Update on Katie

Some of you may not know that Katie was born with an unusual heart. She has a ventricular septal defect. We have been monitoring it since she was born. I am grateful for all the Lord has done in her life through this and what He has taught me about trusting Him with this child whom He has loaned to me for such a short time. Recently, Katie went in for her heart to be checked. Her cardiologist wanted to be sure that this newest growth spurt did not bring about any new problems.

Katie went into this appointment with such bravery and confidence. I was so proud of her! She had both an EKG and an ultrasound of her little heart. Praise the Lord for His faithfulness! The doctor was very pleased with her progress and did not detect any lapses in her progress. There is still one very small hole which does not seem to be causing her any problems. We are clear for another 3 years.

I just want to give glory to the Lord for His hand on Katie's physical heart. My prayer, of course, is that He will begin to work on her spiritual heart, which is full of sin. I love Katie will all of my heart. I would love nothing more than to one day see her come to a saving knowledge of my Lord and Saviour. It is humbling to realize that I can not force this decision nor do anything to guarantee it. My calling is to be a faithful instrument in the hands of my Lord and then trust Him. What a privilege to serve Him!

Lessons Learned

It's been one of those weeks. Do you ever have those? Each day you wake up hoping it's better than the one before only to be met with new challenges and frustrations. It's so easy to lose heart and want to throw in the towel. That's where I was most of last week. For about 3 weeks now, I've made a new commitment to get up by 7:00 and start my day in God's Word. The challenge has been to actually get up (I am NOT a morning person) and then deal with my children and train them. Ironically enough, each week has gotten harder, not easier. My expectations have been shattered and my encouragement has dwindled to the point of complete frustration. Doesn't God want me to have uninterrupted time with Him? Isn't He able to cause my kids to just be quiet for at least 30 minutes so that I can begin the day with the right heart? Why am I battling anger every day? These were just some of the questions I asked myself this week.

So, what were the lessons learned? They came in pieces from different sources. Praise the Lord for His servants who give such encouragement at just the right time. A dear friend came over for lunch and just sat and listened to me. Her counsel was for me to remember that these years don't last forever and that I am in a season. It isn't about how long I spend with the Lord or even what I read. It's about obedience and honoring Him. I must acknowledge Him first (Proverbs 3:6) and not get so caught up in the legalism of crossing "Quiet Time" off my list. This is hard for me. I'm a rule-follower. But living a God-centered life isn't about following all the rules. It's surrendering my will daily (even hourly) to my Lord. Proverbs 16:9 says, "The mind of man plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps." It's learning to rest in the knowlege that He is sovereign over my day and has the perfect "to do" list for me. Every circumstance that happens is a result of His hand. I must seek to honor Him through the interruptions, mundane tasks, repetitive words, times of discipline as well as the fun times and times I feel most productive.

What lessons will you learn today? Do you see His sovereign hand in all events of your day? What is on His "to do" list for you?