Tonight a dear friend had a beautiful, healthy, baby girl. Cause enough to rejoice is a new, precious, little life. But today I have to think of the details, the details of this pregnancy, of this mama, her family and the road they've been on these last months.
This fall brought news that my friend and her husband were once again expecting. However, with Thanksgiving weekend came the news that she had breast cancer. The days that followed included a mastectomy and chemo therapy. And four weeks ago Sunday my friend's four year old nephew, Jaden, suffered a traumatic brain injury. His mama, too, is expecting and late into her third trimester.
Shortly after her nephew's injury, my friend shared:
"Our family has dealt with a lot this past year. I believe that dealing with the breast cancer has enabled us to better deal with Jaden's horrible accident. I think of it like a mountain climber with a heavy load. The breast cancer helped us to build our muscles, so that when a heavier burden was placed upon our shoulders (Jaden's accident) our knees of faith did not buckle. Psalm 77 has been my heart:
'I yell out to my God, I yell with all my might, I yell at the top of my lungs. He listens. . . . I found myself in trouble and went looking for my Lord; my life was an open wound that wouldn't heal. When friends said, "Everything will turn out all right," I didn't believe a word they said. . . Once again I"ll go over what God has done, lay out on the table the ancient wonders; I'll ponder all the things you've accomplished, and give a long, loving looks at your acts. O God! Your way is holy!' (The Message)"
This fall brought news that my friend and her husband were once again expecting. However, with Thanksgiving weekend came the news that she had breast cancer. The days that followed included a mastectomy and chemo therapy. And four weeks ago Sunday my friend's four year old nephew, Jaden, suffered a traumatic brain injury. His mama, too, is expecting and late into her third trimester.
Shortly after her nephew's injury, my friend shared:
"Our family has dealt with a lot this past year. I believe that dealing with the breast cancer has enabled us to better deal with Jaden's horrible accident. I think of it like a mountain climber with a heavy load. The breast cancer helped us to build our muscles, so that when a heavier burden was placed upon our shoulders (Jaden's accident) our knees of faith did not buckle. Psalm 77 has been my heart:
'I yell out to my God, I yell with all my might, I yell at the top of my lungs. He listens. . . . I found myself in trouble and went looking for my Lord; my life was an open wound that wouldn't heal. When friends said, "Everything will turn out all right," I didn't believe a word they said. . . Once again I"ll go over what God has done, lay out on the table the ancient wonders; I'll ponder all the things you've accomplished, and give a long, loving looks at your acts. O God! Your way is holy!' (The Message)"
I am so deeply humbled as I get text messages about Jaden and follow the posts and pictures on facebook. I am so thankful for the deepening faith my friends' have as they walk these roads, for the way that they find joy in Christ and the small victories He gives, even with great uncertainty ahead, because their eyes are on Jesus.
He is the Author and Perfecter of our faith! We fix our eyes on Him!
Lord, thank You for the ways that we can see and know Your faithfulness. Thank You for being ever faithful and loving in all You do. Lord, Your way is holy!! Lord, You work all things for the good of those who love You and are called according to Your purposes. You are achieving in us an eternal glory that will far outweigh our troubles. May we ever fix our eyes on what is unseen, and on You. Thank You for this sweet baby girl, may the legacy of faith that is so obvious in her family be strong in her heart all her days! May many praise You for the faithfulness that You have shown and will continue to show these beloved ones. May their weeping be ever turned to joy, may they go from strength to strength til each appears before You in Zion. Continue Your work of healing and restore Jaden to himself. Lord, heal his brain and allow him to gain back the simple life functions he had already mastered. I ask specifically that you would allow Him to swallow on command and with ease soon. Strengthen His parents for the days ahead.
And Lord, thank You for this gift on a day like today where the brokenness in the world hits us in our gut. Lord, I look to You. God of all compassion, I wait for You.
"Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning, great is Your faithfulness! I say to myself, 'The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for Him.'" - Lamentations 3:21-24
