In chapter 9, Luke in his account of the gospel records the story of a man who came to Jesus reporting that his son was possessed by a demon who was violent with his son and who would torment and hurt his son (verses 37-43). Desperate, the man first begged Jesus’ disciples to help his son.
I could relate at this point in the story. In Ian’s case, a car wreck has done the violence, and as his dad I feel as desperate as this dad.
When the disciples couldn’t help him, he didn’t give up, but he begged Jesus to heal his son. The father’s persistence in seeking God’s help is certainly something God is teaching me, my family and Ian’s friends, but that isn’t what struck me about this story. The phrase that jumped out to me was at the end of the story after Jesus cast the demon out of the boy (v43): “And all were astonished at the majesty of God.”
I was reminded once again that the focus of this story of Ian’s wreck isn’t Ian or me or my family. The focus is God…or should be. In this story in Luke, the end result was that people saw the majesty of God. In Ian’s story, somehow (I can’t quite see clearly how yet) people will see the glory of God, and a view of the glory of God is the best thing God could give any of us. In my finite mind and with my spiritual eyes that are so often weak in their ability to see God’s glory, I wouldn’t choose a view of the glory of God above anything else. I would choose to have Ian with us right now, for no other reason than that I want him back. My way (i.e. an instant healing) might be the best way for me and for us to see the glory of God, but God knows what’s best. He knows how to give me the best. I do want to see the glory of God. I can see it most clearly displayed in what he did for me on the cross, dying to secure the opportunity for me to see the glory of God, to open my blind spiritual eyes. I’m so grateful for that.
I’m still going to beg God for Ian’s healing, though, just like the man in this story.
Mary and I had an encouraging visit with Ian today. Each time that we talk with the nursing staff, they seemed more and more excited about Ian’s progress. His nurse today said that he was wide awake when she came in in the morning, and she also said that he seems to be communicating with her at times by blinking once for “no” and twice for “yes.”
We were also told that Ian was tracking fully with his eyes today- meaning he followed with his eyes not only to the right but to the left, something that he hasn’t done before. His doctor was excited by how his eye is clearing up and also the sore on his back seems to be getting smaller.
We’ve heard several different staff members say that Ian just seems to be more and more aware of what’s going on. He now tends to stay awake all day, which is great.
One focus of prayer is for Ian’s medical assistance. Right now there is some question of whether medical insurance will cover his stay up until now. This doesn’t mean that Ian will have to leave Children’s- but the days that he has already been there may not be paid for by medical assistance. Please pray that medical assistance would decide to pay for his stay so far.
To repeat what David wrote a few weeks ago, Jesus is on the move. I’m still praying about that Christmas gift.
Ian is making progress, but it sure is slow. I know that it’s not slow from God’s perspective. I know also that God is teaching us through these difficulties to rest in Him moment by moment.
Ian’s wounds and infections are slowly healing. One physical therapist could see a definite difference in the sore on his back. His eye seems to close more than it did, and it looks less red. The wound where the trach was has only a regular bandaid on it now.
The medical people at the Children’s Institute continue to monitor his liquid intake and output. They increased it a little more. They also increased his calories and nutrition. He got a haircut today; Heather Rice did a good job with it. He’s looking more and more like Ian. A nurse said tonight that after having been off for four days, he could see a clear difference in how Ian looks at people. The nurse said he seems more and more like he’s really there.
Someone asked me a few days ago how they could pray for us – for the Murphys and for Larissa. I told them the Lord has graciously been sustaining us, keeping us in faith and at peace, but we don’t want to grow weary through this long, slow process. It’s very sad to see Ian like this, and some days the sadness weighs a lot heavier than other days. It’s tempting in those days to fear or to embrace self-pity. We want to continue to walk in faith through the sadness. Pray that we don’t grow weary.
We received this email from Larissa’s dad after he visited Ian this weekend:
Our family finally had the opportunity to spend some time with Ian this weekend. It had been five weeks since we last visited. It was great seeing Ian sitting up in a chair, no trach attached and in a t-shirt. We were blessed to have our complete family there with us, so we had our Christmas at the Children’s Institute this year with our six children:)
We could see a definite change in Ian’s eyes, they seemed to be more open and directed. We tried to get him to smile- at first we thought he did but it turned out to be a yawn! Guess he was bored with us. On Sunday, we went to Larissa and Ian’s graduation ceremony and it was very touching to witness Ian receive his degree even though he was not able to attend the ceremony himself. God certainly had a part in touching the hearts of the professors at IUP to allow this to happen. It was just as touching to see Larissa receive her degree, realizing how God has given her the strength and faith to continue her studies this last semester in spite of all the distractions and concerns. Now that they both have their education behind them, I believe that God will focus even more on healing Ian, allowing him to wake up and contine preparing for the two of them to spend the rest of their lives together.
I asked Larissa this weekend what she wanted for Christmas this year and she told me that she wanted Ian back. I responded by saying we all want him back and that we would continue to pray for his complete healing. Pray with us that Ian would wake up for Christmas so that Larissa (and many others) will have the best Christmas ever.
Ian really looks at us. While I was with him tonight, he seemed completely aware that I was there with him. His eyes were wide open. He was moving his mouth a lot and keeping it closed more, which is good. And now he just has a band-aid where his trach was.
We’ve been told that this could be a long healing process, but I know that I serve a God who with one breath could completely heal Ian. I’ve been encouraged to pray that Ian will be home for Christmas, for nothing is impossible with my God.
“Your way, O God, is holy. What god is great like our God? You are the God who works wonders” -Psalm 77: 13-14
Thank you for praying. I hope he’ll be home soon. We miss him.
We met today with the team of therapists treating Ian, and we got some surprising news. They’ve recently decided that for several weeks he has been undernourished and dehydrated. They just concluded today, though, that they had found the optimum amount of water to give him. They are working hard now to increase is calories and nutritients without moving too quickly. He should be taking in enough calories not only to sustain his body but to allow it to work hard at recovery and rehabilitation. The process of healing burns extra calories and requires more nutrients than normal and so does the rigorous process of rehabilitation. To this point, he has not even had an adequate amount of either to sustain himself properly, and that has had some consequences. The one consequence we’ve noticed is his dramatic loss of weight; we think he’s lost about 30lbs.
We don’t believe this is anyone’s fault, but rather the priorities and the focus of attention have shifted from more critical life-threatening issues to issues that would affect his opportunity for recovery and rehabilitation. That shift in focus has led the doctors to ask different questions. Before, the medical people were asking questions like, “how do we help him overcome these potentially life-threatening injuries and conditions?” Now, they’re asking questions like, “what can we do to give him the best possible chance of recovering quickly?” That’s when issues like his fluid levels, his caloric intake, and his nutrition emerged.
We’re grateful to God that the questions have changed.
The medical staff removed Ian’s trach today. It’s now covered like any wound, and they’ll wait for it to heal. He’s doing well with it out.
“I [Spurgeon] can bear willing testimony to His faithfulness. Not one good thing has failed of all that the Lord has promised! Every example of God’s love should make us believe Him more. As we see the fulfillment of each promise, it compels us to say, ‘God has kept His promises and will keep them to the end.’
The worst is that we forget. Then we will have no more faith than when we started, for we will have forgotten God’s repeated answers. Though He has fulfilled the promises, we have buried them in forgetfulness.”
We can “bear willing testimony to His faithfulness,” too. God has done so many good things in our lives, way more good things than we deserve. We don’t want to forget his kindness and faithfulness, and we want to trust God to treat Ian in the same way.
I saw Ian today, and I learned of some progress. The doctor responsible for Ian’s case said that the sore on Ian’s back appears to be smaller. Their measurements seem to indicate that, but she was careful to tell me the measurements could be wrong. He’s responding to the antibiotics they’re giving him, and they’re using a special electro-thingamajig (showing off my medical prowess again) on the wound to stimulate the growth of healthy tissue.
He got the cap on the trach today around noon, and he’s doing well on it. After forty-eight hours of successfully tolerating the trach that way, he’ll get it removed.
The infection in his eye is getting a latest-and-greatest antibiotic drop. They don’t know how he’s responding to that.
The doctor is working hard to prepare Ian for a possible surgery to his knee. The infections may prevent the surgery, but the doctor at Children’s is working hard to get him to a point where he would be safe from the infections for the surgery. Please pray that he could have the surgery soon or that the Lord would heal him before he needs the surgery.
They’re also having a hard time monitoring his fluid retention. He’s a little dehydrated. Pray for wisdom for the doctors as they try to figure out the best strategy.
We received the following email from a family friend who visited Ian last night:
What a blessing…Ian was more alert and awake than any of my previous visits. He never closed his eyes and always seemed to be focused on our direction. His jaw and mouth were moving all the time and at times it seemed that he would like to tell us to keep quiet so he could get a word in too! His color was super and he just encouraged JJ and myself so much tonite. We had no intention of letting up on prayer and yet God, as you already know, gives us little tastes of what He can do with Ian and what is yet to come.
Having said all that…the other blessing was meeting Larissa whom we had not met previously. We shared our admiration for the specialness of all that she was able to give Ian and what we were experiencing likely was the afterglow of her visit before us. The opportunity to know godly men and women who reflect Christ in special ways is a blessing from Him. In addition to the Murphy Family, tonight we had time to be around two special children of God and it was a blessing. May God bless Ian and Larissa both!
Through all of the happenings over the last two and a half months God has given me unexpected peace. Why I didn’t expect it I don’t know, but I’m thankful for it. I should be expecting only blessings from our generous God, He will give peace to those who ask. I didn’t even have to ask for peace and he gave it to me; that’s how loving He is. Matthew 11:28 says, “To all who labor and are heavy laden, I will give you rest.” All you have to do is ask in faith, and it will be given to you.
