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By admin,

Ian gave me the best birthday gift yesterday. We were sitting in the van after therapy just talking, and he let out a real, true Ian laugh. It sounded just like it used to. He looked happiest that I’ve seen him in the past two and a half years.

Thank you, Ian;) I lov u.

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By admin,

All experiences of suffering in the path of Christian obedience, whether from persecution or sickness or accident, have this in common: They all threaten our faith in the goodness of God and tempt us to leave the path of obedience. Therefore, every triumph of faith and all peseverence in obedience are testimonies to the goodness of God and the preciousness of Christ- whether the enemy is sickness, Satan, sin or sabotage.

Desiring God by John Piper

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By admin,

( I think maybe it was windy…. )
High King of heaven, my victory won
May I reach heaven’s joys O bright heaven’s Son
Heart of my own heart whatever befall
Still be my vision, O ruler of all

I’ve been reminded several times this week of the never-changing confidence that we should have in our salvation. Ian will reach heaven’s joys because of Christ’s substitionary death on the cross. His life is not easy, a normal day really isn’t that fun, and he has much fewer comforts than he did three years ago. But he has Christ. And even if that’s all that he has, we have to be content, because all that Ian has in Christ is all that he needs.

Thank you for praying.

Larissa

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Ian works really hard

By admin,

I was reviewing some of the posts from the last few weeks, and I noticed how we haven’t necessarily given a full picture of how hard Ian works. Wednesday was a particularly notable day, though it’s representative.

On Wednesday, he had a therapy session at 11am – his daily session – where the therapist said he worked really hard just as he has been for some time. Early in the afternoon he had a doctor’s appointment that required him to wait in his chair for some time, and a lengthy period of time in his chair isn’t comfortable for him. Ian greeted the doctor with purposeful eye contact, though, and responsiveness to the doctor’s inquiries that showed he was really trying; that wouldn’t have been the scenario in many previous sessions with the doctor. Following that he had another lengthy therapy session in a pool, and once again the therapist raved about how hard he worked, just as he has been doing over the past few months.

These are all newer reports. Six to nine months ago the reports wouldn’t have been so glowing. I’m proud of him!

How hard it must be, then – as hard as he’s working – to not be able to do what he so wants to do: to talk! Give him grace, Lord!

Pray for Ian.

Steve

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More Voice and More Trust

By admin,

Ian, Larissa and I revisited the great, classic series “Unmasking the Deceitful Heart” done by our pastor, Mark. Afterwards, we talked about what stood out to us from the message. Ian wanted to say something and because it’s so difficult for him to talk and get his voice out we tried to guess what he was saying. 

It took us a couple minutes to find out he was saying, “I have had…” but by the time we got these words he forgot the rest of his sentence. This is a continuing pattern that Ian says his frustrating for him. So if you could pray that his short-term memory would strengthen and that he wouldn’t be discouraged but trust God. Just like God says through Isaiah… 
“‘You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.'”
…we hope that Ian, especially, would be the one that this verse is describing. I have no idea what it is like to be going through what Ian is going through. No matter what we go through we need to remember to look more at Christ than at ourselves – ten looks to Christ for every one look at ourself. 
Please keep praying that his voice would come out and that we would understand him better and quicker. And better yet that his singing voice would be heard.
~Caleb

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Specific Prayer

By admin,

Ian is still trying so hard to talk to us. Specific prayer that he wanted me to share- he needs to get the timing down of his breathing and getting his voice out. He has all the elements that he needs to be able to talk- he just needs the wisdom and knowledge to put it all togther. Please pray that he would gain the coordination of his breathing to make his voice work.

Thank you, as always.

Larissa

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Texas article

By admin,

Recently, a reporter from Texas who had been following Ian’s progress on our blog, interviewed Larissa to do an article for the Kerrville (TX) Daily Times in the Faith section of the paper. Here’s the link to the article and to the sidebar included in the article:

http://dailytimes.com/story.lasso?ewcd=d7ed1fba818b2ae2

http://dailytimes.com/story.lasso?ewcd=26baf10d4fadbace

As always, we pray that God is honored by what we’ve all walked through.

Thank you again for your continuing prayers!

Steve

#2
Here is another article recently published about Larissa and Ian

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World on a String

By admin,

For awhile now, Steve has been trying to think of a post to describe how much we see Ian’s personality. I think this will sum it up quite perfectly. I don’t know if you can see since it’s pretty dark, but he’s mouthing all of the words.

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Popcorn

By admin,

Yesterday, I found myself in a conversation with Ian and Larissa and Mary about all that the church and so many others did for us in bringing Ian home from the hospital. We told about the many, many kind people who helped us tirelessly for a season build an addition (e.g. organizers, builders, contractors, givers, suppliers, agencies, businesses, family, etc., etc.). Ian was thoroughly engaged in what we were saying, nodding and shaking his head and smiling at all the appropriate spots.

Then, it occurred to me that he was eating popcorn. Popcorn! He was reaching into the big can of popcorn over and over stuffing his face with popcorn, some of it not making it to its destination – a lot like the way I eat popcorn! He was thoroughly engaged in our conversation, though, like he was watching a movie. I stopped my reflections when I realized again how far he had come. “Ian!” I blurted out, “you’re eating popcorn!” That must have sounded a little silly from his perspective, but I couldn’t help it. Six months ago, I wouldn’t have dreamed of giving him even a kernel of popcorn for fear that he would choke on it.

Mary and I continued the conversation with him tonight about all the ways God had blessed us through so many people in helping to bring Ian home. Once again, he was fully engage, nodding and shaking his head at appropriate times. At one point Mary said something like, “people in the church, your friends, they really love you!” The grin on his face was priceless.

Steve

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By admin,

I guess the words are in their heads…:)

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