"I Am Glad"

Hi Ladies!  God is so faithful and answers prayers!!  If you remember the last time I blogged, I wrote about being intentional and choosing to be intentional with those whom God puts in our paths.  I specifically wrote about how the medical community is where my heart longs to be intentional.  To read my previous blog: click here.

Little did I realize, we would spend 10 days admitted in the hospital with our son, Kevin.  Kevin was admitted at Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital for vomiting old blood over thirty times.  This is an issue he had his entire life in El Salvador.  His last event of vomiting old blood, with us, was back in October.

From my perspective, the timing couldn't have been anymore challenging.  My husband is a school teacher and since this hospitalization landed the week before school let out, we were scrambling to get him to be able to attend Commencement, Awards Night, Field Day, and more.  Normally, he would have just taken off work during a hospitalization like this, but again, the timing couldn't have been more challenging.  Thankfully, we made it work!  And we are now home!

This hospitalization was such a perfect example of an opportunity to be relational  and intentional.  My flesh wanted to, and did indeed, utter the words " I hate the hospital"  Thirteen years of facing the unplanned - rush to the E.D., live out of a suitcase, sleep on the most uncomfortable little pull-out bed, and getting horrible sleep - has caught up with me and made me less tolerant of these admissions.  And, to be honest, I am not twenty years old anymore and so my body begs for my own bed and good rest.   See just how easy it is to complain and miss the God given opportunity that is before you?  Satan would love nothing more than for us to complain, self-pity, and miss every opportunity to minister others, because we can be so self-focused.  Praise God that my heart and my mind were recently filled with thoughts of intentionality! Rather than continuing to choose sin, I chose to relate to the staff caring for us.  It is amazing how asking simple questions, even ones as simple as "how are you?"  is a way to minister and to be light!  I learned so much about the many different nurses, physicians, and respiratory therapists who cared for us those ten days.  In our first week one of our physicians was a woman whom I had never met before (we know most of the doctors and nurses!!). She was very quiet and gentle and incredibly patient.  She was very intrigued by Kevin's story.  She demonstrated an excellence in patient and family centered care, making sure we were comfortable and that our questions and concerns had been answered and addressed.  Two different times the Lord put on my heart just to thank her for her kindness and patience to our family and to give her BIG hugs!! I could see it in her eyes that she was blessed and encouraged!!  The awesome thing is that, our paths WILL INDEED cross again; and I will hug her AGAIN; and I will be genuinely excited to see her !!!  See how God builds and creates beautiful relationships!?

On one of our last mornings in the hospital, after reading my Bible, listening to a Francis Chan sermon, and just listening to worship music, I was holding Kevin in my lap and rocking him.  I held him tight and wept.  I wept in awe of God.  He had me in the perfect place, fullfilling His perfect will for my life. There is so much grace and power in realizing you are right where God wants you, doing exactly what He has chosen, called, and equipped you for!  For me, it was holding tight the little boy that Dan and I waited 4 long years for.  It was recognizing that these hospital rooms would house our family not only now but time and time again in the future, and although it isn't easy, it is Godly, it is purposeful, and it is the EXACT place we are called to be.  But, God challenged me with yet another lesson in His love and His purposes...He showed me that I am in the medical world to be light AND bring forth truth!

Matthew 10:32 - Whoever acknowledges Me before men, I will also acknowledge 

him before my Father in Heaven.  But whoever disowns Me before men, 

I will disown him before my Father in Heaven."    

Ladies, I know that Christ is my only Hope!  He IS Hope!  I know that He is the reason I find purpose in trials and in suffering!  But, I am not so good at just saying that.  Are you?  I don't know why I have a hard time with this.  But, I realize that I must acknowledge Christ!  I realize that again, it is a spiritual battle!  I have to fight the Enemy of my soul who wants me to never say the words "Jesus," "Christ,"
"Savior," "Redeemer"...he wants me to never proclaim the source of our family's joy and perseverance.  I recognize that I must acknowledge Him with great joy, freedom, and confidence!!  I have found a way that I intend to do this and I invite you, who struggle as I do, to join me.

Can you wake up each morning or even assess your day as it goes by and think of why you are glad?  What are the unmovable, unshakable truths of Jesus Christ in your life that bring you freedom and gladness today?  I am going to wake up each day and think of one reason why I am glad in Christ.  So, when someone asks me, "How are you," I am going to respond that "I am glad."  I have a feeling this response will be received with an interesting look or an inquisitive "why?"  And my response may be something as such: "I am glad that Jesus is with me today," or "I am glad that although today is tough, Christ will never forsake me," or "I am glad that I am forgiven by Christ." Can you imagine???  Yikes...even typing this makes me nervous!  But, ladies, I am DETERMINED to fight for joy and purpose even on the days that are hard!  Each and every day I need to be reminded why I can be glad!  Even in trials, suffering, and hardship we can be glad!  And with this renewing of our own minds comes an awesome way to share the truth of Christ with others!!  Will you join me in this task??  Let's see what God does and let's cheer each other on!

Be amazingly, abundantly glad in Him!!!
~Christine