2010 CHALLENGE 17: PRAISING GOD IN THE STORM...

Just when I thought I was doing better at giving God the praise, no matter what the circumstances, I raised my fist in the storms of last week. Challenge 16 was about "praying differently"... about praying for others and not for ourselves. I'm not sure why, but that about did me in last week. Maybe it's because I'm already up to my eyeballs in people. Whatever the reason, last week I was most certain that I was drowning AND IT'S NOT A GOOD FEELING!!! Yet, as my husband often says, "FAITH AND FEELINGS DO NOT ALWAYS GO HAND IN HAND."

• I prayed for Roger Collins after the family posted on Facebook that he had a heart attack while running. Our friend, Roger, did not stay around on this planet! Steve and I have been so sad for his family! God answered our prayers with a resounding, "NO!"



• I prayed for our daughter, Jessica, and she got worse last week. As the storms set over South Jersey, her high intracranial hypertension caused so much pain in her body that she became close to comatose. I drove around South Jersey during the storms. I saw the gorgeous fall leaves out of my rain soaked windows and I raised my voice to God, crying, "Why? If you can make all these millions of individual leaves into this gorgeous canopy of color... WHY will you not take our daughter's pain?" He answered with a "No! Wait!" Jessica's extreme pain stayed the same until sometime Friday afternoon when the storms lifted. Friday night I took her out for a drive in her mustang. It was the first time in two years that she has ridden in it. We talked. She smiled. Yesterday, she came in and sat on my bed and we talked for a long time. Precious memories! Thank You, LORD! That's it for now! Her pain has returned and she's back in bed!
• I've prayed for Grace! Grace is another one of thousands who have the same chronic pain problems as our Jessica. This time, she's been in the hospital since October 13th. On October 21st, after yet another surgery to repair a spinal fluid leakage, Grace's mother posted on FB that the doctor "expects that she will feel much better later today when her spinal fluid level stabilizes." This is 10 days later and Grace is still in the hospital. God? Why?

• I've prayed and prayed for our son, Caleb... his new little family... so thankful their move is partially complete... still no employement.... God we pray for your provisions for them...
  
• The stories abound of pain and suffering and loss... many prayed and Stacia still lost her twins... Doc and Cathy still struggle with a myriad of health problems... we begged God to keep daddy of four, Scott McEndree here, but He chose not to... you get the picture...

The bottom line is that we may not ever understand. At least, we won't understand until we get to heaven. Yet, we MUST believe that our Father has the most perfect perspective and that He knows best. We can rest assured that He is looking out for our best interests.
Our job, no matter how hard, is to PRAISE HIM IN THE STORM!!!
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TRIBUTE TO ROGER COLLINS FROM STEVE SIKES:
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It was August, 1971, York College, York, Nebraska, that my first memory of "freshman" Roger Collins took hold. I was a club president looking over the new "crop" of young men on campus, trying to make the wisest of decisions possible on whom to invite into our group. Some clubs were looking for athletes, some for personalities, etc. I distinctly remember looking for men with a Christ-like character and Roger Collins topping our list.
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After joining our club, Roger became my pledge for a week and for the next 39 years Roger called me pledge-master and reminded me how easy I had been on him. We'd chuckle and then go on to other conversation. I learned pretty quickly I had a lot to learn from Roger. From 1971 till his death last night, Roger consistently emanated humility, genuine transparency and concern for others. Over the years, Roger became one of my rocks in the faith -- so accountable, so stable and unwavering in his faith and so at peace within himself.
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After leaving York College as students, Roger and I crossed paths again at Harding University and then later at York College as fellow teachers. I was so proud of Roger when he married Debbie and so proud of them both as they proved again and again how Christian parents are to bring up their children in the Lord -- faithful to the end. Roger was a runner (spiritually and physically) and over the years his children followed in his steps. This morning I read (again) a passage of scripture that has reminded me of Roger for several decades:
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1 Corinthians 9:24-27 "Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air;but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified."
.Thanks, Roger, for continually running in such a way as to win! I love you and thank God for you and already miss you terribly.
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Till we meet again, my brother and friend.
Steve Sikes
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The York College home page talks about Roger's life: http://www.york.edu/news/2010/1025_collins.asp


Facebook Page Link: PRAY FOR ROGER COLLINS
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GIGATTAATTGIG: Remembering to focus on what God has done and is doing:

• Praising You for answering our prayers for Chip!
• Praising You for Rich's new hands working!
• Praising You that so many were blessed with You living in and working through Roger Collins.
• Praising You, Father, in the storms...

2010 CHALLENGE 16: PRAY DIFFERENTLY!

I am so grateful that God hears our prayers! He will answer: sometimes "Yes!", sometimes "No!", and sometimes "Wait!" Our Father knows best!
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Yesterday on Facebook, Patrick Mead gave his Facebook friends a prayer challenge. I'd like to pass it on to you:
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"Try this for the next 7 days.

Don't pray for anything for yourself

except for wisdom.

Spend your prayer time entirely

on behalf of others.

Name them.

See what happens."

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This will be a hard challenge for many! Pray for wisdom:

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James 1:2-8
2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers,

whenever you face trials of many kinds,

3 because you know that the testing of

your faith develops perseverance.

4 Perseverance must finish its work

so that you may be mature and complete,

not lacking anything.

5 If any of you lacks wisdom,

he should ask God,

who gives generously to all without finding fault,

and it will be given to him.

6 But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt,

because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea,

blown and tossed by the wind.

7 That man should not think he will receive

anything from the Lord;

8 he is a double-minded man,

unstable in all he does."

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I do believe that God Is Good All The Time! I believe that when He answers prayers, there is a reason for how He answers. If you want to get started on some heavy duty praying for people, please join me. I've got a lot of people on my mind:

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• My mom, Kathleen Klein, is being moved to a nursing home in the next few weeks. GIGATTAATTGIG
• Jobless, our son, his wife, and baby are in the midst of a move this week from one state to another. GIGATTAATTGIG
• Our friend, Roger Collins, (a college professor at York College) was in Springfield, MO this past weekend as he and his wife, Debbie, visited her dying grandmother. Roger went out running on Saturday and had a massive heart attack during his run. Others on the bike trail did CPR and called 911. In the last 48 hours, Roger has almost left this life several times. He is in a medically induced coma at this time. In the midst of it all, his wife's grandmother has died. Their 4 young adult children have arrived to stand vigil with Debbie. You may access PRAY FOR ROGER COLLINS on FB by clicking HERE. Please pray for Roger and his family. GIGATTAATTGIG
• Our friend, Grace Billingham, has suffered from chronic migraines like our daughter Jessica. This year I cannot count the times Grace has been hospitalized or had surgery. She has some of the top doctors trying to help, including doctors from John Hopkins. This past week her spinal fluid has been leaking. Did I say that Grace is 17 years old? Please put Grace and her family on your prayer list! GIGATTAATTGIG!
• Our daughter Jessica could sure use your prayers. Chronic migraines for the last 15 years... ask God if she has to "WAIT" much longer! We still insist that GIGATTAATTGIG...
• It has been approx. 9 weeks since Dr. Rich Edwards had the 3rd double hand transplant in the nation. He is doing well after a surgery last week to graft skin to his right arm, but his leg is still pretty sore where they removed the skin. He had surgery again yesterday afternoon to put a pin in his right hand to prevent it forming a "claw". Good news, he used a fork and spoon to eat in his left hand for the first time this weekend. He was thrilled. He could only take about 4 bites before his hand tired - but this is a true gift from God that he can feed himself using utensils. Check out his amazing story on previous posts on this blog. Join me in continuing to pray for Rich and Cindy Edwards and family! GIGATTAATTGIG
• Chip Bloecher's story is recorded in the video above. Chip and Lisa need our continued prayers. Yesterday, Chip was suffering from a major headache. His body is still trying to overcome all the trauma it's been through. GIGATTAATTGIG
• My list is long! I know many who are hurting or feel helpless. If you begin praying... you will quickly become more aware of the hurting and the helpless, too.

Join me this week in taking Patrick's challenge! GIGATTAATTGIG

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PATTI'S UPDATE - 10-26-10 at 4:00 a.m. eastern time:

Last night, at 11:34 p.m. central time, our humble and kind friend, Roger Collins went home to be with Jesus. GIGATTAATTGIG

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2010 CHALLENGE 15: UPDATE 2

TODAY'S MESSAGE FROM CHIP BLOECHER:
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Home. Not kinda, not at a rehab place, not in a temporary location waiting for my house to be accessible. Home. I am 100% back to pre-coma Chip. I am not saying I am normal, because that would be a stretch. I am, however, (other than some stamina issues) FULLY RESTORED, FULLY HEALED.
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THIS WEEK'S MEDIA ARTICLE AND VIDEO CLIP ABOUT RICH EDWARDS:
Doctors: Hand-Transplant Recipient Recovery 'Miraculous' - News Story - WLKY Louisville

2010 CHALLENGE 15: UPDATE 1

We continue to believe that GIGATTAATTGIG as we watch the journey of these two men:

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RICH EDWARDS:

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I shared Rich's story in our 2010 CHALLENGE 15 post - the post previous to this one. Here are Rich and his wife, Cindy, in an interview not long after his amazing double hand transplant in August.

In the past three weeks, 2 main arteries that supply the blood to the right hand were not supplying the necessary blood flow in that hand and it had started to look pretty bad. But then, miraculously, Rich's body developed a sub-artery that began to supply the blood to the hand. Then, smaller capillaries developed and have grown wider bringing more blood into the hand. Doctors have been amazed and have told Rich and Cindy that what is happening is "unprecedented". We continue to pray for complete healing for Rich AND that all may know that this healing comes from our Almighty God answering the prayers of His people!

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Yesterday, Rich went back into surgery on his transplanted hands. Doctors planned to do a deep tissue skin graft to his forearm, taking tissue from Rich's stomach, if the infection was completely gone from the forearm. Rich came out of surgery and is doing well. According to family, Rich's surgery yesterday was a success. They did an abridement and pinned fingers on R hand to prevent distortion. Doctor said there is no reason his right hand didn't die from the 2 clogged arteries. We remain so hopeful that Rich will have complete use of two transplanted hands! Rich's mother wrote this morning, "May God be glorified in every circumstance no matter what happens!" GIGATTAATTGIG

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Here is Rich before and after the TODAY SHOW on September 25 - with his doctor.





CHIP BLOECHER:
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Chip is a friend who I shared a lot about in the previous post. Chip was in a coma for 10 days in September after suffering a heat stroke at a Dallas Cowboys/Chicago Bears game. His body temperature rose to 107.
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Thousands have kept a prayer vigil for Chip. It has been a faith building experience beyond anything many involved have ever experienced. Here are some wonderful things that have happened in the last week. I share them via some of Chip's wife, Lisa's, status updates on FB:

• 9/29 - 11:45 a.m. - "Chip is awake!... Everyone will know this miracle is from You, LORD!"
• 9/29 - 7:45 p.m. - "I told Chip he gave me my bday present a week early, by waking up today. He smiled at me. Ah Lord...thank u."
• 9/29 - 7:47 p.m. - "Continue to pray for bloodclots in his lungs and the removal of the vent tube."
• 9/30 - 1:37 p.m. - "I feel very hopeful about Chip-his cognitive ability seems great. Now we just need his lungs to get stronger so we can get the tube out."
• 9/30 - 1:42 p.m.: "Chip's mom asked him whose anniv was Dec, he pointed to himself."
• 9/30 - 11:43 p.m. - "Chip cried 7 times today. Not in pain, not a reaction to meds... Just extremely humbled and overwhelmed with the outpouring of love. Thank you for loving us. Can't wait for you all to get one of those great big "Chip hugs".
• 10/1 - 11:00 p.m. - "Chip and I had a nice quiet, restful day together. I read the Word several times to him (Isaiah, again). And we listened over and over to my hymn CD. (Chip sings back-up on it). He "sings" along with it, practicing his breathing. Sweet quiet moments together. Thank you Lord. Forever, forever grateful..."
• 10/2 - 1:38 p.m. - "The tube is coming out!! no more vent. Thank you Lord!"
• 10/2 - 8:32 p.m. - "Thank you for praying for my husband, Chip. Forever grateful."
• 10/3 - 3:08 p.m. - "Chip is quite chatty today. He just called me 'Russell'. Yep, Chip is Chip!"
• 10/3 - 8:19 p.m. - "Chip and I had dinner together tonight. So sweet. Tomorrow...rehab begins. :)"
• 10/4 - last night - "Chip, Hope, and I had dinner tonight together. Oh, so sweet. Thank you Lord.
• SCRIPTURE POSTED BY LISA LAST NIGHT: "To whom will you compare me? Who is my equal? Some people pour out their silver and gold and hire a craftsman to make a god from it. Then they bow down and worship it! They carry it around on their shoulders, and when they set it down, it stays there. It can’t even move! And when someone prays to it, there is no answer.... It can’t rescue anyone from trouble...I am God, and there is no one else like Me." Isaiah 46:5-8

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There are video links in the previous post that will remind you that GIGATTAATTGIG!
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