Tory Farina

My Favorite People...

Their is no greater calling than to Lead, Serve and Love my family.

Princess Olivia Helping Daddy...

The Nanny has the Flu today so I'm taking the morning shift. Princess Olivia is on my lap while I am prepping for my message. Its a great day so far.

Start Em Young...

Caption Please...

I’m taking a sabbatical...

It’s been 6 years since High Point Church began in our home. Emotionally, spiritually, and physically we have held nothing back. As we were talking with our overseers recently, about our plans and where God is taking us as a church, they stopped us and asked if we had been on a Sabbatical yet.

We said no, but after this last year and with what we have planned for High Points future, it sounds like we could use it. They agreed.

The word sabbatical comes from the word Sabbath: observance of a day or time of rest. The Hebrew word shabbath means “rest.”

Genesis 2: 2–3 “By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating He had done.”

Elizabeth and I will be spending the month of November on sabbatical. 

I plan on doing 3 things while I am away with my family. I believe my focus on these 3 areas will increase my effectiveness and longevity as a father, husband, and pastor.

1.) Rest — We will not be working. This will be an emotional break from weekly deadlines, carrying others’ burdens and from the weight of leading.

2.) Spiritual Renewal — There is a weight we carry for this city. Leaving for a short season is like taking a step off the front line of war. As a pastor my focus in life is on the caring and feeding of others. I am convinced that not having to carry the burden of spiritual care for hundreds of people will bring personal spiritual renewal to our lives.

3.) Personal Growth — The Lord is leading me to structure the last half of my life on prioritizing my roles. Often I find my role as pastor taking priority over my other responsibilities as a disciple (follower), husband, father, and mentor.

It is going to be a great time of renewal. Please pray for us as while we are gone. Pray for refreshment. Pray for God to speak new words of encouragement.

 

Elizabeth's Good Report...

Tuesday morning, Elizabeth and I met with a neurologist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. After three months of dealing with the effects of this traumatic event we were very anxious to say the least. The doctor showed us the before and after pictures from the MRI and explained that both dissections and the pseudo-aneurysm had healed.

 

We had been so full of fear — fear of a stroke, fear of an aneurysm, fear of living in a hospital bed, fear that this might be the end. Reading the Psalms seemed to be the only balm that would sooth the anxiety and curb our fear of the unknown. But just as King David did, we trusted the Lord and cried out to Him for a complete healing.

 

When we got the good report it felt like the feeling that comes when you narrowly escape a car wreck. Joy. Exhaustion. Unbridled emotion. Release. Shock. I kept telling Elizabeth, "It’s over... It’s finally over... The book is done... Let’s move on...It’s over." We called our closest loved ones and texted our good news to the world. What a great feeling. Thank you for partnering with us to pray for her healing. The Lord has been faithful and we are excited for a new season of health to come.

 

My wife is an amazingly strong woman. She is beautiful, feminine and graceful. Throughout all her trials this year (and there were many) she stayed strong. She had sever hyper-emesis, three blood clots, a root canal*, IVC filter both in and out*, a baby*, gestational diabetes, a bleed in her iliopsoas muscle, two arterial dissections and a pseudoannurism (the * means she did it with out narcotic pain medications).

 

She is the strongest woman I know. I am proud of her. I am in love with her. I get the privilege and honor of spending the rest of my life with her. 

The Best Decision I Ever Made...

Aside from allowing Jesus into my life and serving him with all that I am, 

The Best Decision I Ever Made was, To marry Elizabeth, nine years ago.

Nine years, two homes, several jobs, two kids, a church plant, and several life threatening illnesses later our marriage has proved that "for better or for worse in sickness and in health" is a promise that can be kept.

This last year has taken Elizabeth and I to a new level in our relationship. I can honestly say I Love her more now than I thought was possible. I think having to say goodbye, "just in case," does that to a relationship.

Elizabeth is an amazing mother, excellent cook, dearest friend, skilled coworker and so much more. 

We are an amazing fit. God truly knew what He was doing when He put us together. She complements my weakness and accentuates my strengths. Her love for God and passion for his presence challenges me. I get us into stuff and she gets us out. I am so glade I get to spend the rest of my life with her.

  

    Happy Anniversary Honey!

 

Elizabeth's Mayo Clinic Story...

A note from Elizabeth:

Dear Friends,

On June 13, 2010 I went to the Emergency Room with an excruciating headache. I was admitted to Regions Hospital in St. Paul Minnesota and diagnosed with a carotid artery dissection with a pseudoaneurysm. This is basically a tear in the wall of the artery and causes a clot to form in the interior of the artery. The change of blood flow and clot usually leads to a stroke. My dissection was deemed inoperable due to its location inside my head at the base of my brain. I was treated with blood thinners and released from the hospital after two days in the ICU.

On June 23, 2010, I returned to the emergency room and a second arterial dissection was discovered in my vertebral artery. This one was also deemed inoperable due to its location at the base of my neck near my spinal column and is believed to be a result of the change in blood flow and stress from the first dissection.

Having one dissection is uncommon; having two is very rare (2.5 per 100,000).

I spent two nights at Regions Hospital where I underwent a neurological exam every four hours to watch for signs of a stroke. Due to my age, medical history and rareness of this situation I was transferred to Mayo Clinic in Rochester Minnesota on June 26.

After consulting with a team of specialists from various fields, multiple MRA and CT scans, vile after vile of blood tests and two nights at Mayo, I’m home! The doctors have found no underlying condition to date (although I will follow up with a Geneticist on an out patient basis). I will be treated with blood thinners and have a follow up MRA scan in three months. They believe that without further injury the clot will dissolve and the dissection may heal. Once this set of dissections heals completely there is only a 1% chance each year that I will have any follow up dissections.

These next four weeks are very important to my recovery. I have a lot of restrictions to prevent any further tearing in my arteries. Among other things I am not to push, pull or lift anything over 5lbs - which will be hard to do with a two small children!  

We have seen the hand of God throughout this process and believe that the prayers of many have made a difference. I was already on blood thinners at the onset of this event due to my difficult pregnancy, a fact that Dr’s believe likely prevented a stroke. The Doctors actual words were “...you dodged a bullet”. Every nurse that treated me assumed that I had suffered a stroke, because it’s almost unheard of not to with this condition. I do still have a persistent migraine headache triggered by the upset blood flow, but no lasting physical impairment. Praise be to Jesus who shed his blood for me!

We have experienced the very presence of God, which has sustained us despite the gravity of the situation. When we have been troubled, He has comforted us. When we have had to make difficult decisions, He as granted us wisdom. When we were presented with physical unknowns, He has given us eyes of faith. We are moving forward one day at a time believing for complete healing and days free of fear. I’ve never been more convinced that my life has a purpose and I intend to live every day pursuing my full potential in Jesus Christ.

Thank you to the countless individuals who have prayed for me all over the world; to High Point Church for surrounding me with love; to the many friends who have visited me in the hospital and helped care for our kids; to my family who has dropped everything and made me their priority; to my fantastic husband who has not left my side.

My heart is endeared to you loved ones!

Elizabeth Farina

Songs of Hope in The Hospital...

Elizabeth was admitted into the hospital again on Wednesday night. She has another arterial dissection. I feel like we are on an episode of House. The Dr.'s do not know what it is that is causing these. We keep hearing them say things like, "You are a mystery... Very interesting... HMMM." Please keep praying. We are ready to get out of the Hospital and move on with Life.

As we have been in the Hospital we find ourselves singing simple songs of faith. I figured I would share with you a few of our favorites.

I hope these bring you Hope! Jesus is the giver of HOPE! Although we may be uncertain of what is to come and the Dr.'s are uncertain of what to do next God is not surprised, in doubt or uncertain.

The Holy Spirit is our comfort. Like Paul and Silas in Acts 16 we sing despite the walls around us and Know that The one who is all powerful will hear us and meet us in our affliction.

A Note From Elizabeth...

I have a split artery that has caused a blood clot in my head. They are treating me with blood thinners and have been monitoring me in the ICU for two days. I'm still at risk of a stroke, but the most critical time is coming to an end. Looks like I'm headed home and will be monitored on an out patiant basis for the next six months. Please continue to pray for healing and peace of mind . Your thoughts and prayers have been very encoraging. Thanks friends :)
-Elizabeth-

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