2023 was a year that won’t be soon forgotten by this Perry crew… rather…celebrated and remembered!
Over the past decade, Sara and I have come together and prayed for a “word” that we wanted to live out and see take place in our family throughout the upcoming year. Our word for 2023, was “REDEEM”. Neither of us knew exactly why we felt this word was the word for us during this year, but we wrote it on our kitchen chalkboard wall and claimed it for the year!
Little did we know how quickly we’d begin to see this “word” begin to take action in our home. BUT… redemption came in like fresh wind & from January to current, we have witnessed redemption stories on repeat. Allow me an audience while I brag on God! He gets all the glory!
In January, our entire family started the “Daniel Fast”… which… for me is known as the “you are going to starve by eating vegetables, fruits, and nuts”! It is a carnivore’s 21 day nightmare! Over our 18 years of marriage, we’ve embarked on this journey many times, and I must admit…it was begrudgingly with my attitude! However, this year, I wanted to do it and enjoy it! Sara was more than excited to step into action, and we enjoyed the entire 21 days! God laid some ground work for things to come.
In February, after praying for several months about where the Perry crew should get plugged into a church, I asked Sara if we could go to TBCØ. After she almost passed out, she excitedly said YES (she had been praying for that one😂). After 8 years of just existing at church (another blog post for another day), it was time for a change. We went to TBCØ on February 2nd and, immediately, felt at home. It’s been incredible ever since! We gained community and our entire family has had many opportunities to journey alongside others and have them walk alongside of us, as well. God redeemed a long season of pain and replaced it with immense joy!
At the end of February, I went in for a wellness check. It had been AWHILE! Doctors and I weren’t really on a great visitation schedule😁 Blood work from that visit revealed my iron was so high that I could be Tony Stark’s replacement in Iron Man! They started me on an eating plan to reduce my iron & before I could get fully immersed in that… March came.
I went to a new cardiologist. After several tests, he determined that I needed a new heart valve. There were many tears shed and “what if’s” asked… and yet… as Sara and I have done over the past 18 years…we wiped our tears, turned our focus on Jesus, and started taking 1 step at a time. Over the next several months, I would have more tests and have major decisions to make…but 1st… April came in like a wrecking ball.
Our 17 year old, who was born with a heart condition, had to have a procedure to repair an issue that had been slowly developing over time. His heart needed serious help! They prepared us for the worst! We had to sign papers, acknowledging that he may never wake from this procedure & they even talked about the potential for emergency surgery. BUT GOD! On April 3rd, He showed up and showed out! Noah not only made it through his procedure, wonderfully… but came home that same evening!!
Through the summer, we had a few issues parenting a teenager (because life happens at the speed of life), but God has redeemed even those issues! Even when we acted more like teenagers than the adults (that’s a post for another time)… God worked miracle after miracle & redeemed so much!
Sara and I even got the opportunity to fly out to a friend’s church in Florida. Not only was the time away a sweet gift for our marriage, but I got to preach for the 1st time in a while.
Then came September. I went back in for more testing on my heart, and it was determined that I was definitely going to need to a new valve. We were hoping to have an option for a less invasive procedure, but it was determined (through more testing) that I could only get a new valve with open heart surgery. So we made preparations for what was to come. A heart cath was necessary first. It would have to take place prior to surgery to verify placements and get better images of what they would be operating on. So we lined up the calendar.
On October 9th, I went in for the heart cath. We had been praying that when they went in for this procedure that they’d see miraculous healing of the heart & that no open heart surgery would be needed. BUT… we also prayed that God would get the most glory and not our will but His be done. They had planned to go through my wrist for this procedure, which would have been the least invasive option. However, after many attempts to use the wrist, they had to change plans and go through the groin. The cath was successful (in the sense that I survived it😬), but due to the entrance site… I had to be home, on a weight restriction, for a week & open heart surgery was still a must.
So November 1st came. I was scheduled for a 4 hour surgery. After several complications, 2 deaths, 1 failed valve, placement of a pig valve, and a 12 hour surgery, I was closed up and sent to cardiac intensive care. Over the next 24 hours, I would die 1 more time and be brought back to keep fighting. After being intubated for 36 hours, I woke up and was extubated! Less than 12 hours passed, and they had me up and walking! 4 days later, I was being discharged! It was a rollercoaster 🎢! BUT… oh the redemption!
Throughout this entire year, God has redeemed so many of our habits and disciplines, especially around our home. It has been an amazing experience (I promise to share more in future posts😉)! All in all… God has been and still is and always will be good. He has been ever present in our trials. He has been our Healer and Provider, and He has used some incredible people to meet our needs this entire year! He has blown our minds in the ways that He has redeemed 2023!
As we close out this year and prepare for the new year to come, we can’t wait for the next adventure God has for us!
