340 Days!!

This has been a somewhat crazy week and it is not what I had planned. We had many things going on at church, with the sound booth location change and new monitor system. There was a lot of anticipation for this week and weekend. Finally we are moving on improving sound. Then, out of nowhere, after Life Group on Wednesday night Kai began screaming. Not your normal “I’m tired” or “I’m Hungry” cry, this was a painful scream. Sarah held him to comfort him and it seemed to have done the trick, until about midnight when Kai began to vomit. Initially we weren’t too concerned and in fact we thought maybe that would fix the issue but that was just a beginning.

For those that don’t know Kai’s medical history, I’ll give you a very brief recap. When Sarah was 12 weeks along, we found out Kai had a birth defect known as Gastroschisis (https://health.google.com/health/ref/Gastroschisis). He was born with his intestines outside of his body. He was delivered on February 25, 2009 at Loma Linda Children’s Hospital in Southern California. He was paralyzed and sedated for the first 8 days of his life until he had surgery to put his intestines back inside. We were supposed to be in the NICU for 4-6 months. In the best case scenario for a Gastroschisis baby with no complications is 6 weeks. Every nurse and doctor told us we were in for the long haul. But…God had different plans. Kai was supposed to have multiple surgeries and ending up only have the first initial one. His bowels began working, even though we were told that there was no possible way that could happen. The Main pediatric surgeon told us in his over 2000 cases of Gastroschisis he had never seen something like this happen. Um, we can tell you… God had worked a miracle, right before our eyes.

And for 340 (or so) days Kai has been fine. No signs of any problems, on the outside. Well apparently on the inside he had an obstruction in his bowels, and that was causing the pain. The only solution was surgery.

Oh man, not this weekend. I was on a schedule and there was a lot to get prepared for and now it was looking like we were not only going to have to deal with surgery, but with an extended hospital stay.

Now, obviously my involvement in the changes at Abundant Life dropped down the priority list immediately. But how could this be happening? How can things go from being fine to surgery and maybe resection of bowel (possible ostemies) within a day? What was going to be the outcome? These things ran through our minds. We couldn’t believe that just a week or so after celebrating Kai’s 1^st Birthday we were back in the hospital.

Then while waiting for them to come get Kai to take him in for surgery a couple things popped into my mind. One was God’s faithfulness. How he has been faithful in the past when Kai was born all the way up to this moment. And, the other was the issue of Control, and more so, the lack of control that we have. There was nothing I could do in this situation. Nothing I

could have done to prevent it and I had no control of the outcome. I felt like the only thing I could do was Pray and Trust. Easier said then done, right? Then I remembered last week at our worship team devotional time we wrapped up with Hebrews 4:14-16 ¹⁴Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens,^[a] Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. ¹⁵For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. ¹⁶Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

I found comfort in this great reminder that we have a God who sympathizes with us in our weakness, even in my unbelief, and that I can go to Him with confidence trusting that He will give me mercy and grace. I need that reminder.

I don’t know where you’re at right now. Maybe you’ve had a hard time giving up control or trusting that God is there. Maybe you’re in a situation that is out of your control. I hope this can be an reminder that we have a Heavenly Father who loves and cares for his children more than we could ever know. That we can come as we are and He will carry us through. ALWAYS!! Even when things don’t turn out the way we expected. He see’s the whole picture He is still faithful.

Well Kai’s surgery went great. They removed an obstruction the size of a baseball out of his bowels, and said he should be back to normal within a week. Praise God!! Thank you for all the prayers…

Here are some more verses that I hope will be some encouragement for us all…

John 16:33

“These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.”

Psalm 46:1-3,7

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change and though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea; though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains quake at its swelling pride. Selah. The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold. Selah.

Isaiah 41:10

‘Do not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’

2 Timothy 1:7

⁷For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self discipline.

Psalm 16:8

⁸ I have set the LORD always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.

Psalm 55:22

²² Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you he will never let the righteous fall.

Psalm 62:6

⁶ He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.

1 Peter 5:7

⁷Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

Nahum 1:7

⁷ The LORD is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him,

Isaiah 26:3

³ You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in