One thousand eight hundred thirty-three days ago...(a little over 5 years)...we had to suddenly leave our home and our belongings behind and make drastic, immediate changes to every part of our daily lives, due to a not-widely-known health condition.
It's making us live with extraordinary restrictions.
When we first talked about creating a website, we hadn't planned on posting this part of our story. So this feels a bit vulnerable.
But here's the reason we're doing this:
For the past year and a half, we've been feeling gently led to share a portion of the story we've been living these past five years. So we're doing just that. We're leaning into what we sense may be God's promptings. And we trust in whatever His purpose may be for the telling of this story. So, here goes....
November, 2018
After searching for answers for 3 1/2 years, our lives took a dramatic turn—we were both diagnosed with CIRS: Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome—Mold and Biotoxin Illness. It's a pervasive, life-altering health condition caused largely by invisible and nearly undetectable environmental factors. Mycotoxins, produced by molds, are found in buildings where there have been water leaks. They're also in soils and foods. In fact, they're everywhere. Most people aren't impacted by them at normal levels. But we both have the same unusual genetic susceptibility. And, after our bodies were weakened by excessive exposure to untold numbers of water damaged buildings, in addition to other factors, we both became severely sensitized, and even normal levels became toxic to us. We experience an extreme abnormal immune response to the presence of mycotoxins.
"And that's our kryptonite"
Even though we had to leave our home, it was perfectly safe for everyone else, but not us—solely because of CIRS.
We had to find a "safe" place to live—as quickly as possible. So we launched into a bewildering and exhaustive search, finally finding a potentially safe apartment to move in to.
New limitations had begun to surface at an eerie and alarming rate. Here are just a few:
-It became impossible to do work and ministry like we had for 30 years.
(To know more, see Willow.)
We left Willow in 2013 to return to freelance work.
-In 2015, one by one, the church buildings and retreat centers Greg was singing in turned out to be toxic environments for us. (We weren't aware it was toxins
we were reacting to until we were diagnosed). So, we're unable to even enter the vast majority of churches, conference or retreat centers.
-In fact, we learned we can't be in most buildings that are old or have had any water damage. (That's as much as 85% of buildings in the U.S.)
-We can't be with our friends and family in their homes. And they can't be with us in our apartment. With a few exceptions, we can't meet them elsewhere either.
Life as we knew it was gone. It was as if a door shut in our faces and another door slowly creaked open, beckoning us into an altogether foreign land.
And yet...
there were these brief, fleeting, inexplicable moments of peace, that could only have come from God. It was like He was reminding us:
You're not alone.
I'm in this mess with you.
"Fast forward..."
The onslaught of Covid-19 forced similar restrictions on you and most of the world. So you can likely relate to some of this. When the world began shutting down, we were already experts at life in quarantine. We had been living a Covid-like existence the entire year before the pandemic. And video chatting had become our normal.
"Pathfinding"
We still remember the day a friend emailed us this hope-filled scripture verse:
For I am about to do something new. See, I've already begun. Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland. Isaiah 43:19
The way we live has been radically altered,
but we’re still the same Greg and Corinne
following Jesus as best we can.
We may never fully understand how this new life fits into His plan.
Even so, He's bringing purpose in the midst of it all.
And we're eager to live out that purpose.
We're working from a little studio in our apartment. In spite of the limitations on how we have to live, Jesus is "making a way in the wilderness," and shaping the path before us.
So we're starting this...
blog
to share
our songs,
poetic prayers
spoken word
and stories
with you
to help each of us
move closer to Jesus
and develop a more
profound awareness of
His Presence in
each of our stories
and to be messengers of hope and encouragement.
I think God gave me the song–Sweet Morning Light/This Pathway— to encourage us all to persevere as we follow Him down hard roads.
I've sung this in many countries and cultures, and Rinne and I still hang on to the truth of these words.
If you'd like, perhaps take a moment to pause...
slowly take in a deep breath...
and slowly exhale...
inhale the peace of Jesus...
and exhale the stress held in your body...
slowing your heart and mind...
and settling your soul as I sing..
Song - SWEET MORNING LIGHT/THIS PATHWAY
Song Lyrics
Song Credits
We'd love for you to join us as we minister from our somewhat bizarre but very real life. We look forward to connecting with you and journeying together!
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May each of us spread kindness to each other and to a world rife with pain, uncertainty and discord.
May we spread the hope that Jesus brings.
And may we be a loving conduit of empathy.
God's peace, mercy and grace be with you dear one,
Greg & Corinne
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