Julie Gaugler

Quite a few of you already know the story behind this name.

Mike Gaugler is my brother's pastor in Selinsgrove.  He was also my Bible teacher when I was a senior in high school.  Julie is his wife.  They have 3 children, in 4th, 5th and 6th grade.

I'm going to just share this link to a blog post written by another one of my Bible teachers from high school, Scott Fetterolf.  He is also a pastor of a church in Pennsylvania.  The post gives a brief summary of what has taken place this past month in the Gaugler's lives.

So why share this on our blog?  Because it has affected Matt and I both.  The email updates that have been sent out these last several weeks were written by Mike, and revealed a much deeper faith than I have ever seen before.  I know that in the same situation, my own faith would not be as strong. He truly has had, and has been striving the whole time to maintain an eternal perspective.  God used his emails to speak to us, and I know the emails spoke to others as well as we shared them with our small group as we prayed for a miracle.  My heart is still so sad and hurting for their children and Mike right now.  I'm still praying for a miracle.  But I also know while God has the ability to do anything, He doesn't always answer the way we want Him to.

Pastor Fetterolf's post reminds us of God's ultimate plan...for eternity.  And he reminds us again to shift our perspective.  In light of all of this, Matt and I are challenged in our thinking in our daily lives.  Sometimes I can't believe how foolish some of my pursuits and thoughts are.  As things come up in my life lately that irritate me or send me down a road of negativity, I think of this family, and I am able to shift my perspective.  Also, we feel challenged as a couple and as a family, by what motivates us, what are goals are, what we invest in.  Are we really living for God's glory?  I am humbled by God's grace as we fumble around down here, getting stuck on things that don't really matter at all.  I'm not saying that any of this makes Julie's sickness worth it.  But I do stand amazed at how God can use the faith of one man to inspire godliness.  I'm sure there are many stories already of this, and I have a feeling there are so many more to come.

Please pray for Julie and her husband and children.  They are all still in the thick of this and do not know what the future holds.  Hopefully, you read Scott's blog post so all of this makes sense, but best case scenario, outside of a miracle, is that Julie is stabilized and lives in a nursing home for the rest of her life.

Also pray for their church as they walk through this.  Pray for David & Age who want to help Mike in whatever way he needs right now.  They have been spending time with Mike & Julie's kids and are trying to allow them time to be serious and talk as well as be able to laugh and just be kids too.

So grateful for a God who is totally in control and who gives us the hope of eternity. Thanks for praying for this family.

Take a moment to listen to this song by Kutless if you have time.  It is so powerful.  In light of the Gaugler's story, it really strikes a chord in me. (Click on this link if the video does not show up on your apple device)

Sometimes I wonder what I would do if something earth shattering would occur in my life.  I've lived a relatively painless, comfortable life.  I'm not trying to say my life is perfect and no pain has been experienced at all (because that's not true), but overall, I've had it pretty good.  Matt and I both have.  I know this might just be a matter of time for life to happen and that scares me.  Fear of course is not productive or of God at all, so this is not what I want to dwell on.  But it is certainly food for thought for both Matt and I as we contemplate if we would be able to say:

Even if the healing doesn’t come
And life falls apart
And dreams are still undone
You are God You are good
Forever faithful One
Even if the healing
Even if the healing doesn’t come

What would you say?