Redeeming Hardships, Pressing On

Praying Warriors, 

In crisis everyone is rocked with the devastating news, everyone helps. There is great testimony during this time. The comfort of cards, meals, and money all make a difference as the dust settles. It's only natural that the world around moves on, they don't live in the crisis context, nobody stays there but to those whose lives are forever changed it’s a hard road to adjust to the “new normal”.

Thankfully there have been many helping hands as we welcomed Anna Elizabeth almost 3 years ago. Our way of life is amended to care and serve Anna, mountain after mountain the trials come and go. We want to do all we can. As parents the learning curve is steep and life can storm. Honestly I’m amazed that people still read these and want to keep up and pray with us. People I haven’t seen in years even. With Anna there is much repetition of issues, slow progress, and our faith sounds parched and raspy at times.

Lo-and-behold we made our first visit back to Anna’s NICU hospital Evanston North Shore. Lindsey and I did date night at the hospital cafeteria, the line cook still hollers “what’s yer cheese!?” We asked security if we could sit on the couches outside the entrance to the NICU. Those were our “living room sofas” where we greeted all our many visitors for two months in early 2014. As we sat and took in the setting, we were moved to tears of thanksgiving and of memory. We prayed in thanksgiving and shared our testimony of God reviving Anna with a nurse there who came to check on us. We remembered her faintly, she was blessed and broken to hear how Anna is doing now. She was so comforting to talk to. I notice one theme in my life is God returning me to the hardest, darkest of places and times to write a renewed story. He wants me to know that it doesn’t hold me captive, but that Christ in me has redeemed those memories and pressed me onward towards His goal for me.

The church that upheld us during Anna's birth left us humbled. We knew that they loved us, encouraged us, and prayed for us when it mattered most urgently in the crisis -the revelation we found is that they still love, encourage, and pray for us 3 years later! We as parents felt the love. More surprisingly, it made me feel purpose for Anna. I know God has a plan for her, but now I saw it unfold. On this visit, she was an encouragement to many, her smile and joy was new to these faithful prayer warriors who only remember a 4 pound 9 ounce baby.  People marveled at her height, her goldilocks, and her sweet-soft personality. Before each well-wisher was Anna the girl who is recipient of answered prayer!

God impacted us so much through the hands and feet of that church. To God be the glory! how beautiful God is to utilize His children to meet our needs when He could have done it all solo. God employs “the middleman” to show His love and we are a family well aware of that. Isn't that what eternity will be like?

For our family, what outlasts our best efforts as parents is the love of God.  Lindsey and I can attest how God unified our marriage through His gift of prayer. God’s gift of the Scriptures spoke to us in uncertain times letting us know that no matter what we are never alone. The love of God has so much mercy that every tear is accounted for and every sin can be washed; a desperate heart crying for help will always have rest in Jesus Christ.

Please Pray:

-For God to open doors for us to attend the Institutes for the Advancement of Human Potential in Philadelphia for one week. They specifically teach Doman therapy. which isn't something covered by our insurance.

-For approval of our second request for the CES Medicaid waiver as we as still waiting to hear back. There are many added benefits to this waiver that i have already mentioned including a help to pay for installing a ramp in a minivan,

-For the continued health of Anna, for all her coughing to stop at night, for the administration of all her medicines, for her reflux to stop as she strengthens her core, for better ability to track objects with her eyes.

-For more triggers to bring her to laughter, we have been delighted in a surge of laughter from her lately.  

-For our night nurse Carroll who started this week (two nights). That she would develop a bond of care and lightheartedness with Anna that causes Anna to progress across the board. That she would have wisdom and resources to notice things Lindsey and I haven't considered.