Either a series on a topic, or general essays/posts.
Students praying for my family in September, 2023. 2023 was a terrible year for me and my family. One of the worst things that could happen, did. Yes, I recognize that every bad situation could be worse. I recognize that others have gone through even more terrible and grievous situations. And at the same time, … Continue reading Anchors for the Soul: The Cloud of Witnesses and the Crowd of Witnesses
Robyn wanted her testimony read at her funeral. With a patch over one eye to stop her double vision, and with a finger on her iPhone’s swipe keyboard, Robyn composed her testimony. Sometimes she was able to use her laptop, but the awkward angle of her hospital bed didn't always allow this. But no matter … Continue reading Robyn’s Testimony: Her Final Words to the World
15,409 days. That's how long my dear wife lived on this Earth. When we were dating, we obviously had no idea. When we got engaged, there were no mystical revelation. And when we got married, this number certainly wasn't written on the back of the marriage certificate for us to see. In our twenties we … Continue reading 15,409 Days: Psalm 90 and Wisdom
The funeral is over. Robyn’s earthly tent has been laid to rest. Family and friends have dispersed. Left over food and flowers have been brought home. A season is over. A chapter is done. Life will change. But now it’s time to rest and reflect. I’m grateful. Grateful for a wonderful wife. Grateful for the … Continue reading Blessed Be the Name of the Lord
My dear sweet wife. The light of my life, the joy of my soul, the mother of my children, and the wife of my youth, has died. I was at her side as she took her last breath. I am so sad. I am halved. I am undone. My best friend has left me to … Continue reading The End of the Road: Robyn Stearns, 1981-2023
Sunset at Kavanagh House It’s been a long while since I’ve posted anything about Robyn. That’s mostly because the day to day activities and issues surrounding her care increased. It’s also because I really didn’t know what to report. As odd as this sounds, the situation was just unclear. Did changes and developments take place? … Continue reading Peace Near the End of the Road
"We are going to lose this at some point" our oncologist said to my wife. It's true. If you walk down the halls of the hospice home right now, many beds have opened up since the day we first checked in. Sometimes patients are here a day or two and others a few weeks. But … Continue reading Hope at the Hospice House
There are a few things that you just don't think about when you check into a hospice house. You don't think that you'll be sharing a refrigerator with 12 other patients. The rooms are nice, but the coziness means bringing multiple reusable bags of stuff from home and back each day. Pain relief is a … Continue reading Two Homes and the Body of Christ
When Robyn noticed a large lump in her leg in late December, our world turned upside down. It took two biopsies and too much time to figure out what was going on. By March we finally knew it was a very rare type of cancer (Ewing's Sarcoma). The treatment plan was chemotherapy to shrink the … Continue reading Holding Hands in Hospice and Trusting the Grace of God
A foggy morning on the campus of Faith Baptist Bible College. Today was quite foggy. Iowa isn't known for fog like some more pacific and northwestern locations. We might have fog once or twice. But today it was really foggy. Looking across the campus was a challenge. One new student even got turned around in … Continue reading Foggy First Day: Starting a New Semester
Thoughts Worth Thinking 