Wednesday

“Now may the God of hope fill you

with all joy and peace in believing,

that you may abound in hope

by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

~Romans 15:13, NKJV~

Sarabeth Simpson’s surgery went well yesterday. She was home and resting yesterday afternoon. Marty and Gretchen thank you for your prayers and your concern.

Noah Williams and mom are home and doing well. Pray for Jacob and Kelsey as they make the adjustment to being parents.

Dakota Brooke continues to improve at home. Please remember the family in your prayers as this premie grows.

Don Denton

Well, we were hoping to be home by today. Now it looks like Thursday or Friday they will release Don. We won’t know until tomorrow.

Don is eating better. He looks better. I found out that the tests they are doing now are more for use as marker for future tests. Don’s heart MRI was for that reason because he is currently on a medication that can affect the heart.

The doctors are very cautious and we like that. We are hopeful that these new medications will have good results. Don’s neurologist is very good. She feels good about getting Don to a place where he can function at life again.

She said it may take some tweaking with medications, but she is really positive and hopeful.

As we are winding down our stay here in St. Louis, I find myself reflecting back on our Mayo experience meaning the boarding house for Joshua and I. And our experience here in St. Louis. Tomorrow will be 18 days here.

This experience for Joshua has been a “place of healing for us”. It was painful as a mother to watch our son go through so much regarding seperation, strangers, and a place that did not feel safe to him at that boarding house in Rochester. The good things that came out of that experience was our new found friendships that we will have forever. And of course Mayo was good for us too.

There are times during this long journey with Don’s illness that I have felt that God has left us. I have struggled with the suffering I have seen Josh and Don go through along with my own. AS you know there have been days that I did not know how I was going to make another day.

God has spoken to us loud and clear this 18 day hospital stay.

God has poured out his love on Joshua, Don and I saying to us..”I delight in you my child”.

That is the strong message we have received from Anne and Frank. This precious family has ministered to us in so many ways. I have said I am thankful for the roof over our head and a peaceful place to stay, but so much more than this, the friendship that has blossomed is dear to me. And I again, find myself a changed person. I have learned so much from Anne and Frank about God’s unconditional love. They have poured themselves into our lives in ways that has changed us.

I can see in Joshua an acceptance and understanding of God’s love that he did not know before. This home and family has been a “safe” place for Joshua. Yesterday he said to me on the way to the hospital….”mom I believe in God”.

This family has been a vessel of love to us. They have been an oasis in the desert. They will tell you that this is truly God and not them.

So I am compelled to share with you all how God has blessed us in the midst of some of our most difficult days with Don’s illness. It has been a very rough and scarey part of Don’s illness for us. In the midst of all of this we have been ministered to and loved in a way that only God could have known what we needed.

We will be coming home tired again. We are ready to sleep in our own beds again, and resume life again. But this time coming home, our spirits are lifted. Our hearts are full. We have been loved in a way that has given us strength that we need to continue on the journey with Don’s recovery.

I hope one day that I can be to a family what Anne and Frank have been to us. Wow! How exciting to see our God work. We are so grateful to God for each one of you! I am so grateful to God that you all have reached out to us in such a tangible way. And you need to know that each one of you are part of what God is doing in my life.

Bless you our family and friends for who you are.
Diane

Baptist Press

May 12, 2009

CALIFORNIA–Trump lets Miss. Calif. Keep crown, says media ‘should be ashamed.’ http://bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=30476

GEORGIA–‘Great Commission Resurgence’ fueled by relationship, Blackaby says. http://bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=30477

ILLINOIS–Chicago’s diversity is his mission field. http://bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=30478

KENTUCKY–Ky. leader to be 1st VP nominee. http://bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=30480

TEXAS–EDUCATION BRIEFS: Dallas Baptist Univ., Anderson Univ. and Okla. Baptist Univ. http://bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=30481

TENNESSEE–FIRST-PERSON (Jason Cruise): The church’s message for men. http://bpnews.net/BPnews.asp?ID=30482

KneEmail

By Mike Benson

Price

WHEN I WAS a boy, I had a bike that I had grown tired of…

There wasn’t anything wrong with it, I just wanted something better…a 10-speed. So I took my fire-engine red, Huffy bicycle, with a white banana seat, and slick back tire to my friend’s house and asked him if he wanted to buy it. He said, “Sure, I’ll give you $5.00 for it.” The bike was worth 10 times that, but I took it. Needless to say, after my parents discovered what I had done, I realized the “error of my way” and regretted my decision, but it was too late. My bike was gone and all I had to show for it was a meager $5.00.

Long ago, Esau sold his birthright to his brother Jacob for just a bowl of soup. After Esau’s hunger subsided, he regretted his bargain, but it was too late to change what had been done. Esau’s birthright was gone and all he had to show for it was an empty bowl.

Then possibly, there’s our story. The God of heaven has called us His children through our obedience to the gospel, and yet, we fail to cherish such a standing and relationship and choose to sell it for what…? The contents of a liquor bottle? A moment of illicit passion? A grade on a test? A grudge that we won’t let go of? Hurtful gossip? And if we engage in this sort of “bargain,” what will we have to show for it in eternity? Such choices lead only to regret.

My bike was worth more than $5.00, and your soul is worth more than anything this world might offer you. Give it some thought. (Steve Higginbotham)

“What shall it profit a man if he should gain the whole world and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Matt. 16:26).

Plan to have a wonderful Wednesday!

Anna Lee