Prayer Concern from the Lees

We wanted to take a minute to update our blog readers with what's been happening in our world.  Many of you already know this information from church or from our newsletter.  

Towards the end of September, Jeff was diagnosed with an AVM (arteriovenous malformation).   An AVM is an abnormal connection between the arteries and veins in the brain. This a rare condition and it is rare that the AVM was discovered before Jeff suffered a hemorrhage.  This is a reason for rejoicing!  

We have spent the last several weeks discussing treatment options with various doctors in Dallas and have spent even more time in fervent prayer. Many of you and many others have joined us in prayer as we asked our Lord to grant us clarity and peace to make a decision. He has granted both and lavished them upon us.After weighing all of the risks and percentages, discussing our thoughts with family and friends, and with the "go ahead" from our doctor, we feel certain that the best way to address Jeff's AVM is through open brain surgery. Jeff will be admitted to the hospital on January 6th to begin the embolization process and have surgery on January 11th.

 Please join us in prayer over the following concerns:
1) That Jeff's symptoms will be minimal in the meantime.
2) The greatest known risk is that Jeff could suffer permanent damage to a sensitive area of his brain, the portion that controls his ability for speech. We are praying protection over this area, even now.
3) That God would continue to calm our fears and grant us peace while we wait for January. 

We have focused intensely on Jeff's health for the last several weeks and we are ready to enjoy our holidays. As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday we are reminded of how much we have to be thankful for. We are grateful for your continued prayers and overwhelming support.  

Blessings!

By the way, we've had many people ask us similar questions and we will try to address those over the coming days here on the blog. We will also be sharing some thoughts and blessings we've experienced in the last few weeks.