Inspiration, Hope & Faith

March, 2, 2025

It's with much joy, gratitude and excitement that we share this update with you.  

As we reflect on the daily challenges, we also count our abundant blessings.  As we look to build upon blessings of patience & perseverance, without hesitation, we follow our hearts through opening doors. We are thankful, hopeful, and uplifted. 

As the weeks and months (since Rachel's surgery) go by, we learn more, about our weaknesses, our Source of strength, and the importance of hope & faith. We have described in recent updates, there are so many ways that our lives are different now, however, our united vision, mission and values remain aligned with the truth that has always been "the lamp to our feet, lighting our way." 

In addition to updating you on the last several weeks of Rae's progress, we also intend this post to communicate more clearly our purpose in launching this blog, and announce some other exciting developments! 

Before I get into ay specifics, we would like to express our sincerest thanks to all of you (family, friends, & community) for every prayer, each  thoughtful & encouraging note, the timely financial gifts, your positive interactions on our inspiringhopeandfaith Facebook page, all the acts  of kindness, and the many ways we have been practically served. To be completely transparent, life is very challenging (but by no means unbearable), we cannot imagine overcoming our circumstances without you...because of your love & care, we have been Inspired in our Hope & Faith.

Speaking of inspiration...

Rachel has made some significant improvements since January.  She has increased the variety of foods that she eats. Most of her liquids (water, coffee, tea, coconut milk, and juice) she is drinking through a straw.  Her meds are now all taken orally. All of this progress means she will likely have her G-tube removed soon, provided she continues to sufficiently hydrate by mouth.

Also, she is getting stronger allowing her to be a little more independent in what occupational therapists call the, "activities of daily living." We manage grocery shopping, meeting up with our kids, and other activities, much more easily.  Double vision and dizziness are still the largest obstacles to independent mobility, but that doesn't stop her from trying.

We had a very informative & productive appointment with the Neuro-ophthalmologist at the University of Florida medical center.  We left that appointment with a plan that includes daily maintanence on her eyes for daytime and nightime, and two upcoming surgical procedures.

The first is adding weights to the inside of her eyelids to help her blink more easily and fully close her eyeslids when she sleeps.  Rachel can move her eyelids more than she could previously, but not enough to effectively lubricate the surface of her eyes.  The goal of the second procedure to follow, is to correct the double vision (YAY!!) by altering the muscles that hold the position of her eyes.  The consultation for that outpatient surgery isn't as soon as we would like, but that could change.  In fact, that's exactly what happened in regards to the eyelid procedure. 

Before leaving this appointment, the doctor referred us to Dr. Johnson (also at the UF clinic), who specializes in facial re-animation surgery.  This is a consultation that we have been trying to recieve from other providers for more than a year!  The very next day after returning from Gainseville, we recieved a call to schedule that visit for the following Thursday, just one week after the referral!!!

Even more incredible is that her surgery to regain movement in her lower face is set for March 6, (Ahhh-mazing). Success in this surgery means restoring her ablility to move her lips and face for expressions and articualtion. It doesn's guarantee speech but its a step in the right direction.

The news just keeps getting better...Dr. Johnson, has the surgical expertise that enables him to do the eyelid surgery at the the same time as the facial nerve procedure. In just a projected three hour surgery on this Thursday, two most important surgical events that Rachel needs will be take place! 

(***If you have read the previous updates/posts, you may remember one titled, "There's grace in the waiting.") 

Please pray and believe with us for these big next steps.

_______________________________________

Why start a blog?

The simple answer is that Rachel and I desire to "make the most" out of this journey & experience and this effort is something we can do to achieve that goal.  We refuse to believe that this totally unexpected set of circumstances is void of lasting impact and purpose, for our family and for others.  

Inviting others into our lives has been our way for many years (In fact, "We have an open door policy," is something our kids heard us say to others countless times, and would repeat regularly). As well, we have priotized making ourselves available to benefit the lives of others.

We have intentionally and strategically orientated ourselves to the mission of loving "strangers" until they feel like they are family (this is how we understand the definition of hospitality), with an ultimate aim to Inspire Hope & Encourage Faith.  We believe that this is how we have been loved by our Creator and therfore we are compelled to love others in the same way.  Just because the situations of our life together has drastically changed, our purpose in this life has not.

This blog is a platform that enables us to carry on with our vision from our current position. We will share stories & insights from our journey before Rachel's surgery as well as updates on what we are presently walking through. 

There will be posts about what we have learned from our 30 years of experience together regarding: 

• love as a ruling principle (self, relationships, family)

• learnership as a way of life (apprenticing & mentoring)

• leadership (working & serving in our local community as business owners, friends and neighbors.)

• living outword (for the blessing & benefit of others)

We hope to increase awareness to needs of others & build "bridges" that provide avenues for people to take action get involved specifically with those individuals & groups we have had the privilige to partner with around the world. 

Lastly, for those who are interested, on occasion I will share some of my thoughts & teachings from my nearly fifteen years of focused study on the Gospel of John (an acient narrative about the life of Jesus of Nazareth).

Again, Rachel and I are so grateful for you walking this road with us and we invite you to subscribe to this site to recieve notifications of new updates & posts, follow our Facebook page for day to day interaction, and share both platforms with others that you believe would apprciate the content.  Our next post will be after we are back home from Rachel's surgery.

In closing, I will attempt to breifly answer a frequently asked question. 

I do not plan to resume my interior renovations & cabinet making businesses as they were before July 2023, (however I do enjoy spending time in my shop when I am able). I remain Rachel's primary cargiver, but have also been working on and developing a new creative endeavor that incorporates my passion for photography/art (something that Rae has many times encouraged me to pursue) into my love for designing and crafting.  I seek to capture images that inspire reflections & revelations on what is often otherwise unseen, as well as uplift peoples' countenance and spirt!

I am excited to announce the launch of my new brand, J'BEE Designs & Decor, and website www.jfolmsbee.com.  I invite you to visit the site and social media platforms and share them with your family and friends.

For the many who have asked us, "how can we help?" This is an way that is very important to us. 

Blessings,

Jeremy (and behalf of Rachel)