Thursday, November 30, 2006

A Full Week of Updates


"Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks for the reason for your hope" 1 Peter 3:!5
and our hope is Jesus Christ!

"Brothers and sisters:If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead,you will be saved.For one believes with the heart and so is justified,and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved.The Scripture says,No one who believes in him will be put to shame.There is no distinction between Jew and Greek;the same Lord is Lord of all,enriching all who call upon him.For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.But how can they call on him in whom they have not believed?And how can they believe in him of whom they have not heard?And how can they hear without someone to preach?And how can people preach unless they are sent?As it is written,How beautiful are the feet of those who bring the good news!" Romans 10:9-15

Jen, you have beautiful feet!! Gigi when you read all of these posts someday...tell your mommie what beautiful feet she has! Because she is always updating and praising and giving Glory and bringing people to Christ and letting the reason for her Hope be known. Jesus Christ. She believes in the bigger picture. She believes in His divine purpose....for her, for Gigi and for you who are this!

FROM JEN:Gigi had surgery Monday (11/27).... removal and replacement of her temporary external ventricular drain. She still has considerable inflammatory effects from the menningitis, leaving her CSF thicker than hoped for at this point. I am thankful her neurosurgeon made the decision to postpone placement of her permanent shunt.... there would have been a higher risk of occlusion now. He plans to place the permanent internal VP shunt in 2 weeks, anticipating her CSF will be more clear and pose less of a blockage-risk. She also has a wonderful Infectious Disease specialist following her.... praise God for his genuine concern! Her nurses are truly God-sent. They have shown so much love and compassion that I can leave her each day KNOWING she is well-cared for. They have been a huge blessing to us each day and each night.

Please pray for continued protection from infection and overall healing for her... and for clear CSF! It has been a hard day... watching her go through this. She was happy and playful this morning, and is now sedated and on a ventilator. It makes my heart so heavy, but I'm so thankful to be able to see God's fingerprints all over this. I know He is carrying us all through. On the way home, I was crying and angry... having to leave her in such a state. Praise God for His perfect timing in the song I heard "Hold on to Jesus.... He's Holding on to you". I instantly had this vision of Him holding Gigi TIGHT... like there was a force He was protecting her from. What a blessing to receive that gift!


Wednesday: I just spoke with Gigi's nurse.... she said Gigi had a great night... awake and alert, and even is taking the bottle again!!!! She bounced back so quickly after her surgery Monday! I can't wait to go see her!


A word from me.....As Christmas appoaches and we are in this season of waiting, are you filled with hope or dread? Retailers and Marketers are sending a LOUD message that your Christmas will not be perfect unless you follow their lead and purchase their product. Does it not fill you with dread to think that you might not "get it all done". But your Christmas will BE PERFECT if you know that each of you has already been purchased by the Son and each of you has the same HOPE mentioned in 1Peter, despite that you may not have spent so much on somebody or completely decorated the house or finished all the baking. Have beautiful feet this year and spend the next few weeks spreading God's Love in our words and actions and Christmas morning you will not be worried about material gifts as much as spiritual gifts. If we can bring Jesus Christ to someone that is a much greater gift than anything the local department store is advertising!

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