LIFE

imagine the impact!

Remember our Troops...

Since my last post about the Aggie band tribute to the military, I watched this video on You Tube that was put together by a 15 year old girl. We should never forget all the troops that are fighting for us, for our freedom!

Real Living comes in the Trials...

In my previous post I spoke of a letter that we had received. This letter was from a couple named David & Alicia that we support the ministry of for Campus Crusade for Christ. Although I have not had the opportunity to meet this couple, as I have read their periodic updates & story of who they are, I am truly amazed by their character. The most recent letter we received brought devastating news concerning their 6 month old named Mark so I write this asking for your prayers. To give some background, this couple had 2 children of their own and has adopted 2 children who are from the same mother. The birthmom has 3 other children that she cares for, one of which they recently discovered had Duchenne’s Muscular Dystrophy. This disease is typically passed through the mother & affects boys so it was suggested that David & Alicia test Mark, their adopted 6 month old. So, a week ago, they found out that he has Duchenne’s Muscular Dystrophy. See the below description of MD:

Definition - One of nine types of muscular dystrophy, a group of
genetic, degenerative diseases primarily affecting voluntary muscles.

Cause - An absence of dystrophin, a protein that helps keep muscle cells
intact.

Onset - Early childhood - about 2 to 6 years.

Symptoms - Generalized weakness and muscle wasting first affecting the
muscles of the hips, pelvic area, thighs and shoulders. Calves are often
enlarged.

Progression - DMD eventually affects all voluntary muscles, and the
heart and breathing muscles. Survival is rare beyond the early 30s.

Inheritance - X-linked recessive. DMD primarily affects boys, who
inherit the disease through their mothers. Women can be carriers of DMD
but usually exhibit no symptoms.

Mark will have no symptoms for years, but will have a certain physical death no later than his late 20’s. "Of course, this is without a miracle from God...." "...We are devastated." To say the least, this family is really struggling right now and could really use all of the prayers that we can lift up for them and their precious little boy. Just 2 days after learning of the news of their son, they had to evacuate for hurricane Ike. They returned back home and thankfully their house was fine, but Alicia wrote that, "as we drove through all the destruction, seeing all the gigantic tress laid flat and twisted metal all over the place, houses ruined, and once valuables now tossed in the trash. As I looked at all this, I knew it is exactly how I feel on the inside."

However, she says "There is one conclusion I have come to~I don’t want anyone to fear adoption because of this. Adoption is still the greatest gift of my life in giving me two precious children. Having children by birth or adoption is a great risk, but I do know that this is where the real living comes. Without risk, there is no real joy. Pain is certainly a part of it, but it is NOT the burden of now having a child with a terrible disease, it is the heart-break of not getting to have him long enough. I would adopt him all over again, knowing everything I know now."


PLEASE lift up this family in your prayers. It is a devastating situation, and these that make me think how little my trials that I complain about really are! I will post updates as I receive more information.

Devastation...

Flooding in Southern Louisiana

Many of you know about our good friends who have a child named Jude that has Mitochondrial disease. You may be thinking, "I've never heard of that disease", but it is really not as rare as you may think considering most people are unaware of it. 1 in every 2,000 children are born or will develop mitochondrial disease by 10 years of age, but many cases go mis or undiagnosed so the number is probably much higher. Jude's mom Julie has made it her mission to promote awareness of this disease since Jude was diagnosed. She has led all kinds of creative fundraising efforts for the UMDF (United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation) & has spoken at many public forums to tell Jude's story & explain the symptoms & affects of Mito. Most recently, she & her mother have devoted this past year planning & preparing for a fundraising event called "Jude's Fai-do-do for Mito" to raise money for UMDF. If you are not cajun & unfamiliar with the term "fai-do-do", as I was not, it is basically a big dance with lots of cajun music & cajun food. Anyway, due to the devastation of Ike on the town in Louisiana where the event was to be held & to Julie's mother's house in southern Louisiana, the event has been cancelled. Their energies have been re-focused to getting her mom's (& other family in the area) house cleaned up and fixed from the damage of Ike. So please pray for Julie & her family as they struggle through this trying time of devastation & the dissappointment of planning for this event for so long only to have to cancel it. Also, you can read about Jude's story on the website where there is also a link to donate to UMDF if you feel so led.

Devastation seems to be the theme in those lives around me lately, whether due to natural disasters such as hurricane Ike & Gustav, loss of family & even children unexpectedly, or diagnosis of illness among adults & children we know. So through all of this I have been pondering over how God works through these devastating events in our lives and I read a letter this morning from another of our friends who has recently been devastated (I'll post later) who wrote "I do know that this is where the real living comes. Without risk (or trials or challenges), there is no real joy." (italics added by me) That is so the truth & exactly what God teaches us:

Romans 5:3-5 .... "We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love." (New Living Translation)

Over & over in the Bible God speaks to & through His disciples & prophets using examples of joy admidst trials & hardships & He promises to always "...work for the good of those who love Him..." (Romans 8:28) So if you are facing trials, challenges, risks & devastation right now, be joyful admist it, even praise God for it, knowing & trusting that God will bless you & bring you joy on the other side of it!