Dear Fantastic Prayer Warriors,
Anna’s 4th birthday is today (yesterday) and what a unique vantage
point the Lord has given us, “tomorrow isn’t a guarantee for anyone” I remember
the first few days of her life when you helped us surrender Anna up to our
Sovereign Father not knowing if she would make it another day, water on the
brain, acid in the blood, unstable blood pressure, tubes, wires, heat lamp, and
the enduring our hearts went through. Naively we knew that as believers in
Christ, God wanted all of our tomorrows and todays, this trial made that surrender
of the future actual. So we stopped making our plans and went with what was before
us, God with us.
I recall the prayers of faith we prayed and how some were
filled with much repetition and begging. I recall the heaviness of amending the
prayers as we got more and more news of Anna’s state, as the requests indicated
more hardships God was increasing. We
prayed:
-for a healthy baby
-for no brain damage
-for the blood pressure to stabilize
-for the ventricles in her brain to start working
-for no seizures,
-for no surgery
-for a successful surgery
-for sucking
-for swallowing
-for vision
-for hearing…
I have learned that there is providence and grace in submitting
to God’s answers to prayers rather than insisting bitterly on my way and losing
faith.
Everyday God spoke to us in His Word. I remember asking you
all for Bible passages to give to us: Psalm 139 and Isaiah 40 were more than
passages of Scripture they were a living shelter where a right understanding of
God and our circumstance met. We lived there rent free, what a dwelling place. We
were able to trust that God was bigger; having the foreknowledge of Anna’s days
and ability. We were the ones totally surprised, not God. Certain Bible promises
were posted on Anna’s hospital bed to be frequently before us.
During this hospitalization we found a verse that became
something we committed to God for Anna’s life and our life with her its Isaiah 33:2.
“LORD, be gracious to us! We wait for You. Be our strength every morning and
our salvation in time of trouble.” We have prayed this verse back to God many
times; it has always stood strong as a verse unto itself. However, I have
learned a few contextual things that make it even more special. Here Isaiah
talks of a destroyer (Assyria) coming and Judah has exhausted all their
abilities. This verse is more of a prayer; Judah has come to realize (again) that
God is the only one who can help them. Isaiah is pleading for God’s attributes
of grace, strength, and salvation. Likewise, we have come to depend on God for
those attributes regarding all things Anna. Like Judah, we feel we have exhausted
all the tests, medicines, treatments, surgeries, and therapies. That is why we
cry out to God so similarly. Only God will bring the healing that will
encourage our hearts and will build us up in Him until that day. I find myself
more interested about testimonies of God’s healing than keeping up with the Jones’
(the special needs parenting edition).
One of the commentaries I read said that this verse reminded
him to “never underestimate the power of a praying minority.” Thank you for
being that minority for Anna. I sincerely have a humbling debt of great spiritual
worth for all the prayers you have prayed in faith regarding Anna. We ask for
more because we know that waiting on God is the only way we can be our very
best for Anna.
Please Pray:
-for Anna to recover from her current illness that includes
an ear infection
-for increased ability to hold up her head,
-for the ability to swallow and keep her throat clear while
she sleeps
-for approval of a van ramp conversion through insurance
-for God our Perfect Heavenly Father to be gracious to us, by opening doors and guiding our steps for
Anna’s future
-for daily strength and renewal because we want to serve Anna
and others in Jesus’ name
-for Salvation and its many promises to compel us onward with
great joy
-for Anna to know the company and love of Jesus so deeply because
of her perfect childlikeness
Thanksgiving
has been on my heart all day in regards to the blessing that beloved
Anna is. Sharing with you is genuinely joy-filled, All glory and Praise
to our God.
Year 5 here we go!
Love,
Nic, Lindsey, Anna, and Simon
