Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Trials...?


For the last week and a half, we've had Samuel in the hospital with pneumonia. He actually was discharged on Thursday last week, then went back in on Saturday night... Seems this pneumonia is wreaking havoc inside his body, and they can't figure out what's really going on. They have him on two antibiotics now...but his fever is playing games with his body it seems... He'll be fine and dandy for about 24 hours, then it'll spike again... Then it'll go down, etc... Anyhow, we'd appreciate your prayers for his healing, and for Becky and I and the other two boys--we're tired of hospital days and nights, driving back and for the the hospital in the morning, afternoon and evening...gets draining after a while, ya know? However, tonight I'm at home with Caleb & David while Becky spends the night at the hospital with Samuel... Meanwhile, I'm at home and was singing some hymns to Caleb as he fell asleep. One that I sang was "How Firm a Foundation"... Now, just in case you haven't sung the lyrics in a while, take a look at them below, especially the bold lettering (my doing):
  1. How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,
    Is laid for your faith in His excellent word!
    What more can He say than to you He hath said—
    To you who for refuge to Jesus have fled?
  2. Fear not, I am with thee, oh, be not dismayed,
    For I am thy God, and will still give thee aid;
    I’ll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,
    Upheld by My gracious, omnipotent hand.
  3. “When through the deep waters I call thee to go,
    The rivers of sorrow shall not overflow;
    For I will be with thee thy trouble to bless,
    And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.
  4. “When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie,
    My grace, all-sufficient, shall be thy supply;
    The flame shall not harm thee; I only design
    Thy dross to consume and thy gold to refine.
  5. “The soul that on Jesus doth lean for repose,
    I will not, I will not, desert to his foes;
    That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
    I’ll never, no never, no never forsake.”
Now, did you notice the highlighted parts? That's my doing...but look at the 3rd and 4th stanzas! It's all about God's faithfulness to us in our trials and His purpose in our suffering. We've been through a bit of trials & suffering in our short years together (10 years married this coming August 2013), but one thing we know for sure: God alone has "caused us to stand" as the hymn says. Not by our own strength, but by His Hand has he held us up. So, though we are in the US on medical leave, and Samuel's in the hospital with pneumonia right now, even while our hearts are in Brazil and the ministry there, we still know the Firm Foundation that has been laid for us in Christ Jesus, and we cling to it!
In a few days we'll write another update with more details regarding our medical leave and the happenings here in Chicago where we're staying.
Thank you for your prayers!