Meet The Harter Family
The Lord filled a hole in our hearts when He brought us to Faith Bible Church in 2023. When we first visited, our family was still reeling from a painful and unexpected journey. Our son, Jacob, was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer in his spine right before his fifth birthday. Cancer caused his lower spine to fracture and collapse, and he lost many of his abilities.
In the middle of the COVID pandemic, we were thrust into the world of pediatric oncology. Jacob endured a brutal chemotherapy regimen through a port in his chest for almost two years, and we struggled to put the pieces of our life back together amid such profound suffering. Though we struggled to understand, we clung to the belief that we would see the goodness of The Lord in our darkness. And He was faithful.
In our deepest valley, we witnessed the boundless grace and extravagant mercy of God in ways we never had before. We saw Him in the nurse who knelt on the ground to pray with us as we wept in the waiting room. We saw Him in the compassion of the surgeon waiting for us in the emergency room, and we saw Him in the therapist who helped Jacob learn to walk again. The battle for Jacob’s life was fierce, and there was never a day that was easy. But we can say with confidence that every day was saturated with the mercy of God. He never left us.
As Jacob’s prognosis improved and as he got stronger, we witnessed miracle after miracle. On our hardest days, we began to see glimpses of God’s glory in the ways that He provided everything we needed at exactly the right time. It became evident that Jacob’s incredible recovery could only have been orchestrated by our gracious and loving Father.
Jacob completed his treatment in the summer of 2021, and after his final scan was clear of disease, he rang the bell, and it was the most beautiful sound. It was the sound of victory, but only because we serve a God who takes hold of us in our pain. Today, Jacob is a healthy ten year-old. His scars and the permanent damage in his spine are daily reminders of the faithfulness, mercy, and grace of God because He created beauty from ashes.
Our suffering was long, but the God who strung the stars in the sky is the same God who carried us through our darkest days. He is the Author of our family’s story, and we will forever stand in awe of His goodness. To God be the glory – great things He has done.
In the middle of the COVID pandemic, we were thrust into the world of pediatric oncology. Jacob endured a brutal chemotherapy regimen through a port in his chest for almost two years, and we struggled to put the pieces of our life back together amid such profound suffering. Though we struggled to understand, we clung to the belief that we would see the goodness of The Lord in our darkness. And He was faithful.
In our deepest valley, we witnessed the boundless grace and extravagant mercy of God in ways we never had before. We saw Him in the nurse who knelt on the ground to pray with us as we wept in the waiting room. We saw Him in the compassion of the surgeon waiting for us in the emergency room, and we saw Him in the therapist who helped Jacob learn to walk again. The battle for Jacob’s life was fierce, and there was never a day that was easy. But we can say with confidence that every day was saturated with the mercy of God. He never left us.
As Jacob’s prognosis improved and as he got stronger, we witnessed miracle after miracle. On our hardest days, we began to see glimpses of God’s glory in the ways that He provided everything we needed at exactly the right time. It became evident that Jacob’s incredible recovery could only have been orchestrated by our gracious and loving Father.
Jacob completed his treatment in the summer of 2021, and after his final scan was clear of disease, he rang the bell, and it was the most beautiful sound. It was the sound of victory, but only because we serve a God who takes hold of us in our pain. Today, Jacob is a healthy ten year-old. His scars and the permanent damage in his spine are daily reminders of the faithfulness, mercy, and grace of God because He created beauty from ashes.
Our suffering was long, but the God who strung the stars in the sky is the same God who carried us through our darkest days. He is the Author of our family’s story, and we will forever stand in awe of His goodness. To God be the glory – great things He has done.
Posted in Free- by the Grace of God
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