Nine days ago today found us busily preparing for Lauren's surgery, packing bags, coordinating schedules, running last minute errands, baking goodies (relieves stress for me!), returning calls and e-mails, fighting fears, and praying fervently. As night fell, Lauren and I lay in her bed, tears cascading down my cheeks. Together, we read God's Promises and prayed, committing her body and the next days and weeks to God.
A night I will never forget.
Lauren at 5:00 a.m. right before we left.
We awakened at 4:30 a.m. to arrive by 5:30 at Levine Children's Hospital for surgery. My stomach churned. My heart felt so full. Lauren expressed her fears as her tears fell. We arrived at the hospital to be met by a wonderful team of people who surrounded us with the very best of care. Lauren fought back the tears as long as she could, and finally they came as the nurse inserted the IV in her hand. To calm her, they gave her medicine that began a bout of giggling that lasted until they took her through the doors of the O.R. As they rolled her through those doors, my stomach churned and my heart raced. How I wanted to burst through those doors, take her into my arms, and run all the way home.
Yet, I knew the Lord had brought us to this place. TRUST. I really had to live it...no more talking about it...no more writing about it...no more teaching about it...I had to live it.
A moment I will never forget.
As we waited in the waiting room, God filled our cup as friends began to fill the room in perfect time. One would leave, another would come. Friends to pray, friends to laugh, friends to cry. Texts and phone messages poured in each with its own encouraging word.
God's provision I will never forget.
I prayed for the Lord to provide at least one believing person in the O.R. that morning. Who knew that He would provide abundantly more than I could ever ask or imagine. Lauren's Young Life Leader, Holly Gardner, is an orthopedic nurse. Lauren's surgeon allowed Holly to observe the surgery. So, Holly sat in the surgery, observing and praying over my sweet girl throughout the entire surgery! She twice came out to share how surgery was progressing.
Here is a picture of Holly (and her husband Neil...Young Life Staff Leader at South Meck).
We awakened at 4:30 a.m. to arrive by 5:30 at Levine Children's Hospital for surgery. My stomach churned. My heart felt so full. Lauren expressed her fears as her tears fell. We arrived at the hospital to be met by a wonderful team of people who surrounded us with the very best of care. Lauren fought back the tears as long as she could, and finally they came as the nurse inserted the IV in her hand. To calm her, they gave her medicine that began a bout of giggling that lasted until they took her through the doors of the O.R. As they rolled her through those doors, my stomach churned and my heart raced. How I wanted to burst through those doors, take her into my arms, and run all the way home.
Yet, I knew the Lord had brought us to this place. TRUST. I really had to live it...no more talking about it...no more writing about it...no more teaching about it...I had to live it.
A moment I will never forget.
As we waited in the waiting room, God filled our cup as friends began to fill the room in perfect time. One would leave, another would come. Friends to pray, friends to laugh, friends to cry. Texts and phone messages poured in each with its own encouraging word.
God's provision I will never forget.
I prayed for the Lord to provide at least one believing person in the O.R. that morning. Who knew that He would provide abundantly more than I could ever ask or imagine. Lauren's Young Life Leader, Holly Gardner, is an orthopedic nurse. Lauren's surgeon allowed Holly to observe the surgery. So, Holly sat in the surgery, observing and praying over my sweet girl throughout the entire surgery! She twice came out to share how surgery was progressing.
Here is a picture of Holly (and her husband Neil...Young Life Staff Leader at South Meck).
An answered prayer I will never forget.
Dr. Brigham walked into the patient waiting room over six hours later and exclaimed, "the surgery was a complete success."
Words I will never forget.
The next part of the journey is something for which no one can prepare your heart...seeing our sweet girl in recovery...face swollen...I.V.'s poking out everywhere...four nurses tending for her every need, drugged beyond belief.
A sight I will never forget.
Later that night, I lay by her side in the hospital bed as she cried out in pain..."Mommy please pray...please make this pain go away."
A cry I will never forget.
Today we are home and those memories seem so far away. But I will forever keep them tucked deep inside my heart.
Although the days are hard and our nights sleepless...each day gets better as the pain subsides. God continues to provide. Although I am weary and exhausted, I have been taken to a place that I will never forget...a place of complete and utter dependence on God. I felt so helpless, and He swooped in and covered us under the Shadow of His Wing.
Just a day before Lauren's surgery, a precious woman in my Bible study dropped by a gift. She gave us two handmade elegantly decorated boxes filled with feathers. What a strange gift we though until we read her prayer....
You are the Almighty Most High and You offer us shelter and refuge when we trust You. Father I ask this promise from You for Wendy and Lauren. Please cover them with Your feathers and under Your wings may the find a dwelling place. Like the wings of a mother bird may the shadow of Your protection rest over keeping them safe and sure. When fear assails and their cares trouble them, gently remind them that they have ventured out of that protecting shadow..."
May I tell you that through the prayers of my P31 sisters (who committed to pray hour by hour), through an amazing Scrapbook created by my sweet Bible study girls, through a blanket I brought to the hospital with Psalm 63:7 on it, through you my sweet sisters in Christ, and through a vivid dream I had one night, God did GENTLY REMIND in REAL and POWERFUL ways that we were under the Shadow of His wings.
Although I am weary and broken from watching my girl suffer so these past 9 days, I am filled...just when I think I cannot take another step...God provides through you. You see I have only picked up my Bible once in 8 days...so rare for me. But I have not needed to because He has spoken and continues to speak through you.
Provision I will never forget.
I love you all!!!
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