Resurrection Church
  • Home
  • Live Worship
  • Ministries
    • Children
    • Youth
    • Outreach
    • Community Groups
    • Park
  • About
    • Our Story
    • Purpose & Vision
    • Our Values
    • Anglicanism
    • Our Building
    • Newsletter
  • DONATE
  • Join Us
    • Worship
    • Serve
    • Contact
  • Messages
    • Sermons
    • Videos
  • Leadership
    • Staff
    • Board
    • Diocese

The Valor Chronicles

"Follow us as we follow Christ."   1 Corinthians 11:1
Picture

Life After the Flood

3/25/2019

11 Comments

 
           Most cultures of the ancient world contain a catastrophic flood story of some kind. The stories often involve a boat, a lone person or family who was saved and a stated reason for judgment by God or the gods. (Visit this website for examples: http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/flood-myths.html )
            As Valor's emerging diagnosis and the seriousness of his condition has sunk in, I've felt a growing sympathy with Noah and the Biblical flood story.  Not only have my tears come rolling down like waves, but test results and ominous sounding medical words like "failure to thrive," "multiple blood lines down" and "possible leukemia" crashed into my ears with growing alarm.  Like the panic of a drowning person, I gasped under an avalanche of dread as Valor gleefully smiled, bobbing around his waving hands and feet...
          I know we're not the first people to hear bad news. I also know our bad news pales in comparison to what many have heard and experienced.  We are not in a country where children die regularly due to insufficient medical care. Our son is not in a vegetative state.  We are not a soldier's spouse hearing our loved one will not come home. Our village has not been bombed or overrun by government, rebel or terrorist forces.
            But at some level, we can all relate to the devastation of the Noah story.  Imagine the slow motion death of animals outside the ark drowning one by one. Imagine the horror as people who scrambled to the high ground realized the high ground was not high enough.  Imagine Noah and his family, the lone survivors, reeling as they witnessed the greatest natural disaster the world has ever known. "Why did my neighbors die while I lived? What kind of God would do this? Will there ever be life on earth again outside the ark? Will God send another flood? If we do get off the ark, where do we go? How do we start over?"
            Many similar questions flooded my mind as I wrestled with Valor's condition. "Will Valor have to live in a germ-free bubble? Will he ever be able to play soccer or have friends? Will Valor make it to his 4th birthday? Will our family be able to take a vacation away from Valor's hospital again? Will I ever be able to talk without crying? What should we do first, second and third when we take Valor home from the hospital?"
            Sometimes good news is harder to hear than bad, because we're used to hearing bad news.  As I immersed myself in the Noah story, I heard good news. There will be life again. The dove has brought an olive branch of hope and fresh fruitfulness. The flood waters are receding and a new earth is appearing. The ark has landed and we will soon walk out into the new earth.  God has spared us and given us fresh assurance of his presence and stability in the earth.
            We are still in the hospital. We have not yet gotten off the ark and returned home. But I do know one thing. There will be life again.  Jesus' resurrection has seen to that. The Holy Spirit will show us where to plant our seeds, how to care for Valor, how to incorporate our older four children into this new reality, how not to lose our marriage but grow closer, how to continue as a pastor, father, husband and servant of the Lord.  Not just continue, but thrive.  That's the death and resurrection way.                 

​ -God's Comfort, Elijah Lovejoy
11 Comments
Tracy R
3/25/2019 07:06:43 pm

Heartfelt post! You're a strong family and I'm so glad that you felt empowered to share this and write about your experience. Sending prayers from Raleigh your way!

Reply
Kelly Evans
3/25/2019 07:27:23 pm

Brandy and Elijah,
I did not realize all that you have been battling with your sweet son. My heart breaks for your family as you fight for hope, while leaning on God’s plan, yet not knowing the outcome. I will be praying for all of you!

I do understand all to well the battle, though it doesn’t involve a baby, and I know that extra element has its own collection of ache as parents.

Is there anything that you are in need of from those praying with you? Please share that so people can step in. Is Valor at Duke Hospital? Are you commuting?

Thank you for sharing your story. May it bear witness to many, may it encourage others, may it encourage you both.

I am praying!! Love you both!
Kelly

Reply
Elijah Lovejoy
3/28/2019 10:33:17 am

Hi Kelly,

Thanks for your questions and your offers to help. Valor is at Duke Hospital, but hopefully going home today. Myself and our older 4 kids have been staying at my sisters 10-15 minutes from Duke.

If you're interested in helping, our biggest need right now is going to be cleaning supplies and a cleaning service to create a whole new level of "germ-free living" in our hope. If you'd like to send an Amazon gift card for cleaning supplies or a check to help us pay for a monthly cleaning service, I'll private message you our address.

Reply
Ted
3/25/2019 07:33:41 pm

Prayers continue!

Reply
Lisa Sheline
3/25/2019 08:43:26 pm

Elijah,

I am sorry to hear this. Know that you are all in my prayers. I also pray that you would let me know how I could lighten your load. A meal? A gift card to purchase things at the hospital? Please send me your address.
Love you all! ❤️

Reply
Leandra McMillan
3/25/2019 11:45:34 pm

Hi Elijah and Brandi, my prayers are with you two and your family. If any family can get through this, it’s you guys. All my love.

Reply
Kristin Rizzo
3/25/2019 11:58:11 pm

This was such a blessing to read! Thank you for sharing this. We will certainly be praying for y'all. Your words are definitely inspirational! Prayerfully.

The Rizzo's

Reply
Sarah Ponzi
3/26/2019 08:55:34 am

The Ponzi's prayers are with your family. My heart aches for you all.

Reply
David Robinson
3/26/2019 11:02:26 am

Elijah,
I rarely read blogs. I think you know me well enough to understand. But I read this short update about your son Valor. I am so glad I did. It is good to connect and “hear” you speak. Yes, I would prefer to hear that your son not to be ill, or to have whatever health problem he may have, but I do praise God for your testimony and for you faith and for your love for God and your family and for the people of God. I am thankful for you and Brandi and believe our Lord will strengthen you and sustain you and that all will be well. We are praying for ya’ll and for Valor.
Love in Christ,
David Robinson

Reply
Barbara Lipe
3/26/2019 11:13:05 am

Oh wow. Thanks to our small group sharing this again as I have not been following and praying like I should have been. So sad for you all. I pray that the small stories of resurrection can be known even this day.
Love to you ALL,
Barb

Reply
Jennifer
3/27/2019 02:50:48 pm

Thank you for sharing your joys and your sorrows. It is a wonderful testimony for others to see your example of how to trust in God in any circumstances.

Reply

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Meet the Authors: Elijah & Brandi Lovejoy

            On March 15, 2019 nine days before his 6 month birthday, our son, Valor Emmanuel Lovejoy, entered Duke Children's Hospital for the second time with a recent fever, low white and red blood cell counts and a below 1% weight chart gain. Doctors suspect Valor has Shwachman-Diamond Syndrome, a disease that effects bone marrow health, pancreatic function and sometimes skeletal structure, among other symptoms. You can learn more about SDS here: www.shwachman-diamond.org. I (Elijah) am a pastor, and I (Brandi) am a volunteer Children's Ministry Director and home school mom to our five children.
                These Chronicles are written from a Christian perspective in the spirit of 1 Corinthians 11:1, "Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ." We believe the Lord does his best and deepest work through profound patterns of death and resurrection, particularly as pioneered and embodied in Jesus Christ's own death and resurrection. Through faith and ongoing participation in Jesus' death and resurrection, we offer these Valor Chronicles in hope that others will find comfort, hope, peace and resurrection life with us in Jesus. 

    Archives

    January 2020
    December 2019
    September 2019
    June 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Location

Address: 1419 H. Bullard Rd.
                  Hope Mills, NC 28348
Phone: 336-207-5216
Email: rise@resurrectionpeople.com
Sunday Worship: 10 a.m.
  • Home
  • Live Worship
  • Ministries
    • Children
    • Youth
    • Outreach
    • Community Groups
    • Park
  • About
    • Our Story
    • Purpose & Vision
    • Our Values
    • Anglicanism
    • Our Building
    • Newsletter
  • DONATE
  • Join Us
    • Worship
    • Serve
    • Contact
  • Messages
    • Sermons
    • Videos
  • Leadership
    • Staff
    • Board
    • Diocese