In A Truly Amazing Place...

(Posted on my Matt's Facebook at 12:47am, in the wee hours Thursday night, after we had the "Yay God" news from my doc, Donna Stahl, world's most fab breast surgeon, that the pathology report came back with a happy face on it, meaning that the lymph nodes were clear, and I can technically say that I AM CANCER FREE! Which I am most delighted to be able to do! More than that, I just want to say thank you to God, my Jehovah Rapha, the God who heals [me]. I know that it is by His stripes I am healed. I know that nothing but the blood of Jesus is what make[s] me whole again. This has been our bottom line in this battle and I just don't want anything to overshadow that. Now, that said, thank God for Donna Stahl and her amazing gift of healing hands, not to mention her kind disposition toward Dave and me through this, along with an uncanny patience in dealing with our strange senses of humor. And thank God for my redheads and their big faiths and incessant prayers for their mum. And thank God for Dave, who has had to deal with some of those more unpleasant parts of our wedding vows of recent (for worse and in sickness and such) in a way that every other man oughta take notes on. And thank God for all the amazing love and support and food and wine and flowers and gifts and cards and, and, and...AND MOSTLY YOUR FRIENDSHIPS, which is the best thing a girl could get when she's trying to kick cancer's butt. But...WE DID IT! Praise God from whom all blessings flow! [Now, redheads, I know mum has broken the "don't overuse the exclamation rule here a wee bit, but do as I say, not as I do. Or, did, in this case, because it was a very special case.]

So without further ado, here goes my Matt's lovely post, because, as Mikey said in his comment on Facebook, I don't think any of us could say it any better:

In A Truly Amazing Place
by Matt Evans

just wow...ive had some of the hardest weeks in my whole life recently and it just makes me so grateful to be in the place i am...with the friends that i have.

so about 3 weeks ago my mum was diagnosed with breast cancer and just so much other stuff has been going wrong for me and other people and i just felt so sad like nothing was ever going to start going right again......and it was through all this trouble and pain and sadness that i found out what REAL friends are like...and even people i dont know at all. before i came to the vineyard, all a friend was, was just someone i hung out with and basically did stuff with. here its different...and so much more. friendships are deep here. they have meaning and they touch the heart. i know what im cared for so much, that people love me, not just to hang out with, but to actually know and be with and pray with.

i feel like if i had been in any other place..without the friends i have...i feel like i couldve had to go through all this alone. in other places, people, even me, couldve said they would pray and all that but most people would walk away and just forget about it 10 minutes later...
people here...its so different...so strong. its like i can feel God's love coming out of everything they say to me...every encouraging word...every 'ill be praying' i hear...even some small random conversations sometimes just bring me back to just trusting that everything is in God's hands...and theres no safer place than that. i can really know that i dont have to worry.

this place is wonderful...you all are wonderful. ive never had so much support, so much prayer. even the little things have meant worlds. just checking up on me, checking up on my family...i dont even know what i planned for this or where i was going with this...but you guys remind me about God's love when i forget and just think that everything sucks. you guys remind me that with God...everything actually will be okay in the end. i know that i can trust in Him...i can just give it all to Him, and He will lead the way...and the final destination will be better than i ever could have imagined...things still may not be where i would like...but i know i can trust Him and just follow where He leads...and even if i cant see any way for things to work out of be ok...somehow it will be.

church didnt always feel like much of a family until now...now i feel these relationships growing, trust growing...and its such an amazing feeling. im in a new place. i have new friends, new family. you guys pray for me and are even there for me...even when im too scared to ask. i have people who i know deeply care for me, will pray for me, will be there for me, will talk to me, or even just be with me.

i have amazing pastors and leaders. i have amazing friends and amazing friendships. friendships that go further and deeper than just hanging out.

i love my family. i love you guys. i am so thankful that God put me in a place that i would meet you

PS. update on mum: we got the last biopsy results back today...there was NO cancer in her lymph nodes...we caught the infection before it had a chance to spread...so technically she is cancer free =]
so praise God!!!
thank you guys so much for your prayers and encouragement...you have no idea how much it meant and im not just saying that