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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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By admin,
Therefore it is that god’s people pass through great tribulation; therefore is is they are often called upon to suffer the sting of affliction and anxiety, or weep over the grave of those whom they have loved as their own soul. it is their Father’s hand that chastens them; it is thus He weans their affection from things below and fixes them on himself; it is thus He trains them for eternity, and cuts the threads one by one that bind their wavering hearts to earth. No doubt such chastening is grievous for the time, but still it brings many a hidden grace to light, and cuts down many a secret seed of evil; and we shall see those who have suffered most shining among the brightest stars in the assembly of heaven. the purest gold is that which has been longest in the refiner’s furnace. the brightest diamond is often that which has required the most grinding and polishing. but our light affliction endureth but for a moment, and it worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. the saints are men who have come out of great tribulation- they are never left to perish in it. the last night of weeping will soon be spent, the last wave of trouble will have rolled over us, and then we shall have a peace that passeth all understanding; we shall be at home for ever with the lord.
j.c. ryle
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By admin,
Ian said he is doing well here at the hospital. He asked for prayer that he would make a lot of progress while he’s here.
Thanks for praying for us.
I&L
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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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By admin,
Ian had an appointment today with his neurosurgeon who did his original emergency surgery. On the same floor, just down the hall from the ICU that both Ian and Steve had brain surgery in. Hated to be there. And making me cry on so many levels, the doctor told Ian that he is the sickest patient he has ever had who has survived.
So glad he’s alive. Wish Steve were too.
-L
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By admin,
Here is a great article that our friend Carolyn McCulley put together for her blog and included our story.
Thanks for praying for Ian.
Larissa
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Almost Home
By admin,
Ian’s hospital stay is so close to being over. He’s coming home on Monday which happens to be the 30th- exactly seven months to the day since his accident. I have such a weird emotional response to him coming home because thinking about the end of his time in a hospital reminds me of the beginning, and all of the places that we’ve been. All of the meetings with doctors, case workers, and therapists. All the nights slept in the ICU waiting room, all of the creepy trips through Wilkinsburg to get to LifeCare, and all of the hours spent on 286 getting to Children’s. We are so thrilled to have him home. He can sit around the dinner table with us, hear Lydia laughing and screaming, come outside with us, and come to church with us.
I never thought that Ian would still be in a coma when he came home, but then again, after the first few days in the hospital we didn’t think he’d come home again at all. Praise God for all of the countless miracles He has performed in Ian’s life. Ian is still with us! God is forever true to His promises and, as Charles Spurgeon says so well, God would sooner cease to be than cease to be faithful.
We are bringing Ian home with or without the driveway. Please pray that the driveway would be completed soon however, to make transportation more convenient. The agency we are hoping to use seems to really be working on getting the amount of staffing together that we need. They are tentatively going to hire a family friend, Frank, to be a full-time worker with Ian. Please continue to pray that funding and staffing would be approved for 24/7 care.
Thank you for faithfully praying with us for seven months
I can see a light that is coming for the heart that holds on
And there will be an end to these troubles
But until that day comes
Still I will praise You, still I will praise You
-Matt Redman
Larissa
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The Lord is at Hand
By admin,
“The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” I was thinking about this passage today from Philippians 4:5-6. It captured my thoughts, and I was trying to phrase it in a different way and apply it to our situation with Ian: The Lord is all over this one. He’s not far off. He’s very much involved. He’s on top of it. It hasn’t escaped his notice a bit. Because he’s at hand, I’m to obey the command, “do not be anxious about anything.” “In everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving,” I need to let my requests be made known to God.
This is the same thing Ian needs to do.
Jesus, help Ian to continue to be in faith. Heal him from head to toe. Bring him back to us. Thank you that we can come to you with our requests. Thank you that you rule over our circumstances. Help us to continue to lay our requests at your feet. Help us not to be anxious about anything.
Thank you for joining us in prayer.
Steve
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By admin,
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
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