Thursday, May 20, 2010

Encouragement along the way, even at Starbucks

This past Sunday, April and I headed to San Diego to complete some last-minute logistics for camp down there this summer. The drive took forever and was filled with all sorts of very unique circumstances.

Last week, Starbucks was having Happy Hour every day from 3 to 5. That meant half-priced Frappuccinos.  Of course we're going to stop for that. And that meant stopping at the bottom of the grapevine, also the 3rd busiest Starbucks in the world. Long lines, lost drinks... a crazy experience.  But while we were waiting, a girl walked up to April and said something like, "My name's Heather. I was in the Joshua program last year. I've been praying for your family. Can I pray for you two right now? There, at the 3rd busiest Starbucks in the world, a young lady took the time to follow the Spirit's leading, and took a moment to pray for us. Thank you God.

We drove back home Tuesday night. My friend Jay was driving separately and happened to stop at the Starbucks in Santa Clarita on Magic Mountain Parkway. There, the barista (Megan, I think) happened to recognize him from Hume. She went on to tell him that she'd been following my blog and to be sure to let me know that she'd been praying for us. Again, thank you God.

So there you go, as we move forward, we're reminded constantly that God's prompting His people to pray; and for that we're thankful. 

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Thank You

As we approach three months this week, I feel compelled to write a note of thanksgiving.  This is written to the hundreds of you out there that have lifted April, Peter and me up for the last three months, three months where we knew we couldn't lift ourselves up.

In Mark 2, the story emerges of a paralytic who is unable to get himself to Jesus. Because of the large crowds and inability of his friends to help him into the room, they literally dig a hole in the ceiling above Jesus and lower him through so that he can receive Jesus' healing touch. For the past three months, you all have been those friends to us. You have taken us to Him, and have gone out of the way to put us in front of Him for healing. I don't even know how to say thank you. Many of you have simply prayed. Many have sent notes. Many have brought meals. Some have even sewn quilts and sent them to us. The list just goes on and on of the amazing things that people have done to initiate the healing process. It seems like Thank You just isn't enough. And yet that's what we have to offer. There's no way that we could ever physically repay all of you for how you've taken care of us in this hardest moment of our lives. So we simply say, "Thank you!"

I'm sure many are wondering how we're doing...  Well, as we move forward, we are experiencing God's grace and love in a way that we've never known before this. Three things about God and His nature have become so apparent to us through this time.  1) God is good. 2) God is faithful. 3) God is sovereign. It is these three things that have become a cornerstone to our understanding of the fact that He is in this.

The absolute truth is that we don't feel these things all the time. Believe me, there are many days when I wake up not feeling loved by God, not feeling comforted by Him. I sometimes feel hopeless, and even have moments of bitter despair. But the key word is "feeling." It comes and goes; but what I know to be true is the character of God, and His character has nothing whatsoever to do with my feelings. So today I can claim that I know He loves me; I know He cares for me; I know He is good; I know He is faithful; I know He is sovereign.  How cool is that!

April and I are in the hardest time in life that either of us have ever experienced; but we have an amazing hope and peace. Our marriage is strong and our faith is stronger. We lean to God to sustain us, because it's obvious we cannot sustain ourselves.

You all have been the most amazing friends through this... some of whom we don't even know. We know that we are far from out of the woods, but we also know that God is glorifying Himself through everything.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! You will never know how God has used you to begin our healing. And thank you for sticking with us for the long haul.

We look forward to that day where we will be reunited with our little girl, who now sits with her Lord and is glorified. We look even more forward to that same day when we meet our Savior face to face and the hope that He will look to us and say, "Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!"