didn't read yesterday's blog entry, we listed a few specific things you could be praying for. Thanks!!Posted by Lisa Van Ryn
posted by Laura VanRyn at 1:27 PM
Tuesday, May 23, 2006 10:30 pm
Laura had a relatively good day today... good therapy sessions and tonight she even helped us put her shirt on! She is doing some amazing things with her motor skill abilities. She also tried to put her own hair up in a pony tail and gave Kenny a couple of peace signs when he said, "Hey Laur, throw me one of dem peace signs."Laura's current sleep pattern remains a concern. She's into a "napping" habit instead of sleeping through the night and being awake during the day. She'll sleep for 20 or 40 minutes at a time (sometimes for an hour or so) and then be awake and restless. Please continue to pray that this would change. It would be healthier for her, and better for her therapy sessions if her body could rest better and more consistently.Last night I sat with Laura while she was very restless. I was looking at her and thinking about how much I love her and am thankful for her. I did my best to protect her injured leg and arm and to keep her as comfortable as I could. She was really movin' and was wearing me out! I thought about how tired I was but that I would stay with her as long as she needed me to no matter what. And then she started hitting me. And kicking me. She'd make a fist and swing it at me. She wanted me out of the way so that she could do what she wanted to - which included ripping that neck brace off as quickly as possible. And then I wondered, how many times have I done that same thing with God? How many times have I deliberately wanted Him out of my way? How many times have I made a fist and swung it at Him? Hurting Him. And how many times has He looked at me and said "nothing you could ever do would ever make me love you any less."Posted by Lisa Van Ryn
posted by Laura VanRyn at 10:13 PM
Wednesday, May 24, 2006 3:45 pm
John 1:16 "From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another."Laura had another restless night with some short naps and finally a solid 2 hours of sleep from 5 am to 7 am. In therapy this morning she was doing some great things including kicking a rubber ball with her right leg while she was sitting up. The ball was rolled toward her and she swung her leg at the right times to kick it back. She did the same with her hands hitting a balloon (a pink one) after it was tossed in her direction. This morning she also fed herself some applesauce which she swallowed well and then washed down with a little bit of orange juice. I can't say it went quite as well this afternoon with the mashed potatoes... but I ducked at the right time and the wall and shirtsleeves have all been cleaned up. :)Her hair was washed this morning and was braided in two braids. She's sporting her "standford" T-shirt and TU lacrosse shorts... very cute today.A message from DV (aka Dad):We cannot adequately express our feelings of love and appreciation to those of you who have responded on the blog. My heart goes out today to those of you who have lost loved ones in similar accidents and to those who are going or have gone through rehab. Will everyone please pray today for those who have shared their stories on the blog. Pray also today for the families involved in Laura's accident, especially the Cerak, Smith, Larson, Erb and Felver families. Thanks! - DVPosted by Lisa Van Ryn
posted by Laura VanRyn at 3:34 PM
Thursday, May 25, 2006 3:30 pm
"Ok Laura, I want you to try and finish my sentences. They will all be one word answers," said Therapist Stephanie. "The sky is...," she began."Blue," Laura finished her sentence."Apples are...," Stephanie began."Green," said Laura."Yes," replied Stephanie, "and they can also be another color.""Red," Laura answered."Ok Laura, now I'm going to say some words and I'd like you to tell me the opposite. For example, I'll say 'black' and you'll say 'white'.""Black," said Stephanie."White," replied Laura."In," said Stephanie."Out," replied Laura."North," said Stephanie."South," said Laura."Laura, this morning we talked about what day it is today. Do you remember?," asked Stephanie."Thursday," Laura answered.Laura had some great therapy sessions today. She drank some more orange juice - she lifts the plastic cup to her mouth by herself and does a great job with it. She also fed herself some pears. She sat up by herself for over 2 minutes as she caught and threw a ball. It seems like she's trying to talk more and tell us things as well - a lot of which it can still be difficult to understand, but she's trying. She also enjoys spending time in her chair and talking "walks" up and down the hallways and occasionally sitting outside. DV and Suz bought her a smooth pair of sunglasses that she puts on and takes off when she wants to. :)As Laura relearns how to express herself and tell us things that she needs or wants, it can be frustrating for her - especially when she tries to say something verbally and we don't understand her. Please pray for her as she works through this process.We are thanking the Lord today that Laura finally got some good sleep last night! - about 5 solid hours and 1 more hour in the morning. Hopefully her sleeping pattern will only improve from this point on.Hair is in one braid today and held by a white hair tie. And she has named her bear, "Theodore".Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will - to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. Ephesians 1:3-8Posted by Lisa Van Ryn
posted by Laura VanRyn at 3:18 PM
Friday, May 26, 2006 4:00 pm
"Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds." Hebrews 10:23-24Thank you for your deligent prayers for Laura. Our God hears, loves, and answers. Laura slept for another 5 hours last night from 2 am to 7 am - praise the Lord! She's had another pretty good day of therapy... enjoyed her teddy grahams and apple juice this afternoon. She also threw the frisbee with Dad this morning - she was sitting up on the edge of a bed and gently throwing it a few feet to him (while she wasn't throwing it a great distance, she was making the proper frisbee motion - PT, that should make you proud!). For occupational therapy, they've been encouraging her to write the past couple of days, and she's drawn a couple of recognizable shapes including an impressive star this morning.A few people have asked if Laura opens her eyes a lot and if she recognizes people. She does open her eyes quite a bit now, but it's tough to tell sometimes what she's focusing on. When we ask her if she see's something, she will usually nod her head to respond. Yesterday we were looking at some birds and Dad said, "Laura, finish my sentence. The birds beak is.." And Laura said, "pink" which was pretty accurate. And if you ask her to look to her right of left she does that most of the time. As far as recognizing us... we think that sometimes she does, and sometimes she doesn't. Today she was asking for "my Dad" by name and when he went over to her and held her hand, she was satisfied to have him there.Laura's neckbrace continues to irritate her. Again, it is only there for precautionary measures but we're hoping that the doctors will soon OK it to be taken off. There was no bone damage in her neck but they're not sure if the ligaments were hurt at all. They'd also like to verbally hear from Laura that her neck does not hurt but it's been tough to get consitent answers from her in that regard. Please continue to pray for both her physical comfort as well as her cognitive and emotional healing. She occasionally complains of her leg or stomach hurting and is easily frustrated when we don't understand what she's trying to tell us.Thanks again for walking alongside of Laura and our family during this time. You've been and continue to be a great blessing and encouragement to us.Posted by Lisa Van Ryn
posted by Laura VanRyn at 4:19 PM
Saturday, May 27, 2006 3:30 pm
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Matt. 11:28-30, Jesus speaking.Good news today. Laura slept for a good 8 hours last night! We have to believe that God has been hearing our prayers for her rest. We are reminded of his love and care for her as we see him meet her needs. She's been in her chair again today but has been resting quite a bit. She usually doesn't have therapy on the weekends so this is a good day for her to catch up on some sleep. We are also noticing that she's talking more and more which is great (have noticed a gradual increase of words over the past 3-4 days). It's important for her to continue in exercizing her voice and to verbally ask us or tell us things.Our God is so good. He is our healer and our protector - no matter our circumstance.Posted by Lisa Van Ryn
posted by Laura VanRyn at 3:17 PM
Sunday, May 28, 2006 3:15 pm
"Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say this - ... let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men, for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things... Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress. Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men... He sent forth his word and healed them; he rescued them from the grave. Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men. Let them sacrifice thank offerings and tell of his works with songs of joy... Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men... Whoever is wise let him heed these things and consider the great love of the Lord." Let us encourage you to read Psalm 107 in it's entirety - it's a wonderful passage.Another great night of sleep for Laura last night. She slept from about 8:30 pm to 10:30 am with a few stirrings in between. The nurse tells us that sleeping this much is a normal phase in the recovery process and we're glad she's made it to this point and is finally getting some rest! The sleep she's been getting over the past couple of days is especially encouraging because it appears to be the most "restful" sleep we've seen her get so far. She looks very relaxed and peaceful (as opposed to uncomfortable and irritated) as she sleeps now.It also seems that Laura, over the past couple of days, is becoming more aware and alert. Yesterday when she woke from a deep sleep, she seemed a little more taken back by her surroundings and wondered where she was. She has also said a few complete sentences and is getting better at letting us know what her needs are. We're hopeful that as her communication skills continue to improve, this will cut down on her frustration levels as well."Not to us, O Lord, NOT TO US but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness." (Ps. 115)Posted by Lisa Van Ryn
posted by Laura VanRyn at 2:52 PM
Monday, May 29, 2006 11:15 am
Ephesians 2:8-10 "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."Laura slept through the night again and we're glad for that. :)Her clarity continues to improve. Earlier today she played a game of "connect 4" with one of the therapists and did quite well. At the facility there are several doors that say "Alarm will sound if door is opened". Talking a walk down the hallway they happened to pass one of these doors and when Aryn asked her if she could read what it said, Laura read it perfectly to him. While certain things seem to be coming back to her, she still has times where she'll say things that don't make much sense.Also, DV bought her a hat today that says, "life is good".Posted by Lisa Van Ryn
posted by Laura VanRyn at 10:57 AM
Wednesday, May 31, 2006 3:15 pm
2 of 2 (so far)Laura's Memorial Service is scheduled for 3:00 pm, Sunday, June 4. There will be a reception following. It will be held at Kentwood Community Church. If you need to mapquest the address...Kentwood Community Church1200 60th St. SEGrand Rapids, MI49508
posted by Laura VanRyn at 3:18 PM
Wednesday, May 31, 2006 1:00 pm
(1 of 2)"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." - Hebwrews 13:8What may come to us as a shock, does not shock the One who made us. We have some hard news to share with you today. Our hearts are aching as we have learned that the young woman we have been taking care of over the past five weeks has not been our dear Laura, but instead a fellow Taylor student of hers, Whitney Cerak. There was a misidentification made at the time of the accident and it is uncanny the resemblence that these two women share. Their body types are similar, their hair color and texture, their facial features, etc. Over the past couple of days, as Whitney had been becoming more aware of her surroundings, she'd been saying and doing some things that made us question whether or not she was Laura. Yesterday, we talked with a Spectrum staff member and began the process of making a positive ID. We now know without a doubt, that this is Whitney.The Cerak family came down from Gaylord and we had the privelege of meeting with them this morning. While we discussed some of the action steps that will need to take place over the next couple of days, we were also able to share with them some of the great things we have seen Whitney accomplish over the past month. It is a sorrow and a joy for us to learn of this turn of events. For us, we will mourn Laura's going home and will greatly miss her compassionate heart and sweetness while knowing that she is safe and with her King forever. We rejoice with the Ceraks, that they will have more time on this earth with their daughter, sister, and loved one. We also want to thank you for your prayers for our family as well as the other families during these past few weeks. Your love and support have been amazing. It is our hope that the Cerak's would continue this blog in Whitney's name so that we may continue to pray with them for Whitney as she recovers. Please continue to check this site and we will let you know about this possibility.We will also use this site to communicate our plans for a memorial service for Laura. Hopefully, this service will take place this coming Sunday.Thanks again for the support that you've been. Please continue your prayers. Our God is good and continues to be our help, our guide, our comfort.
We love you Sweets.Posted by Lisa, for the Van Ryn family.
Thursday, June 1, 2006 9:15 pm
The following update on Whitney Cerak has been provided by her sister Carly.Hebrews 11:17-19 By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had received the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, even though God had said to him, "It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned." Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from the death.I couldn't get this verse out of my head as we drove down to Grand Rapids. I did not believe my sister was in the hospital; I thought for sure this was a mistake. When I walked into the hospital room I was shocked and overcome with joy. Soon after we saw Whitney, our family met with the Van Ryns and our joy for ourselves was pushed aside by the pain we felt for them. It is hard because our joy is their pain. The Van Ryns have been amazing to Whitney and we are privileged that if under any care besides ours that she was under their great care. However, we know the pain they now feel all too well and our hearts break with them. There is a deep connection that has been made between our families and together we look to God as we walk through this.We were told that Whitney was asking for us and when we saw her she was coherent enough to cry, so we all cried together. She immediately began to say "Let's go home." We spent the day crying and praising God for the 'resurrection' of Whitney. She began listing people she wanted to see, starting with our dad (who was on his way back from New York with the Youth Group). She kept telling us to call him and when she talked to him she told him she loved him and to "come over." Matt, her boyfriend, arrived and she wanted him to lie down next to her. She blew us away with her detailed memory and ability to speak. Towards the end of the night she spoke clear sentences. When our dad arrived she grabbed his hand, my mom's hand, and looked at Sandra and I and sighed like everything was finally right.Today many of her friends have arrived and she has wanted to see them all but is very exhausted from yesterday. She saw a few of them and then wanted to sleep. Whitney woke up to someone bringing in flowers for her. This triggered something and she wanted to know who they were from and then she wanted to have all her family in the room. She began to cry and said "You think I'm dead." We spent a good part of the afternoon comforting her as she has began to realize that she was in an accident and we weren't with her for a while. Her tears are a mixture of joy and the fear of not knowing what has been going on. She took a break from crying when her therapist brought her actual food! Today she ate her first meal. She had grilled cheese, applesauce, and a milk shake. Within the next week she should be done with her tube and just eating food. After she ate she showed off her basketball skills and made three baskets in a row during physical therapy. She quickly slowed down and wanted to sleep again. Not only is it still unbelievable that she is alive but she has amazed us with her progress.Earlier today my dad said, "Every time I look at Whitney I think of the Van Ryns." We are so blessed and overjoyed about Whitney but our hearts and prayers are heavily on the Van Ryns.Posted by Carly Cerak
Saturday, June 3, 2006 11:00 am
The following is an update from the Cerak family on Whitney’s progress that was written yesterday, Friday. We, the Van Ryn’s, continue to pray for them and rejoice with them for Whitney’s life and progress.Romans 12:15“Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.”We read this verse to Whitney this morning as we spent time in the Word as a family. My dad followed her to physical therapy where she was put into a wheel chair that allowed her to use her good arm and leg to push herself back to her room! She ate all of her meals today and had good times of sleep.For the rest of the day she was very aware and wanted to sit up for most of it. Whitney wanted to talk to everyone she could think of and had us call many of her friends. Some of her friends came for short visits and she would greet each with a hug and was able to hold conversations with great interaction. She made me laugh so hard when she asked two of her friends this question, "What has your day consisted of?" I walked away from her bed laughing after she asked us to write it down, and she told her friends that her sister was making fun of her.In speech therapy the therapist has begun to walk her through the events of the past five weeks. Today she just listened and nodded her head as the therapist gave her a very basic run down. However, her biggest worry of the day is when Hunter is going to arrive. She has been asking when Hunter, our dog will get here all day. We have called him many times at her request.In the afternoon, we had to transport her to another facility where she had a CT Scan. My dad, Sandra, and I had to drive in a separate vehicle, so we put in a worship cd we had been listening to for the past 5 weeks to find comfort in. This immediately brought back all the realness of the pain we felt only a few days ago. Our thoughts were focused on the Van Ryns as put ourselves back in their shoes. We will continue to rejoice with those who rejoice and mourn with those who mourn.- Carly CerakPosted by Lisa Van Ryn
posted by Laura VanRyn at 10:56 AM
Wednesday, June 7, 2006 1:00 pm
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade - kept in heaven for you.... In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith - of greater worth than gold.. may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. - 1 Peter 1:3-7This will be our last post from this website and we want to thank you for your prayers and the support you've shown throughout this entire situation. We continue to lean on the Lord for our strength and will need your prayers throughout these coming days, weeks, and months. We know and trust that God will take care of us - he is always faithful and will remain so as his Word tells us.Our final encouragement to all is this: Do not hang on to the things of this world too tightly. Life here is but a vapor and there is an eternity ahead. Consider what God calls us to do - "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where theives break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where theives do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."Let us continue to reach out to those around us who need prayer, love, and encouragment. As you remember the Van Ryn and Cerak families, let us encourage you to look to your neighbors as well. God calls us to love.Within the next 24 hours we will be getting rid of this blog. How the Cerak's choose to update on Whitney's progress is up to them.Thanks again.
Posted by the Van Ryn family.
posted by Laura VanRyn at 12:31 PM
Whitney Cerak A Blog to provide up to date information
New Blog Site for Whitney
Thursday, June 01, 2006 Hebrews 11:17-19 By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had received the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, even though God had said to him, "It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned." Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from the death.I couldn't get this verse out of my head as we drove down to Grand Rapids. I did not believe my sister was in the hospital; I thought for sure this was a mistake. When I walked into the hospital room I was shocked and overcome with joy. Soon after we saw Whitney, our family met with the Van Ryns and our joy for ourselves was pushed aside by the pain we felt for them. It is hard because our joy is their pain. The Van Ryns have been amazing to Whitney and we are privileged that if under any care besides ours that she was under their great care. However, we know the pain they now feel all too well and our hearts break with them. There is a deep connection that has been made between our families and together we look to God as we walk through this.We were told that Whitney was asking for us and when we saw her she was coherent enough to cry, so we all cried together. She immediately began to say "Let's go home." We spent the day crying and praising God for the 'resurrection' of Whitney. She began listing people she wanted to see, starting with our dad (who was on his way back from New York with the Youth Group). She kept telling us to call him and when she talked to him she told him she loved him and to "come over." Matt, her boyfriend, arrived and she wanted him to lie down next to her. She blew us away with her detailed memory and ability to speak. Towards the end of the night she spoke clear sentences. When our dad arrived she grabbed his hand, my mom's hand, and looked at Sandra and I and sighed like everything was finally right.Today many of her friends have arrived and she has wanted to see them all but is very exhausted from yesterday. She saw a few of them and then wanted to sleep. Whitney woke up to someone bringing in flowers for her. This triggered something and she wanted to know who they were from and then she wanted to have all her family in the room. She began to cry and said "You think I'm dead." We spent a good part of the afternoon comforting her as she has began to realize that she was in an accident and we weren't with her for a while. Her tears are a mixture of joy and the fear of not knowing what has been going on. She took a break from crying when her therapist brought her actual food! Today she ate her first meal. She had grilled cheese, applesauce, and a milk shake. Within the next week she should be done with her tube and just eating food. After she ate she showed off her basketball skills and made three baskets in a row during physical therapy. She quickly slowed down and wanted to sleep again. Not only is it still unbelievable that she is alive but she has amazed us with her progress.Earlier today my dad said, "Every time I look at Whitney I think of the Van Ryns." We are so blessed and overjoyed about Whitney but our hearts and prayers are heavily on the Van Ryns. Posted By : Carly Cerak
Saturday, June 03, 2006 The following is an update from the Cerak family on Whitney’s progress that was written yesterday, Friday. We, the Van Ryn’s, continue to pray for them and rejoice with them for Whitney’s life and progress.Romans 12:15“Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.”We read this verse to Whitney this morning as we spent time in the Word as a family. My dad followed her to physical therapy where she was put into a wheel chair that allowed her to use her good arm and leg to push herself back to her room! She ate all of her meals today and had good times of sleep.For the rest of the day she was very aware and wanted to sit up for most of it. Whitney wanted to talk to everyone she could think of and had us call many of her friends. Some of her friends came for short visits and she would greet each with a hug and was able to hold conversations with great interaction. She made me laugh so hard when she asked two of her friends this question, "What has your day consisted of?" I walked away from her bed laughing after she asked us to write it down, and she told her friends that her sister was making fun of her.In speech therapy the therapist has begun to walk her through the events of the past five weeks. Today she just listened and nodded her head as the therapist gave her a very basic run down. However, her biggest worry of the day is when Hunter is going to arrive. She has been asking when Hunter, our dog will get here all day. We have called him many times at her request.In the afternoon, we had to transport her to another facility where she had a CT Scan. My dad, Sandra, and I had to drive in a separate vehicle, so we put in a worship cd we had been listening to for the past 5 weeks to find comfort in. This immediately brought back all the realness of the pain we felt only a few days ago. Our thoughts were focused on the Van Ryns as put ourselves back in their shoes. We will continue to rejoice with those who rejoice and mourn with those who mourn.Posted By : Carly Cerak 0 Comments
posted by Laura VanRyn at 12:31 PM
Whitney Cerak A Blog to provide up to date information
New Blog Site for Whitney
Thursday, June 01, 2006 Hebrews 11:17-19 By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had received the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, even though God had said to him, "It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned." Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from the death.I couldn't get this verse out of my head as we drove down to Grand Rapids. I did not believe my sister was in the hospital; I thought for sure this was a mistake. When I walked into the hospital room I was shocked and overcome with joy. Soon after we saw Whitney, our family met with the Van Ryns and our joy for ourselves was pushed aside by the pain we felt for them. It is hard because our joy is their pain. The Van Ryns have been amazing to Whitney and we are privileged that if under any care besides ours that she was under their great care. However, we know the pain they now feel all too well and our hearts break with them. There is a deep connection that has been made between our families and together we look to God as we walk through this.We were told that Whitney was asking for us and when we saw her she was coherent enough to cry, so we all cried together. She immediately began to say "Let's go home." We spent the day crying and praising God for the 'resurrection' of Whitney. She began listing people she wanted to see, starting with our dad (who was on his way back from New York with the Youth Group). She kept telling us to call him and when she talked to him she told him she loved him and to "come over." Matt, her boyfriend, arrived and she wanted him to lie down next to her. She blew us away with her detailed memory and ability to speak. Towards the end of the night she spoke clear sentences. When our dad arrived she grabbed his hand, my mom's hand, and looked at Sandra and I and sighed like everything was finally right.Today many of her friends have arrived and she has wanted to see them all but is very exhausted from yesterday. She saw a few of them and then wanted to sleep. Whitney woke up to someone bringing in flowers for her. This triggered something and she wanted to know who they were from and then she wanted to have all her family in the room. She began to cry and said "You think I'm dead." We spent a good part of the afternoon comforting her as she has began to realize that she was in an accident and we weren't with her for a while. Her tears are a mixture of joy and the fear of not knowing what has been going on. She took a break from crying when her therapist brought her actual food! Today she ate her first meal. She had grilled cheese, applesauce, and a milk shake. Within the next week she should be done with her tube and just eating food. After she ate she showed off her basketball skills and made three baskets in a row during physical therapy. She quickly slowed down and wanted to sleep again. Not only is it still unbelievable that she is alive but she has amazed us with her progress.Earlier today my dad said, "Every time I look at Whitney I think of the Van Ryns." We are so blessed and overjoyed about Whitney but our hearts and prayers are heavily on the Van Ryns. Posted By : Carly Cerak
Saturday, June 03, 2006 The following is an update from the Cerak family on Whitney’s progress that was written yesterday, Friday. We, the Van Ryn’s, continue to pray for them and rejoice with them for Whitney’s life and progress.Romans 12:15“Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.”We read this verse to Whitney this morning as we spent time in the Word as a family. My dad followed her to physical therapy where she was put into a wheel chair that allowed her to use her good arm and leg to push herself back to her room! She ate all of her meals today and had good times of sleep.For the rest of the day she was very aware and wanted to sit up for most of it. Whitney wanted to talk to everyone she could think of and had us call many of her friends. Some of her friends came for short visits and she would greet each with a hug and was able to hold conversations with great interaction. She made me laugh so hard when she asked two of her friends this question, "What has your day consisted of?" I walked away from her bed laughing after she asked us to write it down, and she told her friends that her sister was making fun of her.In speech therapy the therapist has begun to walk her through the events of the past five weeks. Today she just listened and nodded her head as the therapist gave her a very basic run down. However, her biggest worry of the day is when Hunter is going to arrive. She has been asking when Hunter, our dog will get here all day. We have called him many times at her request.In the afternoon, we had to transport her to another facility where she had a CT Scan. My dad, Sandra, and I had to drive in a separate vehicle, so we put in a worship cd we had been listening to for the past 5 weeks to find comfort in. This immediately brought back all the realness of the pain we felt only a few days ago. Our thoughts were focused on the Van Ryns as put ourselves back in their shoes. We will continue to rejoice with those who rejoice and mourn with those who mourn.Posted By : Carly Cerak 0 Comments
Monday, June 05, 2006“ I am overcome with joy because of your unfailing love, for you have seen my troubles, and you care about the anguish of my soul.“ I am trusting you, Oh Lord, You are my God ! My future is in your hands.”Psalms 31: 7, 8, 14, 15“Only a God whose “thoughts are not our thoughts and ways are not our ways” could have seen and known all that was going to take place over the last 6 weeks, but God Most High is sovereign and while we sometimes can’t understand His ways, we know that He is eternal and had planned each and every moment in time and we can rest in the fact that He was, He is, and He always will be in control.”This is a quote from one of the many cards Whitney has been receiving each day. It speaks to how we feel as a family in this mind numbing chain of events. We absolutely believe God is in control NOW, as we did during the 6 weeks that we thought that Whit was no longer with us. We are resting in His promises. Promises that we will be held up in His strength, promises of our security in Him, promises of our eternal salvation in His eternal presence.We are overjoyed with Whitney’s progress in the past several days since our last communication. She has been increasing in endurance each moment it seems – sitting up to eat her meals, feeding herself and cleaning the plate. We are told that if she keeps this up, the tube they have been using to feed her will be removed soon. Praise God! She sleeps soundly through the night waking only once or twice to use the restroom. After her therapy sessions she sleeps more, getting much needed rest so that she can continue to heal. She continues to ask when she go home and when she can be rid of the neckbrace. She speaks sweetly in a soft voice asking of those she meets “Hi”; “How are you?”; and “What have you been doing?”Her college roommate was able to visit and when she sat by Whitney, Whitney asked “Who are you going to room with next year?” To which her roommate replied pointing at Whit and said “You”.Her smile is coming back, it is beautiful to see!! Her sister seems to get her to smile most often, once getting a laugh from Whitney. Today we had lunch together with Whit in the dinning room and it was like we were sitting at the Cerak’s dinner table once more, smiling, laughing, telling stories with limited participation from Whitney…but still participation!Whitney is making progress but has such a mountain to climb. Please keep her in your prayers as you have in the past. Thank you all so much for your concern and your tender words of support.Our hearts STILL choose to say…Blessed be the name of our Lord.In Christ alone, Whitney’s dadPosted By : Newell Cerak
Tuesday, June 06, 2006"Christ Jesus, who died-more than that, who was raised back to life- is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:34-39We find all we need in Jeus Christ. And as God's scripture says, nothing will separate us from His love if we have chosen to accept His gift of His Son Jesus Christ. Christ, who was the only perfect sacrifice for our sin, died on the cross and rose 3 days later. Through His death and His resurrection, if we believe and accept Him into our lives and then live for Him, we are more than conquerors. We simply need to believe and accept His free gift. We, the Cerak's, love being counted with those around the world who have accepted this precious life giving gift. It is God who strengthens us, yesterday and today and in the future.We continue to marvel at how God put our bodies together and how Whitney's is mending. Last night I felt as though she had a set back- not eating her dinner at all - so the feeding tube is still in place. But after looking back over the day I realized how worn out she had gotten and it made sense to me then. Today has been a beautiful day! She wrote her name clearly and on the line. Then off to physical therapy where she not only is balancing on her right foot but is hopping, too! Hopping the entire 12 foot length of the parallel bars, three times. Then for her next session she got to sit in front of a computer to play some games that help to reactivate her mind. She lit up when she was pushed in front of the computer, taking the mouse in her hand and click, click, clicking away.She also met with an orthopedic surgen who took some pics of her mending bones. The great news is that she was 3 out of 4 to the good. Her elbow, collar bone and neck (no more neckbrace!!!) all got the okay. Her left leg did not begin to heal straight so surgery is being scheduled to correct the problem. Whitney nodded her head in agreement when the decision was made to redo the surgery. We are praising God for awesome doctors. One last blessing of the day before I sign off. We have a CD player in the room now and as it was playing "It is well with my soul", I looked at Whit and tears filled my eyes. Not just due to the powerful words in relation to all that has happened...but Whit was mouthing the words and singing softly along. Truly, it IS well with my soul!In Christ alone, Whit's thankful Dad Posted By : Newell Cerak
Newell, Colleen, Carly, and Whitney, I started following all of this soon after the accident and found the original blog started by Lisa VanRyn in early May. This story has touched my heart like none other that I have ever read. I check daily to see if I can find out about Whit's progress and she seems I'm so happy to hear that to be well on her way to recovery. My heart aches for the VanRyn family and while my thoughts and prayers are with all of you, it's also with them. Both of your families are so awesome and I hope and pray some sort of bond stays with both families. In one of the posts on the other blog I read about some things. A guy from Australia wrote that he wished he had what both of something that yourmade me think families had. In a way, I have the same feelings. Back in 1989, I lost my mother to a very long caand difficult battle with cancer. She was a strong, devoted Christian. It hurt me so much to see the way she suffered and I have to admit, I lost some of my faith. Just after Whitney's accident I lost my job of 23 years and felt like my world was crumbling down around me. Fortunatly, I have a strong Christian family so I do have some support. But as things developed with your situation, your family, and the VanRyns, it's somehow touched me. Instead of feeling sorry for myself and my current situation, my thoughts turned to yours. Somehow, my faith that I thought I had lost, has returned somewhat. I have a warm feeling inside me now that tells me that somehow, things are going to be alright in my life. As I sat here a few times reading about Whit and your family, sometimes in tears, I felt a warm, embracing feeling and I know that HE was here, comforting and encouraging me in some way. I now know I'll be ok, and that feels so good to me. I admire all of you so much and you will remain in my thoughts and prayers and even though we are miles apart, I somehow feel like I've found some new friends (even though we've never met) and for that I thank you. I especially thank your special daughter and Laura as well....they have touched me in a very special way. I also hope Whitney gets to see "Hunter" soon. I am a dog lover and understand how sometimes that special pet can warm the heart. Get well Whit!!!!! You and your family remain in my prayers. Alan B Pittsburgh, PA awb825@msn.com
Posted By Alan B, Pittsburgh, PA on 07-Jun-06
Wednesday, June 07, 2006 Whitney's day today was another good day, because it was simply another day we have had to enjoy her. She is back to eating her meals once more, eating most all that is put in front of her this last day. She turned her nose up at the fish sandwich but gobbled down the peanut butter and jelly and every milk shake she receives she enjoys like a good steak. We are praying that she continues to eat not only to be rid of the feeding tube but so she can more importantly keep up her strength. Her therapy takes its toll on her throughout the day which is understandable and expected as she is still so weak. But praise the Lord! She gets a little stronger each day it seems. She remains focussed a little more each time getting tired as she goes farther into each session. The staff here is doing a marvelous job. We are so overjoyed with all who are taking a part in Whit's recovery. This facility is more than we could have hoped for and we are so thankful that she was placed here. There is a very special place in our hearts for the folks here at Spectrum. Today she hopped a little more at the parellel bars and even turned around on her good leg with the help of her therapist. She has improved in her driving her own wheel chair up and down the hallways.The therapist did check to see if her ankle is flexing to which she gave a thumbs up even though it moved only a few degrees. But the thing that is so encouraging is that her mind seems to clear a little more each day. We are elated with each little hurdle that she comes upon and works hard to clear. It speaks for her character and the Lord's strength in her life. Now we understand that there is still a long,long way to go, yet we in our hearts jump for joy when she is able to endure more. Please know that her road up the mountain could take a long time so your continued prayers are still coveted by the family. Yet we are truly encouraged by her efforts. Our hearts ache when she says "I want to go home", knowing that that is exactly what we want. Please keep us in your prayers for patience through the long uphill process.Another blessing to report to you happened last night. We went to the dinning room once again to have dinner. We all grabbed hands as is a normal custom at the Cerak table, bowed our heads and listened as Whitney gave the thanks for the food we were about to eat. That did this father's heart so much good, I don't remember much of what she prayed...I was leaping for joy that her heart is still God's and always will be.We continue to pray for the VanRyn's. They are a kindred spirit with us. We sense their loss and know that their continued strength comes from partly from good friends. But it is God Himself who is sustaining them. As someone wrote us a line from a Ray Boltz song, "the anchor holds though the ship is battered". God is that anchor that continues to hold us firm in the storm.In Christ alone, Whitney's dad
Posted By : Newell Cerak 52 Comments
Timeline:
April 26
A semi-tractor trailer crosses the median of Interstate 69, crashing into a van, killing five occupants. Four others survive. Whitney Cerak is determined to have died; a woman believed to be Laura VanRyn is transported to Parkview Hospital in Fort Wayne, Ind., where she remains in critical condition.
April 29
Cerak's 19th birthday passes, while the woman thought to be VanRyn remains in critical condition.
April 30
Funeral services are held for Whitney Cerak in Gaylord, Michigan
May 7
Taylor University holds a memorial service for the five killed in the accident. Cerak's older sister, Carly Cerak, also a student at Taylor, gives a remembrance speech in honor of her younger sister. The woman identified as VanRyn remains hospitalized.
May 18
The woman identified as VanRyn is transported to Spectrum Health Continuing Care in Grand Rapids, Mich., to be closer to family. VanRyn was from Caledonia, near Grand Rapids.
May 20
Lisa VanRyn, VanRyn's sister, walks in her place during Taylor University's commencement exercise held at the Wheeler Memorial Football Stadium. VanRyn receives a bachelor of arts degree and three posthumous degrees are awarded to seniors Bradley Larson and Elizabeth Smith, as well as junior Laurel Erb, all of whom died in the accident.
May 25
Lisa writes on a Web diary: "As Laura relearns how to express herself and tell us things that she needs or wants, it can be frustrating for her -- especially when she tries to say something verbally and we don't understand her."
Tuesday
After Spectrum staff was approached by the VanRyn family with concerns regarding the identity of their daughter, an exam of VanRyn's dental records did not match those of the patient at Spectrum.
Wednesday
Spectrum Health Center officials confirm that the woman believed to be Laura VanRyn is actually Whitney Cerak. The Web diary says: "Over the past couple of days, as (the patient) had been becoming more aware of her surroundings, she'd been saying and doing some things that made us question whether or not she was Laura ... We now know without a doubt, that this is Whitney."
June 4
A memorial service for Laura VanRyn is scheduled for 3 p.m. at Kentwood Community Church in Grand Rapids.
Sources: Detroit News research, http://lauravanryn.blogspot.com/ and Taylor University
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Article from Whitney’s Hometown Paper after the accident:
Indiana tragedy hits home: Semi jumped I-69 median to strike van By Michael Jones, Staff Writer
GRANT COUNTY, Ind. - Whitney E. Cerak, a 2005 graduate of Gaylord High School and standout athlete in three high school sports, was one of five Taylor University students and school employees killed Wednesday evening on Indiana's I-69 freeway when the school van they were riding in collided with a tractor-trailer which reportedly had crossed the median.
A Thursday news release from the Indiana State Police reported the crash occurred around 8:09 p.m. approximately 10 miles north of the main campus of the evangelical Christian college of 1,900 students in Upland, where the van with its nine occupants was returning from the school's Ft. Wayne campus.
The 18-year-old Cerak, daughter of Colleen and the Rev. Newell Cerak of Gaylord, and the four other victims, all passengers in the van, were pronounced dead at the scene. Four other occupants of the 1999 15-passenger Ford van were injured, as was the truck driver, identified by investigators as 37-year-old Canton, Mich. resident Robert F. Spencer. The injured were transported to area hospitals for treatment of injuries.
“I have been with the state police for 21 years and this was the most horrific crash I have ever seen,” Indiana State Police public information officer Sgt. Rod Russell said Thursday of the fatal wreck.
According to the new release, Spencer's vehicle, which was northbound on I-69 in Grant County between Ft. Wayne and Upland, crossed the median and collided with the southbound school van in which Cerak was a passenger.
The impact from the crash tore through the entire driver's side of the van causing several of the occupants to be ejected from he vehicle. The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
“It would be irresponsible at this point to even speculate what caused the driver of the semi to cross the median,” said Russell, who noted it would likely be several days before the department's accident reconstruction team would complete their
investigation.
The van driver and front seat passenger were both reportedly wearing seat belts. Russell noted because of the severity of the crash, seat belt usage of the other passengers was not able to be determined at this time.
Reports indicate the van was returning from Ft. Wayne where the five student employees and four food service employees had been setting up for a student scholarship banquet as part of inauguration activities for new college president Eugene Habecker.
For Whitney, the job was helping her pay her way through school.
Russell said once the crash report was completed it would be forwarded to the Grant County Prosecutor's office for review to determine if there would be any criminal charges forthcoming.
Taylor University senior Cammy Miller and close friend of Cerak said classes were canceled Thursday and a memorial service for the victims from Wednesday's crash was scheduled for Sunday night. “It left us all dazed,” Miller said Thursday of the tragedy. “The mood has been very somber on campus.”
Others killed, injured in crash:
In addition to the death of Whitney E. Cerak in Wednesday's fatal crash in Indiana, three other Taylor University students and one food services employee, all van passengers, were pronounced dead at the crash scene:
€ Bradley J. Larson, 22, Elm Grove, Wisc., student;
€ Elizabeth A. Smith, 22, Mount Zion, Ill., student;
€ Laurel E. Erb, 20, St. Charles, Ill., student; and,
€ Monica Felver, 53, Hartford City, Ind., school employee.
The drivers of both vehicles in Wednesday's crash and three passengers in the wrecked van were injured as a result of the accident. Their status as of Friday morning was:
€ Robert F. Spencer, 37, Canton, tractor-trailer driver, was air-lifted to Parkview Hospital. Condition status not known.
€ Vickie L. Rhodes, 54, Fairmount, Ind., van driver, school employee, was transported to Marion General Hospital where she was listed in stable-good condition.
€ Connie Magers, 50, Gas City, Ind., van passenger, school employee, was transported to Marion General Hospital and listed in stable-good condition.
€ Michele M. Miller, 43, Marion, Ind., van passenger, school employee was air-lifted to Parkview Hospital. Listed in fair condition
€ Laura J. Vanryn, 22, Caledonia, van passenger, student, was air-lifted to Parkview Hospital. Listed in critical condition.
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Whitney Cerak’s “Obituary” from 5/2/2006:
Whitney Erin Cerak
She lived a wonderful and full, but short life. She attended Gaylord Community Schools from kindergarten to 12th grade, where she made many friends and endeared herself to all. She was very active in sports, student government and the E-Free Youth Group.
She was a freshman at Taylor University where she was growing in love and knowledge of her Friend and Savior, Jesus Christ. She is now living with Him in Heaven.
She is survived by her parents, Newell and Colleen Cerak; sister, Carly; “sister” Sandra; and many relatives.
Funeral services for Whitney will be held on Sunday, April 30, at 3 p.m. from the Gaylord Evangelical Free Church. Visitation will be on Saturday at the Nelson Funeral Home from 3 to 8 p.m., and on Sunday at the church from 2 p.m. until the time of services.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Invisible Children through the Nelson Funeral Home, PO Box 1548, Gaylord, MI 49734.
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Pastor describes joyful reunion: "A small glimpse of heaven"
6/4/2006, 5:57 p.m. ET
By JOHN FLESHER The Associated Press
GAYLORD, Mich. (AP) — Hope and fear swirled in pastor Jim Mathis' mind as he accompanied Colleen Cerak down the hospital corridor toward the room where a young woman lay recuperating from a horrific automobile crash that had killed five people.
Were they really about to see 19-year-old Whitney Cerak alive, weeks after mourning her at a funeral and burying a body they thought was hers? If so, would she be badly "banged up?"
And how would the family of Laura VanRyn, who had stayed constantly by the young woman's side believing her to be theirs, cope with such a crushing blow?
"Just so many emotions," Mathis told nearly 1,000 rapt worshippers Sunday during a service at Gaylord Evangelical Free Church, where Cerak's father, Newell, is pastor of young adults.
In a sermon that moved many to tears and was punctuated by frequent "Amens" from the congregation, senior pastor Mathis described Wednesday's ecstatic reunion of one family and another's sorrowful but courageous acceptance that their daughter was gone.
Authorities acknowledged that a tragic error led them to identify Cerak, who survived the April 26 crash in Indiana, as VanRyn, 22. Cerak was temporarily in a coma from a brain injury; her face was swollen and her neck was in a brace.
As she recovered, the VanRyns began questioning whether she was really Laura. A check of dental records last week confirmed their suspicions.
Both young women were students at Taylor University, a Christian school in Upland, Ind.
Mathis said he was awakened around 2 a.m. Wednesday by a phone call from Colleen Cerak, who had been asked to rush her daughter Whitney's dental records to Spectrum Health in Grand Rapids. Newell Cerak was in New York with a church youth group.
Initially fearful of a cruel hoax, Mathis made phone calls to ensure the identity questions were genuine. Then he drove to Grand Rapids with Colleen Cerak and her daughter Carly. On the way, they called Newell Cerak and broke the stunning news.
Arriving before dawn, they met with a hospital official who began briefing them before Colleen Cerak interrupted: "I want to see my daughter."
The room was dark as they entered. The bed was covered with a mesh material that made it difficult to see the patient.
Choking with tears, Mathis said: "As we walked toward the bed, let me tell you, the closer we got ... total joy, folks. I wish all you could have been there. Total joy. It was obvious to her family who loved her that that's who it was. It was Whitney."
Colleen Cerak called Whitney's name. She opened her eyes.
"And for the next amount of time, I don't know what, it was just joy and tears and hugs," Mathis said. "It was so personal that I didn't think I should be a part of it, and I walked over to another part of the room and just wept tears of joy."
Then came a meeting with the heartbroken VanRyns. Mathis prayed for strength.
"The VanRyn family was wonderful" as they shared thoughts and memories, he said. "And the VanRyn family, in the midst of all their conflicting emotions, ministered to the Ceraks, and the Ceraks ministered to the VanRyns. And hear me, folks, God was there."
Newell Cerak arrived that night — "a scene I'll never forget," Mathis said.
"Whitney sat up in bed, reached out to her dad, called him by name. Newell ran to his daughter, threw her in his arms ... gave her a great big old bear hug. Both of them laughing, both of them weeping, both of them just sharing how much they loved each other."
It called to mind the resurrection of Jesus, he said.
"I saw a small glimpse of heaven," Mathis said — "the child being reunited in the arms of the heavenly father. Listen, my friend, don't be afraid of death. I've seen what awaits you."
The worshippers offered prayers of thanksgiving and sang hymns, some of which they had sung during Whitney's funeral.
Don Golinski, an usher, said he'd been taking attendance as Mathis spoke but had to stop, overcome with emotion.
"I believe that God has put something in motion; there's a reason behind all this," Golinski said. "He has a plan."
Meeting after the service, members of the senior high Sunday School class discussed how the events had strengthened their faith and said they longed to welcome Whitney Cerak home.
"It's going to be strange the first time I see her," said Kendra Sereno, 17. "We've gone through so much, we all thought she was dead. But I'm excited to see her."
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Thursday, June 08, 2006 "But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel, so that it has become evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my chains are in Christ; and most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak the word without fear." Philippians 1:12-14This portion of scripture written by Paul speaks to this entire event from the beginning and who knows where it will end. But the reason we quote it today is that we have seen that the things that have happened in, not only Whitney but, all those that have been affected by the tragedy, are things that have furthered the gospel of Jesus Christ. It has been and continues to be so amazing as to how God is using Betsy, Laurel, Laura, Brad, Monica as well as Whitney to cause others to come closer to God and in many cases meet Him for the first time. We see Him working through these lives and the families of these people to share the gospel message as did Paul. It has given to many the boldness to live for Christ, to share His love for them with others and to pray for all to come and experience the healing springs of God almighty.We continue to pray for the families of those who were lost, praying for the Lord to keep them in the palm of His hands. Only God can truly shore you up. Whitney had a hard time getting to sleep last night. Finally, she found the most comforting place with her mother, Colleen. It was satisfying to wake in the morning to see both Whit and Colleen sleeping peacefully side by side. It sometimes seems the morning comes to quickly but it is the start of the new day with our daughter and being able to watch her yawn and stretch makes it seem as though it didn't come quickly enough.Her day was a good one after the long night. During her ocupational therapy time they worked on her elbow extention and contraction. It hurt her but is necessary to get that joint to loosen up. She was given some homework following the painful time. The ladies said that she could work on it herself if she wanted to because she would know the limit of her pain. Later that day as she was resting in bed I noticed Whit was placing her right hand on her left arm giving it a push to extend it and giving a pull to contract it. I asked her what she was doing to which she replied, "going home sooner." Bless her heart and her dedication to her goal. The rest of the day was spent in more therapy, walks to the courtyard enjoying the sun, as well as playing Connect Four. When Whitney, Carly, Colleen and I were sitting out in the sun we were commenting on how well Whit had done during the day. Carly said she should be proud, but Whit shook her head, no. When she was aked why she wasn't proud she responded, "I want to do more." Her desire to get home is so strong that I pray she does not feel her progress should be moving faster and become disappointed. We are so proud of her continued moving ahead and couldn't ask for more. Please keep praying for her each day if we can ask that of you. You have all been so good to us, we are constantly humbled by your cards and emails telling us of your thoughts and prayers for us. We will always covet them as we have said before.Our God is still God and our trust rooted ever deeper in Him.In Christ alone, Whitney's dad Posted By : Newell Cerak
Friday, June 09, 2006 "Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say this - those he redeemed from the hand of the foe, those he gathered from the lands, from east and west, from north and south. Some wander in the desert wastelands, finding no way to a city where they could settle. They were hungry and thirsty, and their lives ebbed away. Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble and he delivered them from their distress. He led them by a straight way to a city where they could settle. Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men, for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things." Psalm 107:1-9 We are daily amazed at God's unfailing love. It will endure forever. And it is His amazing love that continues to keep us strong, we thank him so much for His faithfulness. His love and faithfulness stand to remind us that this is not about us but all about Him. He has a plan in motion that we do not fully know at this time. We are praying that we will follow Him by a straight way, we are praying that we will be sensitive to His leading and always open to be used by Him. We pray this for all those that have opened their hearts to Him in these days. What an amazing impact we all can have on this world if we simply open our hearts more and more to Him each day.We are thanking God for Whitney's restful night! She slept through the entire night. We had to wake her up or she would have slept on till noon as was her habit on weekends at home and I think at college too. She dressed herself this morning with a little help. She likes wearing her "First East Beast" shirt from her dorm wing at TU. Whit has told us several times how her dorm wing was champs in dodgeball and soccer. Whitney has been pointing out the hair on her legs and has been quite ready for a good shave. This morning she was given the opportunity to do just that and she did a great job.One other step forward for Whitney was using a four legged cane to walk during her physical therapy. She was able to hop again this time with the therapist holding up the leg with the cast. It was quite tiring but she did another great job. She keeps gaining more strength each day. It is so awesome to see her continue to put forth such a great effort. We were able to have a special lunch with her today. Colleen, Carly and I were able to sit in a smaller room just the four of us and have a chicken shiskabob lunch. Whitney loves it when we grill those out at home, so she devoured the lunch eating all her vegetables too. After lunch she rested before her afternoon therapy sessions. She has been doing so well with getting the rest she needs to improve, we are all so proud of her. She met with the neuropsychologist today and was able to engage him in a pleasant conversation about his vacation plans. She told him that it will be a great memory maker for him and his family. He was impressed with her marked improvement and looks forward to seeing her on his return. At dinner time she was able to sit and eat with her college roommate and three other friends. She has been able to sit and listen to more than one person at a time now which is a great indication of her moving ahead as well. She tires but not nearly as quickly as she had before. Praising God for this too!! Colleen enjoyed reading to her before they took a half hour walk. It was a very good day. Thanks again for your prayers. I am reminded daily of how the prayers of God's people are like sweet nector to our souls. Your faithfulness in praying has been such an inspiration to us all. We pray God's blessings for you. Another blessing for me today: I had to leave for the rest of the day. I was quite sad at the thought of leaving Whit even for an hour but as I leaned over to hug her goodbye I said "I am sorry I have to leave you, Whitney." To which she replied, "It's okay Dad. Don't worry. I'm okay." I couldn't believe it...my daughter was comforting me in the midst of her distress. I am truly amazed by God's strength that is running througth this young lady's life. She is a solid example to her family of His love and constant care. Again, thankyou all so much for your comments. They are such an encouragement to us all. You are forever in our hearts. God has granted us a tremendous view into His kingdom through all of you and it is good. In Christ alone, Whitney's Dad Posted By : Newell Cerak
Saturday, June 10, 2006 "But as for me,I will always have hope;I will praise you more and more. My mouth will tell of your righteousness, of your salvation all day long, though I know not its measure. I will come and proclaim your mighty acts, O Sovereign Lord; I will proclaim your righteousness, yours alone." Psalm 71:14-16Whitney had a good day and an emotional night. Weekends around here are very laid back. The usual 7:30 breakfast turned into a 9:30 breakfast. Carly read out loud and started our day with God. Whitney liked the quiteness of the morning and fell back asleep. We woke her up at noon when her lunch came because we were ready to go outside and enjoy the day. We ate outside then took a long walk. We came in and read cards. She smiled as we read the notes and remembered special things about the friends that wrote. She gave me a scare when helping her to the bathroom she fainted as she stood up. The nurses took her blood pressure and said it was normal to have this happen if you stand up to quickly after laying down. Whitney had a special treat when a friend who works here brought her some movies to watch. We haven't had a TV in the room so she was excited to watch a movie. We all settled in and watched the movie passing the time till Sandra, Matt and Newell would come back to the hospital. We were all gathered around the bed talking and having a great conversation. Whitney was happy and talking in full sentences when her mood got somber. She began to tell us that she was in a dream and she was waiting for her roommate to wake her up. She is now becoming more aware of lost time and can't fill in the blanks. This frightens her and was difficult to watch. The nurse assured us this was typical of somebody with TBI. We have so much to learn, continue to pray for us. Pray for Whitney as she gains more memory. Even through this hard time Whitney's humor showed for a second. We told her we were each going to pray for her and when her dad started praying she interupted and said "a short one". I've been nervous to write on the blog as I am not the writer of the family but I have so much love and thankfulness for all of you. I know your prayers are making a huge difference in our lives and how we handle each day. I also see the amazing day to day improvements. My hope continues to be firmly rooted in God.With love,Whitneys mom Posted By : Colleen Cerak
Sunday, June 11, 2006I was reminded of a song or two which are precious to me especially at this time in my life. The first song is an oldie but indeed a goodie. Just part of the chorus goes like this: "Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face. And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace." The second song goes like this: When I look into your holiness,When I gaze into your loveliness, When all things that surrond become shadows in the light of you.When I've found the joy of reaching your heart,When my will becomes enthroned in your love,When all things that surrond become shadows in the light of you.I worship you.....I worship you....The reason I live is to worship you.....I worship you.....I worship you....THE REASON I LIVE IS TO WORSHIP YOU.In the light of God's glory all this (the events of the past month)pales. We are here to honor and glorify Him. I know Whitney's life has, and I pray will continue to honor and glorify our Heavenly Father. May His named be praised for what He is doing through the lives of all. It is not about us...it is ALL about Him!! What this world has to offer is growing dim, it is only what is done for Christ that will last. Live for Him. This has been a tremendous source of encouragement and strength for us. Blessed be His holy name!Today was a good day! Every day that we are able to spend together is a good day and we thank God for the opportunity. Praise be to God almighty!!Whitney had a good restful day today. She is still asking about when she is going back to TU to finish her freshman year and when is summer going to start. We have to keep reminding her that she is not in a dream, that all she is experiencing is for real. It is those last several weeks of time that are missing from her memory and that cause her to feel it is all a dream and we are part of her dream. As we said last night, this is typical but hard to watch her go through. I know you are praying, I sense the Holy Spirit's presence in our lives ever stronger each day. Thankyou so much for caring for my family. It truly is a humbling experience - overwhelmingly humbling. God be praised.She has had a very good day despite the feeling of being in a dream. Today she wanted her eyebrows plucked and as it happened she kept saying "Ow!" But she did not want Colleen to stop - she thought she was sprouting a unibrow.Matt came by today as did Sandra. Time off from Spring Hill. It added to her upbeat day and was a welcome to us all. She has been able now to watch movies if she cares to and today she had us all watch with her the movie "Prince of Egypt". This was followed by some great conversation. Whitney is able to converse with us in complete sentences making absolutely great sense as she does. In the course of the chat she asked Matt a question, to which he could not remember what the answer was. Whitney's great sense of humor came out when she suggested that it was Matt who should be in this hospital, not her. She played Rummy with Colleen and even beat her at points once with her mom showing no mercy. We were quite impressed. For us it seems as though her thinking skills are improving in great bounds. For lunch she didnt want the hospital food. Instead she asked for a couple of hard tacos from Taco Bell. Her appetite is very healthy, I know because she wanted a Pepsi as well. She also took another long walk this evening. It has been so wonderful to see her endurance increasing.God continues to supply us all with His strength. I know there is no limit to His supply, at least we have not experienced it and I know we will not ever see the end of His graciousness. Another special blessing came this morning when it was just myself and Whitney in the room. The others had gone to church and Whit sat and listened as I read from the Bible. God's word is such a source of our strength. After reading I asked Whit if it was okay if we prayed and would she want to pray as well? Yes was the nod of her head and the word from her lips. I felt so much comfort and peace as I heard her pray for God to heal her so she could go home. Again with a strained voice I echoed what she said, so grateful to see her life still centered on Him.I would be remise if I didnt again thank you for your prayers. You are truly a blessing to us and to all the families effected. Please keep them in your prayers as will we. We are forever grateful.In Christ alone, Whit's dad
Monday, June 12, 2006 Job 8:21 "He will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy.Boy has God filled Whitney's mouth with laughter! All of our cheeks hurt after today. Starting late last night when she was going to sleep, she has had a serious case of the giggles. It has really boosted my confidence because she laughs at everything I have said. It is such a blessing for me to see how resilient she has been to having the news of the accident and mix-up largely revealed to her these past few days. She has had many questions and many tears, but then God has given her this amazing gift to smile and laugh. Many of the church staff from Gaylord came to visit my parents today and Whit was more than willing to greet them all. She had them smiling as she went around the circle saying all of their names. And we all got to see Jim Mathis speechless for the first time when she said goodbye to him in these words, "Thanks for speaking at my funeral." She really is approaching the situation with a light heart and it makes me so happy as it also makes me wonder. I wonder how much of it has actually set in, but even while it continues to become real to her, I can see how God is truly a God of healing, peace, and laughter. Posted By : Carly Cerak
On Wednesday, Whitney underwent leg surgery to improve her ability to stand. The Cerak family reports that Whitney’s surgery went very well. She now has a rod extending from below her knee to the ankle. Her recovery is remarkably fast, her abilities are quickly returning and she looks great! We praise the Lord for His abundant grace.Because of the nearly 110,000 hits to the website we have received over the last week, the former blog (hosted by another service) was timing out people's attempt to access. Because of this, we have changed services. We apologize that previous comments were not carried over.Pastor Sam Smith, Gaylord Evangelical Free
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Thursday, June 15, 2006
June 15, 2006
"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality." Romans 12:12-13We are so thankful for all of you that continue to pray for Whitney and for all involved in this situation. It is because of your united prayers that we are full of joy because of the hope found in Jesus Christ...that we are patient in this recovery road with Whitney...and our prayers combined with yours help us to remain faithful. We feel that you are sharing with us in a way that the world does not know. We want to apologize for not updating in the past couple of days. There was a technological difficulty that prevented us from posting. So, today we will bring you up to date.On June 13, Whitney had another good day. Her strength and endurance have remarkably increased. She started off the day slowly, telling the nurses that she is not really a morning person. After breakfast it was therapy sessions again. She made sandwiches for her Dad and Matt - one a chicken and ham with mayo and one ham and cheese with miracle whip. Then for herself she made a PBJ. She handled it all beautifully.In the afternoon we learned how to transfer Whit from her wheelchair to our Suburban. We all did pretty good, good enough that if all goes well with her surgery the doctor might give permission for some time off campus. It could be a glorious Father's Day!Her short term memory keeps improving. She surprises us with what she remembers from the day before. She keeps reminding us of her surgery as well as little facts she was told 24 hours earlier. It is not totally there (short term memory) but each day gaps get smaller.She had a surprise today. She was on a walk with Matt when Lisa VanRyn came by to see Carly. Carly had visited with her earlier and wanted to be able to say goodbye to Lisa before Lisa heads up to the U.P. to help at summer camp. While we were talking Whitney came into the room and was introduced to Lisa. Due to what we are told is post traumatic amnesia, Whit did not recognize her. It was a pleasant conversation with the two realizing they had at least two things in common, Spring Hill and Taylor U. We were glad for the encounter between these two women. Lisa and her family mean so much to us. When the time is right and presents itself to us, we want Whit to know this awesome family who cared for her in those difficult weeks. VanRyns - we want you to know that we are indebted to you - we want you to know we are constantly praying for you. You are part of our family in the Lord. That night Whit wanted to see the magazine with her picture on the front. So we showed her and she began to ask questions. She wants so to fill in any gaps. She found out for the first time that there were more just one life lost that night. When she found out the only response was a soft, sorrowful "Wow", repeated over and over. That night before sugery she had a very hard time sleeping, trying to digest all that she had learned. She wanted Colleen to lay beside her and rub her back and somehow her mother's touch helped her through it that night. I know you are...but please keep praying for her as she comes more and more to grip with the reality of her situation.They got us up at 5:00am on Wednesday and Whit had her surgery at about 9:00. Doctor Ringler said that it went as well as he hoped for and that his goal for her is still to be as good a new. Soon she will be playing dodgeball again for her wing, pitching softballs for her coed team, and running down the soccer field. We are praising God for this as well. She had a good night resting from her ordeal in the surgery room and is scheduled to be released from the hospital today if all goes well. Then it will be back to Spectrum Continuing Care and back to therapy for her leg. But the doctor says that in two weeks she will probably be walking on it. Today he says she is able to put as much presure on her leg as she can stand. Tremendous progress! We are again sorry for the delay in the update but so thankful for God's faithfulness in all of this. PS...Colleen, Carly and Sandra are doing very well, thanks for asking.In Christ alone, Whit's dad
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June 15, 2006 " But encourage one another daily..."
"But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness. We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first." Hebrews 3:13-14It is so obvious to us that you encourage us daily. We have through the Holy Spirit been held up in this time in our lives and we owe that to the prayers of God's children...those who have accepted the gift of His son Jesus Christ. We can all share in Christ if we hold firm to the belief that there is only one God and no other. That it is He that has made us and not we ourselves. My prayer for you tonite is that you understand the truth of God and come to know His Son personally.We continue to be undergirded by your thoughts and prayers. We were discussing tonight with some friends from Mississippi, that with all of the prayers being offered up to God on Whitney's behalf, she is already safe in His care. I am so thankful that she made the decision to accept what Christ did for her, on the cross. That decision is the biggest she has ever made or will ever make. I dont have to pray to God for her safety because I know she is safe in Him forever more. So as you pray know that it is being answered as God gives her more strength for each new day. And as you pray, pray for the safety of those who do not know Christ as their Savior and Lord. Pray that they are safe till one day they make that decision to accept Him. The day was topped off with a sweet homecoming of sorts. Whit made it back to the Spectrum Continuing Health Center. She had a big smile on her face and was able to relax in her old bed. The leg is doing well. She has some pain still after surgery but is doing so good. She ate well and is drifting off to sleep having had a long day in the Spectrum Butterworth Hospital. We want to thank all the staff there for their care and watching over our daughter. Tomorrow is back at it day. Back to therapy. We pray she gets a great nights sleep.In Christ alone, Whitney's dad
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Friday, June 16, 2006
June 16, 2006
"You will seek me and find me when you seek me with ALL of your heart." Jeremiah 29:13This is my favorite verse. I love it because I used to seek God when it was convient, when I needed something, when it made me look good or to please my parents. When I was in college I gave God ALL of my heart and the fun began. The games were over and God has been there for me in the good times and the hard times.Today was a quiet day for Whitney. She had a great nights sleep and woke up looking forward to getting her stomach tube out. It was painful but she is so happy to have it out. Because of the pain medication, she was tired but still did her 3 sessions of therapy in the morning and afternoon. Her therapists were all glad to have her back and her OT's even had a special project for her that we will tell you more about another day. Sandra pampered her by cutting her toenails and painting them. What a sister.Whitney had a few special visitors but also needed alot of rest. We read cards then she wanted to call her grandma to wish her Happy Birthday. She ended her day watching "Dodgeball" with Carly and Newell,it was good to hear the laughter.The most exciting news of the day was that we were approved to have a short leave on Sunday. We have wonderful friends that are going to grill a steak special for Whitney. It is going to be the best Fathers Day ever.With love,Whitneys mom
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Saturday, June 17, 2006
June 17, 2006 " And I pray that you..."
"And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge - that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God." Ephesians 3:18-19We have power together with all the saints but we have yet to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ. We are constantly impressed and hold in awe the wonder of God Himself. It is too much to behold yet it is sufficient enough for our needs here on this earth. We are held in His loving care and know that as we have taken time to look back and see His hand holding us up throughout our entire life. But it is indeed very evident at this specific time. We continue to thank God for His faithfulness.Today was a great day for Whitney. She had a good nights sleep after a couple of short nights due to her surgery. She and her sister Carly had a sister night last night giving Colleen and I our first night away. But we realized that we missed Whit so much that we couldn't wait to get back to her as soon as possible. She looked so beautiful when we opened the door and she smiled a 'good morning' to us. She had a therapy session in the morning. Her left arm is becoming more and more flexible as time has gone by and today she tossed a ball with it, caught with it, and began to push off with it. Her knee that gave her such a difficult time the first night back, is now less painful. Today she had her first therapy with that as well...the range of movement is very, very good (at least to us). Today was a special day for Whit as two very good friends from TU came by and brought her Chicago pizza. Brad and Matt showed up at lunch time and made Whitney's cheeks hurt from all the smiling and laughing. It was the therapy she needed after being so tired from all the medication she had to take. She is amazing with how her wit is so sharp even now. We look forward to tomorrow with great anticipation. No one is more excited than Whit except possibly me. The steak, she can almost smell. The strawberries and ice cream, cause her a big satisfied smile even before she parttakes in them. I pray that the ride will not be too much for her and tires her out so that she can't enjoy the day out. But God has brought Whit this far, so tired or not it will be blessing for us all simply to be together.Many of you have wondered about the past Mother's Day for Colleen. While it was a sad at that time, some very good friends of ours took us out to eat and we had a wonderful time. After youth group that Sunday night, Colleen had the opportunity to lead a young girl to Jesus Christ. We shared that with Carly on the phone who then said, "What a great Mother's Day present that Whitney has given you, Mom. Even from Heaven she has reached out to you." That was a very special present that made Colleen tear up and smile. Although sad at the time, what joy to know that God had used Whit's life to touch another.God bless you all. And Happy Father's Day. To Don VanRyn and the Larsons, Smiths, Erbs, and the Felvers my prayers are with you as your children share in this day with you. What a blessing to know that Laua and her friends are safe in the arms of their Heavenly Father.In Christ alone, Whit's dad
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Sunday, June 18, 2006
June 18, 2006 "Do not let your hearts be troubled."
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” John 14:2-3Today, in light of Father’s Day, I am reminded of our Heavenly Father. He loves us unconditionally. He loves us in spite of our short comings and our sins. His love surpasses all that we can understand. In that while we were still sinners and in need, He sent His only Son to die for us. What a tremendous display of love for His creation. Christ gave His life for us and will one day come back for us because He loves us so much. What a tremendous show of love for His children, those that love Him and have given their life to Him. I thank God for His love. I am reveling in the day today. It has been a gorgeous day for Whitney. After a good nights sleep (another sister night) Whitney gobbled up her breakfast. After which we spent some very good time as a family in reading God’s word and praying. It was special to listen as Whit prayed for God to forgive her sin and then praying for those families that have suffered so in this event. We headed to our friends for the afternoon,Colleen, Carly, Laisa (Sandra is at Spring Hill), and Whitney. We transferred Whit into the Suburban and she smiled as we drove down the road listening to Guster, one of her favorite singing groups. At our friends’ home we were greeted by their Black Lab, Kirby, who bumped her with his back end so she would scratch it. The smell of steak coming from the front porch was all we needed to head in and sit around the table. Whitney ate a nice big piece of steak and a helping of mashed potatoes. Then after the great meal, Whitney presented me with a cake that she made all herself. I was truly impressed with that and the card she personally made. I have to tell you what it said, it was so precious, so please indulge me. Inside the card were these words: “Dad, Happy Father’s Day. I’m glad I got to see you again! Good thing I did, huh Dad? Isn’t my card better than Sandra’s and Carly’s? I think it is and I am not away this summer. I love you, Dad.Love, Whitney.” Well, I have to tell you this dad’s heart swelled and my eyes filled with tears. I thank God for this time that He has given to me to spend with my girls Whitney, Carly and Sandra. God has blessed me in ways that are so hard to put into words. In spite of me He has blessed me and I am humbled in His presence.We are praying for a good day tomorrow after such a busy, love filled time today. I pray you had a good day with your children as well. God bless.In Christ alone, Whitney’s dad
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Monday, June 19, 2006
June 19, 2006 "Has not my hand made all these things?"
" Has not my hand made all these things, and so they came into being?" declares the Lord. "This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word." Isaiah 66:2We are continuing to thank God for His mercy and His grace. Grace that goes beyond my human comprehension. Grace that even in spite of my sins and my short comings, covers me over with love and forgiveness. I thank Him each day for His amazing grace, without it I am nothing. The days seem to be stacking higher and higher in favor of Whitney. This was another good day today and we praise God for it. After an awesome Father's Day Whit had a hard time getting to sleep but when she did, she slept great. We are so thankful for those good sleeping times because we know that in those times her brain gets to rest and recover. This day of therapy was another sweet step for her. She was able to traverse the length of the parallel bars, twice, while holding herself up with BOTH arms. Yes, she is able to put weight on the elbow that was damaged in the accident and hop the entire length both times. What a praise! Oh, it tired her out but she was smiling at the end.Then later she was given an different wheelchair and practiced getting herself into it from a bench seat. She did a couple practice runs and then wheeled back to her room. When she got there she was able to transfer from the chair to her bed with me simply smiling and watching. It was a joy to behold. Holly her very good friend was there to witness the event and got to spend the afternoon. She and Whit had a great time swapping stories and finding out what had been going on in each other's life. Whitney had a special afternoon then as well. She and a few others from the Center went on a little outdoor adventure to get some ice cream. The therapists gave her some cash to purchase ice cream and when her turn came she gave her order, paid for it and asked for the receipt. Wow! Not sure she ever asked for a receipt before!! I loved it. This evening she had a great time at dinner with her roommate from college. They then sat in her room, Whitney, Emily and Carly and chatted about college and all their friends. She is doing so well conversing making great eye contact and now has more inflextion in her voice than before. We thank God for you who are praying for not only our situation but all those involved in the accident. We add our prayers with yours and as we do God continues to use this for His good.Thankyou again, from our hearts.In Christ alone, Whitney's proud earthly father
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Newell, Colleen, Carly, Sandra and WHITNEY,Hi. I was out of town the last 5 days at a family wedding and was really missing "the blog." In fact, I kept thinking about wanting to get home to get updated on how all of you were doing.It still amazes me how this story has touched so many people as well as how it's touched me personally.GO WHIT!!! Keep up the good work!!Al B.Pittsburgh, PA
10:51 AM
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Tuesday, June 20, 2006
June 20, 2006 "However, I consider my life worth nothing..."
"However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me - the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace." Acts:20:24That is our prayer tonight. That we finish the task that we have been called to do. That all of us that have believed and are saved, never shrink back from spreading the gospel. This event has given a new boldness to share Jesus Christ and because of God's work in all of us, many are coming to know Him as their Savior and Lord. We are not always sure of what direction God wants us to take but we are certain that He wants us to live our entire life to honor and glorify Him. Let's continue to pray that more will know what we know as the truth. The one and only truth. God's truth.Whitney had that great night sleep that some were praying for and we saw the results in her therapies today. She worked hard and pushed herself as always. Today she did something new again. She walked (or hopped) with the aid of a walker, doing it mostly all herself. Colleen or I walked behind her to make sure she didn't fall, but she walked about 60' with little or no help. WOW! Praising God again! She now is somewhat independant of us in that she can get in and out of bed without our help; and now she can walk to the restroom and back solo as well. We are going to have to guard the door soon so she doesn't start for home too soon.Her speech therapy is going very well, too. She is getting beyond concrete thoughts and describing things that she sees in pictures; describing in depth too. Thankyou God! Someone said from our church office that they are predicting her return to Gaylord by Alpenfest. Not sure that will happen but with God, we are not ruling anything out! We would be fools to! God is way bigger than I can think or dream...so as the Bible says, all things are possible with God, and so we believe.One thing to make you aware of so you can pray. In Whitney's healing leg, there is some infection that has set in. When she had her surgery last week, Dr. Ringler took a culture and had it analized. It showed some infection and right now it appears they can handle it with medicine taken by the mouth. We are praying that the antibiotics will clear it all up.Thankyou from our hearts. In Christ alone, Whitney's dad
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Wednesday, June 21, 2006
June 21, 2006 " Throught Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer..."
"Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise - the fruit of lips that confess His name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased" Hebrews 13:15-16What tremendous verses! Let us continually confess His name, the name of God almighty, the creator of heaven and earth. This is how we praise our Lord and Savior and King. We want to be careful to give God the praise for all He has done and continues to do in and through us as well as our Christian brothers and sisters the world over. We honor God with doing good and sharing with others. Sharing not only of what we have been blessed with but also sharing the great news of salvation. We want to honor Him today with our lives. Pray for God's strength as we join our hearts together, with Christians everywhere, to make a difference for Him.God is indeed good! As many of you have said, even in the midst of this unbelievable situation God continues to use it for His good. The comments of how God is changing lives and hearts is so encouraging and we thank you for what you are all sharing. When we share these things with Whitney, she simply says, "wow". It is blessing her and giving her strength. Thanks from the Ceraks.She had a quiet good day today. It seems evident to me that she has been a little more on the tired side the past couple days. We are aware that this could be due in part to the infection that has set in her leg. She is taking antibiotics orally and we are meeting with the doctor of infectious diseases tomorrow. We are praying that this is the only medication she will need in regards to this situation. Her therapies went well. She played solitare on the computer and did well. Her strength gains a little more each day. Her range of motion in her elbow has improved a lot, and she keeps working on it as she lays in her bed. Today, she had a couple of friends over to visit which brightened her day. Whitney sat at dinner eating pizza and laughing with her friends and family. Even though she had started the day off slowly and tired, she ended it with good fellowship and now rest. Thanks again for your prayers offered up for the other families involved. The Erbs, the Larsons, the Smiths, the VanRyns and the Felvers. We are amazed at our God and His people.In Christ alone, Whit's dad
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Thursday, June 22, 2006
June 22, 2006
“I lift up my eyes to the hills- where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip- he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord watches over you- the Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all harm- he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.” Psalms 121I have had a great day watching Whitney. I have enjoyed ever minute of it. Watching her gives me such joy. Watching as she shot baskets in therapy brought back memories of many evenings watching her play sports growing up. Watching her hop on her foot in therapy brought back memories of her learning to walk. Watching her play brain games on the computer in speech therapy reminded me of playing “memory” and games growing up. She had great therapy time and I loved sitting back with Newell and watching.Whitney had a doctor’s appointment for the staff infection in her leg and thank you for your prayers because it is able to be treated by oral medication.Whitney also had friends visiting her today and it was fun watching them talk and laugh and hang out like girls do best.It’s been a quiet night. Newell and Whitney have been playing brain games, I’m not sure whose winning, but they are having fun and again I am having fun watching.At the end of today I thought about God watching me his daughter and wondering if he had as much fun watching me as I did Whitney. Did my actions make him proud the way I was so proud of Whitney? I am so thankful for the unconditional love God has for me. “Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom.” Psalms 145:3. Don’t forget God is watching over you too. With love,Whitney’s mom
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Saturday, June 24, 2006
June 24, 2006 "Without weakening in his faith..."
“Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead - since he was about 100 years old - and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. 20. Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, 21. Being fully persuaded that God had power to do what He had promised.” Romans 4:19-21I was looking for a different verse but saw a star in the margin next to this verse and a star next to the footnote explaining this verse. The footnote: verse 19 - Abraham had some anxious moments but God did not count these against him. Faith does not refuse to face reality but looks beyond all difficulty to God and His promises. Verse 20 - because Abraham had faith to believe that God would do what He promised. Whereas works are man’s attempt to establish a claim on God, faith brings glory to him.I like these verses because I have had my anxious moments-I will tell you about one in a moment- but in every one either through His word or encouragement of family and friends God’s promises have been true. My faith has been strengthened and I see each day it is God’s power in me and He deserves all the glory. Whitney had another day of great accomplishment. She hopped up a curb using her walker, she easily transferred herself from wheelchair to bed or chair. She practiced some of the same games on the computer and the improvement is remarkable and substantial. Her math calculations have also gotten faster. We were given a weekend leave from the hospital. In order for us to do so, I needed to be able to give her a shot that she receives nightly. After some training, it was my turn for real. Whitney dislikes this shot because she has to take it in her belly and it stings. She usually asks one of us to hold her hand and distract her as she receives it. Today it was just me and Dan, one of the nurses. I got ready, Whitney looked at Dan and asked him to hold her hand. I was as frightened as she was but I did it successfully that they trust me enough to do it on my own tomorrow when we are away from the center. Whitney, Carly and I left the hospital and were joined by Sandra, Tara, Matt and DJ. We ate dinner and listened to camp stories. I am so proud of them for allowing God to use them as counselors at camp. Spring Hill has great memories for Carly and Whitney, it was there during their growing up years that they felt closest to God. Some family friends came over and brought the dvd “Chronicles of Narnia”. We talked, ate popcorn and relaxed till late. What a perfect Friday night! As I helped Whitney climb into bed, I thanked God for His faithfulness, power and love. With love, Whit’s mom
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Sunday, June 25, 2006
June 25, 2006 "We were under great pressure..."
"We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life...but this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God...On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers." 2Corinthians 1:8b-11aWe are reminded by Paul as he writes to the Corinthians, that we are to rely not on ourselves and what we bring to the table, but to rely on God and Him only. In that chapter he tells us that God has delivered in the past and He will deliver us again. We have set our hope that He will be true to His word. And you know what? He has never failed to give strength where needed; He has never failed to forgive us when we have sought His forgiveness for our sin; and He has never left us at any time in the good or bad of life. I find comfort, at times, in songs that I know from my memory. One song that has been in my head here of late is this:He is able, more than able, to accomplish what concerns me today...He is able, more than able, to handle anything that comes my way...He is able, more than able, to do much more than I could ever dream...He is able, more than able, to make me what He wants me to be.He continues to teach us as we go through this time. He continues to show His mercy and His love. He continues to stretch our faith. He continues to make us what He wants us to be...if we are willing to let Him work. We combine our prayers with yours for each of us to keep trusting in Him.Whitney had a great weekend. Thanks for your prayers. The time away was amazing for her phyical self and her mental self. She got up early to say goodbye to Tara, Sandra, and Matt as they headed back to Spring Hill. Then laid down again for some more sleep. We have told you she is not a morning person, so the weekend lended itself to her sleeping in as of old. A very good friend of hers is back from Equador and came by with her family to say hi. Whit loved seeing Amy and it did her so much good. They sat and talked and laughed, just what the doctor ordered. Then back to the Continuing Care Center. She worked on a 'word search' doing quite well and then relaxed to the 'Sound of Music'. She is now fast asleep, getting the sleep she needs for the routine of the week tomorrow. We thank you again for all the comments and prayers. God bless!!In Christ alone, Whit's dad
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Monday, June 26, 2006
June 26, 2006
"I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the Lord sustains me." Psalm 3:5God continues to give strength and support through His grace. He is sustaining us each and everyday. Without Him we would be lost. Whitney has had another good day. After returning here yesterday from her weekend away she got a good night's sleep. In the morning she returned to her therapies, improving from what she was able to accomplish on Friday. Using the walker she walked from the little gym down the hallway, I a not sure how far it was but it was the most she has walked since using the walker. Her arm strength increases through the therapy. She lays in bed and asks to have her leg and arm stretched. She so wants to become independant. She played the basketball game, 'Pig' while balancing on her right leg and did an awesome job. In the afternoon there was more work on her leg movement. Her files keep getting put back in place in her speech therapy. It is such a joy to watch. Three friends came by today at different times and visited. Her conversation keeps getting better and better. She is engaging and very pleasant to talk with. Her smile keeps radiating her warmth and improvement. One thing we forgot to tell you about Friday. She had two visitors. Don and Lisa VanRyn ate lunch with us. It was a sweet reunion although Whitney does not remember them. She knows that they are the family that took care of her for first 5 weeks, and it was good of them to come and share some of that lost time with her. They are such awesome people and Whitney will always know about what they did for her. We continue to lift them up in prayer for God's strength to support and comfort them. What a tremendous showing of God's love through this wonderful family.Tomorrow, Whit gets her leg checked on to see if it has healed correctly and if that cast can come off. If it all goes as hoped for, she will be fitted with a walking boot that she can put all her weight on. This is amazing! She is moving ahead at a steady pace. And we are praising God for His goodness.Thanks be to God for you all.In Christ alone, Newell
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Tuesday, June 27, 2006
June 27, 2006 "Praise the Lord, O my soul."
"Praise the Lord, O my soul. I will praise the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live...Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God, the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them - the Lord, who remains faithful forever." Psalm 146:1-2; 5-6We marvel at God's faithfulness. He is and always will be here for us. Please know the God of Jacob, the same God that we serve and worship this very day. Our hearts still choose to say...blessed be the name of our Lord.Today turned out to be a blessed day. Whitney got a good nights sleep with Colleen sleeping in the room as well. I think knowing she is there puts Whitney's mind at ease and puts her at peace. The power of a mother's love! She headed into her therapy with great energy and purpose. In her physical therapy she accomplished a feat of sorts. She walked using the walker...and she walked... and she walked. She hopped for more than 250'. That is truly amazing when you realize that she began to learn how to do this just last week. Her arms and shoulders are getting stronger and her balance is quite excellent. It is what she needs to do so that she no longer has to receive those shots in her belly. If she can continue to do this for a few days in a row she will succeed. She did go to the doctor's today. This was to check on her leg and see if she could begin to walk on it with all her weight. Good news is that her leg is healing properly...the bone is straight and the joint is perfect. The only set back is that she has to keep off the leg for 4 more weeks. (So the necklaces have to stay on for while more, VanRyns, sorry.) Whitney was somewhat disappointed but is in good spirits in spite of the situation. She is now wearing a removable boot which makes it possible to shower and to work her ankle. Some good news in addition that has kept her spirits up is that she found out today that she has offically completed her freshman year at TU. We are praising God for that bit of news and Whitney was excited to hear. Carly was a welcomed sight for Whit this evening, it is amazing how sisterly love can help to make each of them stronger. God keeps amazing us with His faithfulness. We are thankful beyond words.In Christ alone, Whit's dad
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Wednesday, June 28, 2006
June 28, 2006 "Great is the Lord..."
"Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom. One generation will commend your works to another; they will tell of your mighty acts. They will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty, and I will meditate on your wonderful works." Psalm 145:3-7We are praising God continuially. Every time we see Whitney increase in any area we give thanks. Every day we spend with her is a blessing. We can not fathom His greatness but we know He is worthy of all our praise. Before I start tonight I need to thank some very special people. We want to thank all of the staff at Spectrum Continuing Care Center. We would love to thank you all by name but we dont want to leave anyone out. So the biggest thank you to ALL of you. You all made this part of Whitney's recovery and stay, so great. The way you give...your hearts...your love for all the patients...is so evident and such an encouragement. And to the other patients that Whitney met...thank you for being sweet to her. God bless you as you continue your therapy there. It is an awesome place, you couldnt be treated better. From our hearts...a deeply indebted thankyou. We love you for who you are - extrodinary care givers and therapists. Grand Rapids...you are fortunate to have such a place!!We, tonight, are coming to you from a new address. Whitney is now under the care of the Hope Network, Grand Rapids Rehabilitation Services. You can look at the Gaylord E. Free Church website to see the address. Whit said her goodbyes yesterday and today...she had a special lunch and loved the entertainment the staff provided. (the milkshake dance was especially loved by Whitney and all of us.) Then today we packed up and left for the next step in her recovery. She is so excited and loves the room she has...she says is so big. In just a very short time here, the staff has made the transition smooth...already working on Whit's ankle...time in speech therapy...and an appointment with the neuropsychologist. The differences from her first meeting to this are huge! We had almost forgotten how she struggled and to see the changes at this time was astounding and so enjoyable. Wecloming back 'files' to the correct 'folders'. I have gone on too long...I am sorry...but Whitney is excited and so are we! She has that look in her eyes that says I am going to work hard to make home the next step. Your prayers are so uplifting and needed. Thank you so very much. We continue to meld our prayers with yours, for all the other folks; the Erbs, the Smiths, the Larsons, the VanRyns, the Felvers as well as for Whitney. Keep Vickie in your prayers too please.We are meditating on His wonderful works. His touch goes out to so many. His Holy Spirit is working. Praise God for lives changed!!In Christ alone, Whitney's dad
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Friday, June 30, 2006
June 30, 2006 "Now have come the salvation..."
"Now have come the salvation and the power the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ. For the accuser (Satan) of our brothers, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down. They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death." Revelations 12:10-11 NIVPraise God for His saving salvation!! As we sit with Whitney and talked, she has mentioned on several occasions her concern for people to know Christ as Savior and Lord. Christ intervenes on our behalf before God the Father each and everyday. Satan has no power over us anymore because death can not keep us from the love of God. If we know Christ as our personal Savior and Lord then we do not shrink from death. We do not love our lives here on this earth so much that we do not look forward to the day when we are with Him. Even though we have this time with Whitney here on this earth our eyes are still on Heaven and God's glory. What a day that will be!! Our meeting those who have gone on before us to Heaven. That is the hope we hold to. That is going to be one fine reunion! God be praised!!!I just want to let you know that Whitney is responding well to her new digs. Hope Network - Sojourners - is somewhat like a dorm setting. She and her sister are roommates of sorts and it is what Whit needs at this time! We again thank God for places like Hope! She is becoming more and more independant...still a long way to go...but the progress is still on the up slope. Her first full day was a long day and it tired her out. She started early (for her) in the morning, around 8:30am and was in therapy till about 4:30pm. She is such a hard worker but she finally had to say "uncle". lol She was able to hop with her walker over 100' in the morning and combined 162' in the afternoon. She so wants that needle to the belly to stop soon as possible. She enjoyed lunch out today with two of her therapists...had an omlett (?) and a cinammon role. She moves about easier than ever...getting in and out of bed; going to the bathroom; going to the kitchen and her therapies on her own. She is really becoming the independant lady that we knew from before...still a ways to go though. Two of our very close friends came by to visit and brought strawberry shortcake. Whit loved that and ate very well. Then she went to sleep a little earlier and slept like a log. She is improving greatly for which we continue to praise God! She has a way to go, however, in getting her brain to function as before, but the therapies have been awesome and it is such a joy to see her growth from week to week and day to day. She would say that she hasnt made that much improvement but when she got to see the differences in her writing she was amazed that it was she that wrote that scribble before. Please continue to pray for her healing. We thank God for all the prayers on her behalf.We also thank God for the prayers being offered daily on all the other's behalf as well. We want you also to know that we pray for those who ask for prayer in their comments too. We are amazed at what God can do...we probably shouldnt be amazed but we ARE!In Christ alone, Whitney's dad
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Saturday, July 01, 2006
July 1, 2006 "Let us hold unswervingly..."
"Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is FAITHFUL." Heb. 10:23"In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words can not express." Romans 8:26"Pray continually" I Thess. 5:17We were reminded this morning of our need to pray continually. Not for only the few that have been a part of all of these events...but for all the Brothers and Sisters in the Lord and to pray on behalf of those who do not know Christ as Savior and Lord. I am amazed at the number of people that are praying for Whitney and the VanRyns, the Erbs, the Smiths, the Larsons and the Felvers...as well as for Vicki, and Connie, and Michelle. We can do much if we continue to unite in prayer for not only these but for all those that burden our hearts. God will do so much more if we come together and lift up all in prayer. We will continue to be amazed at what God will do if we pray. So please...PRAY.Yesterday was one more good day for Whitney. Praise God!!She had a great night's sleep but was somewhat disappointed that she couldn't sleep in as did her sister, Carly. Whitney is getting some good order back into her brain functions. This Friday morning she showered totally without help (which has meant so much to her)...then with her schedule for the day in her lap, she wheeled off to her first therapy...this all on her own!!She is beginning to be herself in the area of her desire for independance. She even let us know that she didnt need us in therapy with her. What a joy to see and hear!!With aid of a map, that she got off the computer, she had to figure out a route to a specific place...then direct her therapists there and do some shopping. She did a great job, we are told, and did it even though she is not really a shopper at heart.In the afternoon...more stretching stiff joints; working on muscles tone, hopping more than 100' again; and speech therapy.A few close friends of ours came to visit...some chocolate covered strawberries and our mail from Gaylord came with them. Whitney was gracious, sweet and glad to see them. Then off for another weekend away! She enjoyed herself last night talking and staying up late. We thank God today for your prayers. And once more we are honored to join you in prayer for so many others in need. In need physically, emotionally, but most importantly...spiritually! Let us be found faithful by God!! Unite in prayer for ALL!In Christ alone...Whit's dad
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"Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is FAITHFUL." Heb. 10:23"In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words can not express." Romans 8:26"Pray continually" I Thess. 5:17We were reminded this morning of our need to pray continually. Not for only the few that have been a part of all of these events...but for all the Brothers and Sisters in the Lord and to pray on behalf of those who do not know Christ as Savior and Lord. I am amazed at the number of people that are praying for Whitney and the VanRyns, the Erbs, the Smiths, the Larsons and the Felvers...as well as for Vicki, and Connie, and Michelle. We can do much if we continue to unite in prayer for not only these but for all those that burden our hearts. God will do so much more if we come together and lift up all in prayer. We will continue to be amazed at what God will do if we pray. So please...PRAY.Yesterday was one more good day for Whitney. Praise God!!She had a great night's sleep but was somewhat disappointed that she couldn't sleep in as did her sister, Carly. Whitney is getting some good order back into her brain functions. This Friday morning she showered totally without help (which has meant so much to her)...then with her schedule for the day in her lap, she wheeled off to her first therapy...this all on her own!!She is beginning to be herself in the area of her desire for independance. She even let us know that she didnt need us in therapy with her. What a joy to see and hear!!With aid of a map, that she got off the computer, she had to figure out a route to a specific place...then direct her therapists there and do some shopping. She did a great job, we are told, and did it even though she is not really a shopper at heart.In the afternoon...more stretching stiff joints; working on muscles tone, hopping more than 100' again; and speech therapy.A few close friends of ours came to visit...some chocolate covered strawberries and our mail from Gaylord came with them. Whitney was gracious, sweet and glad to see them. Then off for another weekend away! She enjoyed herself last night talking and staying up late. We thank God today for your prayers. And once more we are honored to join you in prayer for so many others in need. In need physically, emotionally, but most importantly...spiritually! Let us be found faithful by God!! Unite in prayer for ALL!In Christ alone...Whit's dad
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Sunday, July 02, 2006
July 2, 2006 "Not that we are competent in ourselves..."
"Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God." 2Cor. 3:5"Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain." Psalm 127:1We are so thankful that God is our Lord and that He is watching over us. We are nothing apart from Him. We have no super power or strength...our strength comes only from Him and His Holy Spirit who is within us. ALL praise is due HIM!!Whitney has been enjoying a lot of good sleep for which not only is she thankful but so are we. This morning both she and her sister were able to sleep in. Whit has been waiting to be able to do this for a week and she savored every minute of it. We were able to take her away for the weekend again! So together we have enjoyed a very relaxing day. After a lazy morning and eating a good breakfast…it was stretch those joints time, to which Whit rose to the challenge. She is the one that normally says, “Hey, can we work on my ankle or can we work on my elbow?” She doesn’t always like the stretch due to the pain but she knows it is a good thing for her. She keeps a stiff upper lip and counts along. Following that there were devotions…and getting ready for the day out. Today we had the chance to go and visit with some of Matt’s family. The drive wasn’t too long and the day turned out to be great…sun shining and the wind died down some. She was driven around on a golf cart at this Christian camp Matt attended in his formative years. She really enjoyed herself as did we all. Her spirits are very good right now…not having to think of therapy and a little distraction were just what she needed. The one thing she wanted to see was fire works but due to the wind it didn’t happen. Maybe Tuesday!The family enjoyed the day outside after having been inside for much of the last several weeks. It is so good to see Whit smiling and having some fun. Then back to our haven of rest. After devouring some strawberry shortcake, for the second day, followed by a root beer float…and then some more stretching…all are fast asleep. We are hope you get to enjoy the holiday. The fourth has always been a great time for us, we all like the fireworks. As we headed back from our visit away, the sun was setting in the west. It was spectacular! The clouds covered part of the sun as we looked in the sky…there were rays of sunlight shining out past the clouds, as we looked we remembered this was our first (seeing a sunset with Whitney) since the accident. It brought tears of joy to my eyes and also tears of sorrow for those who do not get to see it with their loved ones on this side of Glory. But what a sunset must be on the other side of Glory!! And I look with great anticipation to that first sunset and sunrise with God Himself, that some of our number have already gotten to enjoy.
In Christ alone, Whit’s family
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Monday, July 03, 2006
July 3, 2006 Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Exodus 20:8Sundays are great days. For many people they mean sleeping in, a family day, resting and preparing for the week ahead. Sundays mean that to us but most of all it means church going to God’s house and worshipping him. Some people think they don’t need to go to church but I personally disagree. Church gives you a spiritual family, friends, people to walk with you in good times and people to love you in hard times.So guess what we got to do today for the first time since Easter? We got to go to church as a family. We couldn’t make it to our home church but that is another benefit of knowing God as our Father, we have lots of brothers and sisters in Christ. We started the morning off by saying good bye to Sandra and Matt and praying for another great week of service at Spring Hill camp and then we went to church. After church we went for a boat ride with our friends. The doctor wasn’t sure how Whitney would do on the water but she enjoyed the day, trying to catch a few rays in between the clouds. She is a little behind in her tan this summer.Even though it was an easy afternoon, the ride back was quiet as we all dozed off as Newell drove us home. Sunday wouldn’t be complete without a nap so we completed the day. Whitney and Carly went back to Hope in the evening to get ready for the week ahead. We miss our church family in Gaylord and look forward to worshiping and fellowshipping with you. We are thankful for the brothers and sisters in the faith we can worship with till then. I want to close with a prayer from Paul for his brothers in Ephesus. “For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know his love that surpasses knowledge- that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus through out all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. Ephesians 3:14-20
With love, Whitney’s mom
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Tuesday, July 04, 2006
July 4, 2006
"As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the Lord is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in him. For who is God besides the Lord? And who is the Rock except our God? It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect."2 Samuel 22:31-33It is Monday, meaning back to work. Whitney has a full schedule for the next two weeks. Her psychologist called it a window of opportunity for her where she is able to have all her rehab under one roof. We are not going to be able to have as much detail on her rehabs as Whitney is wanting a little of her independence back. She was never a momma’s girl to begin with so she is ready for us to stoop hovering over her. Part of me is sad because I learned so much watching the therapists work (the teacher side of me), and I loved to see the improvements each session but the other part is happy because she is gaining her confidence and independence. For the next two weeks Whitney will have at least 6 hours of therapy each day. On Friday July 14th we will have her two week evaluation, a big meeting with all the therapists and doctors that will tell us where she is at in rehab and how much longer we need to stay. Whitney is working hard each day toward that goal. She is enjoying getting to know her therapists as it is a one on one session with each. Because of the holiday tomorrow we were able to take Whitney away for the evening. We found a gas grill on the deck and I actually cooked a real meal. It felt so normal (except missing Sandra) sitting and laughing around the dinner table. Carly got Whitney laughing so hard that I thought I was going to have to perform the Himleck. After dinner a couple of Taylor friends came and it again felt so good to hear laughter and the girls talking. Whitney is looking forward to sleeping in tomorrow and of course the fireworks.Hope you all have a great holiday with your families and friends.
July 4, 2006
"As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the Lord is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in him. For who is God besides the Lord? And who is the Rock except our God? It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect."2 Samuel 22:31-33It is Monday, meaning back to work. Whitney has a full schedule for the next two weeks. Her psychologist called it a window of opportunity for her where she is able to have all her rehab under one roof. We are not going to be able to have as much detail on her rehabs as Whitney is wanting a little of her independence back. She was never a momma’s girl to begin with so she is ready for us to stoop hovering over her. Part of me is sad because I learned so much watching the therapists work (the teacher side of me), and I loved to see the improvements each session but the other part is happy because she is gaining her confidence and independence. For the next two weeks Whitney will have at least 6 hours of therapy each day. On Friday July 14th we will have her two week evaluation, a big meeting with all the therapists and doctors that will tell us where she is at in rehab and how much longer we need to stay. Whitney is working hard each day toward that goal. She is enjoying getting to know her therapists as it is a one on one session with each. Because of the holiday tomorrow we were able to take Whitney away for the evening. We found a gas grill on the deck and I actually cooked a real meal. It felt so normal (except missing Sandra) sitting and laughing around the dinner table. Carly got Whitney laughing so hard that I thought I was going to have to perform the Himleck. After dinner a couple of Taylor friends came and it again felt so good to hear laughter and the girls talking. Whitney is looking forward to sleeping in tomorrow and of course the fireworks.Hope you all have a great holiday with your families and friends.
Whitney’s mom
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Wednesday, July 05, 2006
July 5, 2006 "Because of the Lord's great love..."
“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning, great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for Him.” Lamentations 3:22-24 NIVGod is ever faithful and we wait on Him for our hope is in Him. And His compassions are new every day, what God has done for us in the past He will do for us again and again. He continues to uphold us in His grip. Even in the midst of our strife and trials He is with us. Praise be to God, the creator of heaven and earth!!We are not great parents by any means. We have stumbled along as many have. We trust God and His word! And while we have made and will make mistakes and sin, the one thing we ought always try to avoid is taking our eyes off Him. With the Holy Spirit’s help we can keep looking up to God. We will continue to experience His forgiveness and mercy as we move along. Holidays are great! You get to sleep in and change your routine for a few hours or maybe a few days. Today Whitney got to do one of her favorite things again…sleep in. When she did get up we had a great family breakfast time together. After some more rest we had a visit from Jen who was on her way to Chicago. Then we loaded up for a fireworks show. Our very good friends took us out on their boat at Grand Haven. Whitney’s anxious anticipation was satisfied with a spectacular show. We were able to get the front row on the river (if you can do that in a boat) and it seemed as though we were right under the fireworks. Feeling every whoosh and explosion as they shot up and covered us in a bright colored glow was an awesome experience. Whit’s smile was the best glow to look at and we counted our blessing again and again. It did turn into a very late night before we got back, but according to Whitney, “It was worth it.” It was a fabulous 4th of July, one we will not forget. It was good to see her enjoy herself…it was good to see her smile and eat caramel popcorn.We pray you had a good holiday. We are finding that just another day is a good day – holidays or not. Another day here on earth is another day to live for Christ and to praise Him.You are in our prayersIn Christ alone, Whitney’s dad
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Thursday, July 06, 2006
July 5, 2006 "Whether you turn to the right or to the left..."
“Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice from behind you saying, “This is the way; walk in it.” Isaiah 30:21“I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them.” Isaiah 42:16What a great passage of scripture God led me to this morning. We have been seeking His wisdom and understanding in all of this. He is leading us in ways that are totally unfamiliar to us but He is making the rough places smooth. He is going before us constantly and we praise His name for this. He is not forsaking us or any one who is a child of His. But we need to have accepted His gift to us through His son Jesus Christ in order to have heard that voice behind us. Please, please, please…you can have this guidance from the Lord if you accept this gift today. We all got up Wednesday morning and dressed for the doctor’s appointment. This morning was the appointment to see the infectious disease doctor about Whitney’s leg infection that was found during her operation in May. Praise God all is going well! The lab results showed everything to be fine. Whit will remain on antibiotics for a few more months to be absolutely certain.Then back to Hope Network for therapy. Whit wants to do these on her own so we can only, at this time, report what she tells us. She told us she was playing a card game called…’Speed’…Whit said she didn’t want to brag but that she won 2 out of 3 times. Whitney then showed her therapist a different version of the game and won again! Her thought processes are improving more and more…thank God! She still won’t play a family favorite…’Clue’…because she says she stinks at it. But maybe soon we will be able to have some family laughs over a game of ‘who-done-it’.Whitney was pretty tired from her big day July 4th celebration, so she went to bed some time after dinner. Her spirits remain up…she just wants to go home so badly. We pray for her patience as well as our own. We want her to recover before we make any more moves. We know you are, but please continue to pray for the families of all involved and that God will continue to move mightily as He has been doing. There are so many to pray for…let us keep kneeling before the Lord, our God, our maker.
“Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice from behind you saying, “This is the way; walk in it.” Isaiah 30:21“I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them.” Isaiah 42:16What a great passage of scripture God led me to this morning. We have been seeking His wisdom and understanding in all of this. He is leading us in ways that are totally unfamiliar to us but He is making the rough places smooth. He is going before us constantly and we praise His name for this. He is not forsaking us or any one who is a child of His. But we need to have accepted His gift to us through His son Jesus Christ in order to have heard that voice behind us. Please, please, please…you can have this guidance from the Lord if you accept this gift today. We all got up Wednesday morning and dressed for the doctor’s appointment. This morning was the appointment to see the infectious disease doctor about Whitney’s leg infection that was found during her operation in May. Praise God all is going well! The lab results showed everything to be fine. Whit will remain on antibiotics for a few more months to be absolutely certain.Then back to Hope Network for therapy. Whit wants to do these on her own so we can only, at this time, report what she tells us. She told us she was playing a card game called…’Speed’…Whit said she didn’t want to brag but that she won 2 out of 3 times. Whitney then showed her therapist a different version of the game and won again! Her thought processes are improving more and more…thank God! She still won’t play a family favorite…’Clue’…because she says she stinks at it. But maybe soon we will be able to have some family laughs over a game of ‘who-done-it’.Whitney was pretty tired from her big day July 4th celebration, so she went to bed some time after dinner. Her spirits remain up…she just wants to go home so badly. We pray for her patience as well as our own. We want her to recover before we make any more moves. We know you are, but please continue to pray for the families of all involved and that God will continue to move mightily as He has been doing. There are so many to pray for…let us keep kneeling before the Lord, our God, our maker.
In Christ alone, Whitney’s dad
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Friday, July 07, 2006
“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” Colossians 3:17 NIV“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” Colossians 3:23-24 NIVAs we watch Whitney work hard each day in her therapies we are seeing this in action. Whitney is committed to Jesus Christ, for which we will be eternally thankful. And as we listen to her pray for those involved in the accident as well as those who don’t know her Christ as Savior and Lord, we remember that this is not for her praise or glory. It is for God’s glory alone! Her desire is to serve him with her life. Glory be to God for what He has done and is doing through all of this! I know we have said this before but it is so important to say it again and again…to GOD be the glory!Thursday was another early morning …no sleeping in today. Back to the hospital for a follow up cat scan. The same nurse did the scan before and commented to Whitney that she looked so much different than the last time. The nurse said it was nice to see her out of her neck brace and moving about by herself. Whitney smiled till the nurse then said she had to put an IV in her arm so they could give her some solution to take the CAT scan. This has not been a favorite of hers but true to form her reaction was simply, “ouch”. After the appointment we had a little time before Whitney’s therapy started. We drove to Subway for some lunch. Whit’s appetite is good and she was plenty hungry so she ate it all up in almost one gulp!Back at Hope we had some time to talk. Whitney is becoming more spontaneous as time goes on. She talked about home and college and wanting to be there soon. The nurse came in and delivered some news about the belly shot – 2 more weeks…ugh! Later I was explaining why the doctor’s had decided that, and Whitney stopped me and asked, “But what do you say, dad?” To which I said I didn’t know. She then replied, “But didn’t you stay at a Holiday Inn last night?” We both laughed at her quick wit. She spent the afternoon in her therapies and returned to her room tired. Needing the rest she went to bed early with dreams of Saturday in her head. She is doing so well and we are continually thanking God for His grace and mercy.
In Christ alone, Whitney’s dad
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Saturday, July 08, 2006
“He Himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by His wounds you have been healed.” 1 Peter 2:24 NIV“Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 NIV“Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.” Psalm 95:7b-8aToday I have been reminded by the Holy Spirit to lay my burdens down at Jesus’ feet. We have been burdened, but as we look around we understand fully that our situation is small when compared with so many. So many are in situations that are as trying and many who are sagging under the load of harder situations. People dealing with severe physical, mental, emotional, financial, relational, and spiritual needs as well as the loss of loved ones. It is so important to hear and know that Christ knows and understands. He asks us to lay down all these trials and concerns at His feet. He gives strength, He gives hope, and He gives wisdom as we trust His word. There is still a burden but with God they are lighter. Be free of your burden of sin that holds us down. He paid the price on the cross. Come to Him – experience His promises.Whitney had a long day yesterday, but she was smiling throughout it. Physically, she gets stronger. She walked (hopping still) over 300’ which truly impressed me. Her voice is getting stronger and louder! It does get softer by days end but she is getting better. After therapies a friend from Olson Hall at TU came by before we loaded up Whitney and took off again for the weekend. Whit enjoys these weekends away – she continues to long for home with Hunter and Taylor (the cat) – but she does like getting away. Some hometown friends brought some needed things to us and visited. It was so much fun to sit and listen to them walk down memory lane with Whitney. She was all smiles and laughs.She is enjoying herself right now – sleeping in – it is now 11:15 am. Old habits are hard to change, but it is good and she deserves and needs it!It is another beautiful sunrise here in Grand Rapids with promise of a good day. We count our blessings each day.
In Christ alone, the Ceraks
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Monday, July 10, 2006
“Set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” Colossians 3:1-2 NIVAs we have been reading, God has brought to us some scriptures that are familiar which have reminded us about our place here on this earth. We are so thankful for being able to be with Whitney and yet when we thought she was in Heaven we were filled with such great comfort. As we continue to watch her progress we sometimes feel we have taken our eyes off the Heavenly realm. God has shown us of what we should be looking toward and it is not located on this earth. It is with Him in Heaven. So we want to set our minds on things above and be working to make that our daily thought and let that effect how we live our lives each day. Saturday was a beautiful day! After her college habit of deep sleep till almost noon, we left for a lake. This time no boating but lying in the sun and sitting in the water. Whitney has not had the opportunity to enjoy the sun much so this was a great step forward for her. She really likes the color on her face. That night we went out for ice cream. We had a nice evening sitting, talking, and eating our treats. It is good to see Whitney enjoying more of the things that were once a part of her life. Sunday we joined with other brothers and sisters in Christ, for church. It is so encouraging for us to sit together with fellow believers and praise and worship the maker of Heaven and earth. To observe Whit singing in her soft voice is definitely a blessing! We spent the afternoon eating at a great restaurant by the water. Whitney definitely likes steak! We were able to sit at outside tables…so steak and sun…what a great combination for Whitney. Then a return to Hope where two of Whitney’s very good friends visited for the evening. Emily and Amy bring that smile to Whitney’s face. The events of the weekend are good therapy for Whitney, although it does tire her out. She increases in her strength and endurance each day but still has not fully recovered fully. This will take more time and rest.Each day we thank God for the blessing of Whitney and her continued life here on earth. It reminds us each time we look at her to pray for the VanRyns. We pray for the Erbs, Smiths, Larsons and Felvers. We pray for their strength and for God to shore up their faith as He has done. We pray that the aches you feel are softened in the knowledge you have knowing where your loved ones are…they are not lost…you know where they are…they are with Christ. That is the destination for all who love God and are committed to Him. Praise God for the upcoming reunion!We keep in our prayers and thoughts as well, Vicki, Connie and Michelle. We pray for your recovery, health and strength.
In Christ alone, Whitney’s dad
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Tuesday, July 11, 2006
July 11, 2006 "He who conceals his sins does not prosper..."
“He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.” Proverbs 28:13“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” I John 1:9“Whoever is thirsty, let Him come; and whoever wishes let him take the free gift of the water of life.” Revelation 22:17What amazing love God has for all! We simply need to confess our sins, believe in Christ’s work on the cross and His resurrection, and one day join with those who have gone on before us. As we pray for the other families of this event, we are filled with comfort because we know their loved ones are Christians and in Heaven with Christ today! “The best of life on earth is a glimpse of Heaven; the worst of life on earth is a glimpse of hell. For Christians, this present life is the closest they will come to hell. For unbelievers, it is the closest they will come to Heaven.” (Randy Alcorn from his book, “Heaven”)Please, don’t guess where you will spend eternity…KNOW it for certain. There is no salvation apart from Jesus Christ and his redemptive work. “But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (Jesus Christ from His Book, “The Bible”).Monday…it is amazing! The time seems to go so slowly and yet it flies by at the same time. To remember what Whitney was like 2 ½ months ago and then to see her today…absolutely amazing! God is doing some wondrous things in her body. After a good night of sleep Whitney went to her therapies. She reminds us she is just fine and doesn’t need the therapy and then wheels herself off to do her daily work. She continues to work very hard even though she feels there is no need.This evening the professor, from TU, who is keeping tabs on Carly through her internship, came by. Whitney had a very pleasant conversation with him and Carly. Her spontaneity and comfort in conversation improve daily. Her ankle is loosening up as well, and her leg looks better…the scars are fading…the swelling is all gone…in physical therapy they work her leg to regain muscle tone. She lifts some light weight with her left arm to give it strength and to stretch out the elbow. Our doctor from Spectrum called today with news of Whit’s CAT scan. The news is all good!!! Thank you, God! All is fine and normal.The day is over…Carly and Whitney are asleep by now…tomorrow is another day. Praise be to God!In Christ alone, Whit’s dad
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Wednesday, July 12, 2006
July 12, 2006 "In the morning..."
“In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.” Psalm 5:3 NIV“I rise before dawn and cry for help; I have put my hope in your word.” Psalm 119:147 NIV“I will exalt you, my God the King; I will praise your name for ever and ever. Every day I will praise you and extol your name for ever and ever. Great is the Lord and most worth of praise; his greatness no one can fathom.” Psalm 145:1-3 NIVOur hope is in the Lord. He hears us when we pray to Him. He is faithful and will remain so forever. We find such peace at the feet of Jesus, we find comfort at the feet of Jesus and we find hope beyond description at His feet. He is our strength; it is certainly not we ourselves, so we praise Him again this day for all He has done. Today Whitney was on her own for most of the day. She did a fine job of ordering her day. She is fast becoming a dynamo when it comes to hopping around. This Tuesday morning she went almost 400’, then in the afternoon tacked on another 200’+. So, strength and endurance keep improving.For her occupational therapy time she was given the tasks of cleaning her bathroom area, doing her laundry, and straightening up her room. She must have completed the jobs in a good fashion because one of her therapists said to us, “You must have taught her well…most people complain but she didn’t…she just went right to work and got it done.” Awesome job Whitney! We thank God she remembered, her room might be clean at home whenever we get back.After a short nap, dinner was delicious – burritos and ice cream! Thanks so much for the dinner. Then opened and read some cards from well wishers followed by an early exit to bed. She put in another long day with all her therapies and it tired her. By the end of the day her voice was softer but her spirits were high. We give thanks to God for each day’s progress. He continues to give Whitney strength; He continues to help Whitney get those files back in order. God gives us what we need each day. I know that without Him we would be struggling to make it through each day.We pray for His guidance and wisdom both for now and the future. Spending time with God each day has been so sweet, we treasure the time. Spend time with Him today. Pray for those in need and ask Him for strength for yourself today.
Thursday, July 13, 2006
July 13, 2006
“The Lord is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion. The Lord protects the simple hearted; when I was in great need, he saved me.” Psalm 116:5-6Today was a quiet day – a day that we felt the normalcy of a routine. Whitney did take another step toward independence by spending her first night alone. Carly was not able to spend the night and I offered but Whitney said she would be just fine and she was.Whitney had her morning therapies and had lunch with Newell and me. She has her dad wrapped around her little finger. When she mentioned that she wanted something different for lunch, he ran out and got it for her. She then had her afternoon therapies while Newell and I had meetings.We all had a short rest as we waited for Carly to come back from her day of interning. Carly has had a few busy days so dinner was fun time of catching up. We talked about home and missing “Alpenfest” back in Gaylord and how quickly each day goes by. We are thankful for these “normal” days… a chance to regroup. A chance to regroup and at the end of the day say “This is the day the Lord has made – let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24
Saturday, July 15, 2006
Psalms 33:18-22But the eyes of the Lord areon those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love, to deliver them from death and keep him alive in famine. We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shieild. In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust his holy name. May your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord, even as we put our hope in you.The phrase unfailing love means so much to me and it means so much to God because He used it 27 times in the Psalms alone. I'm so thankful for his unfailing love because mine has gone thur periods of fading or divided love but Gods love toward me has been constant. It is what we all desire and what God desires to give us, his children, his unfailing love. I look at Whitney with a mothers love and it amazes me that Gods love is so much deeper than our earthly love.Whitney had a great Saturday. We were able to get away and Sandra and Matt were able to join us on their day off from Spring Hill. Saturday started Whitneys favorite way by sleeping in. A Saturday morning tradition continues of homemade(out of the box) blueberry muffins. The smell wakes them up with a smile. It was a really warm day so we were able to hang out at a pool for a couple of hours. We have to be careful not to get too much sun as the medication Whitney is on makes her sensitive to the sun. We got enough to give us a little color and make us look healthy. We orderd pizza then went to see "Pirates of the Carribean". Whitney ended her night laying on the grass looking up at the stars. Perfect ending to a fun day.
Psalms 119:103How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth.This was part of the scripture used today in church. How true it is that joy comes from reading, knowing and meditating on Gods perfect word.Carly and I got up early to send off Sandra and Matt. We even had the motivation to play some tennis(she beat me) before church. After church Carly wanted some quiet time alone so Whitney and I went out for lunch together.It was fun to have time alone with Whitney. Sundays wouldn't be complete with out a nap so.... We had a fun evening with a visit with friends. Another great day. Carly took Whitney back to Hope and "hopefully" got to bed early to be ready for the week ahead.
Tuesday, July 18, 2006
Job 37:1-5At this my heart pounds and leaps from its place. Listen! Listen to the roar of his voice, the the rumbling that comes from his mouth. He unleashes his lightning beneath the whole heaven and sends it to the ends of the earth. After that comes the sound of the roar; he thunders with his majestic voice. When his voice resounds, he holds nothing back. Gods voice thunders in marvelous ways; he does great things beyond our understanding.Back to work - it's Monday. Whitney asked her team of therapists if she could cut down on her rest time during the day so she could build endurance, so today was her first full day with no built in rest breaks. She wants so badly to get stronger but we have learned not only does her body need rest to heal but her brain also needs the rest to heal. We continue to learn how "fearfully and wonderfully"(Psalms 139:14)God made us and how Whitney's body and brain are healing.Whitney worked on stretching her elbow for range of movement . To work with her fine moter skills she is using her artistic side with some craft projects. Whitney is also starting to work on some back to school skills so they had her looking up phone numbers and addresses. To get her out into the community, she actually got to go to a museum. By the time we leave here, Whitney will probably be smarter and more well rounded than before the accident:)After therapy was over we ate dinner and watched a little TV to relax then believe it or not we went shopping. Whitney has been living in gym shorts and T shirts since the accident and it was time to get a new pair of jeans and a couple of shirts. For those of you who know Whitney, know that she doesn't like to shop,so she gave us an hour and we were sucessful and she looks GREAT.The evening ended with a magnificent display of Gods power in nature with a lightning and thunder storm. The curtian was open so the girls could see the storm as they fell asleep. It is great to love, serve, be protected by such a powerful God.
Wednesday, July 19, 2006
Psalms 7:9a"O Righteous God, who searches minds and hearts."Luke 10:27"Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind; and love your neighbor as yourself."Today was a very interesting day. Whitney had her normal morning routine with therapies and then after lunch we met with a neuro-psychiatrist. Again we feel so lucky to have the chance to meet and work with such high caliber professionals. I feel we both learned so much. I took some notes during the meeting so I could share the info with Newell and Carly. My favorite was when the doctor was showing us a model of a brain and explaining the functions of the different parts. He showed us the grey matter and and the white matter. The grey matter is for facts - reading, writing and arithmetic. The white matter is your passions - religion, sex and politics. He then said people think they ask Jesus into their hearts but they are really asking him into their white matter. He made us laugh. I am going to cover all my bases and love God with my heart, soul and mind. (Matt. 22:37) We learned so much more and are encouraged for the progress Whitney has made and will make in the next few months.Whitney had a few more therapies after the meeting and then we went out for a drive to enjoy the beautiful evening. Carly stays overnight with her intern family on Tuesday nights. She enjoys Tuesday nights as she has Bible study with the other interns then they relax and do fun things to get to know each other better. She is enjoying the experience and learning alot too. Whitney had the night to herself also. I left her chatting on the phone to a friend. It is a fun evening for her to catch up with some friends.Thanks for your continued prayers. We never take them for granted - instead we covet them. Continue to remember the Smiths, Felvers, Larsons, Erbs and VanRyns.
July 20, 2006 "Jesus Christ is the same..."
“Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.” James 4:14 NIV“We have this as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.” Hebrews 6:19a“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.” Hebrews 13:8In this ever changing world we need to put our trust in something that will never change. In our world there are all kinds of calamity. Things change from good to bad or bad to good in a flash. There is so much unrest in the world. Where do we find security and comfort for our souls? When compared to the uncertainty that is going on in this world our situation pales; there are so many others that are in situations more trying than ours Where can we find peace and comfort? We find it in the one thing that has never changed, Jesus Christ. Our strength continues to come from the One who has not nor will ever change. Please find your peace and strength in Him today.It’s good to be back with my family again. With Whitney doing so well and progressing in her recovery I was able to head home for the weekend. The better Whit gets each, and with her moving more toward independence, it makes it somewhat easier to leave for a short time. But getting back to my family is one of the best feelings, ever! Whitney looks great! Today was the first time I had seen her wear something other than shorts and a tee shirt. She looked more beautiful in jeans and a cute shirt. I asked her how her therapies have been going. She reported that she improved on the DynaVision from 46 to 60 lights hit. This is a device/method to help with reaction time used by some professional ice hockey goalies to measure vision and reaction times.She is working in speech therapy with figuring problems out in her head; also with comprehension and writing skills; her motor skills are very good, just sometime not as quick as before. This continues to improve steadily.This evening we enjoyed chicken wings from LaSeniorita’s in Gaylord. These are a favorite of Whitney’s. Then we surprised Sandra, Terra and Matt by showing up at Spring Hill…at Copper Country. It was “Wednesday Night Live”. Whitney loved watching saying that next summer she wanted to be a counselor.Watching Whitney tonight again brought us to our knees thanking God for His gift. We pray constantly for those whose hearts are still aching, for those who feel that hole in their lives. We revel in Whitney’s amazing recovery yet are daily aware of the pain of our dear friends in Christ.Continue to pray for all.
As Whitney's sisters, Sandra and I have decided to talk about the weekend together.
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Tuesday, July 11, 2006
July 11, 2006 "He who conceals his sins does not prosper..."
“He who conceals his sins does not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them finds mercy.” Proverbs 28:13“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” I John 1:9“Whoever is thirsty, let Him come; and whoever wishes let him take the free gift of the water of life.” Revelation 22:17What amazing love God has for all! We simply need to confess our sins, believe in Christ’s work on the cross and His resurrection, and one day join with those who have gone on before us. As we pray for the other families of this event, we are filled with comfort because we know their loved ones are Christians and in Heaven with Christ today! “The best of life on earth is a glimpse of Heaven; the worst of life on earth is a glimpse of hell. For Christians, this present life is the closest they will come to hell. For unbelievers, it is the closest they will come to Heaven.” (Randy Alcorn from his book, “Heaven”)Please, don’t guess where you will spend eternity…KNOW it for certain. There is no salvation apart from Jesus Christ and his redemptive work. “But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (Jesus Christ from His Book, “The Bible”).Monday…it is amazing! The time seems to go so slowly and yet it flies by at the same time. To remember what Whitney was like 2 ½ months ago and then to see her today…absolutely amazing! God is doing some wondrous things in her body. After a good night of sleep Whitney went to her therapies. She reminds us she is just fine and doesn’t need the therapy and then wheels herself off to do her daily work. She continues to work very hard even though she feels there is no need.This evening the professor, from TU, who is keeping tabs on Carly through her internship, came by. Whitney had a very pleasant conversation with him and Carly. Her spontaneity and comfort in conversation improve daily. Her ankle is loosening up as well, and her leg looks better…the scars are fading…the swelling is all gone…in physical therapy they work her leg to regain muscle tone. She lifts some light weight with her left arm to give it strength and to stretch out the elbow. Our doctor from Spectrum called today with news of Whit’s CAT scan. The news is all good!!! Thank you, God! All is fine and normal.The day is over…Carly and Whitney are asleep by now…tomorrow is another day. Praise be to God!In Christ alone, Whit’s dad
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Wednesday, July 12, 2006
July 12, 2006 "In the morning..."
“In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.” Psalm 5:3 NIV“I rise before dawn and cry for help; I have put my hope in your word.” Psalm 119:147 NIV“I will exalt you, my God the King; I will praise your name for ever and ever. Every day I will praise you and extol your name for ever and ever. Great is the Lord and most worth of praise; his greatness no one can fathom.” Psalm 145:1-3 NIVOur hope is in the Lord. He hears us when we pray to Him. He is faithful and will remain so forever. We find such peace at the feet of Jesus, we find comfort at the feet of Jesus and we find hope beyond description at His feet. He is our strength; it is certainly not we ourselves, so we praise Him again this day for all He has done. Today Whitney was on her own for most of the day. She did a fine job of ordering her day. She is fast becoming a dynamo when it comes to hopping around. This Tuesday morning she went almost 400’, then in the afternoon tacked on another 200’+. So, strength and endurance keep improving.For her occupational therapy time she was given the tasks of cleaning her bathroom area, doing her laundry, and straightening up her room. She must have completed the jobs in a good fashion because one of her therapists said to us, “You must have taught her well…most people complain but she didn’t…she just went right to work and got it done.” Awesome job Whitney! We thank God she remembered, her room might be clean at home whenever we get back.After a short nap, dinner was delicious – burritos and ice cream! Thanks so much for the dinner. Then opened and read some cards from well wishers followed by an early exit to bed. She put in another long day with all her therapies and it tired her. By the end of the day her voice was softer but her spirits were high. We give thanks to God for each day’s progress. He continues to give Whitney strength; He continues to help Whitney get those files back in order. God gives us what we need each day. I know that without Him we would be struggling to make it through each day.We pray for His guidance and wisdom both for now and the future. Spending time with God each day has been so sweet, we treasure the time. Spend time with Him today. Pray for those in need and ask Him for strength for yourself today.
In Christ alone, Whitney’s family
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Thursday, July 13, 2006
July 13, 2006
“The Lord is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion. The Lord protects the simple hearted; when I was in great need, he saved me.” Psalm 116:5-6Today was a quiet day – a day that we felt the normalcy of a routine. Whitney did take another step toward independence by spending her first night alone. Carly was not able to spend the night and I offered but Whitney said she would be just fine and she was.Whitney had her morning therapies and had lunch with Newell and me. She has her dad wrapped around her little finger. When she mentioned that she wanted something different for lunch, he ran out and got it for her. She then had her afternoon therapies while Newell and I had meetings.We all had a short rest as we waited for Carly to come back from her day of interning. Carly has had a few busy days so dinner was fun time of catching up. We talked about home and missing “Alpenfest” back in Gaylord and how quickly each day goes by. We are thankful for these “normal” days… a chance to regroup. A chance to regroup and at the end of the day say “This is the day the Lord has made – let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24
With love – Whitney’s mom
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Friday, July 14, 2006
“Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn…Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him.” Psalm 37:3-7We have been relearning these lessons as we have gone through these days here in GR. God calls us to trust in him, to delight in him, to commit our ways to him and then to be still before him and wait patiently. Whitney is getting back into her independence mode more and more. She is doing all her preparations for the day: showering, dressing, getting to therapies, using the kitchen in her room, meeting with her neuropsychologist and doing a great job of it all. Her strength and endurance increase a little more each day; she is going to be able to beat me in arm wrestling the way she is bulking up. She is working hard in speech and occupational therapies. Her speed at processing improves slowly, but it is still improvement. The same thing is true about her reaction speed.She has an evaluation tomorrow. We are praying for a good report, Whitney wants to be going home but we are extremely happy and thankful to God for the progress she has obviously made already. We again are leaning heavily on those here at Hope Rehabilitation who are expertise in this area of traumatic brain injury. One absolutely awesome piece of news to share with you… NO MORE STOMACH NEEDLES! Whitney got the word this evening, so as of tonight she does not have to endure that anymore. She had a huge smile on her face – all dimples showing – when she gave us the news. One more step in the process…Praise God!We continue in our prayers for you and for the families of all involved in this accident. May God keep you in His care, may His comfort surround you and His strength uphold you.
“Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn…Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him.” Psalm 37:3-7We have been relearning these lessons as we have gone through these days here in GR. God calls us to trust in him, to delight in him, to commit our ways to him and then to be still before him and wait patiently. Whitney is getting back into her independence mode more and more. She is doing all her preparations for the day: showering, dressing, getting to therapies, using the kitchen in her room, meeting with her neuropsychologist and doing a great job of it all. Her strength and endurance increase a little more each day; she is going to be able to beat me in arm wrestling the way she is bulking up. She is working hard in speech and occupational therapies. Her speed at processing improves slowly, but it is still improvement. The same thing is true about her reaction speed.She has an evaluation tomorrow. We are praying for a good report, Whitney wants to be going home but we are extremely happy and thankful to God for the progress she has obviously made already. We again are leaning heavily on those here at Hope Rehabilitation who are expertise in this area of traumatic brain injury. One absolutely awesome piece of news to share with you… NO MORE STOMACH NEEDLES! Whitney got the word this evening, so as of tonight she does not have to endure that anymore. She had a huge smile on her face – all dimples showing – when she gave us the news. One more step in the process…Praise God!We continue in our prayers for you and for the families of all involved in this accident. May God keep you in His care, may His comfort surround you and His strength uphold you.
In Christ alone, Whitney’s dad
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Saturday, July 15, 2006
"The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation. He is my stronghold, my refuge and my savior." 2 Samuel 2-3 NIV"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5-6 NIVWhitney’s day began like many of her recent mornings. Up and at it about 8 am and going through her therapies. We joined her at noon for lunch in the dinning area. Then at 1 pm we joined with the rest of Whit’s therapy team for the evaluation. I have to say from the start that the people here at HOPE are some of the finest. We thank God for Whitney’s care being entrusted to them. As we sat around the table each therapist gave their evaluation of Whit’s progress, followed by a recommendation of the entire team. Whitney has made tremendous progress! That we are even thinking it is possible for her to get back into the swing of college in the fall is absolutely remarkable. Yet there are some vital areas that she needs more improvement in before heading home. So the recommendation is that she will be staying in GR for a while longer. While we were hoping for something different we continue to trust God in all of this. Physically she pushes hard and is stronger. Her mental wellness is so key here. Over the next period of time, we are praying that through therapy her endurance as well as speed in processing and speed in reflexes will improve more. We will pray for her recovery still and trust the people at HOPE and God himself for the timing of it. We are thanking God for his moving in Whitney’s recovery. It truly has been astounding! We will keep trusting Him. Know we continue to cherish your prayers.
In Christ alone, Whitney’s family
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Sunday July 16,
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Sunday July 16,
Psalms 33:18-22But the eyes of the Lord areon those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love, to deliver them from death and keep him alive in famine. We wait in hope for the Lord; he is our help and our shieild. In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust his holy name. May your unfailing love rest upon us, O Lord, even as we put our hope in you.The phrase unfailing love means so much to me and it means so much to God because He used it 27 times in the Psalms alone. I'm so thankful for his unfailing love because mine has gone thur periods of fading or divided love but Gods love toward me has been constant. It is what we all desire and what God desires to give us, his children, his unfailing love. I look at Whitney with a mothers love and it amazes me that Gods love is so much deeper than our earthly love.Whitney had a great Saturday. We were able to get away and Sandra and Matt were able to join us on their day off from Spring Hill. Saturday started Whitneys favorite way by sleeping in. A Saturday morning tradition continues of homemade(out of the box) blueberry muffins. The smell wakes them up with a smile. It was a really warm day so we were able to hang out at a pool for a couple of hours. We have to be careful not to get too much sun as the medication Whitney is on makes her sensitive to the sun. We got enough to give us a little color and make us look healthy. We orderd pizza then went to see "Pirates of the Carribean". Whitney ended her night laying on the grass looking up at the stars. Perfect ending to a fun day.
Love, Whit's mom
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Monday, July 17, 2006
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Monday, July 17, 2006
Psalms 119:103How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth.This was part of the scripture used today in church. How true it is that joy comes from reading, knowing and meditating on Gods perfect word.Carly and I got up early to send off Sandra and Matt. We even had the motivation to play some tennis(she beat me) before church. After church Carly wanted some quiet time alone so Whitney and I went out for lunch together.It was fun to have time alone with Whitney. Sundays wouldn't be complete with out a nap so.... We had a fun evening with a visit with friends. Another great day. Carly took Whitney back to Hope and "hopefully" got to bed early to be ready for the week ahead.
Love, Whit's mom
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Tuesday, July 18, 2006
Job 37:1-5At this my heart pounds and leaps from its place. Listen! Listen to the roar of his voice, the the rumbling that comes from his mouth. He unleashes his lightning beneath the whole heaven and sends it to the ends of the earth. After that comes the sound of the roar; he thunders with his majestic voice. When his voice resounds, he holds nothing back. Gods voice thunders in marvelous ways; he does great things beyond our understanding.Back to work - it's Monday. Whitney asked her team of therapists if she could cut down on her rest time during the day so she could build endurance, so today was her first full day with no built in rest breaks. She wants so badly to get stronger but we have learned not only does her body need rest to heal but her brain also needs the rest to heal. We continue to learn how "fearfully and wonderfully"(Psalms 139:14)God made us and how Whitney's body and brain are healing.Whitney worked on stretching her elbow for range of movement . To work with her fine moter skills she is using her artistic side with some craft projects. Whitney is also starting to work on some back to school skills so they had her looking up phone numbers and addresses. To get her out into the community, she actually got to go to a museum. By the time we leave here, Whitney will probably be smarter and more well rounded than before the accident:)After therapy was over we ate dinner and watched a little TV to relax then believe it or not we went shopping. Whitney has been living in gym shorts and T shirts since the accident and it was time to get a new pair of jeans and a couple of shirts. For those of you who know Whitney, know that she doesn't like to shop,so she gave us an hour and we were sucessful and she looks GREAT.The evening ended with a magnificent display of Gods power in nature with a lightning and thunder storm. The curtian was open so the girls could see the storm as they fell asleep. It is great to love, serve, be protected by such a powerful God.
Love, Whitney's mom
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Wednesday, July 19, 2006
Psalms 7:9a"O Righteous God, who searches minds and hearts."Luke 10:27"Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind; and love your neighbor as yourself."Today was a very interesting day. Whitney had her normal morning routine with therapies and then after lunch we met with a neuro-psychiatrist. Again we feel so lucky to have the chance to meet and work with such high caliber professionals. I feel we both learned so much. I took some notes during the meeting so I could share the info with Newell and Carly. My favorite was when the doctor was showing us a model of a brain and explaining the functions of the different parts. He showed us the grey matter and and the white matter. The grey matter is for facts - reading, writing and arithmetic. The white matter is your passions - religion, sex and politics. He then said people think they ask Jesus into their hearts but they are really asking him into their white matter. He made us laugh. I am going to cover all my bases and love God with my heart, soul and mind. (Matt. 22:37) We learned so much more and are encouraged for the progress Whitney has made and will make in the next few months.Whitney had a few more therapies after the meeting and then we went out for a drive to enjoy the beautiful evening. Carly stays overnight with her intern family on Tuesday nights. She enjoys Tuesday nights as she has Bible study with the other interns then they relax and do fun things to get to know each other better. She is enjoying the experience and learning alot too. Whitney had the night to herself also. I left her chatting on the phone to a friend. It is a fun evening for her to catch up with some friends.Thanks for your continued prayers. We never take them for granted - instead we covet them. Continue to remember the Smiths, Felvers, Larsons, Erbs and VanRyns.
Love, Whitney's mom
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Thursday, July 20, 2006
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Thursday, July 20, 2006
July 20, 2006 "Jesus Christ is the same..."
“Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.” James 4:14 NIV“We have this as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.” Hebrews 6:19a“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever.” Hebrews 13:8In this ever changing world we need to put our trust in something that will never change. In our world there are all kinds of calamity. Things change from good to bad or bad to good in a flash. There is so much unrest in the world. Where do we find security and comfort for our souls? When compared to the uncertainty that is going on in this world our situation pales; there are so many others that are in situations more trying than ours Where can we find peace and comfort? We find it in the one thing that has never changed, Jesus Christ. Our strength continues to come from the One who has not nor will ever change. Please find your peace and strength in Him today.It’s good to be back with my family again. With Whitney doing so well and progressing in her recovery I was able to head home for the weekend. The better Whit gets each, and with her moving more toward independence, it makes it somewhat easier to leave for a short time. But getting back to my family is one of the best feelings, ever! Whitney looks great! Today was the first time I had seen her wear something other than shorts and a tee shirt. She looked more beautiful in jeans and a cute shirt. I asked her how her therapies have been going. She reported that she improved on the DynaVision from 46 to 60 lights hit. This is a device/method to help with reaction time used by some professional ice hockey goalies to measure vision and reaction times.She is working in speech therapy with figuring problems out in her head; also with comprehension and writing skills; her motor skills are very good, just sometime not as quick as before. This continues to improve steadily.This evening we enjoyed chicken wings from LaSeniorita’s in Gaylord. These are a favorite of Whitney’s. Then we surprised Sandra, Terra and Matt by showing up at Spring Hill…at Copper Country. It was “Wednesday Night Live”. Whitney loved watching saying that next summer she wanted to be a counselor.Watching Whitney tonight again brought us to our knees thanking God for His gift. We pray constantly for those whose hearts are still aching, for those who feel that hole in their lives. We revel in Whitney’s amazing recovery yet are daily aware of the pain of our dear friends in Christ.Continue to pray for all.
In Christ alone, Whitney’s dad
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July 21, 2006
"My son, pay attention to what I say..."
“My son, pay attention to what I say; listen closely to my words. Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to a man’s whole body. Above all else, guard your heart for it is the wellspring of life…Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm. Do not sway to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.” Proverbs 4:20-27 NIVThese words have been a source of comfort to us. The thing that God sees as wise is not only knowing his word but applying it to our lives. It is not enough to know God’s word; we have to put it into practice daily. He has been teaching us this very lesson in these last couple months. We have found comfort in reading His word each day, but we have found that there is abundant comfort to be found in obeying what we have learned from the scripture. God is using this event to strengthen our faith and deepen our trust in his promises. Oh that we can keep our gaze fixed on him who is directly before us. Our prayer is for each of us to sway neither to the right or left. Whitney looked great again today! That smile, those dimples from before are definitely back. She continues with her daily routine. Today she cleaned the kitchen as well as straightened up her room. I timed her as she scooted down the hallway in the wheel chair; she really moves along now. The strength in her arms is on the increase…yesterday when getting up into the Suburban she lifted herself up onto the seat. Her spontaneity is becoming more obvious. By that we are talking about how quickly she responds in conversation. Her facial expression is more and more natural. God continues to strengthen her body and mind. We praise Him for all He is doing.Tomorrow (Friday), is a big day! Whitney has a couple of doctor’s appointments. One that is most important to her is with her orthopedic surgeon. She finds out if she can weight bear on that left leg. We appreciate your prayers as Whitney continues on this recovery road. In Christ alone, Whitney’s dad
“My son, pay attention to what I say; listen closely to my words. Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to a man’s whole body. Above all else, guard your heart for it is the wellspring of life…Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm. Do not sway to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.” Proverbs 4:20-27 NIVThese words have been a source of comfort to us. The thing that God sees as wise is not only knowing his word but applying it to our lives. It is not enough to know God’s word; we have to put it into practice daily. He has been teaching us this very lesson in these last couple months. We have found comfort in reading His word each day, but we have found that there is abundant comfort to be found in obeying what we have learned from the scripture. God is using this event to strengthen our faith and deepen our trust in his promises. Oh that we can keep our gaze fixed on him who is directly before us. Our prayer is for each of us to sway neither to the right or left. Whitney looked great again today! That smile, those dimples from before are definitely back. She continues with her daily routine. Today she cleaned the kitchen as well as straightened up her room. I timed her as she scooted down the hallway in the wheel chair; she really moves along now. The strength in her arms is on the increase…yesterday when getting up into the Suburban she lifted herself up onto the seat. Her spontaneity is becoming more obvious. By that we are talking about how quickly she responds in conversation. Her facial expression is more and more natural. God continues to strengthen her body and mind. We praise Him for all He is doing.Tomorrow (Friday), is a big day! Whitney has a couple of doctor’s appointments. One that is most important to her is with her orthopedic surgeon. She finds out if she can weight bear on that left leg. We appreciate your prayers as Whitney continues on this recovery road. In Christ alone, Whitney’s dad
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Friday, July 21, 2006
July 21, 2006 " Therefore put on the full armor..."
“Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, TO STAND.” Ephesians 6:13To stand is what we are called to do...to study and put on the protection of God which comes through His word so that when that day comes...not maybe comes... but when it does come you will be able to stand your ground. This has made so many of us stop and think about what we should do when Satan tries to shake us. We are called to stand...not to fade but to put our trust in God to the test. Evil was the cause of all that has happened and we are called not to shrink from it but to stand in the power of God. Let’s stand together and watch how God uses it for His good.What an awesome day today has been! A couple of things...Whitney was late getting ready for today’s doctors appointments. She showered too long which made for hasty ride to make it on time. We made it to her Neuro Optomologist examination and great news!! Whitney has no damage to her eyes whatsoever (not that there were any worries in this area). This was simply a precaution and it was an absolutely positive result. Praise God!!The second thing is we made it to her second appointment early. We even got in early!! It was amazing...but even more amazing is the report she received. After more x-rays her Orthopedic Surgeon walked in and said...her elbow looks fine and is healed...her collar bone is fully healed...her ribs are just fine....and oh yeah....her leg is now full weight bearing!! She can walk!!! After almost 3 months Whitney can take off the boot and walk! We were in tears when she stood up on both legs, took 3 steps forward and looked at us with a huge smile and said, “Lets take the stairs.” Praise God. We bow down and worship him. We thanked God again for his gift, we are truly humbled in His presence.When we got into the van to head back to HOPE, I called Carly and struggled to get out the words to her. She said she had just been praying, asking God to heal her sister to be able to walk. Carly then put a call to Lisa and we left a message for Don VanRyn. Those necklaces they had made and wore on their necks were there till Whitney walked. We again thank God for such an awesome, God believing and God trusting family. You are forever engraved on our hearts. We thank you, from the depths of our hearts. We lift you in prayer to God. We are so grateful fo God above and we continue to pray for His strength to fill all effected in this event. In Christ alone, Walking Whitney’s dad
July 21, 2006 " Therefore put on the full armor..."
“Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, TO STAND.” Ephesians 6:13To stand is what we are called to do...to study and put on the protection of God which comes through His word so that when that day comes...not maybe comes... but when it does come you will be able to stand your ground. This has made so many of us stop and think about what we should do when Satan tries to shake us. We are called to stand...not to fade but to put our trust in God to the test. Evil was the cause of all that has happened and we are called not to shrink from it but to stand in the power of God. Let’s stand together and watch how God uses it for His good.What an awesome day today has been! A couple of things...Whitney was late getting ready for today’s doctors appointments. She showered too long which made for hasty ride to make it on time. We made it to her Neuro Optomologist examination and great news!! Whitney has no damage to her eyes whatsoever (not that there were any worries in this area). This was simply a precaution and it was an absolutely positive result. Praise God!!The second thing is we made it to her second appointment early. We even got in early!! It was amazing...but even more amazing is the report she received. After more x-rays her Orthopedic Surgeon walked in and said...her elbow looks fine and is healed...her collar bone is fully healed...her ribs are just fine....and oh yeah....her leg is now full weight bearing!! She can walk!!! After almost 3 months Whitney can take off the boot and walk! We were in tears when she stood up on both legs, took 3 steps forward and looked at us with a huge smile and said, “Lets take the stairs.” Praise God. We bow down and worship him. We thanked God again for his gift, we are truly humbled in His presence.When we got into the van to head back to HOPE, I called Carly and struggled to get out the words to her. She said she had just been praying, asking God to heal her sister to be able to walk. Carly then put a call to Lisa and we left a message for Don VanRyn. Those necklaces they had made and wore on their necks were there till Whitney walked. We again thank God for such an awesome, God believing and God trusting family. You are forever engraved on our hearts. We thank you, from the depths of our hearts. We lift you in prayer to God. We are so grateful fo God above and we continue to pray for His strength to fill all effected in this event. In Christ alone, Walking Whitney’s dad
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Saturday July 22 & Sunday July 23
As Whitney's sisters, Sandra and I have decided to talk about the weekend together.
(Sandra)Each weeekend, I have the priveledge of visiting Whitney. My week days are spent working at a Christian camp, something Whitney was planning on doing this summer. Even though my time with Whit is scarce, it is always time cherished. God continues to amaze me in the way He has His healing hand over her. In the short five days I am away, the improvement she makes is very noticable. Each visit brings a more talkative, more alert, more funny, and more herself, Whitney. I can't help but smile just thinking about her and the strides she has made. God is truly so good, and I can't say that enough. This weekend Whit was able to get away and visit with some friends she hasn't seen in a while. It was a great break and a way for her to feel normal again. She even got to experience some "Spring Hill lovin" on Sunday by coming to the morning service. She has said many times of how excited she is to work at this camp sometime in the future, and today we got to see that excitement first hand.
(Carly)The weekends are great for the rest of us because it is special when Sandra comes and tells us about her week at camp. This weekend was extra special for us when we recieved a phone call from Invisible Children. At Whitney's funeral, a collection of money was put together in Whitney's name for the Invisible Children fund. This week we finally sent the money. It has been amazing to see how many prayers God has answered through this season in our life. Not only has God answered prayers of people we know, but through this money prayers of so many kids in Uganda will be answered. We recieved word that the money will be taken to Uganda today and will be used to help thousands of children in need. It has been a great passion of Sandra, Whitney, and I to help these children. And it has been so humbling to look at what we've gone through and then look at these kids and realize we have gone through nothing. We are honored to send the money many of you have donated in Whitney's name and take part in giving God's justice to others as we are called to do as followers to Christ.Luke 12:48b, "From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked"Isaiah 61:8, "For I, the Lord, love justice."
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Tuesday, July 25, 2006
July 24,2006
Psalms 100Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful song, know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.What a day! Whitney started her day with 2 hours of a neuro-psych exam. She will have 2 more mornings of testing to finish this complete test. We are all excited and interested in the outcome. It is important to us to see if she will be ready and able to handle going back to Taylor in the fall.Whitney got ot go out for lunch with her recreational therapist. I am thiniking I could like that job:)During occupational therapy she got to show off her cooking skills and got an A+ on Mac and Cheese. When we visited Hope they were asking questions about Whitney wanting to help her get back to who she was before the accident. We jokingly told them that she was a gormet cook and kept her room really clean. Well... we are on the way, mac and cheese today, chicken cordon blue tommorrow.Whitney does good when she has a goal in front of her. When we came to Hope 3 weeks ago she tried the dynavision, which tests her reaction tme. The goal of 70-80 was given for driving again. (I was glad that I got 70 when I tried) Well today Whitney got 69! She is getting close and it is good to have these tangible goals. Whitney is walking and that is so exciting to see. Her ankle was alittle swollen at the end of the day but she iced it and elivated it and is ready to go tommorrow.Tonight ended on a sweet note with a trip to Cold Stone ice cream with friends. We have so much to be thankful for but still our hearts are with the friends and family of the Erbs, Smiths, Felvers, Larsons, and VanRyns as God loves them through this difficult time.
July 24,2006
Psalms 100Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful song, know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.What a day! Whitney started her day with 2 hours of a neuro-psych exam. She will have 2 more mornings of testing to finish this complete test. We are all excited and interested in the outcome. It is important to us to see if she will be ready and able to handle going back to Taylor in the fall.Whitney got ot go out for lunch with her recreational therapist. I am thiniking I could like that job:)During occupational therapy she got to show off her cooking skills and got an A+ on Mac and Cheese. When we visited Hope they were asking questions about Whitney wanting to help her get back to who she was before the accident. We jokingly told them that she was a gormet cook and kept her room really clean. Well... we are on the way, mac and cheese today, chicken cordon blue tommorrow.Whitney does good when she has a goal in front of her. When we came to Hope 3 weeks ago she tried the dynavision, which tests her reaction tme. The goal of 70-80 was given for driving again. (I was glad that I got 70 when I tried) Well today Whitney got 69! She is getting close and it is good to have these tangible goals. Whitney is walking and that is so exciting to see. Her ankle was alittle swollen at the end of the day but she iced it and elivated it and is ready to go tommorrow.Tonight ended on a sweet note with a trip to Cold Stone ice cream with friends. We have so much to be thankful for but still our hearts are with the friends and family of the Erbs, Smiths, Felvers, Larsons, and VanRyns as God loves them through this difficult time.
With love,Whitney's mom
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Wednesday, July 26, 2006
July 25, 2006
I thought the daily successes would be slowing into weekly successes but each day I see a stronger, quicker Whitney. It happens in every parent child relationship, the day you stop wrestling or racing your child because now they can beat you:) Well, Whitney got 71 and beat me in the dynavision. That is such a huge goal reached (not the beating me, even tho she is gloating alittle) but for driving reaction time.Her road back to gormet cooking continues as she went grocery shopping in occupational therapy and bought pizza rolls, ranch dressing and juice. She will make lunch for a friend tommorrow. In speech therapy,, she was working on note taking. She says she takes good notes but her writing is still slower than normal. By the time she got to physical therapy her ankle was very swollen so they iced, elevated and stretched.Again today we thanked God for another great doctor. Whitney had an appointment with her physiatrist. I am learning so much, a physiatrist is the doctor that is the head of all the therapists. It is awesome how they all work together thru their different disciplines to achieve common goals for Whitney. We had met the physiatrist the first day at Spectrum but that seems like years ago and my mind was overflowing at that time so it feels like we really met him for the first time today. The therapists each submit reports and he checks Whitney's progress and gives direction for the next few weeks. He checked Whitneys muscle strength, her reflexes, her memory and her walking. He was thrilled with her progress and encouraging her next steps toward full recovery.We praise God for the therapists, doctors, nurses, administrators, workers that God has brought into our path. Each using their gifts and abilities God has given them to help us and Whitney on her road to recovery in such a positive way.Romans 12:6-8 "We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully."1 Cornithians 12:4 "There are diffent kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working but the same God works all of them in all men."May you use your gifts today to love others so that through you they will feel God's love.
July 25, 2006
I thought the daily successes would be slowing into weekly successes but each day I see a stronger, quicker Whitney. It happens in every parent child relationship, the day you stop wrestling or racing your child because now they can beat you:) Well, Whitney got 71 and beat me in the dynavision. That is such a huge goal reached (not the beating me, even tho she is gloating alittle) but for driving reaction time.Her road back to gormet cooking continues as she went grocery shopping in occupational therapy and bought pizza rolls, ranch dressing and juice. She will make lunch for a friend tommorrow. In speech therapy,, she was working on note taking. She says she takes good notes but her writing is still slower than normal. By the time she got to physical therapy her ankle was very swollen so they iced, elevated and stretched.Again today we thanked God for another great doctor. Whitney had an appointment with her physiatrist. I am learning so much, a physiatrist is the doctor that is the head of all the therapists. It is awesome how they all work together thru their different disciplines to achieve common goals for Whitney. We had met the physiatrist the first day at Spectrum but that seems like years ago and my mind was overflowing at that time so it feels like we really met him for the first time today. The therapists each submit reports and he checks Whitney's progress and gives direction for the next few weeks. He checked Whitneys muscle strength, her reflexes, her memory and her walking. He was thrilled with her progress and encouraging her next steps toward full recovery.We praise God for the therapists, doctors, nurses, administrators, workers that God has brought into our path. Each using their gifts and abilities God has given them to help us and Whitney on her road to recovery in such a positive way.Romans 12:6-8 "We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully."1 Cornithians 12:4 "There are diffent kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working but the same God works all of them in all men."May you use your gifts today to love others so that through you they will feel God's love.
In Christs love,Whitney's mom
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Thursday, July 27, 2006
July 26,2006
Psalms 26:2 Test me, O Lord, and try me, examine my; heart and mind.Psalms 139:23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.Tests, tests, tests, Whitney took another 2 1/2 hours of tests this morning. She is being such a trooper, not complaining but knowing that these tests are given for a reason and the results are important and will show the areas of strength and areas of deficit.Her independent lunch of pizza rolls went off without a hitch and was enjoyed by all. Her afternoon therapies were fine except she didn't enjoy the bucket of ice she had to soak her swollen ankle in and the deep muscle massage also was painful.We had a great dinner with some friends and ended the evening laying on the bed,leg elevated, trying to decide who would make it to the next week on "So you think you can dance".Whitney has been going through lots of tests - physical and mental to see where she is at, what she needs to work on and her future plans. I want to close with a couple of verses for the tests we all go through every day of our lives. The results of our tests determine our future and God's love, strength and wisdom are yours to help you through whatever test you are going through.James 1:12 Blessed is the man who perserveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will recieve the crown of life, that God has promised to those who love him.1 Thessalonians 5:21-24,28 Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil. May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
July 26,2006
Psalms 26:2 Test me, O Lord, and try me, examine my; heart and mind.Psalms 139:23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.Tests, tests, tests, Whitney took another 2 1/2 hours of tests this morning. She is being such a trooper, not complaining but knowing that these tests are given for a reason and the results are important and will show the areas of strength and areas of deficit.Her independent lunch of pizza rolls went off without a hitch and was enjoyed by all. Her afternoon therapies were fine except she didn't enjoy the bucket of ice she had to soak her swollen ankle in and the deep muscle massage also was painful.We had a great dinner with some friends and ended the evening laying on the bed,leg elevated, trying to decide who would make it to the next week on "So you think you can dance".Whitney has been going through lots of tests - physical and mental to see where she is at, what she needs to work on and her future plans. I want to close with a couple of verses for the tests we all go through every day of our lives. The results of our tests determine our future and God's love, strength and wisdom are yours to help you through whatever test you are going through.James 1:12 Blessed is the man who perserveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will recieve the crown of life, that God has promised to those who love him.1 Thessalonians 5:21-24,28 Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil. May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
With love,Whitney's mom
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Friday, July 28, 2006
July 27, 2006
1 John 3:1 "How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called Children of God!"This verse sums up how I feel today, thankful for the love God has shown me and thankful to be a child of God. I hope you can take a moment to let God's love soak in or even better read the book of 1 John (short) and get a deeper glance of God's love.Whitney finished her neuro-psych exam. We are excited to see the results. Until then she keeps working in each therapy session strengthening her body and mind. I don't have many details today but am thankful for the consistent work each therapist gives Whitney.In the evening we went to watch Carly in action. She has been helping out with VBS by doing an opening and closing skit. She did great (of course I'm her mom so what else would I say). It is fun to watch your kids no matter if they are 5 years old or 21. It is the best watching the love for God turn into the pratical of serving God.1 John 2:28 "And now dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming."
July 27, 2006
1 John 3:1 "How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called Children of God!"This verse sums up how I feel today, thankful for the love God has shown me and thankful to be a child of God. I hope you can take a moment to let God's love soak in or even better read the book of 1 John (short) and get a deeper glance of God's love.Whitney finished her neuro-psych exam. We are excited to see the results. Until then she keeps working in each therapy session strengthening her body and mind. I don't have many details today but am thankful for the consistent work each therapist gives Whitney.In the evening we went to watch Carly in action. She has been helping out with VBS by doing an opening and closing skit. She did great (of course I'm her mom so what else would I say). It is fun to watch your kids no matter if they are 5 years old or 21. It is the best watching the love for God turn into the pratical of serving God.1 John 2:28 "And now dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming."
With love,Whitney's mom
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Sunday, July 30, 2006
July 29, 2006
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”Whitney was back to her regular schedule, no more neuro testing. Matt was visiting and was able to tag along to a few therapies. They must have seen the playfulness in her eyes and her therapist challenged her to some card games. Whitney beat Matt and her therapist not once, not twice but three times. Her competitive streak continued to the dyna vision and she got to 74 (Newell’s 79 is her next goal). Whitney worked on stairs in PT and is finding balance and speed is a challenge.We did get a brief review from her neuro psyche exam. We have so much to be thankful for. Her psychologist sat down and explained the results. “The assessment reveals some nicely improving skills in all domains, but demonstrates some continuing challenges.” Processing speed and language skills are areas of deficit. Neurological fatigue had an impact on her scores. (I’d have neuro fatigue after taking tests for 3 days too) As we dig deeper into all these test results we are praying for wisdom for the next step.We know this is a very familiar verse but we claim it. “ For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11
July 29, 2006
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”Whitney was back to her regular schedule, no more neuro testing. Matt was visiting and was able to tag along to a few therapies. They must have seen the playfulness in her eyes and her therapist challenged her to some card games. Whitney beat Matt and her therapist not once, not twice but three times. Her competitive streak continued to the dyna vision and she got to 74 (Newell’s 79 is her next goal). Whitney worked on stairs in PT and is finding balance and speed is a challenge.We did get a brief review from her neuro psyche exam. We have so much to be thankful for. Her psychologist sat down and explained the results. “The assessment reveals some nicely improving skills in all domains, but demonstrates some continuing challenges.” Processing speed and language skills are areas of deficit. Neurological fatigue had an impact on her scores. (I’d have neuro fatigue after taking tests for 3 days too) As we dig deeper into all these test results we are praying for wisdom for the next step.We know this is a very familiar verse but we claim it. “ For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11
With love,Whitney’s mom
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Monday, July 31, 2006
Saturday July 29 & Sunday July 30
“Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens.” Psalm68:19“Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. “Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of Heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.”It has been a very long week being separated from the rest of the family. But yet at week’s end I was able to return to Grand Rapids to see them and feel the joy that comes from our family times together. God is God Almighty and His blessings are a sweet reward every time we open ourselves to Him.We sat down on Saturday night…went around our little circle and shared how God’s blessings were uplifting and such an encouragement to us all. Whitney shared too and stated that even though her desire is to be farther along in her recovery…she was very thankful for the distance she has come. And that in itself is absolutely a miracle! She is very much aware of her progress and takes comfort in how she is healing inside and out. She is sometimes impatient (who wouldn’t be?) but knows that it will take time to recover fully. I have to say that after not seeing her for a week I noticed the change in her at once. She is much more mobile than before on her legs. She walks everywhere and the swelling is down from where it had been early last week. She is getting up to help with clearing the table at dinner time as well as other things around the house. Her speech is much more spontaneous and her face shows great expression. Praise God!Whitney has a lot of things going for her…the love of God Almighty, the prayers that are going up on her behalf, her family, her friends, her church family…just to name a few. But there is another thing that helps her improve each day. It is a character issue. She does what she needs to do so she can make the utmost of her recovery. Her attitude is very positive and very willing to work hard. It is incredible for us to watch. She is in total submission to her situation. She is doing what she needs to do whether or not she likes it or not.Colossions 3:23-24 says: “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men…since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward.” She is a great example for us all, especially me. Her submission is illustration of how I ought to be in my relationship with God. Submitting to Him whether I enjoy it or not. But when can submission to God be anything but enjoyable? Even if it costs us a little or a lot, the end result is awesome blessing…more than our storehouse can hold!
Saturday July 29 & Sunday July 30
“Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens.” Psalm68:19“Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. “Test me in this,” says the Lord Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of Heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.”It has been a very long week being separated from the rest of the family. But yet at week’s end I was able to return to Grand Rapids to see them and feel the joy that comes from our family times together. God is God Almighty and His blessings are a sweet reward every time we open ourselves to Him.We sat down on Saturday night…went around our little circle and shared how God’s blessings were uplifting and such an encouragement to us all. Whitney shared too and stated that even though her desire is to be farther along in her recovery…she was very thankful for the distance she has come. And that in itself is absolutely a miracle! She is very much aware of her progress and takes comfort in how she is healing inside and out. She is sometimes impatient (who wouldn’t be?) but knows that it will take time to recover fully. I have to say that after not seeing her for a week I noticed the change in her at once. She is much more mobile than before on her legs. She walks everywhere and the swelling is down from where it had been early last week. She is getting up to help with clearing the table at dinner time as well as other things around the house. Her speech is much more spontaneous and her face shows great expression. Praise God!Whitney has a lot of things going for her…the love of God Almighty, the prayers that are going up on her behalf, her family, her friends, her church family…just to name a few. But there is another thing that helps her improve each day. It is a character issue. She does what she needs to do so she can make the utmost of her recovery. Her attitude is very positive and very willing to work hard. It is incredible for us to watch. She is in total submission to her situation. She is doing what she needs to do whether or not she likes it or not.Colossions 3:23-24 says: “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men…since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward.” She is a great example for us all, especially me. Her submission is illustration of how I ought to be in my relationship with God. Submitting to Him whether I enjoy it or not. But when can submission to God be anything but enjoyable? Even if it costs us a little or a lot, the end result is awesome blessing…more than our storehouse can hold!
In Christ alone, Whitney’s dad
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Tuesday, August 01, 2006
July 31, 2006 "Be strong and courageous..."
“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6 NIV“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” Hebrews 18:8 NIV“He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.” Colossians 1:17 NIVMonday was one more good day for Whitney. She moves ahead on her road to total recovery, still not as quickly as she would like, but moving ahead. She went grocery shopping which is one of those things that was never really an enjoyable moment for her. She is going to use the stove to make a meal and she will do that with utmost ease. Swimming was part of her day and a great choice on such an oppressively hot day. She bumped into an old friend at the pool which added another bright spot in her day. Then out to eat some wings…after devouring those we sat and enjoyed each other’s company.Returning we listened as each shared about their day and how God had impacted us in it. God continues His work in us all…Whitney shared that she is so aware of how our plans for this summer were changed so drastically. Then she said how comforting it is to know that God hasn’t changed, that what He was in the past…He is still today and will be forever. It was awesome and gratifying to hear because it is so true for all of us, but more so because Whitney finds peace in this knowledge.Carly continues to have a great experience at her internship, learning more and more. While it has not been what was planned she is very aware of how God has gone before her, directing and blessing.Colleen and I count our blessings each day. We are amazed at God’s love and faithfulness. Oh, we knew about it before, but the depth and the vastness of it we are still in the process of comprehending. We continue in prayer for the VanRyns, the Erbs, the Larsons, the Smiths and the Felvers. We pray for each to remain strong in God, finding comfort and peace in His promises.
July 31, 2006 "Be strong and courageous..."
“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6 NIV“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” Hebrews 18:8 NIV“He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.” Colossians 1:17 NIVMonday was one more good day for Whitney. She moves ahead on her road to total recovery, still not as quickly as she would like, but moving ahead. She went grocery shopping which is one of those things that was never really an enjoyable moment for her. She is going to use the stove to make a meal and she will do that with utmost ease. Swimming was part of her day and a great choice on such an oppressively hot day. She bumped into an old friend at the pool which added another bright spot in her day. Then out to eat some wings…after devouring those we sat and enjoyed each other’s company.Returning we listened as each shared about their day and how God had impacted us in it. God continues His work in us all…Whitney shared that she is so aware of how our plans for this summer were changed so drastically. Then she said how comforting it is to know that God hasn’t changed, that what He was in the past…He is still today and will be forever. It was awesome and gratifying to hear because it is so true for all of us, but more so because Whitney finds peace in this knowledge.Carly continues to have a great experience at her internship, learning more and more. While it has not been what was planned she is very aware of how God has gone before her, directing and blessing.Colleen and I count our blessings each day. We are amazed at God’s love and faithfulness. Oh, we knew about it before, but the depth and the vastness of it we are still in the process of comprehending. We continue in prayer for the VanRyns, the Erbs, the Larsons, the Smiths and the Felvers. We pray for each to remain strong in God, finding comfort and peace in His promises.
In Christ alone, the Ceraks
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Wednesday, August 02, 2006
August 1,2006
“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Saints.” Ephesians 6:18 NIVFor Whitney, today was a quiet, typical day. She was into her routine; rising, therapies in the morning, lunch and then therapies in the afternoon till about 5 pm. Her ankle showed some signs of swelling today so it was wrapped with an ace bandage. She still moves about with little pain and a limp. Her therapist keeps working on her elbow range of motion, which improves ever so slowly. Her voice is not up to full volume as of yet but maybe that is a blessing in disguise. We did get a treat from her today. Whitney made lunch for Colleen and me. She fried up three hamburgers, toasted the burger buns for Colleen, and opened up some salsa and chips and of course Pepsi. It was delicious! I said it was so good and that when Whit gets home she can do the same thing for us again. She replied, “Not likely.” I realized then that the therapies were not going as well as we had hoped. All kidding aside, she did a great job!She enjoyed an evening with her college roommate and a very close friend, talking about college past and college future. It was a good day.Colleen was able to speak with Susie VanRyn today. The family continues to minister at the Christian camp in the U.P. They are surrounded by good friends sharing God’s love. With God’s help and strength they are doing well. We pray for them. Continue to pray for all in need of God’s comfort, strength, mercy and grace. Wait, that sounds like all of God’s children! Then let’s be faithful to pray for one another, lifting each other up to God Almighty. Ephesians 6:19-20 says: “Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the Gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare if fearlessly, as I should.” Oh, that we would pray for boldness to share God’s truth. The only truth in this world, there is no other. Our prayer is that many come to know this truth through our boldness to live and share Jesus Christ. Be fearless…if God be for us…who can be against us?
August 1,2006
“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Saints.” Ephesians 6:18 NIVFor Whitney, today was a quiet, typical day. She was into her routine; rising, therapies in the morning, lunch and then therapies in the afternoon till about 5 pm. Her ankle showed some signs of swelling today so it was wrapped with an ace bandage. She still moves about with little pain and a limp. Her therapist keeps working on her elbow range of motion, which improves ever so slowly. Her voice is not up to full volume as of yet but maybe that is a blessing in disguise. We did get a treat from her today. Whitney made lunch for Colleen and me. She fried up three hamburgers, toasted the burger buns for Colleen, and opened up some salsa and chips and of course Pepsi. It was delicious! I said it was so good and that when Whit gets home she can do the same thing for us again. She replied, “Not likely.” I realized then that the therapies were not going as well as we had hoped. All kidding aside, she did a great job!She enjoyed an evening with her college roommate and a very close friend, talking about college past and college future. It was a good day.Colleen was able to speak with Susie VanRyn today. The family continues to minister at the Christian camp in the U.P. They are surrounded by good friends sharing God’s love. With God’s help and strength they are doing well. We pray for them. Continue to pray for all in need of God’s comfort, strength, mercy and grace. Wait, that sounds like all of God’s children! Then let’s be faithful to pray for one another, lifting each other up to God Almighty. Ephesians 6:19-20 says: “Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the Gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare if fearlessly, as I should.” Oh, that we would pray for boldness to share God’s truth. The only truth in this world, there is no other. Our prayer is that many come to know this truth through our boldness to live and share Jesus Christ. Be fearless…if God be for us…who can be against us?
In Christ alone, Whitney’s family
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Thursday, August 03, 2006
August 2, 2006
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” Matthew 22:37-39 NIVWednesday – it was more of a normal day for Whitney which is really a good thing. The progress she makes has become more of the week to week improvement. Oh, she gets stronger, her endurance lasts longer, she is good at multi-tasking in most things, she walks with less of a limp. The changes are more subtle now but so welcomed to see.Whitney went with us at lunch time to visit some very dear and special friends. She walked into Spectrum Continuing Care Center, where she spent about 5 weeks of her recovery time. Each person was amazed to se her standing up so tall and so happy for her progress. She carried on very pleasant conversation with them; it was so great to witness. Whitney was so excited to see them and her dimpled smile proved that. It made us thankful for those in this profession, so thankful for the folks at Spectrum and Hope. It made us remember the road Whitney has traveled so quickly. It is people like these that have made it a possibility. We know it is their job, but they all do it so well and with such love and caring. We will be forever thankful to you all. This was definitely the highlight of the day for Whitney. We continue to be humbled as we read and hear of people praying for Whitney. We know God is working in her body and in her brain. And He uses this situation still to touch so many. He is using this to teach us. We thank you all for your thoughts and prayers. God has given us strength and comfort through the prayers of fellow Christians.Today as we pray for one another, we want to lift up those who do not know our Lord Jesus Christ. We pray they would know the comfort, strength, and deliverance that come from a life given and committed to Him. “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature reaps destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.” Galatians 6:7-10 NIVToday we pray to make the most of every opportunity.
August 2, 2006
“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” Matthew 22:37-39 NIVWednesday – it was more of a normal day for Whitney which is really a good thing. The progress she makes has become more of the week to week improvement. Oh, she gets stronger, her endurance lasts longer, she is good at multi-tasking in most things, she walks with less of a limp. The changes are more subtle now but so welcomed to see.Whitney went with us at lunch time to visit some very dear and special friends. She walked into Spectrum Continuing Care Center, where she spent about 5 weeks of her recovery time. Each person was amazed to se her standing up so tall and so happy for her progress. She carried on very pleasant conversation with them; it was so great to witness. Whitney was so excited to see them and her dimpled smile proved that. It made us thankful for those in this profession, so thankful for the folks at Spectrum and Hope. It made us remember the road Whitney has traveled so quickly. It is people like these that have made it a possibility. We know it is their job, but they all do it so well and with such love and caring. We will be forever thankful to you all. This was definitely the highlight of the day for Whitney. We continue to be humbled as we read and hear of people praying for Whitney. We know God is working in her body and in her brain. And He uses this situation still to touch so many. He is using this to teach us. We thank you all for your thoughts and prayers. God has given us strength and comfort through the prayers of fellow Christians.Today as we pray for one another, we want to lift up those who do not know our Lord Jesus Christ. We pray they would know the comfort, strength, and deliverance that come from a life given and committed to Him. “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature reaps destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.” Galatians 6:7-10 NIVToday we pray to make the most of every opportunity.
In Christ alone, Whitney’s family
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Friday, August 04, 2006
August 3, 2006
“Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness.” Psalm 29:2 “Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt his name together. “ Psalm 34:3“Be exalted oh God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth.” Psalm 57:5Thursday – Whitney’s day today was an awesome day. After going through her regular schedule in the morning, we had a meeting with her entire team of therapists and neuro psychologist. It is so hard to believe only a little over 3 months have passed since the accident. The time seems to have gone by slowly. We were reminded at the meeting that Whitney’s journey from being diagnosed with a severe brain injury and several broken bones to where she is today is in no way a small miracle. It is a great miracle!! God has been good. The progress in this period of time has been so much more than was expected. Her recreational, speech, physical and occupational therapists all gave glowing reports of Whit’s progress. All were obviously very pleased at how much she improved in the 3 weeks since her last team meeting. Her neuro psychologist was truly impressed saying her recovery to this point has been remarkable at the least. There is still a ways to go but there has been awesome improvement. The things that are still in need of her concentrated efforts are her neuro endurance and the speed of her processing information. There have been improvements in these areas for which we are thankful. We continue to pray for complete healing for Whitney.This was all awesome news…much better than we expected. Our thoughts before had been guarded optimism that Whitney might attend Taylor in the fall. We knew without a doubt that she would be there in January. But that guarded optimism turned into more with the report. We were given the pros and cons for both situations of school. Either decision would benefit her but we felt that Taylor would be the place where she would improve the most. Whitney’s face lit up brightly as it became apparent what the decision was. She just said that this was the best day of her life and kept on smiling. We are so happy and excited for her. She will do fine at TU, taking a lighter load of classes and continuing her therapies. The setting of college will also enhance her progress being around her friends and Taylor community.That this has happened in the timely fashion it has is all due to God’s hands. We are trusting Him, eager for Him to guide our decisions and steps. We do not want to run ahead of God, Whitney is in His care. But we are excited beyond description.“O Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done marvelous things…” Isaiah 25:1
August 3, 2006
“Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness.” Psalm 29:2 “Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt his name together. “ Psalm 34:3“Be exalted oh God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth.” Psalm 57:5Thursday – Whitney’s day today was an awesome day. After going through her regular schedule in the morning, we had a meeting with her entire team of therapists and neuro psychologist. It is so hard to believe only a little over 3 months have passed since the accident. The time seems to have gone by slowly. We were reminded at the meeting that Whitney’s journey from being diagnosed with a severe brain injury and several broken bones to where she is today is in no way a small miracle. It is a great miracle!! God has been good. The progress in this period of time has been so much more than was expected. Her recreational, speech, physical and occupational therapists all gave glowing reports of Whit’s progress. All were obviously very pleased at how much she improved in the 3 weeks since her last team meeting. Her neuro psychologist was truly impressed saying her recovery to this point has been remarkable at the least. There is still a ways to go but there has been awesome improvement. The things that are still in need of her concentrated efforts are her neuro endurance and the speed of her processing information. There have been improvements in these areas for which we are thankful. We continue to pray for complete healing for Whitney.This was all awesome news…much better than we expected. Our thoughts before had been guarded optimism that Whitney might attend Taylor in the fall. We knew without a doubt that she would be there in January. But that guarded optimism turned into more with the report. We were given the pros and cons for both situations of school. Either decision would benefit her but we felt that Taylor would be the place where she would improve the most. Whitney’s face lit up brightly as it became apparent what the decision was. She just said that this was the best day of her life and kept on smiling. We are so happy and excited for her. She will do fine at TU, taking a lighter load of classes and continuing her therapies. The setting of college will also enhance her progress being around her friends and Taylor community.That this has happened in the timely fashion it has is all due to God’s hands. We are trusting Him, eager for Him to guide our decisions and steps. We do not want to run ahead of God, Whitney is in His care. But we are excited beyond description.“O Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done marvelous things…” Isaiah 25:1
In Christ alone, Whitney’s family
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Saturday, August 05, 2006
August 4, 2006
“You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord, “and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed nor will there be one after me. I, even I, am the Lord and apart from me there is no savior.” Isaiah 43:10-11 NIVWhitney’s day today was such a good one and I am sure it is due to the fact she is still riding the wave. The wave of extreme happiness knowing she is returning to school in the fall. Her attitude has always been a good one but there was a definite surge of energy, joy and focus running through her as a result. She had a smile as big as all outdoors throughout the entire day. We are so unbelievably excited for her. We are so amazed at how God has healed and continues to heal Whitney.Carly and Sandra are both back with us. It has been a somewhat up and down time for us all this summer and we cherish the moments we are together. Carly is almost through with her internship. The people at Spring Lake Wesleyan Church have been so good to her. She has learned a great deal about herself and God’s direction in her life. We will be forever grateful to the folks there for their part in our summer. Sandra finished her final week at Spring Hill Camps. God used her willing spirit to minister to so many kids for which we are thankful. She is excited and praying about a possible ministry situation for herself in the near future. She has learned some great life lessons this summer as well.In light of all God has blessed us with, each day as we marvel and look at Whitney we are quickly reminded of those whose days are accompanied with loss. Our thoughts and prayers continually go out to the others so deeply effected by the accident; the families of Brad Larson, Betsy Smith, Laurel Erb, Laura VanRyn and Monica Felver. We also pray for the healing and recovery of Vicki, Connie and Michelle. To say we understand your heartache is true but for only a moment in time. Your heartache continues and you are in our prayers. We pray for God to continually uphold you; for His Holy Spirit to comfort you; and we pray that the peace only God can give fills you. We rejoice in the knowledge of God’s promise of the coming reunion and ask for His strength to remain focused to the goal. “Since then, we have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” Colossians 3:1-2 NIVLet us then set our hope in Christ Jesus the Lord. Without Him there is no hope. Our prayer is that you know this savior of ours.
August 4, 2006
“You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord, “and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed nor will there be one after me. I, even I, am the Lord and apart from me there is no savior.” Isaiah 43:10-11 NIVWhitney’s day today was such a good one and I am sure it is due to the fact she is still riding the wave. The wave of extreme happiness knowing she is returning to school in the fall. Her attitude has always been a good one but there was a definite surge of energy, joy and focus running through her as a result. She had a smile as big as all outdoors throughout the entire day. We are so unbelievably excited for her. We are so amazed at how God has healed and continues to heal Whitney.Carly and Sandra are both back with us. It has been a somewhat up and down time for us all this summer and we cherish the moments we are together. Carly is almost through with her internship. The people at Spring Lake Wesleyan Church have been so good to her. She has learned a great deal about herself and God’s direction in her life. We will be forever grateful to the folks there for their part in our summer. Sandra finished her final week at Spring Hill Camps. God used her willing spirit to minister to so many kids for which we are thankful. She is excited and praying about a possible ministry situation for herself in the near future. She has learned some great life lessons this summer as well.In light of all God has blessed us with, each day as we marvel and look at Whitney we are quickly reminded of those whose days are accompanied with loss. Our thoughts and prayers continually go out to the others so deeply effected by the accident; the families of Brad Larson, Betsy Smith, Laurel Erb, Laura VanRyn and Monica Felver. We also pray for the healing and recovery of Vicki, Connie and Michelle. To say we understand your heartache is true but for only a moment in time. Your heartache continues and you are in our prayers. We pray for God to continually uphold you; for His Holy Spirit to comfort you; and we pray that the peace only God can give fills you. We rejoice in the knowledge of God’s promise of the coming reunion and ask for His strength to remain focused to the goal. “Since then, we have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” Colossians 3:1-2 NIVLet us then set our hope in Christ Jesus the Lord. Without Him there is no hope. Our prayer is that you know this savior of ours.
In Christ alone, Whitney’s family
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Monday, August 07, 2006
Saturday August 5th and Sunday August 6th, 2006
“And now, O Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul...” Deuteronomy 10:12 NIV“‘And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion, and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found by you...” I Chronicles 28:9 NIVThis weekend was great. My parents and I were talking about playing tennis Saturday morning, and we were all really surprised when Whitney said she wanted to come. When we got to the courts she stood in one spot and tried to hit the balls only if they came straight to her. It was great to watch her laugh and try to work on her tennis skills. We decided that it was a good thing that she wasn't a pro at tennis before the accident so she has a good excuse. I guess it's a good thing that none of us were really great at tennis before the accident; maybe we all should use it as an excuse... The rest of the day was a sister day. Whitney, Sandra, and I went to the beach and then saw the Coast Guard Fireworks. Whit walked the longest distance she has since she had started walking again and she was fine. Sunday after church we had lunch at a friend's home and had a typical Sunday afternoon. We relaxed all afternoon and finished the day by playing cards and laughing. She is almost back to fully being herself physically and mentally. I still cannot believe that just 2 months ago things were so different. It has been amazing to see God work out our faith and now to see something we once thought impossible; Whitney going back to Taylor for her sophomore year.
Saturday August 5th and Sunday August 6th, 2006
“And now, O Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul...” Deuteronomy 10:12 NIV“‘And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion, and with a willing mind, for the Lord searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found by you...” I Chronicles 28:9 NIVThis weekend was great. My parents and I were talking about playing tennis Saturday morning, and we were all really surprised when Whitney said she wanted to come. When we got to the courts she stood in one spot and tried to hit the balls only if they came straight to her. It was great to watch her laugh and try to work on her tennis skills. We decided that it was a good thing that she wasn't a pro at tennis before the accident so she has a good excuse. I guess it's a good thing that none of us were really great at tennis before the accident; maybe we all should use it as an excuse... The rest of the day was a sister day. Whitney, Sandra, and I went to the beach and then saw the Coast Guard Fireworks. Whit walked the longest distance she has since she had started walking again and she was fine. Sunday after church we had lunch at a friend's home and had a typical Sunday afternoon. We relaxed all afternoon and finished the day by playing cards and laughing. She is almost back to fully being herself physically and mentally. I still cannot believe that just 2 months ago things were so different. It has been amazing to see God work out our faith and now to see something we once thought impossible; Whitney going back to Taylor for her sophomore year.
Carly
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Tuesday, August 08, 2006
August 7, 2006
"Let the peace of Chirst rule in your heart." Colossians 3:15Peace - how can you have peace in the middle of a busy schedule, change, planning for the unknown future? Only one way, to allow the Prince of Peace to govern your life. I can't describe the peace I felt as I sat and listed how God has been with us (really two steps ahead of us) this summer. Not the best planner could of organized and ordered how everything has played out for everyone of our family. The list filled my page. Another piece of the puzzle just that filled in was signing Whitney up for classes. We had chosen 3 classes (6 hours total) and they were all available, perfect time of the day (not 8AM) and perfect for working with Whitneys rehab schedule. The classes are all ones Whitney is excited to take. Carly is also excited because they had planned to take a golf class together this fall and that class fits perfectly into Whitneys schedule. Let's hope all those years working on the golf course will pay off. I dont know how great their game will be but I do know they will have a great time.Whitney's days in rehab are now focusing on the goal of preparing her for back to school. Work is easier when you have a goal to work toward and this one is getting so close it is exciting.Whitney's day had a fun twist when some Gaylord friends came to Grand Rapids to school shop (no mall in Gaylord) It was fun to visit with them. She ended the evening going to a movie then back to her roommates house for warm homemade cookies.We thank God as he continues to fit each piece of our puzzle in place. "May the Lord of peace himself give you peace at ALL times and in EVERY way. The Lord be with all of you." 2 Thessalonians 3:16
August 7, 2006
"Let the peace of Chirst rule in your heart." Colossians 3:15Peace - how can you have peace in the middle of a busy schedule, change, planning for the unknown future? Only one way, to allow the Prince of Peace to govern your life. I can't describe the peace I felt as I sat and listed how God has been with us (really two steps ahead of us) this summer. Not the best planner could of organized and ordered how everything has played out for everyone of our family. The list filled my page. Another piece of the puzzle just that filled in was signing Whitney up for classes. We had chosen 3 classes (6 hours total) and they were all available, perfect time of the day (not 8AM) and perfect for working with Whitneys rehab schedule. The classes are all ones Whitney is excited to take. Carly is also excited because they had planned to take a golf class together this fall and that class fits perfectly into Whitneys schedule. Let's hope all those years working on the golf course will pay off. I dont know how great their game will be but I do know they will have a great time.Whitney's days in rehab are now focusing on the goal of preparing her for back to school. Work is easier when you have a goal to work toward and this one is getting so close it is exciting.Whitney's day had a fun twist when some Gaylord friends came to Grand Rapids to school shop (no mall in Gaylord) It was fun to visit with them. She ended the evening going to a movie then back to her roommates house for warm homemade cookies.We thank God as he continues to fit each piece of our puzzle in place. "May the Lord of peace himself give you peace at ALL times and in EVERY way. The Lord be with all of you." 2 Thessalonians 3:16
With love, Whitney's mom
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Wednesday, August 09, 2006
August 8, 2006
"You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand." Psalms 16:11Whitney had a good day but felt a little tired. She used alot of energy in physical therapy walking backwards, walking fast and even tried jogging(she told me I can beat her now, but watch out). She worked on organizing skills in speech therapy. We know she is going to need that with all that comes in college life. During occupational therapy she used fresh blueberries and made oatmeal blueberry cookies. No joke, they were delicious. I never knew you could make blueberry cookies. I think I'm loving occupational therapy and hope they continue it for a long time!Early evening we got inspired and tried to do our own school shopping. Sandra(expert shopper) was there to help but some things dont change. We were in the first store and Whitney said she was tired of shopping(I think she is going to use this excuse forever). We lasted about an hour and found a few cute things.We went to bed early as Whitney needs to be at the hospital at 6AM to remove some screws in her elbow. They are close to the skin and causing a little discomfort. I'm sure all will be fine and we are thankful that we could get it taken care of."Keep me safe, O God, for in you I take refuge. I said to the Lord, You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing." Psalms 16:1
August 8, 2006
"You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand." Psalms 16:11Whitney had a good day but felt a little tired. She used alot of energy in physical therapy walking backwards, walking fast and even tried jogging(she told me I can beat her now, but watch out). She worked on organizing skills in speech therapy. We know she is going to need that with all that comes in college life. During occupational therapy she used fresh blueberries and made oatmeal blueberry cookies. No joke, they were delicious. I never knew you could make blueberry cookies. I think I'm loving occupational therapy and hope they continue it for a long time!Early evening we got inspired and tried to do our own school shopping. Sandra(expert shopper) was there to help but some things dont change. We were in the first store and Whitney said she was tired of shopping(I think she is going to use this excuse forever). We lasted about an hour and found a few cute things.We went to bed early as Whitney needs to be at the hospital at 6AM to remove some screws in her elbow. They are close to the skin and causing a little discomfort. I'm sure all will be fine and we are thankful that we could get it taken care of."Keep me safe, O God, for in you I take refuge. I said to the Lord, You are my Lord; apart from you I have no good thing." Psalms 16:1
With love,Whitney's mom
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Thursday, August 10, 2006
August 9, 2006
"Because of the Lord's great love we are not comsumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." Lamentations 3:22-23The alarm went off at 5:15 AM! We had to be at the hospital at 6AM. I slept in the room with Whitney (Carly spent the night at Spring Lake). Whitney had some wires and screws in her elbow that were close to the surface and causing some discomfort. We were lucky to get the same doctor that put the rod in her leg, remove the screws. Whitney was nervous but excited to get it done. The surgery went great and we were back at Hope by 2:30 PM. Can you believe Whitney even went to a few therapies when she returned. Whitney rested then we had a special birthday dinner celebration for Laisa (Sandras sister). Carly was also celebrated completing her internship (which she loved). The evening was filled with laughter and great conversation and I was proud to be in the great company of Carly, Whitney, Sandra and Laisa. There is something very special about sisters."My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you." John 15:12"Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity." 1 Timothy 4:12
August 9, 2006
"Because of the Lord's great love we are not comsumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." Lamentations 3:22-23The alarm went off at 5:15 AM! We had to be at the hospital at 6AM. I slept in the room with Whitney (Carly spent the night at Spring Lake). Whitney had some wires and screws in her elbow that were close to the surface and causing some discomfort. We were lucky to get the same doctor that put the rod in her leg, remove the screws. Whitney was nervous but excited to get it done. The surgery went great and we were back at Hope by 2:30 PM. Can you believe Whitney even went to a few therapies when she returned. Whitney rested then we had a special birthday dinner celebration for Laisa (Sandras sister). Carly was also celebrated completing her internship (which she loved). The evening was filled with laughter and great conversation and I was proud to be in the great company of Carly, Whitney, Sandra and Laisa. There is something very special about sisters."My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you." John 15:12"Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity." 1 Timothy 4:12
With love,Whitney's mom
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Friday, August 11, 2006
Aurgust 10,2006
"So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." 1 Corinthians 10:31Today, Thursday was a great day. Each patient at Hope has a "Family Day". It is a day to go to the therapies with your family member and talk with the therapists and try the activities and have a real feel for what every day life is like. The only disappointment was that Newell was not able to join us. In each therapy the therapist explained what they were doing and we watched Whitney in action. It was so encouraging to hear the progress and to also see the progress as some showed us where she started when she came to Hope. After lunch, friends and family had a special time where therapists, workers and other patients had a chance to say something encouraging to Whitney. It was almost more than my heart could hold as I listened to the positive words and love being given. We were able to celebrate Whitney's accomplishments and encourage her efforts for the goals still to be reached. Hope is an appropriate name for the rehab center as it has given Whitney the hope of returning back to school, home and her "normal self". We were so pleased with her hard work and accomplishemnts and thankful to all who have prayed, loved and encouraged her.Made me think of God having "Family Day" with us. He wanted to experience everything first hand so he sent his son Jesus down to the earth. He experienced everything we experience, love, pain, hurt, disapointments, friendships, family life, work and everything that comes with a physical human body. God watched as "Jesus grew in wisdom and stature"(Luke 2:52) and He said two times outloud for all the hear "This is my son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased" (Matthew 3:17 and Matthew 17:5)I am so thankful to serve a God that loves me so much that he came down to live life on earth to show me how by example and left me a guide book when I have questions. He gave me so many promises that I know He keeps true. I not only believe in God but I believe God. He promises not to give us more than we can handle (1 Corinthians 10:13), he promises never to leave us or forsake us(Hebrews 13:5) and he promises everlasting life to those who put their trust in Him (John 3:16). These promises and many more helped me and can help those still working through the grieving and loss. Not everyone has the happy ending like Whitney but we all have a happy ending with God in heaven." For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16
Aurgust 10,2006
"So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." 1 Corinthians 10:31Today, Thursday was a great day. Each patient at Hope has a "Family Day". It is a day to go to the therapies with your family member and talk with the therapists and try the activities and have a real feel for what every day life is like. The only disappointment was that Newell was not able to join us. In each therapy the therapist explained what they were doing and we watched Whitney in action. It was so encouraging to hear the progress and to also see the progress as some showed us where she started when she came to Hope. After lunch, friends and family had a special time where therapists, workers and other patients had a chance to say something encouraging to Whitney. It was almost more than my heart could hold as I listened to the positive words and love being given. We were able to celebrate Whitney's accomplishments and encourage her efforts for the goals still to be reached. Hope is an appropriate name for the rehab center as it has given Whitney the hope of returning back to school, home and her "normal self". We were so pleased with her hard work and accomplishemnts and thankful to all who have prayed, loved and encouraged her.Made me think of God having "Family Day" with us. He wanted to experience everything first hand so he sent his son Jesus down to the earth. He experienced everything we experience, love, pain, hurt, disapointments, friendships, family life, work and everything that comes with a physical human body. God watched as "Jesus grew in wisdom and stature"(Luke 2:52) and He said two times outloud for all the hear "This is my son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased" (Matthew 3:17 and Matthew 17:5)I am so thankful to serve a God that loves me so much that he came down to live life on earth to show me how by example and left me a guide book when I have questions. He gave me so many promises that I know He keeps true. I not only believe in God but I believe God. He promises not to give us more than we can handle (1 Corinthians 10:13), he promises never to leave us or forsake us(Hebrews 13:5) and he promises everlasting life to those who put their trust in Him (John 3:16). These promises and many more helped me and can help those still working through the grieving and loss. Not everyone has the happy ending like Whitney but we all have a happy ending with God in heaven." For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16
With love,Whitney's mom
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HERE IS THE MOMENT WE ALL HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Saturday, August 12, 2006
August 11, 2006 "Never will I leave you..."
“Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?” ...Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” Hebrews 13:5-6; and verse 8 NIVHi,
August 11, 2006 "Never will I leave you..."
“Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?” ...Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” Hebrews 13:5-6; and verse 8 NIVHi,
Everyone reading the blog, this is Whitney!! It feels good to finally be the person who updates you about...me! These past 3 months have been life changing for so many and everyone has had a different experience, including me. I can clearly remember the past 18 years of my life, even up to the banquet before the accident. The next thing I can remember after that is seeing Carly, Sandra and Mom and crying a lot. I know there is a 5 week period that I do not recall. Hearing about it is weird for me because everyone else has memories about me that I do not. Some people came to visit me at the hospital, and a few of those were the VanRyns. I know they were with me constantly during the first five weeks, but their visit was all I can remember. They are very nice people and it was funny to hear how I acted when I first came out of my coma. When I found out that five other people were killed in the accident I was really sad. I can vaguely remember part of the ride back to Taylor. We were all laughing and having a good time. I feel so badly for the other families. I don’t know why this all happened, but the only good thing about all of this is that the message of God was heard in a powerful way. I know my experience is different from everyone else’s but God has taught me He is FAITHFUL because He is with us every step of the way, even in the hardest times of our lives. And it is clear that He has been with me the last few months. My recovery has been hard work, but I thank God for healing me in every way. It is strange to find out my family and friends had a funeral for me, but they told me God was faithful even during that time. It is so hard to believe that this story is all over the news and so many people know about me. Even though I don’t know many of you who are reading what I am writing about my life, I am so thankful to have had your prayers.I am just so excited that I am home and going back to Taylor in a few weeks! I can’t wait to live my normal life again. So consider this the one and only blog entry from me, concluding this season of my life.
I AM FINALLY HOME, Whitney
From the Family: It’s been a privilege for us to share with you this miracle God put into our life’s journey. We know for sure that only with God holding and guiding us could we have made it thus far. We all have been praying for what God wants us to do and learn from this experience. We want to get back into our ‘normal’ routine of life, but we also know that God has allowed this to happen for a reason. We plan to blog two more times; updating our experiences of our return to home and the last to be Whitney’s return and settling back into life at Taylor. We pray for the families who continue to remain strong under the heartache and strain of their losses. Please keep the VanRyns, the Larsons, the Smiths, the Erbs, the Felvers, Connie, Vicki and Michelle covered in prayer.Thanks for sharing this journey with us.
With love,In Christ alone, The Ceraks
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Newell, Colleen, Carly, Sandra and most of all WHIT,WOW...I did not expect to see the latest post, well, not yet anyway. I need to work a little through the tears to write this one, but this is indeed the day I have hoped and prayed for for a LONG time!!
Newell, Colleen, Carly, Sandra and most of all WHIT,WOW...I did not expect to see the latest post, well, not yet anyway. I need to work a little through the tears to write this one, but this is indeed the day I have hoped and prayed for for a LONG time!!
Lisa and the Van Ryn Family, and Aryn, Thank you for sharing your lives with us in the "Early Blog" You truly inspired me as well as thousands and Laura will certainly be remembered as will all of the "Chosen Five" and the injured.
Newell,Thank you for being such a wonderfully strong Father and being able to share all you did with us at such a difficult time. I very much enjoyed reading your posts. You inspired me so much when actually it should have been the other way around. I wish I lived closer and could come visit E Free and meet all of you. YOu have an AWESOME Family!!
Colleen,I remember when you first posted on the blog. For someone who seemed nervous about it, you have done a great job!! Thank you also for letting us into your life, sharing your thoughts, fears and staying strong through one of the most difficult experiences any mother could possibly face. You are a true testiment of what a mother should be. You have such an incredible family and it's because of the person you are. Thank you for inspiring me also. I cannot believe how strong you and Newell have been through all this.
Carly,Although we didn't hear from you that much in Posts, we did hear so much about you from you parents. There is such a special bond that brothers and sisters have and Whit needed you so much....and you were there....you were there for her in a BIG WAY and that is so awesome!!! I watched you and your dad at the first "memorial service" video and your strength impressed so much. What a sister you are!!
Sandra,Only got to see one post from you but really enjoyed it. Having the Cerek's for your "second family" must be so fantastic and they obvoiusly have the same feelings for you. You also came through like a "sister" should and should take so much pride in that.
MISS WHITNEY,You are a walking miracle!! I have followed this since the accident through the original blog as well as on the news.I hoped and prayed for so long to see you finally post on the blog and more so go home!!! I ended all my prior comments on here with "GO WHIT!" Well you did it!!! And I am in tears again...I am so happy for you.I have been so inspired with what you have been through and how you fought, and worked to regain your health...you have come SO FAR and that is so so awesome!!! You and your wonderful family have inspired me so much, and thousands of others as well. I had a little something made for you and was going to send it a few weeks ago but decided to wait until you got home. Guess I need to run to the Post Office first thing tomorrow. (Will send it to E-Free in your name)I truly am going to miss the updates about you every morning with my first cup of coffee. I too will suffer withdrawl with no daily updates but my prayers for you have been almost completely answered...I couldn't possibly ask for more.Thank you so much for being so strong and to your family for sharing a part of your life.
Whitney Cerek...You ARE my hero!!! God Bless You and I hope that someday I have the honor to meet you and your family. Good Luck at TAylor and with the next chapter of your life. Thank you for making me a stronger person!!
Al from Pittsburgh
August 13, 2006 9:14 PM
August 13, 2006 9:14 PM
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Saturday, August 19, 2006
August 18, 2006
"But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that his all-surpassing power is from God and not from us." 2 Corinthians 4:7
August 18, 2006
"But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that his all-surpassing power is from God and not from us." 2 Corinthians 4:7
It is hard to believe that we have been home for over a week. The time has flown as Whitney feels she needs to fit her summer into two weeks.(she is doing pretty good)A highlight for all of us was last Sunday, our first Sunday together in our home church since Easter. It was a celebration. We were all nervous and excited to share with our church family how God had met each one of our needs and how He loved us this summer. The church stood and clapped as Whitney and the family walked up to the front. We each took a moment to share God’s faithfulness. To God, who is the master physician, healer and our provider, we give him all the glory for all He has done and continues to do. It just happened to be our churches annual picnic so we had a great afternoon reconnecting and Whitney definitely got her quota of hugs and kisses. It has been great to be home, sleep in our own beds, sit around our table for home cooked meals and laugh. Hunter(our dog) and Taylor(our cat)are so glad we are home. I do need to tell you one funny and embarrassing story. We let Hunter out Friday afternoon and he usually stays in the yard. Later on I went to the door and whistled and he didn’t come. I made dinner and still no Hunter. After dinner we went for a ride around the neighbor hood calling for him. We drove to the Animal Shelter and peeked in the window and there he was barking at us! It was after hours so he had to spend the night. Whitney got up early Saturday morning to go spring Hunter, on the way she said she wished Hunter could talk and tell us of his adventure. Our neighbors took great care of him all summer and our first night home, he gets picked up. ( he went across the street to the park with out his licence)Whitney has enjoyed every minute with her friends. It was perfect timing as many of them are starting to head back to college. She loved being able to go to La Senoritas for “Wing Night” a special tradition for her and her friends. The weather has been great and she has had a few visits to the lake and some evening bon fires. She has been getting an hour a day of physical therapy to continue gaining back some muscles and endurance. Again we have been blessed by another great therapist.Carly enjoyed this past week being home, relaxing and visiting with friends. She left today to head back to Taylor for her senior year. She is excited and went back a few days early to be with friends and get her house ready. She is going to have a great year living with five amazing girls.Sandra had some great news as she found out she had been accepted to represent the “Invisable Children” on a world tour this year (Sept-May). The Invisable Children is an organization that Sandra had heard about this spring and really tugged at her heart. She came home at Easter and showed us a video explaining their mission. Carly and Whitney also got interested and were going to participate in their “Global Commute” on April 29th (Whitney’s birthday). We had chosen Invisable Children as the memorial for Whitney. Sandra is putting her passion into action as she will give a year to work for them. I love her heart and willingness to give of herself and serve God by helping others.Newell is back to work, saying goodbye to the college students and preparing for the fall. I have been enjoying putzing around the house and yard, catching up with friends and neighbors. We were all kind of worried about coming home, not sure how the media would handle this next step in Whitney’s recovery, but it has been great and we are so appreciative on how respectful everyone has been. The Gaylord community has been so loving and gracious with us throughout. As our lives return to normal we continue to pray for those families who are continuing to adjust to the changes. We continue to seek God and listen to what he wants us to learn from all this. Even though we long to be back to normal we don’t want to be like the Isrealites who saw God in action (Red Sea parted, manna every morning, water from a rock . . . ) and soon after each miracle they forgot and fell back into their old routines. We want to keep our dependance and desire for God as we have felt Him is such a real way and seen His love in action.
This Psalm became a favorite when we thought Whitney was gone and it is still our prayer:“O God you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water. I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory. Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. I will praise you as long as I live.” Psalms 63: 1-4
With love,Whitney’s mom
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August 30,2006
“I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers, because I hear about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints. I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ. Your love has given me great joy and encouragement...” Philemon 1:4-7 NIV
August 30,2006
As we write this final entry, we do so with heartfelt gratitude to all of you who have kept up with us and sent words of encouragement and comfort. We have been overwhelmed by the care and concern you have shown to Whitney and to our family. Your prayers have been so appreciated and we know they have been a part of Whitney’s miraculous recovery. We continually lift up to God Almighty the families of Laurel Erb, Betsy Smith, Brad Larson, Monica Felver and Laura VanRyn. We pray for God’s comfort and strength as you deal with the heartache of your losses. To Vicki, Connie and Michelle we pray for your continued recovery. May God grant you His peace as well. Whitney has had quite a busy schedule over the past few days. On Thursday she met with her new therapists in Ft. Wayne, Indiana. They are as high a caliber as those she has had before. We have been very thankful for the skilled and competent people that have been a part of Whit’s recovery road. God, in His faithfulness, continues to go ahead of us. We have learned over time of His constancy, but it has definitely been engraved on our hearts and in our minds throughout this journey with Whitney. Whitney will be using her course books in her speech therapy which will be an enormous help in her actual class work. The physical therapist, a London native, will be working with her to develop strength in her hip muscles so that limp will disappear, as will the pain in her lower back caused by the limp. The occupational therapy will be a big help to her as she keeps her focus on getting her drivers licence reinstated. We never stop being thankful for the able people God has put in Whitney’s journey to full recovery. Then it was back to Grand Rapids that same day. We stayed the night with our very good friends in Rockford. Then Friday Whitney met with Dr. Vandenberg who has been the doctor that has overseen her entire therapies. He is very pleased wit her progress adding that with continued therapy she will progress just fine. Dr. Ringler, who performed the surgery on her ankle, met with Whitney next. He took x-rays that showed how well her bones are healing. We are in awe of the miracle of Whitney’s healing, both physically and mentally. Finally, we were off to Upland, Indiana and Taylor University. On Saturday morning, Whitney, Carly, Colleen and I met with a few Taylor administrators. They have been very concerned with Whitney’s recovery as well as her return to college. They have been gracious and accommodating making Whit feel very welcomed. Then the final move onto campus and into her room. Whitney was so excited and anxious as we all were. After connecting with her roommate, Emily, all of her things were moved in and she took charge of getting it all put away. It was fun to see her interact with all who came by to greet her. She was gracious and sweet like the Whitney we know. She spent Friday night with Carly and the girls of ‘the Abby’ just off campus. It was a great night for her, tasting the independence she has cherished. Saturday night was spent in her room with Emily and it has already done her a world of good. We met Carly and Whitney for breakfast on Sunday morning and Whit had a radiant smile, a new perkiness about her and we enjoyed the laughter and treasured the moment with them. When Colleen and I left we were satisfied she was where she belonged. Whitney said something interesting on the trip to T.U. She called T.U. home and asked if it bothered us she thought of it that way. As we drove away we were thankful she did.We will always be thankful for all of you who have prayed to the living God on our behalf. We believe still that God has been more than evident through it all. His presence has been all that we have needed and ever needed. His power and wisdom to work in the midst of this entire past four months is beyond our understanding.
We praise His name for the good that has come as a result. God has been gracious to give strength and comfort, He alone deserves our worship and adoration. Even in the time of distress, heartache, uncertainty and tragedy, He remains constant and faithful. We have been to both ends of the emotional spectrum and through it all He has been there. Even in the aftermath He lovingly holds all effected by the accident. I look forward to the day when we join our voices together and sing... ‘I stand, I stand in awe of You; I stand, I stand in awe of You; Father God to whom all praise is due, I stand in awe of You.’“May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by His grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.” 2Thessalonians 2:16 NIV
In Christ alone, Whitney’s Family
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