Blog Category: Uncategorized

By admin,

So what is love? What does it mean to be loved by Jesus? Love means giving us what we need most. And what we need most is not healing, but a full and endless experience of the glory of God. Love means giving us what will bring us the fullest and longest joy. And what is that? What will give you full and eternal joy? The answer of this text (1 john 11:1-16) is clear: a revelation to your soul of the glory of God—seeing and admiring and marveling at and savoring the glory God in Jesus Christ. When someone is willing to die—or let your brother die—to give you (and your brother) that, he loves you.

Love is doing whatever you have to do to help people see and treasure the glory of God as their supreme joy—to help people see and be satisfied with the glory of God.

-john piper

  Filed under: Uncategorized
  Comments: None

By admin,



Longing for spring. Please pray for Ian’s energy and for therapy.

  Filed under: Uncategorized
  Comments: None

Trying

By admin,

Our prayer lately has been that Ian would have clearer speech and a stronger short-term memory.
——-
Though Ian’s speech is often not very clear, it’s encouraging that he is regularly trying to make himself understood. He’ll even attempt to spell out what he’s trying to say. God bless Larissa for her patience in working with him on that! I’ve noticed a pattern in his recovery since the wreck: little break-throughs in areas where we’ve been praying and then suddenly he’s doing it consistently. This is another good example.
—————————————–
He struggles with his short-term memory, too. He often can’t remember what happened 20 minutes ago let alone yesterday’s events. We continue to rehearse things with him over and over again, and at times he’ll remember those things we rehearse all the time. He and Larissa are going through the book of Luke together, and he remembers that. Occasionally, lately, we’ve noticed he’ll remember something that happened earlier in the day – more little break-throughs. We pray that he would more consistently remember.
—————————————–

There really are a lot of hopeful signs of progress in Ian. In one way it’s sad, because it’s as though he’s starting his life all over again learning the basics. But, in another, it’s pretty incredible that he’s at this point. We’re so grateful for Ian’s growth and progress!

—————————————–
Thank you for praying!
—————————————–
Steve

  Filed under: Uncategorized
  Comments: None

By admin,

Ian wanted me to ask everyone to pray for his thoughts- that he would be able to think clearly and logically, to be able to keep a train of thought, and that his memory would improve.

These are all things that greatly affect how he communicates to us and how he lives his life.

Also, Thursday is Ian’s birthday. I didn’t tell him that I was doing this, but if you could take the time, please write an email to him about one way that you have been positively affected by Ian’s life- what you have been taught about God through Ian’s life, how your prayer life has been impacted, etc. Please email these to prayforian@gmail.com and include where you are from.

Thank you, always.

Larissa

  Filed under: Uncategorized
  Comments: None

He Speaks

By admin,

I’ve been waiting more than two years to write this post. I’ve pictured the title in my head so many times……

Ian spoke. He said his name last night. And he said it again twice today……….

“For it is you who light my lamp;
the Lord my God lightens my darkness.
For by you I can run against a troop,
and by my God I can leap over a wall.
This God—his way is perfect;
the word of the Lord proves true”

I am floored.

Praying that this is one word of many…

Larissa

  Filed under: Uncategorized
  Comments: None

By admin,

Ian seems to be feeling better today, but still not 100%. It might be morphing into a head cold. But, God graciously allows him to sleep through any discomfort.

Thank you for praying.

  Filed under: Uncategorized
  Comments: None

Faith is about focus

By admin,

There are a lot of ideas out there about faith, but so many of the ideas aren’t helpful. So many ideas only obscure my view of God. The eyes of my faith can’t focus on the object of my immediate desire which in this case would be for Ian to be healed. No amount of verbal or mental claims for his healing will actually bring Ian back. I also can’t focus on how much faith I have for that desired outcome, carefully adjusting my wording or my thought life to get the right formula. If Ian’s return is dependent on how much “faith” I can muster (I have to be honest), we’ll never see his return. My focus must remain on the only One who is almighty, who can do whatever he desires, yet who is kind and merciful and all-wise.

~~~~~

Lord, help me to keep my eyes fixed on you. Let me rest in your wise care and strong arms. Life is hard, but our days are in your hands. One day this will all be over, and we’ll eat and have fellowship with you for eternity. The meal is ready. I can’t wait.
~~~~~
Ian is struggling, it seems. I’m not sure why. Please pray for encouragement and motivation. Thank you for standing with us.
~~~~~
Steve

  Filed under: Uncategorized
  Comments: None

25

By admin,

Desiring God ministries, the group that released this video of us earlier this spring, just released the top 25 of their blog posts for 2012, based on readership. at the top of the list was one of ours, and was viewed more than any other post.
and as we sit here, listening to a christmas album on vinyl, looking at the posters of notes for our book taped all along our wall, we wonder what God is up to. it doesn’t make sense that so many people would be drawn to our story. in our newly re-arranged suite, the hours and days and months coming up are unknown. the work that God is creating in our families is unknown. but if it’s anything like 2012, it’s going to be surprising.
(view DG post here)
love
i&l

  Filed under: Uncategorized
  Comments: None

see them

By admin,

Desiring God has released a new e book on disability. It is geared toward pastors, but has affected my heart just a few pages in. Click on our right link to DG to download.

An excerpt, that we all need, because my Ian, and so many other beautiful, disabled people are deeply loved by God and need to be hemmed in by others:

“And I would just plead in passing—children, young people, and adults—see people with disabilities. And I don’t mean see them like the priest and the Levite on the Jericho Road, passing by on the other side. This is our natural reflex—see and avoid. But we are not natural people. We are followers of Jesus. We have the Spirit of Jesus in our hearts. We have been seen and touched in all our brokenness by an attentive, merciful Savior.

If you want to be one of the most remarkable kinds of human beings on the planet—a Jesus kind—see people with disabilities. See them. And move toward them. God will show you what to say.”

  Filed under: Uncategorized
  Comments: None

Ungratefulness, Part 2

By admin,

This post is titled Part 2 because I know that very recently I had a similar one titled “Ungratefulness.” Shocking- I’m still ungrateful.

I had a particularly frustrating day today, where everything from adjusting to full-time work, to finding a back-up wedding site, to paying my first round of bills was mounting up. And it was mounting up on only me because Ian can’t do those things. When Ian and I first got to the new house tonight for dinner, I kept finding myself angry or annoyed at him because of his brain injury. I had a million things to do and was bitter at him that he wasn’t able to help me with any of it.
But then we took a walk (my only way of keeping Ian around after he said he was bored and wanted to go home), and even as we were walking away from the house I really felt like God was going to teach me something on that walk..
I was convicted about 1,000 times on our walk because of things Ian shared with me but also was freshly encouraged by the idea of mercy.
I remember when one of my greatest prayers was that Ian would be able to speak to me about his feelings for me. I didn’t question whether or not he still loved me, but I just wanted to hear it. I wanted to hear him thank me for giving him his medicine or give me a reason of why he likes being with me.
Ian shared so much with me tonight and encouraged me immensely in our decision to get married. As he was sharing his thoughts, I was freshly reminded of how I was witnessing an answered prayer. A prayer that, in that moment, I had forgotten I had ever prayed. It seems as though as soon as Ian regained his speech and started being able to do things like sharing his feelings with me, I all of a sudden moved on to the next thing that I wanted to see happen in him. But God brought me back to mercy tonight. I will forget again and again and again all of the answered prayers. I will continue to forget the gospel when I should be applying it. I will give in again and again to anger with Ian because of his disabilities. But there is mercy. God is rich in mercy. I know that He will bring moments, even brief, of refreshment and encouragement. I know God will give Ian and I great peaks together, even while we are in a very deep valley.
We are so grateful for mercy.
Larissa

  Filed under: Uncategorized
  Comments: None