Psalm 41:3 NLT
The Lord nurses them when they are sick
and restores them to health.
Isaiah 53:5 NLT
But he was
pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be
whole. He was whipped so we could be healed.
This day began early.
Before the alarm went off I was wide awake. I heard across the room a sigh from our
daughter. She was awake. Then behind me stirring was my precious wife
of almost 20 years. It is before 4am in
Richmond, Virginia as we are headed to the Medical College of Virginia at
Virginia Commonwealth University as Rebecca is having surgery on her jaws
today.
Now the memories begin to flood my mind. It was about 15 years ago that we found
ourselves in a Savannah, Georgia hospital where Rebecca had not one but three
surgeries. Those days were trying in a
big way. I still look at the pictures
and the tears begin to fill my eyes as the memories flood my mind and heart and
even my throat, as it seems, with waves of emotion. She is healed from those first surgeries and
has never had any trouble with that stuff.
We were blessed.
Now we are headed for the same blessings of healing from the
hand of God. This is our fourth visit to
Richmond preparing for this surgery, and Richmond is almost four hours from our
home. All through the 12 months of
preparation for this surgery Rebecca has been steady and not stressed at
all. That isn’t true for her mom and
dad. We’ve shed some tears, and the
tears aren’t through yet.
The phone rang just a few minutes ago (8:30am as we sit in
the pediatric surgery waiting area) to let us know the surgery has begun, and
my eyes again begin to water. I tell
people it’s allergies. But it’s
not. This dad has a tender heart when it
comes to my kids and family.
I can’t tell you how awesome the feeling as our church family
gathered around us and in specific around Rebecca at the end of yesterday’s
worship service. It was awesome
listening to our church family pray for her and watch them love on our daughter
and on our family.
The last week we have gathered around Rebecca each night as a
family. We would place our hands on her
shoulder, and I would put my hand on her chin.
Each of us would pray for Rebecca’s healing. Ryan.
Ruth. Mom. Me.
Even Ryan would pray for her complete healing. This is another one of those memories I will
not forget. What an incredible way that
we as a family act like a family as God intended for us to act. I am
proud of each of them.
Our worship service yesterday was so different and a
blessing. We joined our hearts, words
and worship to celebrate the fact that Leon White walked into heaven this past
Wednesday. At this service were several
new friends and old friends visiting with us.
It was almost overwhelming for me in such great ways. Ruth had a friend with her. Rebecca had a friend join us as well, and
just so you know that friend with Rebecca is now her boyfriend (her first
boyfriend; pray for Matthew who I will now refer to as “the boy” and he seems
to be a great young man). I shared a
message from 1 John 2 about the facts we need to remember and what we ought
share with others. God says, “we are
forgiven”. God says, “we are
winners”. God says, “we are loved”. God says, “we belong to Him”. Even as I preached it was obvious that God
was moving.
Back to the present moment.
We are 30 minutes into a 7 or 8 hour surgery. Rebecca’s doctor and medical staff seem to be
well skilled and wonderful. I am
grateful for each of them. We are
waiting. We are praying. But really there are people all over the
place praying. Virginia. Georgia.
California. Oklahoma. England.
Colorado. Pakistan. And that is just the places that I have heard
from this morning. I am grateful.
Thank you for praying.
Be who God made you to be.
Celebrate the gifts and healing and strength of God by telling others
and living strong. Great days are ahead!
1 John 2:8 NLT
Yet it is
also new. Jesus lived the truth of this commandment, and you also are living it. For the darkness is disappearing, and the true light is already shining.
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