The purpose of my “inevitable but necessary” sabbatical from blogging was necessary to go to Tucson, Arizona. My brother asked me to help him manage our uncle’s personal and financial affairs. My uncle requires 24/7 care in an adult care facility. He’s 88 and in failing health.
For a month my brother and I chased down helpful information from professionals and trusted advisers. The mountains we were climbing seemed insurmountable at times. Every time we got an answer to a question we had, the answer generated more questions.
After much prayer and phone calls and meetings and emails, and hurrying up to wait, and surrendering to God every day, Sam and I agreed upon the decision we thought would be best for our uncle. Our recommendation involved major life changes for our uncle and continued work on our part.
The day we agreed to share our recommendations with our uncle I asked a few trusted friends and family to pray this prayer: “Please pray today that our uncle will be receptive to our recommendations for his personal and financial care going forward.”
We were not totally confident he would accept our recommendations. The life changes we were recommending were major and would change his life and alter his lifestyle for good.
Not only was our uncle receptive to our recommendations, he entrusted us with his permission to do whatever we thought was best.  He said, “I’ll leave everything up to you two,” he told us.
I can’t begin to wrap my arms around the measure of relief and gratitude I felt for God’s provision and the grace He showed us in His answer to our simple prayer. And as the answer came my brother and I both felt the peace that passes all understanding.
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication
with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the
peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your
hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Â Philippians 4:67 Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
For His Glory 
WOW! What a wonderful story! I don’t always have the time to read your blogs and for that I’m sorry. As always, though, The Lord was faithful to answer your prayers and be there in your greatest time of need for your Uncle and the two of you! Need we have any doubt that He would be? I love the Bible verse you referenced! So many of us blinded by our circumstances to be able to do that! I hope things for your Uncle will be more peaceful now, as I’m sure they are for you and your brother as well. What a blessing that you were able to work on it together! I’m sure your Uncle is overjoyed!
Love you!
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“I’ll leave everything up to you”… God speaking, we need to leave everything up to God. So glad your prayers were answered and you were able to bring good into your situation led by God’s hand.
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Thank you, Amanda.In one way I’m glad to be back, but I enjoyed spending a month with my brother and uncle. The three of us are the last of all the Sawyers, with the exception of a few distant cousins we haven’t seen or heard from in years.
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It was probably very therapeutic to have that time away and “off the grid” so to speak. The camaraderie food for the soul, no doubt. Will you get the opportunity to see them again soon?
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Sad to say, probably not while John’ still alive. If my brother feels overwhelmed again, like he did when he asked me to come help him, I’ll go in a flash. It’s too far and too expensive to make it there just to visit.
John is well taken care of now, and Sam seems to be handling the regular things John needs. We got a lot done while I was there. My goal was to get enough done so Sam felt comfortable on his own. We are at that place and John seems resigned to living there from now on and he’s accepted that he can’t go home again.
Thanks Amanda for asking. God bless.
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