The BEST update yet!

Once again from Chaplain Steve....

Below is an email I received minutes ago from Steven. In addition to this, I am excited to let you all know that a Dr. has been found and Howard should be on US soil in a couple days. While there are many more miles to go before we all rest, we indeed worship a Father who never sleeps or slumbers. I have never been more proud to call Montreat my community.

Steve,

(this email was meant to go out yesterday but there were connection problems, so read this as though i sent it yesterday)

I am not able to find the words to explain to you what today (saturday) has been like! I awoke this morning to a text from howard that his stomach pain was gone and that he ate all his breakfast! All I can say is that last night when he was immense pain, I prayed so hard, saw his mother praying hard, and fully believed that the Lord was going to send his angels to attend to him through the night. I had a feeling that as I drove away from the hospital last night that the angels were descending to minister to him. Hearing the news this morning was so awesome! I could not wait to go see him. As I got to the hospital I was filled with so much joy! Howard was sitting up in the chair and was smiling and laughing, the first time I have seen him do so. His grandmother was with him, this woman is a real woman of faith!!! We sat around and chatted about how the Lord is healing is Howard and how we know that the Lord has him in his hands. She did not stop glorifying His name this morning and it was truly amazing!! He is eating a lot, moving around a lot more, and is full of energy. The Lord touched Howard last night, I know that! Thank you for all your prayers and emails and everything.

Read Psalm 40 and 41.
Something else that happened that revealed the Lords hand in everything is that after I spoke with Linda this morning she told me to make sure that Howard drinks lot of water before the flight. Minutes after I hung up Howards father came and with him he had a huge jug of water! Glory to God.

Im telling you steve, howard is right beside me and is a testimony to the Lords faithfulness and healing touch. His revival today has blown me away. the only thing i can think of doing is giving thanks and praise to God.

love you bro

see you soon.

jackson

Latest Updates!!! Looking up for Howard!

Here is the latest email from Chaplain Steve along with an email from Stephen Jackson who is with Howard in Jamaica right now....these prayers are helping so much and it looks like everything is going to work out for Howard!

Duke has accepted Howard!

In addition, Wings of Eagles is ready to fly him back to the states as soon as they receive details from Duke. The most recent estimate is as early as Monday or Tuesday.

The remaining prayer request is for a medical person to attend Howard on the flight home. Linda Thompson has indicated that an MD or an EMT could work. Wings of Eagles has agreed to stop at the Asheville Airport, or other nearby airport, to pick up whoever is qualified, available, and trained.

Linda has also lined up a helicopter to pick up Howard and Steven at the Raleigh-Durham airport and take them to the Duke Medical Center once they arrive.

Many of you have asked if donating your own platelets can be helpful. While it certainly would be a great way to serve the people of Asheville, your platelets will not be directly impacting Howard.

On a final note, I'll share a portion of an email I received from Steven Jackson late last night:

Steve,

Brother, the Lord is good. He is shattering my world every second of every day. Never have I experienced being led by the Spirit, relying on the Spirit, and seeing the Lord work so evidently and all so quickly before. I am here in the room with Howard. I spend all morning and afternoon and much of the evening with him. It is a humbling thing to be in a hospital in a third world country where everything is so bare, care is minimal, and hot because there is no air conditioning...I took a walk for lunch and was refreshed and reminded to trust in the Lord and cast my anxieties on him...I have been able to witness some amazing things...I was able to pray with Howard, his mom and sister last night. moving and a special moment...the Lord is working and I am so thankful that you and the school has allowed me to be a part of His story with Howard. I am doing fine and being taken care of well...your prayers and everyone's are being felt.

In Christ,

Jackson

latest updates

Another email from Chaplain Steve.....hopefully we'll hear more updates within the next few days!! Keep on praying!

This morning I had a fruitful conversation with a local Christian ministry called Hearts with Hands. They have contacted Mission Hospital’s head of transportation and they are currently working on gathering the necessary info to secure a medical flight to the states for Howard. Currently we are also waiting to hear if Duke hospital will take Howard once he arrives. Howard’s health remains stable following a much needed delivery of platelets. I am currently on standby with Mission Hospital and Hearts with Hands to be notified as soon as something is available. While it is no guarantee that Mission can, or will accept Howard’s case, the final word to me was they are highly optimistic. I will spread the word as soon as I know something more.

As we head into a weekend and potentially another night of agonizing uncertainty I leave you with two of my favorite quotes on prayer from two of my favorite theologians:

“Pray as though everything depended on God. Work as though everything depended on you.” – Saint Augustine

“Pray, and let God worry” – Martin Luther

Prayers are being ANSWERED!!!!

Hey everyone! Prayers are being answered....however keep them coming because everything isn't completed yet!

Here's an email from Chaplain Steve at Montreat....

Thanks for you patience for information...keep praying, God is at work!

Stephen Jackson was at Howard's side today and was able to donate his own platelets to Howard. Additional doses of platelets have been delivered to the hospital which buys significant time for Howard's journey to the states. We have a representative at Duke who is highly interested in Howard's case. Pray that the Doctors at Duke agree to take Howard in as a patient. Once they agree to do so the remaining needs are a plane and funds. A number of you have given me suggestions for both. Keep those coming, and remember that I need the information in a useful manner which means complete contact information. If at all possible please contact people directly yourself before passing their name on so that no one is spending time on potential dead ends. Time is of the essence.

I do want to say that after more than a few years here, I am convinced that this community is at its best when one of its own is in need. It is a beautiful thing to watch the body of Christ function as God always intended...each part playing its role.

Another request: Currently I am receiving a great number of phone calls and emails asking for updates on Howard. Please know that when I have new information I will get it to everyone in a single email as fast as I can.

Isn't God AMAZING?!?!?

Please continue to pray for Howard and pass this information onto others and ask for them to pray as well.

PRAYERS NEEDED!!

For those of you who went to Montreat or have been to a Montreat Soccer game know Howard Fisher. Right now he is still in Jamaica and is really sick with Aplastic Anemia. He's been sick since Christmas Eve or so and is continuing to become weaker and weaker. I'm not going to post a lot of details on here because not a lot of people know exactly what is going on and I'd rather not give out the wrong information. However, prayer is a powerful thing! So if you're friends with Howard, know Howard, or don't even know him offer some prayers his way.

Right now we need to get him back to the States in order to get the treatment that he needs. Pray that he will be strong enough to make the flight and get the treatment that he needs. Pray that God will keep His hands on Howard, his family, and his friends. This is a tough time for everyone because it's hard getting information from Jamaica and knowing exactly what is going on.

The school has sent Stephen Jackson over to Jamaica to get some information and relay it back to the school as well as be there for Howard and comfort him. Montreat had a prayer time for him today for about an hour and let me tell you....prayers are very POWERFUL! I can't tell you exactly what happened but just believe me when I sa

y that.

Please just take a minute and pray for Howard. He's a wonderful guy who has a great personality and a great smile! He's friends with everyone at Montreat and is on the Montreat Soccer team. He's the kind of guy that wants to make people laugh and help people out so take the time now and help him out by praying for him. Even if you have no idea who I'm talking about....God will know! So pray and pass this along to your friends as well and ask them to pray...send this information to your prayer chain or church and ask them to pray as well. When I get details from the school with updates I'll let you all know but for now we can just pray.

Successful Saturday!!

Well....I just added a wedding countdown on my blog so everyone can see....4 months and 27 days....dang!!! it's approaching quick!!

Anyways today I had a mother/daughter day and we spent it doing various things. First I went and had my dress taken to the alterations place so I got to put my dress on again! I can't wait to wear it again! It's so dang comfty and pretty!! Now....if I can just get my mind set to working out so I can look as good as possible in that dress.....hm

mm....any motivation is welcome! But yea so I'll get my dress back during Spring Break and then have pictures done sometime in March or April. I'm excited about my Bridal Portraits!! If any of you have already had them done then share your experience with me!!!

After that was done mom and I got some more scrapbooking things at AC Moore so that wraps up the scrapbooking and coloring book stuff for the wedding. Things are slowly but surely getting done and it's exciting. I've also heard from some people that they have marked the wedding on their calendar so it's becoming more and more real for me now!!

Let's see....what else....oh our engagement announcement will run in my home newspaper a week from tomorrow! Aaron will have one in his hometown as well but not sure when yet. I've also started putting stuff onto a wedding website on

Theknot.com so check that out as well! That will give you more information on us and the wedding. Hopefully I'll get it completely done when I'm back at school with Aaron.

Now I'm just relaxing until I go back to school o

n Tuesday for my last semester!! The one last big hurdle I have to get through before the wedding!! Exciting stuff!!

Oh and I just read a quote from a friend of mine and I think it is totally true!!

"We were given: Two hands to hold. Two legs to walk. Two eyes to see. Two ears to listen. But why only one heart? Because the other was given to someone else. For us to find." -Unknown

Until next time!!

wedding plans

Well.....it's been a while but I have lots of wedding updates which is exciting!! First off though....Aaron and I are 1/2 way done with our senior year which is insane!!! The first semester flew by and now we have about 2 more weeks until school starts up again. We had a wonderful holiday and it was nice because we were able to spend time with both families. I got several presents for Christmas that we will be able to use when we get married and I'm excited about that!

One special present that I got was a communion set from my grandpa. I asked him if he would be willing to make one since he does ceramics and I got it for Christmas. It's so pretty! I can't wait to use that!

Aaron came to my house for New Years and stayed about a week. We go so much done which was amazing! We got all the addresses we needed for save the dates and invitations which is great because now we don't have to worry about that anymore. The save the dates are going out in the mail soon which is exciting and makes everything seem real now! wow!

While Aaron was here we ended up going to the mall and we walked right by a Men's Warehouse and decided to go ahead and get the tuxs taken care of so Aaron and my dad have both been fitted for a tux and now the rest of the guys can just go to one in their town and get fitted and it gets picked up in Aville right before the wedding! I'm so glad that part is EASY!

I got some decorations done for the wedding and might I say they are CUTE! I'm excited to have all of that set up and I can't wait! I'm ready to see what everything is going to look like! Although it does seem like time needs to slow down a bit because it is flying fast and we are now just over 5 months away from being married....eek!

Aaron and I also got our program covers, fans, and invitation styles all picked out too and now it just needs to be printed and put together! whoo hoo! We also went to Bed, Bath, and Beyond and registered for some stuff there and now we're registered there and at Target. Hopefully Aaron will register at Lowes at some point if we can register there.

Some things still have to get done before I go back to school though and one of them is going and getting my dress altered! I get to put it on again and I can't wait! I believe that is it! I'm also hoping my best friend from college will be able to make it this weekend and hang out some! We're gonna get some more stuff done before we go back to school.

Oh and the other thing....bridal showers will start up soon which is gonna be fun! I'm not sure how many we have right now because the numbers keep changing but I'm looking forward to those parties as well and seeing what all we get.

156 days....

Sorry I don't have any pictures to go on here......maybe next time!