Blog Category: Uncategorized

Why Did We Anoint My Husband (Again?)

By admin,

This week in church, we were reminded of our need to pray expectantly, not because of the power of the person praying, but because we are asking things of a great God. At the end of the message, Ian received prayer and was anointed by our pastor.

And this is all an appropriate response to sickness, according to the Bible, particularly James 5. It’s just that we’ve done it so many times. And Ian is still severely disabled. He has been anointed by various pastors within our family of churches but he still has not been healed as we have asked. Steve was anointed, and prayed over, and he still died. Our good friend Beth has been anointed multiple times and has still suffered migraines for ten years.
So why do we keep anointing Ian and praying for healing? Why, even when I feel completely deflated, tired of asking the same thing, sick of standing at the front of the church for prayer and all too aware that Steve is gone which means it didn’t “work,” do we keep going forward?
I don’t know. My flesh doesn’t want to. My sinful nature doesn’t believe that God can do it. Because it hasn’t happened yet. And because my flesh is not long suffering.
But if I let go entirely of even the tiny grasp that I have on the truth that God can heal Ian, then I am disregarding who God is. God is able, but not required, to heal Ian. And it scares me to think that he won’t, because I don’t know what that means. I can’t figure out a God who doesn’t heal.
But as Steve often told me, even if God doesn’t heal Ian, He is still good. He will always be good. Even if my flesh can’t understand continued disability and sickness. And we can’t let ourselves forget that He is good and He is merciful. And that is why we still pray. And anoint. Because regardless of how I feel, the Bible tells me that God is able. So when I drag my feet toward expectant prayer and wrestle to believe in its effect, I am still praying to a good God. When my faith feels like a tiny thread, God has a stronghold on my life. When I offer up the weakest prayers, because of Jesus they are still beautiful and acceptable to God.
Thank you for your expectant prayers for four years.
Larissa

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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

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By admin,

the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases,
his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning, great is your faithfulness
so happy to welcome our new nephew into the world.

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Anniversary

By admin,

Four years- it sounds so much longer than it feels. Larissa has been there every step of the way. I love you, Larissa. My life without her would be stupid. It’s amazing. I’m laying in bed and Larissa is sitting on the end of it. She has been sitting with me for four years. She loves me. Why? God enables her to love me. I appreciate the fact that she loves me.

-Ian

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Ian, on what heaven is like

By admin,

I don’t know – its not for us to know. It’s better than this place. And that’s enough for us to be excited. And that’s all we need to know.

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Race for Hope

By admin,

Thank you to everyone who supported us in the Race for Hope DC, which raised more than $2 million for brain cancer awareness and brain tumor research. We ran and walked with more than 11,000 people. It was quite an experience. Hopefully Team 828 will make more appearances around the area:)

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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.”

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By admin,

A message from Ian as we talked about god’s ability, but not guarantee, to heal him:

“my affliction has kept me closer to god because im always asking for his help. he’s lord and i’m aware of it.”
i have tons to learn from my husband.

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