Time to do Some Rejoicing!!! (Tug Update)

There is a part of me that struggles still with those who are only apt to praise God when prayers are answered in a way we can see with our eyes...when healing takes place on this earth. Not because I think it's wrong to praise God. On the contrary, His praise should be shouted from the rooftops. But, He is to be praised in whatever way our prayers are answered. Praising God has nothing to do with our circumstances or even what He does for us, but everything to do with Who He is! I spent many years repelled at the insinuation that the righteous get their prayers answered always in the ways they hoped...because of their faith, their loved one was physically healed. I learned, of course, that there are all types of healing. Sometimes God heals on this earth. Sometimes He heals by taking us Home to heaven. Sometimes He restores a broken body and sometimes He mends a broken soul. In all of it, He is faithful. In all of it, He is worthy of our praise. And, none of it has to do with our worthiness or a measure of His love for us. I learned a lot about surrendering what I thought healing looked like...surrendering my will as I prayed. Believing and trusting no matter what. It is an interesting walk...knowing that we serve a God who can do anything...heal and restore anything...and trusting His way to do it, even if it isn't the way we hoped or expected.

Many times I have talked about weeping with those who weep...and we do a lot of that here. We weep often for mothers with empty arms, hurting and aching alongside so many as we lift understanding prayers of comfort on their behalf. But, we also embrace the second part of the verse...

Rejoice with those who rejoice...


Ginny and I learned about weeping and rejoicing many years ago, as we both carried children in our wombs. My twin daughters and later our son Thomas were born into the arms of Jesus, and her sweet son came home to fill her house with life.  It was my time to weep and hers to rejoice, and yet she graciously set aside her rejoicing often....to weep with me. I tried to reciprocate, to set aside my weeping and rejoice, but I'm sure my efforts were less successful. In fact, I was barely able to lift my head, let alone fully rejoice with her.

But, today...after spending weeks on our knees on behalf of Ginny's son Tug. After weeping and weeping before the Lord, pleading for the kind of miracle that we can see with our eyes this side of heaven...even as we trust and surrender. Today, we rejoice with all of our might. Today, we dance and sing with tears of joy and laughter on our lips. We rejoice with a family that never stopped praising and trusting...even in this storm.

Tug is not only awake from his coma, but he has been transferred to another hospital where he is having intense rehabilitation. He is working so hard and can now talk, eat, and walk...things that just days ago were not possible for him. And, just to give you a window into this boy's precious heart...one of the things he said in these first days of talking (other than stuff about playing and soccer!):


To his mom: "Thank you for doing everything for me."

Thank you for praying for this family. Thank you for weeping...and for rejoicing with us. Please continue to pray as Tug works toward full recovery.

Our God is an awesome God!!!