Category: Family

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Now THAT’S a Scary Congregation

Our church does some fun stuff. This past weekend it organized a Father/Son paintball outing at a paintball facility in the area. I took my son and we spent the day shooting at other guys.

I’m still recovering, and probably will be for a few more days. From the way my body feels, I guess I must’ve spent a lot of time in a crouch or something. Aside from getting hit, my quads scream at me every time I walk downhill or down stairs.

This was my son’s first time paintballing, and he had a good time. We’ve been laser tagging before, but this is simulated combat at another level.

We attend a church in northern Virginia. You know who lives and attends church in northern Virginia? Military dads. You know what military dads teach their kids for fun? Small-unit tactics. I have .68-caliber welts you wouldn’t believe, from both the 40+ crowd and the teenage demographic. One was so deep in my leg that it took a couple of days to start showing. Some of them are places you’d expect, like the chest and the top of the head, but others are in places you wouldn’t really expect, like in the back and ribs (not because I was running away, but because some of the Special Operations members of our congregation out-flanked me and I didn’t even know what was happening until it was too late to avoid the bruises).

For those of you that may not be familiar with paintball, not every paintball that hits you breaks open. If a paintball hits you but doesn’t break, you’re still in the game. There’s something of an honor system in that regard, so it’s easy to get hot under the collar if you think you hit someone but they’re not leaving the field. If they’re not walking off, you usually have to take their word that the paintball hadn’t broken open (and in that case you can keep shooting at them to try to get one to break on them).

No way around it…somebody got me this round

We probably played about a dozen matches that day. The very first one we played, I stuck near my son in the back until he could get a feel for what was happening. As members of our team began getting eliminated, I moved closer to the heavier shooting. Eventually I got shot right in the keister (just a flesh wound!). I put my hand up and covered my barrel, indicating I’d been eliminated, and walked off the field. Only after getting back to the safe zone did I discover that the paintball had not actually burst…I had walked off the field without actually needing to. I eliminated myself! In doing so, I left work undone and I left the team with one fewer member to help out.

There are lots of things in a Christian walk that will sideline people, either temporarily or permanently. Without question, there are things in life that will knock you off your feet and kick you when you’re down. Tragedy, pain, and loss are guarantees. The sad part is when Christians think they should still be sidelined when in reality the power of the Holy Spirit living in them means they’re very capable of doing much more than what they think they’re capable of. Their heads hang low instead of being held high. They live as victims when they should be living victoriously.

As a child of God, you bring something special to this world and to the family of God. If you know what that special something is, but you’re not following through on it, you’re essentially eliminating yourself from the fight. Please, hang in there! You’ve already got everything you need to start doing the work you were put here to do, and if the only reason you haven’t begun is because you haven’t yet chosen to do so, maybe it’s time to get off the sidelines.

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Back to Basics: God Can Use You

Since my last post my family and I got to travel to see some relatives we haven’t seen in a long time, and even met someone that joined the family since I last saw them. It was a trip that involved a lot of driving and covered hundreds of miles, but it was wonderful to celebrate some milestone birthdays with loved ones.

We piled into the minivan in Northern Virginia, and over the course of several days drove up to Connecticut and back. The kids have never been that far north before, and it was a great reunion full of laughs and new memories. We celebrated the birthdays of my twin aunt and uncle, along with my mom.

During the trip we attended my uncle’s long-time church. It’s always interesting to go somewhere new and hear a pastor you’re not accustomed to hearing. His message was titled “God Can Use You.”

Regular readers of this blog know that one of my main goals behind my posts is encouraging you to embrace the calling God has for your life, and use the talents and resources He’s made accessible to you so that you can bring glory to Him. Hearing this pastor’s message reminded me that some people struggle with believing that “God Can Use You.” If you wrestle with that notion, I want to spur you on today: He can do amazing things with your life through your obedience to Him.

Over the course of this trip, we spent a lot of time sitting in traffic. On multiple occasions accidents caused two lanes of traffic to merge down to one, other times spring construction led to delays and backups, and sometimes the rain made us all slow down. My passengers were very patient and hung in there like champs. During one of our times stuck in a crawl, I looked over to my left and saw a bright orange Lamborghini creeping along in the traffic going the opposite direction.

Can you imagine? What a waste that was! Here’s a machine that’s built for speed, for curvy roads, for all-around high performance. Yet here it was, far from fulfilling its potential. It’s a perfect illustration of what life is like when you’re a Christian that doesn’t buy into the idea that God can use you to do something big. It’s untapped capability.

Maybe it’s something you’ve felt before, but fought. Maybe you know what God would have you do, but you fear the unknown. Don’t give in to the idea that you’re not (insert your favorite adjective) enough for God to use your life to make the world or His kingdom better. If, one day, you stand before the Almighty, and He asks you the question “what have you done with the tools I entrusted to you?,” do you want the traffic-bound Lamborghini to be the mental image that sums up your life?

Lord, Your version of success and the world’s version of success are two very different things. Grant me the insight to know what You’d have me do, the resources to do it, and the boldness to leave my comfort zone in order to take the next step. Amen

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She Loves You HOW Much?!

Today is my fifteenth wedding anniversary.

My wife is a special lady. Let me tell you a little bit about what she got herself into when she got married.

At the time, I worked 12-hour shifts in the Air Force, most of the time working overnight. My wife left her home in Ohio, surrounded by friends and family, and traveled to a place in Virginia where the only person she knew was her new husband, and he was often gone overnight or sleeping during the day.

When I lived in the dorms prior to getting married, I didn’t have internet in my room. I had cable TV, but that didn’t translate into always having worthwhile entertainment. I’ve mentioned previously that as a kid I enjoyed watching professional wrestling (WWF/WWE), and when I lived solo in the dorms, I found myself getting back into it, especially when I was wide awake and there was nothing else on at 3 in the morning on my days off.

So when my wife got married, she was marrying a guy who had been watching this stuff for awhile. She dutifully watched this junk along with me, having never seen it before, learning the different characters and storylines as we went.

Photo courtesy of World Wrestling Entertainment

Then we found out the show was coming to our town. We had a big convention center nearby, and a bunch of these characters were going to be performing right there in our town, 15 minutes away. Of course, we had to try to go! The only problem was that we didn’t have a whole lot of spare cash for something like that.

On the evening of the performance we showed up at the ticket office, not quite sure what we’d be dealing with. If they were sold out, well, that would be that. If stuff was too expensive, we’d forget it. We had to at least try, though! (You can probably guess which one of us was driving this train.)

As we looked around for the right place to purchase tickets, there was a guy standing nearby that noticed us. He came walking over to us, and he had on a shirt with the logo of the television network that carried the show. He asked if we’d be interested in a couple of free tickets to see the show that night. It turns out they weren’t the best seats, but his network didn’t want the TV cameras to see any empty seats. We (well, at least I) were/was happy to accept!

We went and found our seats, which were next to two very large guys that didn’t smell great and seemed to enjoy head-banging to the entrance music for certain wrestlers. I don’t remember much of what took place that night, other than a bunch of pumped up dudes talking trash and beating each other up. You know what though? It was fun to do once. I wasn’t intentionally testing her, but my wife demonstrated through her actions that she loved me enough to join me in doing the weird stuff I cared about.

We haven’t been back to see any more WWE events, but we HAVE had three kids, so there’s been plenty more experience with self-centered personalities and manufactured drama.

Babe, it’s just…easy…being married to you. I love you, I’m thankful for you, and I’m very glad God blessed me with someone that loves me even when I’m, well, me. Having a good marriage enables us both to lean forward into some of the other stuff God has for us, and I couldn’t do it without you. Thanks for everything over these past 15 years!

By the way, I’m looking online at tickets to Wrestlemania 38 this coming April…it’s kind of steep, but I think the kids will be at a great age to go see a show!

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Empty’s Never Felt So Full

This weekend is Mother’s Day. Gents and kids, if you haven’t made plans yet, the clock’s ticking.

Moms are special. Not only did I have a mom as I was growing up, but I’m also married to a mom of three kids.

Don’t get me wrong, dads are special too, but c’mon, when a kid needs comfort, Dad’s not the one they go looking for (at least in my experience). I’ve had at least one of my kids, crying, walk up to me when they’re hurt and ask where Mommy is. One night while Mommy was away overnight, my oldest came into our room after having a bad dream. Upon remembering that Mommy wasn’t there, she stopped to think about whether it was even worth waking me up. If Daddy’s the one that says “walk it off” or “rub some dirt on it,” Mommy’s the one that gets down on her knees, wipes away the tears, and knows how to make it all better.

Many times when we think of the character of God, we think of things that we normally associate with males. What we sometimes forget though, is that Adam and Eve were both patterned after God.

When God created mankind, he made them in the likeness of God. He created them male and female and blessed them. And he named them ‘Mankind’ when they were created. –Genesis 5:1-2

This may come as a shock, but males and females are different from one another. Even so, the traits God possesses are manifested in the two genders He made as described in Genesis.

Now obviously you can’t divide these traits into strictly “male” or “female” characteristics. The noblest attributes any of us display are merely a reflection, a result of God’s creating us in His image. That includes fairness, unselfishness, patience, righteous anger, compassion, tenderness, a comforter, and a sense of justice, among others.

To the moms in my life, I’ve seen you display many, if not all of these traits. I’m thankful God made you either with the attributes already built in or with the ability to learn them. Thank you for being godly examples.

I’m including a song that describes the kind of love a mom often displays (especially new moms), but it’s not a song you’d normally associate with Mother’s Day. “Poured out, used up, still givin’, stretching me out to the end of my limits…this is what love feels like.”

For all the moms out there, thank you for your constant love and support, thank you for being there, and thank you for believing in us.

Happy Mother’s Day to you all!

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Awestruck

I enjoy parts of the Bible that give sneak peeks into the realm we can’t see. Specifically, there are parts in the Old Testament books of Ezekiel and Daniel, along with the New Testament book of Revelation, where the authors convey experiences where they visit places that our current bodies were not designed to withstand. These passages more or less illustrate that our bodies cannot physically handle being in the presence of divine glory.

Often the authors of these passages will say something like “I fell on my face” or “I fainted.” Daniel says in Daniel 10:8 that “no strength remained in me; for my vigor was turned to frailty in me, and I retained no strength.” (See also Ezekiel 1:28 and 3:23, Daniel 8:17, and Revelation 1:17)

Can you imagine being so awestruck that your strength just gets sapped from your body?

I can remember a time like that. We took a family vacation to the beach when we only had two very young kids.

We’d gone to the same beach about two years earlier, when we only had our daughter, but our son arrived a couple of months later. Even though she had been less than two years old for her first beach trip, pictures helped her remember the trip and helped get her excited to go back.

My son, on the other hand, had never been there before. Now roughly 23 months old, he saw that his big sister was excited, and that Mommy and Daddy talked about the upcoming trip with smiles. When the day finally came, we took an hours-long car ride on a rainy morning and arrived at our home for the week, just a few blocks from the ocean.

We were all excited to go see the beach right away, especially after being cooped up in a car for so long. We started the walk toward the shore with a bounce in our step.

Off to the beach for a first look!

As we crested the dune and caught our first glimpse of the ocean though, my little guy grew quiet and slowed down. He became almost lethargic. His boundless energy disappeared.

I picked him up, and he cuddled in close. He clung to me in the face of something that, to him, obliterated his concept of just how big the world was. He’d never before experienced the breeze coming off the ocean or the roar of the waves that crashed on top of themselves as they beat against the shore; it was unsettling for him and it sapped his strength.

Those verses listed above give us a sneak peek at just how small we really are, how all the things that stress us out on a daily basis are completely irrelevant compared to the bigger reality.

Stunned

I look at that picture now, years later, and think about how sweet it was to have my little guy awed into a stupor, silently clinging to his daddy and afraid to let go. What a picture of how our Heavenly Father is there for us and is completely at ease dealing with things that would blow our minds. To me it’s a beautiful image of our acknowledgement that we’re inadequate, and our complete dependence on His strength to sustain us. He holds us and comforts us, safe in His arms, even in the face of elements that are seemingly full of rage and beyond our capacity to process it all.

As we start a new chapter in American history, look out for one another, support each other, and spread the news of Christ’s love for us. Whether hopeful or fearful for the future, this is our calling.

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Don’t Dance Around the Issue

So uh, this probably isn’t news to many of the people that know me, but I guess I’m a little strange. While most people try to avoid socially awkward situations, I often enjoy them. We’ve got a little neighbor kid who’s learned this the hard way.

He’s a nice enough kid, and my kids enjoy playing with him, but he’s got an aversion to asking if my kids want to play. He really wants to play with them, he just doesn’t want to ask them to play. One time I was outside doing yardwork when this guy (I’ll call him Billy), showed up. He didn’t notice that I was there, and I wanted to see what he’d do, so I just kind of made sure I didn’t make any loud noises. Billy hung around in front of my house for awhile, quietly at first, but when nobody noticed him, he started making noises or singing or something, so maybe someone inside would open the door, see him, and ask him if he wanted to play.

It’s also funny when he knocks on the door. I’ll open the door and see him standing there. He won’t say anything, so I’m usually the first to speak.

“Hi Billy.”

“Hi.”

That awkward silent pause. Sometimes I’ll make it more awkward and just go in a circle:

“Hi.”

“Hi.”

I’m giving him plenty of opportunities here, but I don’t want to just bypass what he came to ask.

“How are ya?”

“Good.”

Another pause, only this time I go a really long time without saying anything. He stands there fidgeting, not quite sure whether to start laughing or be really uncomfortable. Hoping to get him where he’s trying to go, I’ll try to make it a little easier for him:

“So what’s up?”

“Um…I was wondering if your kids could come outside and play.”

Finally! It’s okay to lead with that; I don’t expect a whole lot of chit chat and pleasantries from a little boy. (Some of you might conclude that he acts this way because of past interactions with me. I see where you might think that, but no, he was like this the first time I answered his knock.)

I had fun looking through “awkward dad” pictures, but finally settled on this one. Don’t worry, Billy doesn’t look this sad.

My son is the same way sometimes. He’ll drop tons of hints about something he wants to do, but he doesn’t like asking. If he doesn’t ask anything, I don’t answer him.

Why are we like that? I don’t know, it’s just human nature, I guess. Maybe we’re too proud to ask for stuff; we want people to sense our needs or desires and simply fulfill them. If they voluntarily gave us what we wanted well, we didn’t need to ask for it, did we?

These make for some pretty goofy interactions. Now imagine what it’s like for God to watch us drop all kinds of hints for Him without actually making a request. It’s not a whole lot different from watching these two little guys try to get what they want. We might say things with more eloquence or be more subtle in what we’re trying to do, but I can imagine God standing at the door like I do, with a little smirk on His face, watching us fidget without wanting to actually ask. “So…what’s up?” He knows exactly what you’re getting at! He just wants you to say it!

Life is still a little crazy these days, and it’s thrown a lot of people for a loop. As you’re spending time in prayer, don’t dance around the issues that are on your heart and mind. Speak plainly with God. Are you anxious? Tell Him. At the end of your rope? Let Him know. Make your requests known. I’m not gonna lie, He’s not a vending machine or a genie, so sometimes the answer’s going to be “no.” Using a strategy of not asking isn’t going to get you anywhere, though.

Regardless of your political affiliation, please pray that God grants wisdom and insight to your local, state, and national leaders.

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Stop To Think About Why You Just Did That

I’ve got a twofer for you this time.

Way back when the world was normal and people went to work and shook hands and stuff, my wife would watch her friends’ kids when they were in a jam or just needed to run a quick errand.

I’m a very blessed guy, and my kids are still young enough to come give me a hug when I walk in the door from work. One day as I arrived home, I didn’t know it, by my wife was watching a friend’s little girl, Emmy. Emmy was younger than my kiddos, and she kind of followed their lead in whatever they were playing.

I walked in the door and my kids, who were a bit more wired than normal from running and playing with someone else, came running to hug me and gave a few shouts of “Daddyyyyyyyy!” It was a sweet moment for any dad, but I couldn’t help but smile as I watched Emmy try to figure out what to do. She was excited right along with the rest of the kids, but she wasn’t about to run up and hug some grown-up dude that wasn’t in her life other than right now at this very moment. She came running over to where we all were, and with a big smile, started jumping up and down. She was happy, but she didn’t know why.

Then, on another note, this past summer our family took a vacation to see some other family up in northwestern Ohio. This area was very near Lake Erie, and our family up there enjoys taking the ferry out to Kelley’s Island for a day of biking and walking around on the island. At the end of our island visit we all headed back onto the ferry for the ride back across to “the mainland.”

Now, I don’t know why this happens, but it’s one of those inexplicable “guy things.” I was standing at the back of the ferry with my son and one of my nephews, watching the island fade further into the distance. As I looked down at the wake the ferry made as it plowed through the lake, I gave in to the overwhelming urge to spit into the water. I think it was to get a sense of how fast we were going. Inside two seconds, and without a word, both my son and my nephew had also spit over the rail.

These are two fun little stories that help illustrate one very simple idea: no matter who you are, whether you’re a nine-year old playing with a little kid or a sunburned uncle on a family vacation, you have influence on other people. At the same time, other people have influence on you. Be mindful of the way you’re using the influence you possess; when it comes to meaningful interactions, are you using it to build people up or to tear them down? Assume there is no middle or neutral ground…can people see glimpses of Christ in you?

It’s also important to be mindful of those you allow to influence you. The authors you read, the speakers and songs you hear, and the entertainment you watch are all defining the norms you may adopt as your own. This is why it’s so important for Christians to spend time regularly reading the Bible. If you’re a Christian that doesn’t spend time reading the letter God wrote to you, it makes it much harder to “be in the world but not of it.” Instead the principles of Christian living get elbowed out of the way and shoved toward the back of your mind, while the stronger influences take root and play a more central role in guiding your thoughts and actions.

Our lives look much different than they did a year ago. There’s much more time for binge-watching things or ripping through a lot more books than normal. I urge you to guard your mind. (If you’re already making excuses about why it’s okay to spend so much time with one of the things you’ve been watching/reading, that may be an indicator that you and your conscience need to get on more honest terms.)

Well hey, we’re getting closer to the weekend. I hope you’re hanging in there and that you have (or that you had) a great day today. Use your influence to point others to Christ and what He’s done for them. They may not know.

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If You Just Need a Smile

You know, considering everything that’s going on in our nation right now, I just kind of feel like it would be a good idea to try to help you smile.

I’ve got three kids, and they’ve each got their own distinct personality. When they were little and they did something cute or funny, we’d write it down in what we now refer to as “the quote book.” It’s full of little stories or fun quotes that came from the kids or the sleep-deprived things that we did as parents of young kiddos. Now that it’s at least a few years after some of the quotes, our kids enjoy when I pull out the book and relay some stories we’ve written down.

Lately I’ve been taking a look through the book, and thought I’d share a few entries with you. Just for context, I’ve got a daughter, then a son, then another daughter.

My older daughter used to pick the most inopportune times to tell us about her day. When you have multiple young kids in the house, life is a blur. There’s not a whole lot of conscious thought that extends out past the next meal or bedtime. The minutes leading up to dinner were a mad rush of “go potty,” “okay, who still needs to wash their hands?” all while getting hot food on the table and scooping out some of the hot food early so it can cool off enough for the kids. Right as we sat down and things got quiet enough to pray, our daughter would pick that moment to start telling all of us about some event from earlier that day that was memorable in her mind. We’d all sit around the table, holding hands, about to pray but unable to begin. We could’ve shushed her, but…that just didn’t seem right. Then, just as she finished recounting her tale, but before we could jump in and start praying, her spellbound little brother would ask a question about her epic yarn. (“Nooooo!!!”) This happened at bedtime on a regular basis, too.

She could also open “childproof” caps before she could put together a complete sentence. We kept them away from her for awhile, and she lost the knack for it, but it still kept us on our toes.

She could also open “childproof” caps before she could put together a complete sentence. We kept them away from her for awhile, and she lost the knack for it, but it still kept us on our toes.

My little guy was the craziest blend of sweet and sour. He had heart-melting moments when you just couldn’t believe how compassionate or kind he was, and he’d have moments that make you want to pull out your hair. When he was little enough that he still slept in a crib, there was a time when my wife and I were laying him down and he saw his favorite little stuffed dog laying in the crib waiting for him, and my little guy let out a giggle. It made me appreciate how wonderful it must be to laugh simply because you’re happy.

On the flip side of his personality, there were other times he’d just utter blatant, unprompted lies. If he said “I don’t have anything in my mouth,” it’s a solid bet he just got into some snacks that he knew he wasn’t supposed to touch. He also knew that naptimes were for napping, but he loved to get up and look out the window. As he got big enough to come downstairs on his own after a nap, he’d reassure us by seeing us and saying right away “I wasn’t looking out my window.” The stool near the disheveled curtains suggested otherwise.

It’s also fun to look through the book and find little exchanges like when he and I were watching the winter Olympics on TV together when he was probably about 3. During a ski-jumping event, I told him “That guy’s from Norway.” He looked at the screen, interested, and said “Oh, is that his home planet?”

There are some slapstick memories, too. Parenting is a full-contact sport. All of our kids enjoyed when my wife and I read books to them. My younger daughter, when she was a toddler, had no concept of causing pain in other people. If I was laying on the floor and said to her “do you want me to read a book?”…man, I’d better watch out. She’d take off and find a book to read, which was great, but on her return trip, I needed to keep my gloves up. She’d come bouncing back at me in a full-speed toddler waddle, holding the book out in front of her. In the beginning, I figured she’d slow down as she got close. Nope. She came running with her arms stretched out in front of her, and she didn’t stop until she slammed me in the head with the book. (It didn’t take me long to learn to pay attention when she came running with a book, though I think it took me longer than it should have.)

This is the same little one who, when I held her in church during the live music, would watch intently everything going on up on stage. One time everything was quiet as the worship leader prayed, but my little girl kept her eyes open and was mesmerized by all the light reflecting off the shiny instruments. During the prayer, when her face was about six inches away from mine, she let slip a little burp that smelled like Cheerios.

Also, as our third child, she’s the only one I’ve used a dust-buster on.

And finally, to cap it off, here’s a story with all three. There was a phase (at least, I hope it’s a phase) where my older daughter liked to over-dramatize things, so she’d pretend to cry at certain things. The problem was that anytime my younger daughter saw someone cry, she thought it was her cue to start apologizing, even if it wasn’t her fault or she didn’t know what was happening. She’d keep doing it until someone acknowledged her, too, and would get louder as she went. Making it more fun was the fact that she couldn’t pronounce an “r” sound very well at that age. There was one instance where I sat in the living room and my wife and all three kids were in the kitchen. My wife and older daughter started acting silly, and began pretending to cry about something. Right around then my son, who needed to hear the same thing three times before it started sinking in, got hyper and did something he shouldn’t have, which distracted my wife. Imagine the sound of fake crying from one daughter, my wife talking firmly to my little guy, and an ever-more-persistent little voice saying “sowwy. Sowwy! SOWWY!”

You know, despite what you see on TV, there’s still some good stuff going on out there. Despite what you may see and hear, there are some good people in the world. Keep your chin up and keep smiling, because like I’ve said before, your joy and positive attitude in Christ is one of the things that will make people take notice, especially in times like this.

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Pray With Fury

Have you ever been so mentally or physically worn out that you can’t even take care of yourself?

Emotionally wrung out, physically depleted, and/or mentally exhausted people have a difficult time performing all but the most basic of functions. If they’re providing care for someone else while in this state, they’re certainly not taking proper care of themselves.

In these situations it can be extraordinarily difficult to have any prayer life to speak of, save for a singular focus. I’ve heard the term “intercessory prayer” for a long time, but only recently heard it described as praying on someone else’s behalf because they are either unable or unwilling to do it themselves.

To look at it another way, you might be the only person with the ability to address a certain issue through prayer.

There’s a special family in Northern Virginia whose little girl, Molly, developed a condition in the womb that resulted in her being born with some of her internal organs on the outside of her body. Now 7 years old, last week Molly went into surgery after months of preparatory procedures aimed at moving those organs inside her body. Initially things looked good, but as time went on, Molly’s heart and lungs had a very difficult time adapting to the increased pressure of having not only the organs moved inside her abdominal cavity, but the added pressure of swelling due to surgery. It’s been a very fluid situation since the process first began over a week ago, and at times it seemed doubtful that this sweet little girl would make it through the night. Molly, her parents, and her medical team at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia have been forced to contend with countless complications that cast a heavy fog over the path that would bring her back from the brink.

Imagine sending your little girl back for surgery, and you and your spouse await word from the surgeons to find out how it went. During the surgery, a nurse comes hurrying out of the operating room, only to return a short time later with a cooler containing blood for transfusing, and your daughter’s name is printed on it. Then later they bring in still more blood for her. In the first 18 hours after her initial surgery started, Molly required 40 units of blood. In the days that followed, her medical team had to advocate on her behalf in order to convince the hospital to allow Molly access to its critical reserve of blood products.

Molly in her room (Photo courtesy of “Molly’s Belly Blog”)

In all of this, Molly’s parents are staying with a host family during the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020. Their little girl has undergone half a dozen surgeries since the first one, some of which focused on unexpected areas of her body that were fine before she went under. Molly simply wouldn’t stop bleeding, her blood pressure wouldn’t come up enough, and the clotting and blood pressure medication the team administered robbed her extremities of oxygen.

Her parents, while obviously prayerful for their daughter’s life, are exhausted, separated from their other daughter, and dealing with a situation that changes often. In the week following the initial surgery there’s been much more bad news than good, and if you’re prone to worry, there’s been much to worry about. Molly and her parents are simply unable to pray for everything that needs to be brought to God and still function on a day-to-day basis.

That’s where we come in. As it became evident that the surgery had not worked as planned and that Molly’s life was in a precarious state, people began praying by the hundreds. These people, from around the globe, have covered this family in prayer 24 hours a day.

About a week into the ordeal, Molly turned a corner and began to improve. It’s still not clear what the outcome will be, but at this point there are literally thousands of people praying on behalf of Molly and her family, lifting them up in constant prayer. This little girl, whose life at times seemed to be hanging by a thread, has to date received a whopping 150 units of blood.

Acutely aware of just how precious a resource available blood is, the family found a way to tap in to the desire of everyone that wanted to help the family. After forming “Team Ingram” on a Red Cross app, the family requested that volunteers donate blood in Molly’s name. In just 24 hours, Team Ingram jumped into the top 1% of blood-donation groups, replenishing many times over the amount of blood used in Molly’s treatment so far, and potentially saving many other lives in the process.

Although I’m sure there were numerous “passing prayers” or quick prayers uttered in half a breath for Molly, there have collectively been many hours of deliberate prayer on behalf of her and her family. Some of this was intentional, focused prayer pleading with the Lord for Molly’s life. She’s still here, but still needs persistent prayer. God still listens to the prayers of His people. I don’t know how all this will end, but the targeted prayers focused on specific topics seem to have moved Molly in the right direction. All glory and honor belong to the Lord, Jesus Christ.

Graphic courtesy of “Molly’s Belly Blog”

If you’d like to follow along with Molly’s saga and add your prayer (or blood donation) support to her and her family, please request to join the “Molly’s Belly Blog” or watch this YouTube video of her story…and please keep her full recovery in your prayers, because God listens to His people’s requests.

Please pass this post along to anyone you think will make an appeal to God on behalf of Molly and her family.

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I Hear What You’re Saying, But…

If I told you I’m a parent, you’d probably believe me, but it’s not the same thing as seeing evidence that I’m a parent.

I came home from work one day and saw a Frisbee on the roof over our garage. We often have misspelled words and stick figures drawn in different colors of chalk on our driveway or sidewalk. In the summertime I often see little bits of broken water balloons on our porch. Inside the house, the living room is seldom “all the way” cleaned up, even if we tell the kids to make it “Mommy and Daddy mode.”

We have kids, and there are signs of them everywhere. (It’s unquestionably a good thing, even though sometimes there are a few too many signs.)

These things, in and of themselves, are not proof that I’m a parent. To an observer though, these signs make the notion a lot more believable.

There’s something similar when it comes to Christianity. If you claim to be a Christian, yet you haven’t changed at all from the way you were before joining the faith, something’s probably not quite right.

Galations 5:22-23 describes the qualities that a Christian will develop over time. The author’s not saying that only a Christian could have these qualities, but, in the same way that the Frisbee on my roof is probably there because of a kid rather than an adult, a Christian’s life will contain signs, indicators, or evidence of the faith they’re claiming.

When someone accepts Christ, at that moment the Holy Spirit sets up shop in that person’s life. What does that mean? It means that from that moment on, God starts working on changing your attitude to be more like His. I heard someone say once that God accepts you for who you are, but He loves you too much to leave you that way.

My mom used to have a tee shirt with a three-by-three grid on it. Inside each box was a picture of some kind of fruit, but instead of labeling them “grapes” or “watermelon,” they’d say things like “patience” and “self control.” These nine things (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control) collectively make up what the Bible calls “the fruit of the Spirit.”

Having these fruits is not something that happens quickly. Fruit takes a long time to grow. You can’t put in a weekend of intensive Bible reading and prayer and have these things spring forth in your life; it takes time. The outcome of being a Christian and continuously pursuing a relationship with Christ is a life that is characterized by these nine fruits.

Consider taking a closer look at these traits. Is there one (or several) that you’d like to develop or increase in your walk with Christ?

Happy birthday Mom! Love ya!