The Holidays
(New Year’s Eve two years ago)Ian had a very busy weekend with a lot of his family visiting. We don’t have any major reports- just that Ian continues to work hard in therapy and at eating. My prayer is still that the Lord soon teaches him how to speak again. We just want to communicate with Ian.
Thank you, always, for praying
Larissa
Tim
January 2, 2008 at 3:34 pm
Dear Larissa (& Steve & Family)- I continue to join you in praying for Ian’s recovery and healing.
Yesterday my soul was warmed by this piece from Valley of Vision called “Need of Grace” (I’ve updated the language a bit)-
O Lord,
You know my great unfitness for service,
my present deadness,
my inability to do anything for your glory,
my distressing coldness of heart.
I am weak, ignorant, unprofitable,
and loathe and abhor myself.
I am at a loss to know what you would
have me do,
for I feel amazingly deserted by you,
and sense your presence so little;
You make me possess the sins of my youth,
and the dreadful sin of my nature,
so that I feel all sin,
I cannot think or act but every motion is sin.
Return again with showers of converting grace
to a poor gospel-abusing sinner.
Help my soul to breathe after holiness,
after a constant devotedness to you,
after growth in grace more abundantly every day.
O Lord, I am lost in the pursuit of this blessedness,
And am ready to sink because I fall short
of my desire;
Help me to hold out a little longer,
until the happy hour of deliverance comes,
for I cannot lift my soul to you
if you of your goodness bring me not nigh.
Help me to be different, watchful, tender,
lest I offend my blessed Friend
in thought and behaviour;
I confide in you and lean upon you,
and need you at all times to assist and lead me.
O that all my distresses and apprehensions
might prove but Christ’s school
to make me fit for greater service
by teaching me the great lesson of humility.
This piece reminded this “poor gospel-abusing sinner” of Paul in the book of Romans. I offer it to all of you who may be feeling “amazingly deserted” and might be sensing His “presence so little”.
Praying for you all and for Ian!
-tim
Wellspring Church, CA
anonymous
January 3, 2008 at 7:23 am
Larissa, I’m with you guys in heart everyday more than several times a day. Mary and Steve are my best friends. I pray you embrace the perfect love God has been giving Ian, more than ever before (which is hard to imagine knowing your relationship with God over this year). All of our love for God is an individual Relationship with Him. Therefore, the outward is never ever the real relationship. It is in the room and our heart we fellowship with God in. I believe the fellowship room where Ian and God commune is uncomprehensible and relentlessly tender. May God continue to bless you With His Leading, Wisdom and Most of All His Comfort. Eileen from Philadelphia Hundred and in