Ian seems to be on the mend; he seems to be growing stronger. He had different people in today continuing to work with him who said he did well for them. This morning he looked right at me which is not a common occurrence these days (it takes my breath away for just a moment when he does it).

Tonight, we were sitting him up working on “trunk control,” and he seemed to be working out. That’s the only explanation we had for the way he was behaving. He would lean forward from a sitting position, hold himself there, then bring himself back up to an upright position. He would hold himself there for a while, then he would lean forward again and do it all over. We’re also noticing that he keeps his balance much better side-to-side.

Every day, we wake up, because God shows us mercy. Every day, I arrive home from work safe, because God shows me mercy. Most importantly, God has shown mercy to me and to Ian sparing us from an eternity of punishment. I have to keep reminding myself over and over of these most important truths when the progress seems slow. Help me, Lord, to be patient and to be grateful.

Pray for Ian….

Steve

  Filed under: Uncategorized
  Comments: None

Sorry for the lack of posts this week everyone! No major changes in the past few days. Ian seems to be feeling a little bit better but he’s been pretty sleepy. If his throat hurts though, it’s best that he sleeps. Pain doesn’t follow him when he’s asleep.

We’re getting closer to Sept. 30- almost one year since Ian’s accident. I don’t want to give up hope that God can still completely heal him. Please keep praying that he comes back….

Larissa

  Filed under: Uncategorized
  Comments: None

Ian slept most of the day today after church. But, it’s Sunday, and we’re supposed to nap on Sundays!

We miss him like crazy. Please keep praying.

“Teach us to place our happiness in thee,
the blessed God,
never seeking life among the dead things of earth,
or asking for that which satisfies the deluded,
But may we prize the light of thy smile,
implore the joy of thy salvation,
find our heaven in thee.
Thou has attended to our happiness
more than we can do.”
Valley of Vision

-Larissa

  Filed under: Uncategorized
  Comments: None

Recently, I was reminded again of the fact that God doesn’t change. Just because I can’t see the good that God is doing through all of this with Ian doesn’t mean He isn’t good. Like a rock, he doesn’t change with the seasons or the circumstances. He is and always has been what He declares about Himself in His Word. He is good. He is kind. He is all-powerful. He rules all things. Like snow on rocks in the winter, challenging circumstances can obscure my view of him. If I’m not careful, circumstances can even deface my view of him. I must choose to believe God is doing good even if I don’t see it.

Ian seems to be sleeping off his illnesses. He has slept peacefully for hours this evening. We decided not to do anything more with him tonight, because he is sleeping so peacefully and soundly.

Thank you for praying…

Steve

  Filed under: Uncategorized
  Comments: None

Ian hasn’t been feeling well the last few days. Between the thrush in his mouth and another internal infection, he sleeps a lot and isn’t in very good shape for therapy. Please pray…

Steve

  Filed under: Uncategorized
  Comments: None

Because your steadfast love is better than life,
my lips will praise you.
So I will bless you as long as I live
Psalm 63

Lord, help us to believe this.
In times of deepest doubt and sadness
Let us beleive that your steadfast love
is better than life,
help our lips to praise your name.
When we are more aware of our suffering than our salvation
Help us to fix our eyes on calvary .

Please pray that Ian would speak to us soon.

  Filed under: Uncategorized
  Comments: None

Ian is still struggling with a sore throat from the thrush. When his throat is sore, he shuts down a lot. He barely communicated with any of us today. Please pray that it would go away. Remember how much we prayed for his eyes? All the infections that he fought through and all of the medications and eye patches? The doctor told us last week that his eyes are perfect. The Lord can completely heal his throat too. Please keep praying.

  Filed under: Uncategorized
  Comments: None

Sometimes I forget the awesome, wondrous, breathtaking, things that the Lord has done for Ian. Psalm 111 freshly reminded me that God has done great things:

Psalm 111:2-4, 7

“Great are the works of the Lord,
studied by all who delight in them.
Full of splendor and majesty is his work,
and his righteousness endures forever.
He has caused his wondrous works to be remembered;
the Lord is gracious and merciful…
The works of his hands are faithful and just…”

God’s saving Ian’s life last September is an awesome work! No less majestic that his work at the Red Sea, no less glorious than his raising of Lazarus from the dead. Ian should have died on impact, there’s no reason he should have lived. But he survived the crash. “Great are the works of the Lord”. Ian should have died on the life-flight to Pittsburgh. But God kept his heart beating, his lungs breathing. “Full of splendor and majesty is His work”. Ian should have died in the ICU. His brain was dying, the doctors told us that brain death was imminent, the funeral home had been called. But overnight, things changed, brain death was no longer imminent, he’d “somehow” made it over the hump. Ian should be dead, there’s no question about that. But God saved him. “He has caused his wondrous works to be remembered; the Lord is gracious and merciful…”

So often I forget these majestic works of the Lord, full of splendor, that I have seen with my own eyes. Sometimes I forget that Ian should have died, that death was coming upon him like the Egyptians came upon the Israelites at the Red Sea. And when I forget the awesome deeds that the Lord has worked on Ian’s behalf, I despair. Why, because if it wasn’t God who saved Ian, then there’s no reason to think that God will continue the good work he began. If Ian just happened to live, than our only hope for the future is the chance that Ian might just happen to fully recover.

Oh, the hope that remembering the works of the Lord brings! I love how Charles Spurgeon puts it:

“I like to think of every blessing of grace that I have recieved as coming from God because each mercy then becomes prophetic of more. God is unchangeable, and therefore what He has given He will give again. The stream that has begun to flow will never cease flowing. The more the Lord gives, the more we may expect. Each mercy as it comes makes room for another larger than itself, even as the narrow end of the wedge opens the way for its wider portion. John Bunyan said that God’s flowers bloom double: not only do they bloom double, but they bloom sevenfold. Therefore be encouraged. The least of the things that are freely given to us by God draws behind it an endless chain of more than golden links of love.”

God has done awesome deeds on Ian’s behalf, things are full of splendor and majesty on Ian’s behalf. And these past deeds are only the light along the horizon of the coming dawn.

-David

  Filed under: Uncategorized
  Comments: None

A lot seems to have happened this week. Each therapist that has come in has seen improvement and is encouraged. Here’s just a sampling:

– Taking an object from someone’s hand now seems to be an old skill.

– He’s learning to help us as we care for him by moving forward or backward or moving limbs, etc. He seems to work well with the therapists who ask him to cooperate.

– He takes small portions of food (e.g. pudding, Brenda’s applesauce, baby food fruit, etc.) by a spoon.

– He visited an eye doctor who told us there is nothing wrong with his eyes at all. In fact, his prescription for glasses is about the same as it was before the accident, and there’s no evidence of any problems. How many times did we ask for prayer for his troubled eyes?!?

– He blinks ‘yes’ with regularity now. He often nods his affirmation and shakes his head ‘no’.

– He doesn’t seem to be complaining about his throat being sore anymore. I’m not sure if that means it’s gone or if it means he’s not telling us.

Please continue to pray that he would talk to us….

Steve

  Filed under: Uncategorized
  Comments: None

Whatever my God ordains is right
In His love I am abiding
I will be still in all He does
And follow where He is guiding
He is my God, though dark my road
He holds me that I shall not fall
And so to Him I leave it all

Whatever my God ordains is right
He never will deceive me
He leads me by the proper path
I know He will not leave me
I take content, what He has sent
His hand can turn my griefs away
And patiently I wait His day

Whatever my God ordains is right
Here shall my stand be taken
Though sorrow, or need, or death be mine
Yet I am not forsaken
My Father’s care circles me there
He holds me that I shall not fall
And so to Him I leave it all

Whatever my God ordains is right
Though now this cup in drinking
Bitter it seems to my faint heart
I take it all unshrinking
My God is true, each morn anew
Sweet comfort yet shall fill my heart
And pain and sorrow shall depart

Original words by Samuel Rodigast, 1676
Translated by Catherine Winkworth, 1863
Alternate words by Mark Altrogge

  Filed under: Uncategorized
  Comments: None