Angel Update: 7/28pm

Today was a mix of good news, God things and pain. So, the good news first. There was a decent nights rest overnight, as good as you can get as a hospital patient who is the recipient of tremendous round the clock care. Translation: 3:30am “I wanted to wake you up and make sure you are resting. Time to check your vitals, and your sugar, what’s your favorite color…” No really, it is all part of great constant care. The Lord blessed us with many great conversations and messages from people all over the country who have been a great blessing to us. All of your communications through our update posts have done a great work in heaven and in our hearts. With all of that comes the reality that 48 hours ago a Human Being took surgical tools and cut open Angels scalp and skull, dug around skillfully and pulled out a lemon sized object from her doggone brain, put it back together with staples and she still works. Now, think about the last time you stubbed your toe, tweaked your ankle, bumped your knee or elbow, got popped with bacon grease, got a sunburn, a paper cut, sat in a chair too long and got stiff (it happens), got a leg cramp, accidentally hit yourself with a golf club or aluminum bat, or had a child conk you on the head with a toy of any kind. Now, put all those together, insert it into your head and pour scalding water on it followed by iodized salt and mercurochrome. Starting to get close to brain surgery pain. Oh, and add in a broken bone because her skull was sawed open. Ok now. Please pray that her pain can be managed. Even with the meds they are giving her there is still a significant amount of pressure and pain. THE REALLY GOOD NEWS! She is going home tomorrow! Can you believe it? This started almost 9 days ago and she is finally getting to go home.

PRAYER: Pain Management, A smooth release from the hospital and arrival home, Follow up appointments over the next 2 weeks including a 1 time gamma knife radiation treatment, No insurance issues, Pray away fevers, infections, falls, seizures or any major setbacks, For the home crew which will take over all of the round the clock care, Safety traveling home tomorrow.

STRENGTHENING: They say that people who are in better physical condition overall do better when a major health crisis arises. Same principle can be applied to the healthy active prayer life of a Child of God who gets the right amount of spiritual nutrition, exercise, rest, work, and flexibility. How in this world does anyone face anything close to this without a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. Please hear what I am about to say in the right spirit. Some who have posted a response to one of our update posts that has a praying hand emoji or “prayers” cannot remember the last time that they started and ended their day with prayer. Some could not pray effectively because there is unconfessed sin in their life. Some who promised to pray would have to get out a yearly calendar to track down the last time they actually went to church. If this experience has rekindled your prayer life, worth it. If you have tried to pray for Angel and it caused you to clean up some things or reestablish communion between you and the Master, worth it. As we have said throughout the last 9 days, DON’T STOP PRAYING! When the reports get better and she goes home, DON’T STOP PRAYING! Pray like it is brain surgery day, every day. “Pray without ceasing.” 1 Thessalonians 4:17 KJB

ICU Meditations: Within not just Around

In Scofield’s notes in the introduction to Philippians, he makes this statement, “Christian experience, (Paul) would teach us, is not something which is going on around the believer, but something which is going on within the believer.”  Without all my notes with me, I cannot recall between Stinnet Ballew, Milford Biddle or Raymond Hancock, who said in times like these to say not tell me Why Lord, but rather show me Who are you in this Lord. In Philippians 3 Paul laid bye all his outward previous entitlement, precious enrichment, positional enablement, and political entanglement, in deference to the Embolding Power he knew within by humility, sufferings, and persecution. A dear friend reminded us of Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 when he instructed us in the sufficient grace, perfected strength in weakness, and glory in infirmities for Christ’s sake. All of which are the pathway to Power in Christ which is not put on but better put in. Watering the leaves of the branches does not give the nourishment that the water from the Roots through the Vine provides.