Dear Prayer Warrior,
When writing these Anna updates, the first thing I do is pray
and then I think about my audience. That is why so many of these opening paragraphs
are focused on thanksgiving to God for each person who opens, reads, and prays.
Prayer is the infinite impact upholding us. I hope the extent to which prayer
has helped us will be shown in heaven. I take much comfort in knowing that we
are being presented to God by saints that He calls His own. It is most humbling
to present our hopes for Anna and our family to you so that you can bring our
petitions to God. Our pastor repeatedly says “it’s a privilege to pray for Anna
and your family.” All these years of emails started out on that day when anna
was born. I couldn’t hold her, or stay with her, asking for prayer to the
saints was the one thing that God gave me to do that made me feel like I was
doing something as Anna’s father.
In sincerity I have come to the realization that the Lord is
writing a testimony of generosity through us. I say this because without God’s generosity
we would not have our needs met. It’s
all His, our money, possessions, all that we have is clearly given, timely
tailored from the Lord. It is a grace to me that I cannot boast in my wealth,
so I will boast in my Lord and proclaim my dependence on Him. Jesus said it is
better to give than to receive. Even though we give, God continuously puts my
family on the receiving end of His giving. The only way I can describe how
tremendously generous God has been to us is through the artistic metaphor of a mosaic
sculpture. My family’s finances are a mosaic of God’s generosity.
There are providential “precious stones” that decorate our
mosaic of financial generosity/provision. These valuable stones come from federal
laws and state Medicaid programs. Another source of these gifts is from my employer
through benefits and company policies. These gifts of circumstantial providence
like the ramp for the minivan, or providing for home health care companies to channel
nurses and therapists to us that are used of God in the care Anna receives. These
things are not afforded to needy families worldwide, yet we receive them.
Praise the Lord.
God places “rare stones” in our mosaic like an unsolicited financial
gift. They are exceptional shock and awe gifts of money from people sometimes
anonymous that insist on giving God the glory. These people often say “God told
me to give you this.” Or “the Spirit kept putting this on my heart.” These humbling-to-receive
gifts bring us to tears. I imagine missionaries must feel this kind of giving. What
praises the Lord receives on those days because the world doesn’t give like
that.
“Valuable stones” further beautify our mosaic of need through
medical, social, and nonprofit programs Two Angel’s Foundation, HopeKids
Colorado, LifeBank, and Jeffco Schools. These sources have given gifts even
though they have not met Anna. We do not deserve these things and yet they
enrich our lives like having a tricycle for Anna, a date night, or banking
Renée’s stem cells for free for Anna to receive. We cry out in thanksgiving to
God for such lavishing. I would categorize the local churches here too. They have
equipped us as our needs and asking dictated. They are the most informed, truly
Christs’ hands and feet: they bless us with prayer, encouragement, child care, food,
money.
Lastly, on the mosaic of generosity are the “common stones” in
the form of personal giving, mercy, and empathy. These gifts are found among
our family members, friends and church brothers and sisters. People who come
alongside us as they are. Some have installed a car radiator, built a fence, joined
us in Panama City for treatment, installed hard wood flooring, sent care
packages for every occasion, bought medical equipment for Anna (not covered by
insurance), sold our condo without a fee, brought soup to us once a week, sewed
wrist protectors, made a waterproof poncho, let our family stay with them for three
weeks, and ensured we had affordable housing given our income. (I know I’m
still leaving some out.) We have received our Father’s blessing from other
people’s time and talent because they just saw a need they could meet and the
Lord compelled them to bless us in Jesus name.
I hope this mosaic of God’s generosity “wow’s” you! This is
how He has equipped us, taught us to ask, and receive from Him. Each of these
stones are a story that is grace filled, building our family’s financial testimony
that only God can get the glory for. We wouldn’t have seen much of this if I
was making six figures. To God all praise and glory. I humbly testify that Lindsey
and I had faith in the promises of God though we had no clue how we would
survive out of the NICU. What God has
promised for me, He has promised for you!!!
Please Pray for:
-Anna, her procedure, test, and surgery is scheduled for
April 29th. We will be inpatient there until May 1st if
all goes well. Praise the Lord we got all the experts aligned for this. Anna
has been sick with a virus, pray it goes away completely this week.
-our contract on a house in Colorado Springs. It is a
fixer-upper but not a major fixer-upper. The inspection has raised some issues
that need several contractors attention, we are going to ask the seller to
resolve some of them. Pray for favor from the seller because some of these are
respiratory related. That said, pray for wisdom to end the contract if my
family’s health is in jeopardy. Praise God and His timing after 4 denied bids.
-a transfer to the right Target store in Colorado Springs
that I could glorify God through my work and share the gospel for the joy of Jesus
being lifted high.
-God’s peace, strength, and direction as we find new nurses, therapists,
and doctors; organize the timing of a move, and execute it.
-for God to heal Renée of her reflux, she cries so much.
Having three kids has been hard thus far. Our evenings have become so difficult
as she cries incessantly at bedtime. Pray for me to be increasingly able to
calm her. Praise the Lord she is a good sleeper, she is crying now as I write. We
have tried many things, trust me.
Rejoicing with you in our risen Savior,
The Currats
