This next week...

We had an appointment yesterday at Children's Hospital at the pre-admission clinic. Because Karter's surgery was postponed last minute last time due to illness, they wanted to make sure that he would be healthy enough to go through with it and have lots of advance notice if he wasn't. All that said, he is in very good health right now, probably the best in months. He is strong and happy, cutting teeth and making some developmental gains. So as it stands, he will have surgery next Friday at 7:45am.

Next Thursday I will take him into Children's for an MRI at 9am. They do this so that they can mark out on his skull, the area of abnormality in his brain so that they know what they are doing and what area they are looking at during surgery. Obviously, this would be the time when we would be able to notice any changes in his brain. Let me clarify, there is no way, without God's intervention, that it would just "get better. The tissue that is abnormal, developed that way inutero, it will not just change without divine intervention.

We have stood on the promises of God from day one, that is what has gotten us through this tough time. We know that in many different circumstances as we have walked this long road, that God has shown and spoken things to us that have helped us get through many dark and tough days. Our journey is truly showing us what the disciple of "having faith" really means. It is not something that you do when you need to, it is a choice that needs to be exercised in every aspect of our daily lives, good times and bad.

Our stand is to believe for total healing for Karter, that has been no secret to all of you. It is a radical one at that and a risky one to speak to all of you as it puts us in a vulnerable position. But we are challenged to "confess with our mouths what we believe in our hearts" as an act of obedience. God has promised us that for Karter and as I have said before, we do not know what that looks like until it happens, but in every leg of the journey we pray and ask for direction. So that is why I come to you today. Next week is a very pivotal week for us. We are praying and believing for a good report on Thursday. I have prayed many nights and imagined myself sitting in the MRI waiting room, for them to come out and tell me that "there is nothing there". So that is our prayer for this next week. We want restoration of that area of Karter's brain, complete and total healing!

My plan is to fast one meal a day next week and take an aggressive position of prayer for Karter. I tell you this not to boast but rather to ask that you join me in prayer as well, fast too if you want. Our prayers have not gone unanswered, we know it! We are praying for good report.

At this point I cannot see it going to surgery. Not that I am in denial, because if it did, we would be ok with it, but our faith is full and we are in a position of expectancy. If it doesn't happen that way, it is not that God has not come through but rather that He knows better. What do I have to lose in believing for great things? The worst case scenario...he will go to surgery, that is what we are being told anyway from the medical standpoint. So we will believe. My faith and peace have been heightened this week in an amazing way. Last weeks dark time led to a beautiful emergence of renewed faith, peace, joy and hope this week PTL!

So join us in prayer this next week and we will all believe for God to do something that will blow our minds. We will keep you posted. Also continue to pray that Karter will remain healthy and that we will have continued strength and peace as we walk this out next week.