As you live this new life,
we pray that you will be strengthened
from God’s boundless resources,
so that you will find yourselves able to pass
through any experience
and endure it with courage.
You will even be able to thank God
in the midst of pain and distress
because you are privileged to share the lot
of those who are living in the light.
For we must never forget
that he rescued us from the power of darkness,
and re-established us in the kingdom of his beloved Son,
that is, in the kingdom of light.
For it is by his Son alone
that we have been redeemed
and have had our sins forgiven.
(Colossians 1: 11-14)
My daughter wrote this note today about her husband, who has been in critical condition in ICU for the past nine days.
“He opened his eyes. He even nodded for me and could hear everything I said. So I sat by his bed for 3 hours talking and listening to music with him and he would move his face around a bit and just show me he was there. It was medicine to my heart!
His improvements are small but bring me joy none the less.”
God is good.
Charis: Subject to Change 
beautiful.
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Isn’t He?
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Your family a you are an inspiration to many,…myself as well.
We concur with your daughter’s prayer and may her husband feel God’s healing presence continually.
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You do realize that these blogs are primarily a sermon to myself don’t you? We have had some pretty uninspiring moments. I’m glad the public can’t see them -like when I was on the floor in the hospital sobbing my heart out or when my husband and I were in the car yelling at each other over who forgot what or when the children are squabbling or having meltdowns at night or when stories of just how bad the latest crisis is are told over and over. We are slow to catch on sometimes, but God is faithful. “John’s” parents are beautiful people. His dad is a hard working quiet man, but such a man of faith. His mother is so loving and considerate of all the people dropping by, but this is her baby lying in that bed. She and I take turns being strong for each other. I love these people. My daughter is exhausted and the fear sometimes gets to her too, like when she has to figure out the finances and realizes that they should have arranged for a continuous power of attorney before now, but wow, she is amazing in her faith and willingness to trust God when her entire life is upside down. She is holding everyone else together.
Sometimes I worry that if I post only positive reports people will stop praying, thinking he is OK when he has so many serious on-going problems that he is still the sickest man in the hospital. That’s when I go back and read my own posts over the last few months. I know God has been preparing us for this. For example, I had a dream before we left to go to their city about my granddaughter’s birthday cake being broken with part of it missing. My husband took her daddy to the hospital during her birthday party. In that same dream I was told that hungry people need to stop waiting for a single server in a restaurant to provide food for everyone. They need to serve each other. This is what I have seen -people serving each other. Friends holding each other up, folks bringing songs and scriptures and words of encouragement to each other in groups, on Facebook, and into the waiting room of the ICU where the most fantastic people still hold round the clock prayer vigils.
I am so privileged to see what the church was meant to be. It’s amazing. And it’s all about Jesus Christ.
Thank you SO much for praying CCT. You are also part of this.
God is good.
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Indeed He is,…All the time…
We will continue to pray.
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Praying for your son in law’s healing. Yes God is good. And he is awesome. Blessings on you and your family. The photo is absolutely beautiful.
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Thank you, Stephanie.
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what courageous and heroic family members you all are! The hardest thing for me is watching those I love suffer and yet, the Lord once asked me when my youngest sister was dying ~ “Deborah would you rob her from the glory she’s earning in this test?” Everything changed from that perspective ~what about you dear friend?
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There is something about suffering that allows us to know God better, and perhaps that includes entering into the glory his death and resurrection have earned. Me? I stand amazed in the presence of Jesus the Nazarene and wonder how he could love me. But he does. How wonderful. How marvelous.
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Late to prayer but another joiner to pray and declare the finished work of Jesus for your son-in-love’s body. That all of the family feels His strength carrying them each moment and His perfect peace. We DO overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony. Thank you for sharing yours!
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Thanks so much, Judi
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