Ministry Begins At Crossroads Church

Let me start by saying thank you friends for your prayers and support and thank You Lord for your goodness. After a long period of praying, asking, knocking, and seeking, we are heading to Crossroads Church in Decatur, Texas. We are so excited as we begin! This past Sunday Aug 10 was my starting day and this Sunday Aug 17 will be a special recognition/commitment service as we acknowledge the call of the Father to Crossroads Church. It's been an amazing, bittersweet journey to get to this place... and we look forward to this next step of destiny!

Our next steps are to finish preparing the house to sell, sell the house, and move to Decatur. Obviously our desire is for this to happen quickly so we can get moved and plugged in right away, but we know His timing is perfect!!

Again, thank you all for praying for us to get to this place, and we ask for your continued prayers for our family as we make this transition!

Barry

July 24, 2008 - Update - 1st FollowUp Visit

Friends - thanks for the continued prayers!! Today is 13 days after surgery and my recovery has been absolutely miraculous!! This past Tuesday, July 22 I celebrated my 42nd birthday and it was a very special day of celebration for me!! Thank God for HIs mercies!! We are so blessed and so grateful for all the Father is showing us during this time.

Today I had my first follow-up visit with the neurosurgeon since being released from hospital last Thursday, July 24.

We didn't receive a lot of info... did get the stitch out of my back from the spinal fluid drip, didn't have hormone results yet from endocrinologist, gave me freedom to drive and slowly start being active. Will have yearly MRI's for 5 years for observation, will have vision test in a few months, will have another follow up with him in 3 weeks.

So, right now we're praying for:

- adrenal gland function to be stimulated to work so I won't have to take medication (we don't know yet that it's NOT working properly, we just don't have results yet), 

- energy and strength to continue returning

- normal sleep cycle

- ability to bring life of Jesus to neurosurgeon (Dr. David Kosmoski) and staff

We are SO grateful for your continued love and prayer support. We have been carried in the grace of the Father and the prayers of the saints!! Thank you all so much for showing amazing love and compassion and very practical expressions of the love of Jesus during this journey!!

Barry and Alyssa Garrett

July 17, 2008 - Day 6 Recovery - GOING HOME!!

Miraculous!!

Friends - praise God, I'm home! Short recap:

Monday July 7 - emergency room visit

Tuesday July 8 - admitted to hospital

Friday July 11 - BRAIN surgery to remove tumor from pituitary gland

Wed July 16 - shocked surgeon confirms healing with MRI

Thursday July 17 - HOME!!

Miraculous!!

I am a blessed man. Does blessed get to be a trite word? Not today, not for me... I am blessed.

Recovery is going to be SLOW... Fatigue is incredible... Strength is gone... 4-year olds are loud... Support is incredible... sleep is unfamiliar... God is SO GOOD!!

I know the grace and nearness of God like I never have and am thankful for this "lying down" time. My personal prayer/desperation is to NOT lose this sensitivity and awareness to the Father's presence. 

You know that verse you've heard thousands of times... from somebody else... the one that talks about a peace that passes all understanding... it's in Phillipians 4:6-7... check it out... 

Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life. MSG

Now that's REAL!! I can't explain it, but I know it, now, and I'm forever grateful for my experience because I know it... now.

Thanks for your continued prayers as we transition into a new season of life. You have all been SO supportive and the Garrett's will forever be grateful to you. 

Peace...

BG

July 16, 2008 - Day 5 Recovery - MIRACULOUS!!

Miraculous!

My heart is so full tonight that it will take a while to process, so the note will be short. 

Actually here's how Alyssa put it... 

a shocked surgeon just came in to tell us that the pituitary tumor was GONE--even above the spinal fluid membrane that he could not reach

from below. That is EXACTLY what we prayed for. The surgeon said he asked to see the name on the MRI because he couldn't believe it was the same brain he had scanned last Tuesday. He thinks we must have connections! Yahoo!

Friends, we are connected. The supernatural bond we have with each other through Jesus Christ is an amazing connection that we can so easily take for granted.

But I have experienced the 2 things the laws and prophets hang on: love for God through the love of His people.

Will include some follow up prayer requests later, but tonight we are so grateful and blessed by the outpouring and goodness of our Faithful Father and the Garrett's wanted to again say thank you for being so connected to us.

Your love and support has meant the world to us and we are blessed to call you friends.

Miraculous!

July 15, 2008 Day 4 Recovery - moved to private room

I can't stop saying it... miraculous! What a miracle working God! Thank you for your prayers, today was miraculous.

This morning started with the beautiful sunshine in the room around 6:30am. By 8am I had my spinal fluid drip painlessly removed and was off to a big day.

Again today, no nausea, no pain, no sickness, etc thank GOD!!

After getting to walk to the other side of the room and sitting in a chair for about 30 minutes, I was wiped out by noon, but not before I took this beautiful picture.

Back in bed after Alyssa and Mom saw me doing my trick (sitting). Met with my Endocronologist who will be checkin out my hormones.

Took a short nap and woke to the nurse informing me that my private room was ready.... ahhhhh my oasis of peace rest and delight.

Got moved to Room 214, a huge energy-buster, and had some wonderful friends drop by to bring me contraband and love!!

Reconnected with pre-op nurse types who are looking after me tonight! Got up a couple more times to stretch out and I am feeling great.

Tomorrow will see my first post-op MRI and will continue with some minimal rehab... scootin' around the halls. If you drop by HEB bring me a Hugh Hef-type smokin' jacket to cover my Army/Navy Surplus Hospital Gown!!

God is good, His mercies ARE new... everyday! His joy is my strength and I am so blessed.

Thanks again today my beautiful friends for your continued prayer support. I am carried!

Barry

2008 Day 3 recovery and NIGHT SLEEP prayer request

Hello Dear Sweet Friends and Praying Partners,

What a miracle working God! Thank you for your prayers, today was miraculous.

The spinal drain was capped at 7am this morning, and at 11:15am I began my ascent. After a couple of hours I got to dangle my legs off the bed. After some rest, I got all the way up standing up and even a little swaying.

No nausea, no pain, no sickness, etc thank GOD!!

Dr. Kosmoski already has supplies in place to remove the spinal fluid drain from my back early tomorrow morning. I'll be flat for 4 hours after that and then I can begin tomorrow's ascent and then minimal activity (sitting/walking). And also be moved to a private room (yeah for less restrictive visiting hours and I can see my four year old Jack)

Today was a day of strength and energy and your prayers are making a huge difference.

Please add sleep during the night as a big prayer request. I need night sleep, continuous restful sleep.

Love you all so much and I look forward to the celebration feast we will share when I am OUT!!

And our family wants to let you know how blessed we all are for your support.

Love, love, love,

Barry

July 13, 2008 Day 2 recovery and prayer requests

again, I want to start by giving thanks and praise to Jesus who continues to orchestrate a wonderful healing recovery. 

and i want to thank all of you, my precious, sweet family and friends who are continuing to pray during this time. we are so covered in the grace of Jesus and are so grateful for your vital support right now.

today is day 2 after surgery to remove tumor attached to pituitary gland and i am doing great. i have had NO pain or nausea. i have had rest, food, drink and LOTS of TLC. my wife Alyssa has been my rock - the picture of grace and strength in a dark storm. I love you Alyssa!!  She has had a great team helping her - my mom and my dad, Karen Taylor, Tim Michael, Brent Jones, and so many others I'm sure. And I have to mention the greatness of the staff at HEB ICU who has done a fantastic job - seriously they have.

my neurosurgeon Dr Kosmoski is top shelf and I am so blessed to have him leading my team.

because of the type of surgery i had, i have a spinal fluid drip to keep from putting too much pressure on the brain. 

tomorrow is a big day as Dr Kosmoski is going to stop the draining to make sure the seal in and around surgical area will hold. as he stops the drain, they will slowly be elevating my head tomorrow to make sure there is no fluid drainage. so please pray that my head can handle the pressure of the fluid inside the body, and that there's no drainage through the head/throat.

if no drainage, on tuesday the spinal fluid drain will be removed from my back and I can begin minimal activity (sitting/walking) and prayerfully be moved to a private room (yeah for less restrictive visiting hours and I can see my four year old Jack)

If that works out on Tuesday, then Wed will schedule another MRI to verify healing/shrinking of remainder of tumor that could not be taken out at surgery.

then another field of vision test

and then hopefully go home around Friday.

I can't wait to get out of here and celebrate with each and everyone of you. telling you thanks every day online is just not enough for me. I want to give hugs and tell you of the hours I cried and cried as I knew you were praying for me.

there has been a lot of healing going on inside my heart as well as my head this week and I'm a grateful kid of the most high God surrounded by terrific family and friends!!

grace and peace to you and yours - 

barry