Recently I had the opportunity to talk to a very special family on campus. After several years as a park ranger, God led Matt Travers and his family to Mid-America. They could have never known what they were going to face when they got here.
Their lives exemplify faith. Amanda, my wife, often calls me from the other room to read Maggie’s Facebook status updates. This family’s faithfulness to Jesus is a source of encouragement and rejoicing for us.
Maggie shares with us a little glimpse into her family’s life.
Tell me about your family.
Matt loves the outdoors! He has a Bachelors degree in Outdoor Recreation.
I (Maggie) love all things crafty: baking, sewing, gardening, cooking, etc.
Isaiah wants to be a preacher, artist, and doctor when he grows up and plans on being very busy!
Elizabeth is our “little momma;” she automatically mothers little ones and likes to know what’s going on.
Andrew is mischievous, charming, and a wild man!
What is something that your whole family enjoys doing together?
We do everything together to get as much “together time” as we can, including running errands and grocery shopping. We love to play board games and visit State Parks.
If you don’t mind, share a little about Isaiah’s situation.
God led us without a doubt to Memphis for Matt to go to MABTS. However, that wasn’t all He had planned! Three months after moving here, Isaiah was diagnosed with a craniopharyngioma brain tumor, which is benign but can act like a malignant tumor. In that month of September 2007, he underwent 3 surgeries to relieve pressure on his brain resulting from the tumor. He was almost completely blind and had/has endocrine problems. After the surgeries at Le Bonheur, he received the maximum dose of radiation treatment at St. Jude. In May 2009, he had another surgery due to cystic growth that increased cranial pressure. In August 2009, he underwent his riskiest surgery yet, a craniotomy, to remove the 20+ cysts that had formed. The surgery was successful, yet we were told that they have never had a case to develop the way his has and they have no expectation for what his tumor and cysts may do. After researching, we cannot find any case in the world. (So thankful our hope is not in men but the Lord who uses them!) In January 2010, the MRI showed that the cysts had returned, yet the solid part of the tumor continues to shrink. The doctors can’t explain either of those along with how much vision has been regained or that he continues to grow taller when he is basically not producing that hormone, but we know it’s the Lord! Last week, April 2010, we received news that the cysts have grown even more and are putting extra pressure on his brain. Without the Lord miraculously intervening, he will definitely need surgery #6 to remove those cysts.
How has God used that situation in your family?
He is so gracious and merciful! He has grown us individually and as a family so much through this! We have a much better understanding of His sovereignty, grace, provision, love, and mercy. He permits us to demonstrate this as we live out our walk to our family, friends, and church family. He has allowed us the privilege of meeting and sharing His truth with others we never would have met otherwise, including Meredith Viera, other St. Jude families, and people from all over the world. He has granted us access to a mission field in St. Jude where others are not allowed to go. We’ve been asked to share this testimony at churches and to groups of people. People have “friended” me on Facebook to keep up with Isaiah that I have never met, yet am able to share Christ with them. Other people contact us when someone they know has recently been diagnosed with cancer. And He is developing in us the knowledge and skills to help others deal with the grief that comes along, not only with death, but with a diagnosis. Also, He has shown us a tremendous outpouring of love from His people to us through donations, meals, cards, organizing fasting/prayer, and so much more!
Do you have a family verse? What is it and what does it mean to you?
Just one!? If I had to pick just one, it would definitely be Romans 8:28 “For we know that all things are working for good to those that love the Lord and are called according to His purposes.” Jeremiah 29:11 and the accounts of OT Joseph and Moses with Pharoah, along with Romans 8:28, are the foundation that we always come to when everything else in our world has been shaken. They sum up the sovereignty, grace, provision, love and mercy that He has shown us.
I know you didn’t ask, but….If I had to pick one account, it would be Abraham and Isaac. That is exactly what it means to Matt and I as parents. We have to continue to lay our son (really, all our children) on the altar, knowing that they belong to the Lord and, as parents, we are just stewards. We had done this to the best of our understanding, but with Isaiah, we were/are literally facing the possibility of his death. We know He has the right to do what He wills, and our strongest desire is for His will to be accomplished in all that we go through for His glory.
What are your plans after seminary?
Matt is definitely called to pastor/preach! We are completely open to going anywhere in the world that the Lord leads, including staying in Memphis. (Did I really just say stay in Memphis?!) If we are not on the foreign mission field, we plan on being heavily involved with it, as well as domestic missions. We are excited to see where the Lord continues to lead us in ministry to Him!
