Teens Teaching Bible Clubs

 Our oldest and youngest boy teaching a group of children the weekly memory verse at Good News Club.  We have the privilege to teach together, as a family, every week at a local public school.  If everyone came at once, we'd have 30 or so students!  Praise God for His increase.

 Our oldest and middle daughter leading singing in front of the same group of children.  It has been a blessing to watch our teenagers grow into confident leaders and want to share their faith with others.

This picture was taken on our trip back up to Alaska near the last part of September, 2014.  Yes, all of our worldly belongings fit in here!  Hard to believe for a family of eight.  We tried to capture the layers of sandy grey road silt that clings to everything but it blends in so well with our grey truck. 

So what brought us back to Alaska?  Everyone asks and I can give you the short version or long, but perhaps most would rather hear the short....

Many of you know we left due to our oldest daughter needing an ablation done on her heart.  She was in the previous picture leading the song she knows all too well, that "Jesus is caring for you, even on dark nights."  She at a young age, knows quite a few dark nights already.  We are so glad to put some very long and difficult days behind us.

She had the ablation done at OHSU in Portland, Oregon and it was successful.  About 5 months later she began getting sick and lost 12 pounds before we discovered she had an H.pylori stomach infection.  At one point, before we knew what the diagnosis was, the dentist found a spot in her mouth that appeared suspect for cancer.  We cried in the office that day, I couldn't help the torrent of emotions and not knowing why. 

After double checking, the spot appeared to have faded in a few weeks, and wasn't even an issue.  The diagnosis was clear at that point.  The treatment didn't work until we visited an amazing Naturopath, Dr. Dianna Henson out of Portland.  She not only treated with the triple dose antibiotic, but gave her herbs, charcoal and pro-biotics.

I remember in the middle of one these "dark nights", staying up late with my daughter vomiting yet again, I cried out to God in prayer on my knees.  I told Him, take the cabin in Alaska, and give me my daughter back!  Well, He did!  He wants to give us the desires of our heart, the Bible says so, we just need to ask. 

I've learned a lot about prayer over the last 2 years.  It really works, it's just the outcome is not always what we think.  God already has a plan for each of us and the entire world.  Our prayers don't change His mind.  Our prayers re-align us with His desires, they put us in step with what He is already doing.  I'm learning to spot God's handiwork in everything, even the smallest little insignificant things are showing up with His fingerprints all over them!

So, that was the first year out of Alaska.  By the time our daughter was completely healed it was Fall again, the following year.  You'd think we could claim some sort of button that allowed us to not have to go through any more medical trials, but alas, it wasn't to be.....  almost a year following to date of our oldest daughter's ablation at OHSU, I found myself walking the same halls of that Portland Hospital, this time with my wee little 8 month old baby girl strapped to a stretcher in her car seat.  Several EMT's were escorting us and had driven us by ambulance from the McMinnville Hospital, with Daddy following by car.  Even EMT's can get lost in a hospital, they had to stop and ask directions from a late night Doctor walking the halls. 

I felt such an incredible peace, not knowing why our baby girl was weak, and showing signs of paralysis of hands and drooping eyes.  I remember the exact place in those halls that God impressed upon my heart the realization of Him having already prepped me for this a year before.

After 3 days in the hospital, they released us.  The first night they prepared us for the worst:  a case of infant botulism.  They would send away for the serum the following morning as they expected her to lose her ability to breathe on her own.  We prayed, everyone we knew prayed and God spared her.  The next day she could still breathe.  The following day, she was strong enough to support herself again.  She hadn't regained the ability to open her hands but they told us to go home and continue to watch her closely because they didn't know what had happened, but she was better.  I asked them about the powerful effects of prayer, but of course that isn't a medical term and not well understood.  They did tell me it was a rare occurrence that they ever sent anyone home from there without a clue of what happened. 

A week and half later I saw an old friend in the grocery store.  I hadn't seen her in years and our baby waved again for the first time, opening her hands completely!  I choked up, the lady said, "How cute!"  I responded, let me tell you this amazing story, it's really a miracle.....  she then suddenly exclaimed, "This is the baby I've been praying for!  I never heard what happened!"  She went on to explain how a little girl asked for prayer in her Sunday school class.  Isn't God good?  He hears the prayers of little ones and responds.  The entire time of this glorious exchange, her unsaved husband listened on.  For us, it is a small taste of Heaven on earth.... to know there's a God, to know he hears, to know He cares enough to love, and Responds!

This same wee little one is crying for me now, I must respond.  Will type more as the days go by....