I’m always amazed when I come across stories of hope. Stories of lives that God uses to bring glory to himself. The video below is a reminder of such stories. Thanks to Brian Eberly for showing this on his blog.
Compassion
“I’ve learned that trusting and following the heart of God is the most beautifully risky thing you’ll ever do. It requires much risk, much sacrifice…but it is the most satisfying and fulfilling thing you’ll ever do. In many ways, we know that this story we’ve been a part of is just beginning…and we are thrilled that God chose us to be a part of such a magnificent story.”
These words are so true, they reflect the struggles of adoption and the struggles of life. You can read the full post here.
We have been lifting up organizations such as Real Hope for Haiti and Compassion International in prayer and rightly so. We have been lifting the people of Haiti and all those who have come to their aid in prayer also. I would encourage you to continue to lift your voices to God for those in Haiti, to continue to give finically and sacrificially.
“God burden our hearts for the widow and orphan. Burden our hearts for this hurting country, for the people of Haiti. Amen.”
excited to release this video, especially with ALL that is going on to get Amos home these past few days… share it with friends!
::Aaron Ivey
To those who read my blog be in prayer that Amos will come home soon.
This weekend marks a huge turning point in the lives of a few friends here in Durham.
Jeremy Copeland, a close friend and church planter moved his family to Durham North Carolina from Southern California about the same time we moved here. Jeremy is the lead pastor of story church and this Sunday marks the official launch of their church plant here in Durham. Another friend I meet through Copeland, an Irishman named Alastiar Vance is leading worship for Story Church and does a brilliant job. His family moved here from the UK awhile back.
If you’re new to the area or have been here awhile, or maybe you have tried other churches or given up on church all together I would encourage you to check them out. Service starts at 10AM, below is the address, but don’t trust your GPS the school where they meet just opened this year.
Spring Valley Elementary School
2051 Northern Durham Parkway
Durham, NC 27703
So I’m asking those who read my blog to take some time this weekend and over the next few weeks and months to commit to pray for Story Church and the ministry God has already allowed them to do in Durham. You can follow Jeremy on twitter @pastorcope, Story Church @storychurch, and Alastair @alastairvance to keep up to date on what God is doing.
I’ve had a lot on my mind lately. Some of which I would love to share on here and some of which I just can’t. Some of it is exciting yet stressful and some is just unknown to us but known to God.
Lauren is rocking it. In fact, we are waiting on a date to have her trach taken out which is big news for our household. All we are waiting on is the OR date, which could be as early as the first week of December. We can’t even fathom what life will be like without all the medical equipment we have to carry around with us. The diaper bag alone will loose about 20lbs! It will just be amazing. We are going to be able to put “the tank” in storage for awhile and take out pinky. The tank is the tandem double stroller we use to carry all her medical junk as well as whatever else we need to bring with us places. Pinky is a VERY pinky stroller that screams girl. Even though she is getting the trach out, she still cannot eat on her own and will have the feeding tube for a long while. Our goal is to start kindergarden without the feeding tube, feeding pump, and backpack; so that is a few years.
I have friends who have just recently changed church jobs (as well as states) and friends who are praying for God’s leading to new positions. I know churches who are struggling with the choices they have made/will make in the coming months and I’m praying for God’s direction for them.
I’m seeking God’s direction for our student ministry this coming year. We have our Winter Retreat coming up and I still have a lot of planning and prep to do. I’m praying for each of our students who are going to attend this event and those who have darkened the door of Refuge since I came on staff, I pray that God would speak into their lives even if they don’t care to hear what he has to say.
God has been challenging me through various books and blogs I have been reading and I’m grateful. There are many minds out there far more brilliant then my own.
Now I leave you and ask for your continued pray for my daughter, my wife, and myself too. I’m off to play a bit on my box before I slip under the blankets and drift off to sleep.
Midnight dinners at Duke can be very delicious but I doubt very healthy. My chicken salad sandwich will satisfy the taste-buds nicely with it’s green leafy stuff, sharp cheddar cheese, mayo, tomato, and banana peppers, all spread out on a couple nice pieces of sourdough bread. I forgot to mention the extra pickles the lady tossed in for good measure. Yummy.
Lauren is doing pretty good. She was moved out of the PICU late this evening and we now have a private room on the floor. This was not supposed to happen until at least Monday. It has it’s mixed blessings. The reason it happened sooner then later is due to the tear in her spinal drain tubing. They had to take it out to reduce the risk of infection which could be really bad since it is literal draining CSF from her spinal/cranial area. The good news is we may go home sooner then expected. We are hoping the CSF leak is fixed and will only really tell with time and healing. Lauren is still pretty swollen on the left side of her face and the area behind her ear has to heal all over again. The good news about the surgery is that it went better then the doctor thought. He was able to save her ear drum and the “hearing bones” of the inner ear. She may still need a hearing aid in the near future but we won’t know until they can do a hearing test after she has healed more. Another huge plus is that we have changed her feeding schedule while we have been here so she will no longer be getting a feed all night long. She will now have 6 larger feeds throughout the day instead of 4 smaller ones and the long night feed. This will make the transition to not having a nurse at home (when the time comes) much easier.
We’ve been praying for a few families we have meet here this time around. The first is in the PICU and we shared a room with them, it seems that the doctors are trying to figure out what is going on and it’s been a difficult process. Another was across from us in the PICU (in the next room) and was flown in from Texas via a medical transport, much the same way Lauren came to Duke on one occasion. The third I meet tonight, the mother and her family where looking at Lauren from the hall since she is such an outgoing person and apparently cute as all get out (I’m not bias or anything). They have been here since Tuesday and will likely be here throughout next week. Their son has seen many of the same doctors we have and we can relate to their heartache.
I’ve been able to interact with a lot of the Peds staff this time around and I’m grateful to hear their stories. I truly enjoy talking to people when they are willing to be open and engaging in return. It also helps that they are stuck in a room with you for their entire shift. We have had some good laughs in the last few days, not to mention the head or two that pops in to watch college football on your flat panel TV with you when your daughter is sleeping.
I’ve started reading a book this week called “Crazy Love,” I know, you read the title and your like what? Just hear me out a minute. It is a book by pastor/speaker Francis Chan, who many of you in our church have likely never heard of, but I would encourage you to pick up this book and give it a read. I am on the first chapter and desire to share with you something Chan wrote in the preface.
“This book is written for those who want more Jesus. It is for those who are bored with what American Christianity offers. It is for those who don’t want to plateau, those who would rather die before their convictions do.”
I stand amazed when I read this and have to admit that I am VERY bored with “American Christianity” and what it offers as Chan has said. I believe when we step back and look at our Christianity, that is our personal belief in Christ and what the word “disciple” means, many of us would have to admit we have reached a plateau having found the comfort it offers good. I would also add our desire to continue the journey to the summit has waned considerably and I fear for many it may not exist at all.
In my own life, I have this desire of wanting more Jesus of wanting to follow Him no matter the cost but am I willing to do what it takes? Are you willing too? Are we as a church willing? I am excited as I read the pages and scared too because the words are challenging my soul. Later in the preface Chan goes on to say,
“We need to stop giving people excuses not to believe in God. You’ve probably heard the expression “I believe in God, just not organized religion.” I don’t think people would say that if the church truly lived like we are called to live. The expression would change to “I can’t deny what the church does, but I don’t believe in their God.” At least then they’d address their rejection of God rather than use the church as a scapegoat.”
Wow. He is right you know, I’ve know many people who say this and I have to agree we give people the excuses. Christians stand before the world and are looked upon by our actions, our lives, and our churches. Sad but true, the actions of a few speak for the majority. I’m not sure the direction this book is heading, but the title “Crazy Love” and Francis Chan’s desire to pursue God, “to lead a church of comfortable people into lives of risk and adventure” sounds like a great vision to me. I’ll leave you with the closing words of the preface and hope you pick up a copy of this book.
“Come with me on this journey. I don’t promise it will be painless. Change, as we all know, is uncomfortable. It’s up to you to respond to what you read. But you will have a choice: to adjust how you live daily or to stay the same.”
So Lauren made it through surgery just fine. They got the spinal drain in which was going to help drain fluid and keep pressure off the area they where going to repair. Well, the repair did not happen. From my understanding (since I was not there) when they got in there to do the repair the saw tissue pushing its way through the bone and they are not sure of it’s brain tissue or tumor so they could not proceed any farther. They did a biopsy and sent it off but it’s going to be a few days before they get the results. They also did some stuff with her left ear which will likely have a major negative effect on her hearing but we will wait and see.
Lauren will remain at Duke for the next 5 days as planned and at the moment will come home. Then once they have the results and they can get everything organized again they will bring her back into the OR for the surgery again, this time to either repair like they where going to before or to remove tumor and repair depending on the results of the biopsy.
I’m still feeling like junk on and off. Rebecca is having to miss work tomorrow to sit with Lauren since I’m not allowed near the hospital right now due to my lovely new friend H1N1 taking up residence in my body. Duke has also put Beck and her parents who are visiting us to help out on meds for H1N1 just to be safe. Don’t worry Lauren has been on the meds for H1N1 since they found out that I had it. No one is allowed to visit Lauren, Rebecca is having to fully gown to see her in the PICU and I’m not sure if that is going to be the same when she goes to to step down.
I really don’t know what else to type at this moment other then asking for your continued prayer for our daughter and her health.
This next week is going to be busy.
Monday: appointment for Lauren with peds neurosurgery, OT appointment for Lauren, work at the church in the afternoon, meeting with Copeland to get speakers back, drop drum set off to Justin Teseniar, and work on service for refuge Wednesday.
Tuesday: Work on service for refuge & setup the worship area. Be home by 3PM so the nurse can leave. Stay with Lauren until the nurse comes at 11PM while attempting to work from home. Watch lots of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. Fallout 3 Game of the Year Edition drops. Cook Dinner.
Wednesday: Up early for nurse to leave, finish service details/setup for refuge, pickup the outlaws I mean in-laws from the airport (I might have lunch with them if I am lucky), nurse leaves at 4 when my sweet wife gets home (she will be happy to see her parents). refuge at 6PM, freak out because I don’t have someone to lead music, then remember that my computer can handle it.
Thursday: Lauren’s surgery. We love visitors but Duke is not allowing ANYONE to visit other then immediate family members and no one under 18. Clergy are an exception, which covers just about all the people I know! However please call my cell before coming to see us. Lauren will spend at least the first day/night in the PICU of her 5 day stay and no one but us can be in there with her.
Friday: Stay with Lauren in hospital, hopefully on step down, pending how she recovers. Work on service stuff for Sunday. Push lauren around Duke in her stroller for 12 hours (pending how she’s doing). You laugh but last time we walked around Duke that much with her. We saw the fish tank (her favorite thing at Duke) every few minutes.
Saturday: Stay with Lauren in hospital.
Sunday: Morning service & movie night at church, stay with Lauren in hospital.
I’m sitting here in my office, I have not been in this seat very much this week or last but I’m hear now. We cancelled refuge this past wednesday night (good or not, I feel it was the right choice). There was no way I could make it here from Duke after Lauren had her tests to set things up (we had an event in the fellowship hall the same day so setup had not happened yet) nor would I have been in the right frame of mind to teach, or did I have enough time to have someone else prep. I have to say that balancing the ministry here and the home life has been a challenge. I fee that I am behind in so much and ahead in other things. Im glad my real office weighs about 6 pounds and has a 15″ screen with a glowing Apple logo. I’ve found it interesting to do ministry “work” in different environments and glad that I work at a church that has entrusted me with this ministry even when it means I’m not sitting at my physical desk 40 hours a week or for two days because Lauren has appointments or she is in the hospital, or that my car is at the church till 12AM one night and only there 4 hours the following day, or that I’m up until all hours planning a worship service because that’s when time was available to do so and I have not been sleeping well anyway. Our church knows I’m working when I can, 5 minutes here, a couple hours there. I’m thankful for technology and the ability I have through it to work in these different places where 20-30 years ago it would have been more of a challenge. Our students have been understanding too, we connect daily/weekly on Facebook and through twitter and text messaging. No, it does not compare to “in person” community (in my opinion) but it’s a form of community just the same and for them more so. Find balance in life is hard. If God is the focus, the center (thanks Charlie Hall) then all things find balance and flow out from him who is the axis of life.
So I’m thankful for technology, for life, for Lauren, for a church that has my back, for our students’ and adults’ support/understanding, and for God who we struggle with understanding sometimes (especially when our life is nuts) but hey I’m okay with that since Jeremy Copeland reminded my wife and I Sunday night at a preview service for a church he is planting called Story Church that “Jesus isn’t overwhelmed by our circumstances.”
Phone just rang and a student needs a lift from school so I’m out to pick him up and spend some time with him and hope that God would use me as a subtle tool to speak hope and love into the areas of his life that he needs it most.