November 29, 2011

TAYLOR'S P.U.S.H STORY


this is taylor's P.U.S.H story.


it's been a long while since i posted an update about taylor and his fight with lyme and bart. there is a reason. he asked me not to. he wanted to share his story in his way when the time was right. 


TRUST - Taylor's first tattoo 
several weeks ago, he indicated to me that he was ready to share where he is at in his journey and what God has been doing in his life. before i impart to you what he wrote for me to share here on my blog, i wanted to share a little story i read nearly a year ago. at the time, it stuck with me because it reminded me so much of taylor...little did i know just how parallel his own story would end up being.


P.U.S.H


"One night, a man was sleeping in his cabin when suddenly his room was filled with the light and the Creator appeared.


The Creator told the man he had work for him to do, and showed him a large rock in front of his cabin. The Creator explained that the man was to push against the rock with all his might.


The man did the same, day after day. For many years he toiled from sun up to sun down, his shoulders set squarely against the cold, massive surface of the unmoving rock, pushing with all his might. Each night the man returned to his cabin sore, and worn out, feeling that his whole day had been spent in vain...


Since the man was showing signs of discouragement, the Adversary decided to enter the picture by placing thoughts into the man's weary mind:


"You have been pushing against that rock for a long time, and it hasn't budged. Why kill yourself over this? You can never move it," thus, giving the man the impression that the task was impossible and that he was a failure. These thoughts discouraged and disheartened the man. "Why kill myself over this?" he thought. "I'll just put in my time, giving just the minimum effort; and that will be good enough." And that is what he planned to do, until one day he decided to make it a matter of prayer and take his troubled thoughts to the Creator. "Creator," he said, "I have labored long and hard in your service, putting all my strength to do that which you have asked. Yet, after all this time, I have not even budged that rock by half a millimeter. What is wrong? Why am I failing?"


The Creator responded compassionately, "My friend, when I asked you to serve me and you accepted, I told you that your task was to push against the rock with all your strength, which you have done. Never once did I mention to you that I expected you to move it. Your task was to push." "Now you come to me with your strength spent, thinking that you have failed. But is that really so?


Look at yourself. Your arms are strong and muscled, your back is sinewy and brown, your hands are callused from constant pressure, and your legs have become massive and hard. Through opposition you have grown much, and your abilities now surpass that which you used to have. Yet you haven't moved the rock. But your calling was to be obedient and to push and to exercise your faith in My wisdom. This you have done. I, my friend, will now move the rock." 


At times, when we hear a word from the Creator, we tend to use our own intellect to decipher what He wants, when actually what the Creator wants is just obedience and faith in Him.... By all means, exercise the faith that moves mountains, but know that it is still the Creator who moves the mountains. When everything seems to go wrong ... just P.U.S.H.! 


P.U.S.H. - Pray Until Something Happens


 taylor spent 16 months undergoing intensive antibiotic treatment for lyme and bartonella. during that time, he underwent great suffering, experienced the isolation that comes from living with a disease that is poorly understood and felt the hopelessness that comes from battling an enemy that has been deemed medically incurable. he has now been off of treatment and all antibiotics since may 2011. he is well and he is symptom free. nothing is impossible with God...not even the incurable. prayer works. our son was healed through the power of it. Praise the Lord!


God is enough
(and mom thinks that's enough tattoos!)


Here is Taylor's P.U.S.H story in his words:


"Two years of my life was essentially wasted by Lyme. At least that was what my young naive self thought for the majority of the disease. At sixteen, I had a vision of what I wanted in my life. By 17, I was already a reservist with the Canadian Armed Forces. If I had it my way and my life had gone how I had planned, I would already be on, or would have already finished one tour of duty as a Canadian infantry soldier. But reflecting on what has occurred over the past 2 years and how I've grown, I know why it has happened. Most evidently, I never would have learned about Special Forces in the United Kingdom where I now have my heart set on going and am in the middle of the recruitment process.


As it has been left unknown under my request, I am no longer sick with Lyme and have been sickness free and symptom free for SIX months now. The reason I requested that nothing be said is because i wanted to be sure that lyme was really behind me and it is how I believe that I was healed that makes it special.


It all happened with one final night of hopelessness where I spent the night upset and broken. I had no hope left for my life. I thought I was destined to be sick. I thought all my hopes and dreams didn't mean anything to God and in a final cry for help I prayed. It was a prayer that I've never prayed and I just thanked God for life and for what he blessed me with in my life. My family, my friends, my passions. And I laid it all on the table. As my prayer went on longer, I voiced my frustrations, my worries, my anger, and let God know that I had had enough. After praying for about 1.5 hours, I started to feel like I was spinning. I knew I wasn't because I was sitting in my car and I could feel my friend Mara beside me. But as soon as I finished my prayer and Mara finished hers I opened my eyes and no longer felt that way. Over the next several weeks, I felt the meds having no effect on me and as time went on, I felt no symptoms and ever since then I have been fine. Call it what you want but I give God all glory and praise for my health.


As you all know I'm a big fan of tattoos. I have a lot (total of 5 currently) and a lot more plans to get more (don't tell my mom!). Shortly after I experienced God's healing, I got a tattoo on my forearm.


Lyme behind & New Beginnings
The paper airplane represents a fresh start. I now have a new lease on life with perfect health and my career starting with the Royal Marine Commandos in the UK. The green jet stream represents that lyme is behind me. The sun represents God and that He is always watching over me, surrounding me and guiding me even in the midst of darkness. The black clouds around the perimeter show that nothing can hold me back and that with perseverance and faith, I can get through anything.


Thank you to all of you for all the prayer and support. It has meant the world to me. For those of you who can't see an end in this, keep fighting and persevering. Don't lose hope and don't give up!"
                                           -Pte. Taylor Goertzen



3 comments:

Julieslymediseasefight said...

Thank you for sharing! Its so nice to hear success stories!!!

s. said...

thx for dropping me a line Julie! i love hearing from others :)

Jude said...

WOW! wow... in awe.