Dear Prayer Warriors,
Behold another testimony of God meeting our needs. We have prayed a few times for the home modifications to be approved as we submitted the plan back in April for $10,000 worth of work. Last week we received word that they approved our proposal and we will be able to schedule an installation of a chair lift in our staircase, a bathroom door widening, and a concrete pour for wheelchair accessibility on the outside of our property. We will only have about $1000 of out of pocket expenses for all of it.
Another answer to prayer is that we received a larger wheelchair, an activity chair, and a stander in the last few months. Tomorrow we will test out a bed-to-chair lift, it’s not the one we wanted but it’s the one insurance will pay for. Who knew that we would walk this far down the special needs care path from 4 pounds to 50 pounds!?! Anna is our gift from the Lord, but who knew we would need so many accessories? I remember coming home from the hospital after spending the day with Anna in the first month of her life, talking to God saying “I have no idea how to care for Anna and what I’ll need but You do. I trust You will equip me.” 6 years and 3 months later I can honestly say that God continues to meet our needs and help us.
Jesus the Shepherd of my heart even comforted me in two regards this past week. A special needs family we got advice from several times, a family we love and prayed for, who brought us gifts when Anna was in the hospital laid their special needs child to final rest. He was 9 years old. Even in death, this family continues to share with great courage their story for the sake of the child they lost. May Jesus be their comfort through the valley of the shadow of death.
The other heart twister for me was the arrival of trial size youth diapers. My bride didn’t flinch, but I sure did. Anna sized out of conventional diapers. So we were sent three brands to choose from, but I wanted to choose “no thanks.” Yes, our needs are being met by God, but that doesn’t mean that those needs aren’t heartbreaking on some level. Especially at first. I was shocked at how big they were, we are going to need a bigger diaper bag. Lindsey talked and prayed with me as we put them away.
By God’s grace we are all doing well and have an overflow of joy to share with our neighbors. Although we long for the worship, serving, and fellowship that church brings our lives have been blessed by the restrictive circumstances. Spiritually it was a bare-bone look at our spiritual disciplines. And many convictions came out of pressing into God without the help of going to church or serving each week. The virus has brought us out of convenience food consumption and more fully into the world of meal planning and weight watchers. Let’s keep our hands on the plow and not look back when it comes to eating habits. Lindsey has grown a green thumb and has soil knowledge comparable to Scott’s. Also, we are eagerly planning a two-night tent camping trip in August, bringing the CPAP machine paying for an electric site. May the Lord bless it.
We are eager for the love, presence, and help of grandma Sandy and uncle Will in two weeks’ time as Lindsey and I absent ourselves from the kids for two nights. All praise to God as we celebrate ten years of marriage! The Lord has orchestrated for Lindsey and I to do a prayer retreat for married couples at the Navigator’s Glen Erie castle during our anniversary. May the Lord make the preparations needed on our hearts.
Please pray for:
-Anna as she has been having excess secretions and inconsistent bowel movements. May the Lord help us arrive at the best solutions to handle these changes long term.
-a bath chair to be approved, currently we have been denied one from both our insurances and are seeking to appeal. the one we have right now is too small for her. We might look into a second hand medical supply store.
-for therapists that push Anna. We have seen the best results from therapists that are compelled to see progress rather than routinely visits. Pray for the Lord to give us boldness to switch as He leads.
-full healing of Anna that she would be a messenger of God’s gospel to the world because of her betterment. After all God is firstly concerned with healing from sin and secondly the healing of the body.
-the continued enriching of our marriage as God prepares us for the future which He keeps tucked His hands.
-for the Lord to bring us consistent housekeeping and a weekly respite worker, these are things that our insurance provides however it is hard to employ because of the extra hoops to get paid via insurance. We are reaching out on care.com, may they be honest, befriend Anna and be an excellent advocate for her.
-Our only night nurse is on vacation for another week, pray that our night care could continue to be smooth. We have so much appreciation for how dedicated she has become to Anna she really knows her well and is helpful to us. Praise God that she is continuing on with us as night home health is always hard to staff.
