Update

As you may have noticed, we haven't updated the blog recently, but we're thinking about it...

Otherwise, you can go back and read the course of events after the fire as history.


js/Håkan greets you.

First sermon after the fire

Now Håkan has preached his first sermon since the fire: ”One heart and one soul”! See the article from ”Bohusläningen 28 juni 2010”. (Sorry – all in Swedish, but there are some pictures! Find the link on the Swedish blog http://www.gniste.blogspot.com/, under "Läs mer på", in the righthand column, a little ways down.)

There are also some articles (with pictures) about Gunilla’s 60th birthday and the "Thanks for life"-concert the 1st of May! You’ll find the links to these also on the Swedish blog: ”Bohusläningen 2 maj 2010”, ”Bohusläningen 4 maj 2010”, ”Tidningen Dagen 3 maj 2010”, ”Tidningen Dagen 30 april 2010”, and ”Världen Idag 3 maj 2010”...

We shall celebrate LIFE!!!

Hallelujah!!!

Now it’s beginning to be more and more finished in our house. Today the inside stairway came –
so beautiful, in ash. Tomorrow the handrails for the stairway – which Håkan tried out a week or so ago – are coming.

All the sweet rolls, seven types of cookies and four sweet breads, together with cakes – which will be eaten on Saturday – are ready and waiting for you!

If you’re hungry, there are different types of quiche, salad and three different homebaked breads. There should be enough, otherwise we’ll take something else out of the freezer.

We shall celebrate LIFE!!! We’ll do it with a concert in Uddevalla Church at 6 pm on the 1st of May. When Håkan was hovering between life and death, when the doctors didn’t give much hope, I thought from my hospital bed: “Where should we have the funeral?” After a little while: “Håkan shall not die. He is a man of God. His life shall not end in this way. He has more to give…”

Instead, we shall have a concert – when Håkan is better – a thanksgiving concert in Uddevalla Church. And now we are there!

Our children, with friends, will sing and play music in the church, and at the same time, make a live recording which will become a CD – several songs which meant a lot during the difficult times, and even new ones which have come into being during the year.

To live in thanksgiving is the key to a life in victory, in the middle of the fight for life. Looking back, now more than 13 months later, we can all see that death has turned to life.

God’s total love and care for us have carried us. All the support from people has helped us ”sooo” much.

Now you are welcome to celebrate life with us on Saturday, first at home with us at Sigelhultsvägen 22, and then we’ll finish up with the concert in Uddevalla Church.

Take a look at some of the new pictures, on the righthand side…

Thanks for everything!

God bless you all!!!

Gunilla

Life has conquered over death!

We’re getting closer to Easter, when we celebrate Jesus’ death and resurrection.

Last year at Easter time, we were still fighting for Håkan’s life. There he lay, sedated, like a big white package, in Linköping, while we celebrated Jesus’ death and resurrection, in the square in Uddevalla.

Many came forward and said that they missed Håkan, who has been a part of the Passion play every year. The Easter drama is played for thousands of people, every Good Friday and Saturday before Easter. There one can follow the end of Jesus’ time on Earth, from death to life.

After the fire, when I was in the hospital, the news came that Håkan was hanging between life and death. If he made it through the first 24 hours, we should be happy. Then I understood the depth of how serious it was.

My first thought was: Where should we have the funeral? In Uddevalla Church. I gave Håkan to God, and prayed that if he was going to be a vegetable, it was better to take him home, to heaven.

Something raised itself up inside of me: No, he’s not going to die! Håkan is a man of God. He shouldn’t end his ministry in defeat. This will be used to glorify God. At that point, faith grew that Håkan would survive.

Then the thought came: Instead of death, we should proclaim life. We should invite everyone to a thanksgiving concert where we rejoice that life has triumphed, in Uddevalla Church.

Now we are there:
WELCOME SATURDAY 1 MAY AT 6 PM
”Thanks for life”-concert in Uddevalla Church.
Our kids will play and sing together with many musical friends.

Now as we’re getting close to Easter, we are so filled with thanksgiving, for what Jesus, God’s Son, did on the cross, for our sake – that we could draw from the cross victory for Håkan.

The cross is our symbol of victory!!!

God bless you!
Many hugs
Gunilla

On the 1 year anniversary: Thanks to God for my Redeemer!

Today, this morning, the 3rd of March, it is exactly one year after the fire. We sat yesterday evening and talked about it in the kitchen, Daniel and I, when Håkan came walking in and wanted a little blueberry soup.

Just the greatness of being together and delighting in the fact that we are all alive – that’s something we’ll remember for a long time. That we can be together, that Håkan is at home, that he can walk, stand, be involved, that he is with it mentally. That his sense of humour is the same, that Håkan is spiritually strong and is beginning to give to others again, it is so great for all of us.

Thank you, Jesus, that you prepared the way to the Father, for us, so that during this year we have received strength to not just survive, but have gone through this tunnel and come out as victors.

Thank you, Lord, for all our friends, relatives, church members, neighbours, pastors and priests, Christian brothers and sisters, people in Uddevalla who’ve gotten involved. Without you, this year would have been a lot more difficult.

Thank you, Lord, for our friends all around the whole world, who have felt with us, cried with us, prayed for us, supported us. Without you, this would have been a lot heavier.

We’ve read every post on the blog. In the beginning, the first months, it was a way to survive. I read what you wrote on the blog, over and over again, cried, prayed, knew that you were all with us. THANKS!

When the money was gone, and I then saw gift after gift coming into the bank account from you, I cried again. Thank you all you dear friends for your financial support. Without you we never would have managed. A big THANKS from the depths of our hearts.

Thanks for all the flowers we’ve received, during this year. We are truly enjoying every last flower. It warms our hearts…THANKS!

Thanks for every postcard, letter, drawing, and greeting. All the love you have given us, during this year, has helped us manage a little more and a little more…

Thanks for the help with all the furniture and things in the apartment. Imagine that we got a full apartment, and a nice-looking one. We’ll take all of that with us to the house – it’ll even be the start on Sigelhultsvägen…THANKS!

Thanks to all those who cooked food for us in the beginning, when I was in the hospital, when we lived at the hotel – it was enough for the beginning of our time in the apartment also, when there wasn’t enough energy to prepare food. THANKS!

I don’t know if you understand, but every little deed which you performed became one more piece in the puzzle for us to get more energy.

Thank you, God, for your support, that you carried us through, in the valley of the shadow of death, that we didn’t need to fear anything evil, that you were with us, that your rod and staff comforted us… Thank you, Jesus, that you have been near us!

So today, on the 1 year anniversary of the fire, I’m just filled with God’s grace and thanksgiving that we are where we are…and are soon moving home to our house.

“The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
he restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of righteousness
for his name's sake.
Even though I walk
through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.” Psalm 23

“Thanks to God for my Redeemer,
Thanks for all Thou dost provide!
Thanks for times now but a memory,
Thanks for Jesus by my side!
Thanks for pleasant, balmy springtime,
Thanks for dark and stormy fall!
Thanks for tears by now forgotten,
Thanks for peace within my soul!

Thanks for prayers that Thou hast answered,
Thanks for what Thou dost deny!
Thanks for storms that I have weathered,
Thanks for all Thou dost supply!
Thanks for pain, and thanks for pleasure,
Thanks for comfort in despair!
Thanks for grace that none can measure,
Thanks for love beyond compare!

Thanks for roses by the wayside,
Thanks for thorns their stems contain!
Thanks for home and thanks for fireside,
Thanks for hope, that sweet refrain!
Thanks for joy and thanks for sorrow,
Thanks for heav’nly peace with Thee!
Thanks for hope in the tomorrow,
Thanks through all eternity!”

My heart is filled with THANKSGIVING!

Bless you!!
Hugs,
Gunilla

Trips to England and Linköping!

We traveled from Säve airport, with Gun and Gunnar Hedqvist, direct to London, where a man came and picked us up, and drove us to the hotel in Oxford.

Gun and Gunnar, came in every morning and evening, to the hotel room, to take care of Håkan. It felt so good to have them with us; otherwise, we wouldn’t have managed that trip.

Last year, two weeks before the fire, we were in Oxford together, at Salt & Light’s conference. They prayed for us there, for the work in Scandinavia and Europe.

Now we were there again, at the same place; it was like taking our places again, one year later. The year has been full of turbulence, but has finished in victory, for us as a family, but also for the Kingdom of God.

The first days, we met different leaders from Europe. Their joy, seeing and meeting Håkan, caused our hearts to be filled once again with thanksgiving over Håkan’s life and his quick healing process.

On Thursday evening, the conference started, where in the beginning, they took us forward – what an applause there was, a real tribute to the Lord, who is the God of life, who by His grace has let us go through this with His victory. The tears ran, on both Håkan and me; it’s so great that we are where we are now.

For Håkan’s sake, we came home earlier. What we were able to participate in was enough for us, this first time.

On Tuesday morning, the taxi came and picked us up to drive us to Linköping. Håkan had a follow-up appointment at the burn unit.

There we met doctors who examined Håkan and were amazed by the rapid healing. Everything is documented and photographed.

Many nurses came and greeted us – those who sat by Håkan’s side day and night for 3-4 months. Håkan recognized some of them by their voices.

Jakob, the physical therapist who contended with Håkan, was moved when he came and saw, for him, the new Håkan. Once again, we are struck by the miracle that Håkan made it through this ordeal, that today he is well on his way back.

Two trips, so close together, take a lot of energy, but at the same time, a processing that we must do so we can move on.

Future:

Please pray for the operation the 10th of March, down at Sahlgrenska in Gothenburg, when Håkan’s lower right eyelid will be repaired again.

Please pray that everything will be finished in the house before we move in.

Thank you, Jesus, that you are the Way, the Truth and the Life!!!

God bless you all!!!
Many hugs,
Gunilla

We’re getting close to 1 year!!!

Yes, now we’re sitting here in the apartment, Håkan and I, watching the Olympics. Right now, Håkan says that he can see very well, including the names at the bottom of the TV screen. That’s something to be thankful for!!

We are going to England this week – the first plane trip for Håkan in a year. Gun and Gunnar Hedqvist are following along to help with the medical care. We will meet friends, “Salt & Light”, and stay in a hotel in Oxford. We promise to try to take it easy.

Håkan’s next operation will be Wednesday, the 10th of March, at Sahlgrenska, down in Gothenburg. It’ll be a new eyelid operation, on the lower left eyelid, which needs to be operated on. Please join us in prayer for that operation.

Tuesday, the 23rd of February, Håkan has a followup appointment at the burn unit in Linköping. We’ll travel by taxi in the morning and come home the same day. We have, of course, the winter sports holiday then, so I’ll go along with Håkan. Pray for us that day – we have many difficult memories from the time when Håkan was lying there.

Day by day, Håkan is getting stronger, but there’s a long way to go. We are so thankful to our God and all the friends who have supported us. We haven’t felt alone a single day. Surrounded by the grace of God, all the prayer and love we’ve received, encouragement via the blog, email, Facebook, flowers, letters, text messages, and telephone calls.

You can’t imagine what all your love has meant to us – we don’t know how we can ever thank you all. Can only say THANKS, but it comes from the heart.

We’ll come back with reports from our trip to England later… Until then, take care!!

God bless you all!!

Many hugs,

Gunilla and Håkan

”I will sing to the LORD all my life;
I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.
May my meditation be pleasing to him,
as I rejoice in the LORD.”
Ps. 104:33-34