Passing Through Deep Waters

Many of you have walked with us through troubling times, while others have just begun to follow our journey. Choosing to adopt a child with spina bifida was one of the biggest leaps of faith Stan and I have ever taken, and I must today rely on that faith.

Today, as we received news I did not want to hear, I kept thinking of this verse:

Isaiah 43:2 When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.

There are so many unknowns when a person has a spinal defect, and I have learned that every case of spina bifida presents itself differently. I have learned that God has the answers that many medical professional do not. I have learned some tough lessons. I have learned that I never know what tomorrow holds, but I do know WHO holds tomorrow.

Today, as we met with professionals in the clinic at Shriners, I shared my concern that Ellie has seemed to stop making progress in her walking skills. She has gone from the inability to take steps to walking across the room, from crawling, to walking with a walker, to walking with 2 crutches, and then to one crutch. Praise the LORD! But, she continues to fall often, and hasn't made much more progress in the last several months.

So, we set up an evaluation with PT at Shriners', even discussed the possibility of intense physical therapy this summer when school is out, and we can spend more time in Tampa.

Then, the PT came to meet with us.

She did a thorough evalutation.

What she had to say was disheartening.

We learned, that, according to her findings, many of Ellie's muscles are not receiving messages from her brain. Her unusual gait is the result of other muscles taking over the walking, as the muscles that should do the walking are not functioning. Then we were told, "No amount of physical therpay is going to help that."

Not hope.....




HOPELESS.....



HELPLESS......



We discusses a change in her braces, to give her more support, but I felt we were being told, "Ellie's walking is not going to get any better." There were other implications that just break my heart...concerning her future ambulation.

As we left Shriners' and are now here in Jacksonville for an MRI of her spine tomorrow, I heard the song from Kutless, "What Faith Can Do."

I want to share with Ellie dreams that move mountains, hope that never ends, and miracles that just happen. Will you join me in prayer...that when she walks through the water, she will know Her Savior is with her.

As I've come to the business center of the Ronald McDonald House to post tonight, I looked up Isaiah 43, and was further encouraged. I challenge you to read it to, but, OH, what a great God I serve. He sent me there to read verse 2, and then I read....

verse 5---Fear not: for I am with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west;

My Jesus brought our Ellie from the east. He brought her to the west, to America, to our family, to our church, to a place where she could learn of hope, to a county where she could rise above the odds.....



and then I read......



Get ready for this:......



verse 7Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.

Ellie was created for HIS glory. Praise the LORD! It has been my prayer that her life will manifest His glory, and today I read, that was why she was created. (That was why we were all created, by the way.)

Please pray with us, for hope, for strength, and for us to see HIS glory!




Courtesy of Kutless...."What Faith Can Do"

Everybody falls sometimes
Gotta find the strength to rise
From the ashes and make a new beginning
Anyone can feel the ache
You think it’s more than you can take
But you are stronger, stronger than you know
Don’t you give up now
The sun will soon be shining
You gotta face the clouds
To find the silver lining

I’ve seen dreams that move the mountains
Hope that doesn’t ever end
Even when the sky is falling
And I’ve seen miracles just happen
Silent prayers get answered
Broken hearts become brand new
That’s what faith can do

It doesn’t matter what you’ve heard
Impossible is not a word
It’s just a reason for someone not to try
Everybody’s scared to death
When they decide to take that step
Out on the water
It’ll be alright
Life is so much more
Than what your eyes are seeing
You will find your way
If you keep believing

I’ve seen dreams that move the mountains
Hope that doesn’t ever end
Even when the sky is falling
And I’ve seen miracles just happen
Silent prayers get answered
Broken hearts become brand new
That’s what faith can do

Overcome the odds
You don't have a chance
(That’s what faith can do)
When the world says you can’t
It’ll tell you that you can!

I’ve seen dreams that move the mountains
Hope that doesn’t ever end
Even when the sky is falling
And I’ve seen miracles just happen
Silent prayers get answered
Broken hearts become brand new
That’s what faith can do
That's what faith can do!
Even if you fall sometimes
You will have the strength to rise