I don't really know where to start on this blog, except to say that I find the words in Lamentations 3:22-23 such comfort to my soul...

The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases;

his mercies never come to an end;

they are new every morning;

great is your faithfulness.

There has been a recent barrage of trials that has come upon our church in the last month.  It began with a missionary family who is close friends with missionaries of ours.  Their son had a sudden battle with malaria in his brain.  God miraculously brought him out of it, unscathed, even after having a fever for over 12 hours (the doctors say he was supposed to have been severely brain damaged.)  Next it was a little boy from our church (1 1/2 years old) who has had a mysterious battle with severe pain and unexplained ticks and convulsions.  His health has been something our entire church has brought before the Lord to His throne of grace.  Most recent, it was our dear friends, Michelle and Blair Edwards, who encountered a trial with their 5 1/2 week old daughter, Avila.  Yesterday, Avila seemed to have been in pain when being changed, and then when Michelle checked on her, was blue in the face, having a hard time breathing.  They called 911, a friend rushed over, and paramedics arrived.  Thank God for His sovereignty that Blair was off that day.  After being checked by the paramedics, they took Avila to the doctor where they discovered a 101.9 temperature.  (I recently learned) Newborns are not supposed to have temperatures.  They took her to the emergency room, where I met them yesterday, and after quite some waiting, got in.  (I snuck in as "Auntie".)  After an unbelievable amount of tests, which included RSV nasal test, blood work, urine samples, and a lumbar puncture (yes, spinal tap), we finally were able to "rest".  It was a very emotional time, very difficult to watch this precious little one go through such a battery of heavy tests.  Finally, they admitted little Avila, to await the results of the tests, and to be able to watch her closer.

It has been a very harrowing time for parents in our church (I haven't even begun to describe most of the trials some of these people in our church have endured).  I ask for prayer for all of them, for strength, for true, deep peace, for dependence upon our Lord in these situations.  I ask for prayer for the children, for recovery, for miracles.

It was in the emergency room, behind a cloth curtain, that I listened to my friend, Joy, speak some comforting truths, that Michelle and Blair also hold.  She reminded us that even our children are the Lord's.  She reminded us that God never sleeps, nor slumbers.  Nothing gets past Him.  He was allowing this to happen.  He was in complete loving control over it.  She can say these things, she was in the position some time ago, where the doctors told her (in 3 different instances) that 3 of her children "may not make it".  God saved them.

I leave you with this truth that permeates my very soul at this point in time.  As I think of my dear friends, they are sitting in their hospital room, awaiting results from the tests.  As their precious little baby, dear baby Avila Joy lies in her plastic baby bed, wrapped in tons of warm blankets, with wires hanging from her feet, iv's hanging from her little arms, bandages around her arms and on her feet, as the nurses weigh her, take her temperature, check her oxygen, and vitals, I am reminded that our Lord gives us these comforts in Him:

Psalm 121

1 I lift up my eyes to the hills—
where does my help come from?
2 My help comes from the LORD,
the Maker of heaven and earth.

3 He will not let your foot slip—
he who watches over you will not slumber;

4 indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.

5 The LORD watches over you—
the LORD is your shade at your right hand;

6 the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.

7 The LORD will keep you from all harm—
he will watch over your life;

8 the LORD will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.