Overwhelmed

Hi friends.  It is Marla, updating on behalf of Mel and the Lietzau family.

Please pray for our friends!  It has been an overwhelming year, and the effects continue to compound, bringing weariness and continued difficulty in these last few weeks.

Details...

Mel's surgery to replace her pacemaker went well.  She and Noah spent two nights in San Diego, and the process went smoothly with overall very few complications.  The timing of the surgery ended up being very difficult as Noah's friend Caden ended up having life-threatening complications of his heart transplant the day before Mel's surgery.  It was difficult to not be present with him and his family through all that was going on, but God was good in reminding her of His presence and sufficiency - both with Caden's family and with her.  Since then, Mel has been trying to rest and let her body recover as she continues to face the daily tasks of life and getting from the morning to the night.  Please pray for Mel - that God would give her perseverance during this time, both with the many needs of her family and friends and with her own health as well.  Pray that God would strengthen her with peace and joy in knowing Him and knowing that He is truly working all things together for her good even when all physical circumstances look grim.

Noah continues to wait for a new heart.  His physical symptoms are becoming more frequent which is being brought out even further with this last month of wearing a Holter monitor.  He has to call in every time he has had three "episodes" - whether it be chest pain, dizziness, or other symptoms - and have them assess the data that is sent.  This has become wearying, as they need to stay close to a land line and end up calling multiple times a day.  Pray for Noah - that he would continue to seek God through this time of waiting.  Pray that as he wrestles with the newly understood realities of the risks of heart transplant (Caden's situation has brought up a lot for him) that he would continue to find comfort in his eternal hope of being with Jesus forever and not having to fear sickness and death anymore.  Pray that he would continue to be open with his parents with the things that he is thinking and feeling and that God would truly give him peace as he waits.

Jason has had a few appointments recently regarding his pneumonia which was first diagnosed the day before they left on the Make a Wish cruise.  It came back a few weeks after their return from the trip, and he was referred to a pulmonologist (lung doctor) shortly after.  The pulmonologist didn't think it was pneumonia but rather some sort of bronchial thing.  He prescribed a steroid for Jason to take, and told him to come back for a follow up appointment in several weeks.  Well, his symptoms are back (for the third time), and we went back to the doctor yesterday.  His oxygen was a little bit low, and they scheduled him to get some more tests done on Friday (a CT scan, more Xrays, blood draws).  With all that is going on already in the family, this has become a source of stress and anxiety for Jason.  Please pray for him - that God would provide answers through this appointment on Friday, that God would heal and strengthen Jason's body, and that Jason would seek and find deep and unchanging rest in Christ and his sufficiency.

It has been a specifically overwhelming season in the midst of a long and difficult season, and the Lietzaus would deeply appreciate your prayers and encouragement during this time.  Thank you for your continued support for these friends as they continue to seek to know God and make Him known in the midst of suffering.  "And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work." (2 Cor 9:8)  God is able!!