Can I Hold You?

My youngest nephew, Chris, had the most adorable way of asking to be picked up and held. We would watch him toddle his way to his mom and dad, latch on to their pant leg and stretch both his arms up to them. He would ask them, “Can I hold you?” It was so cute to hear him asking with the mixed up pronouns!! We loved hearing his phrase, and the picture of him asking this will remain in my head forever!

I was thinking about that picture this month, actually. Sometimes when the worries and questions in life are overwhelming, I just want to stretch my hands up to my Abba Father, and ask, “Can I hold you?”

As Philip entered his freshman year of school this week, I had so many questions. His scoliosis generally prevents him from carrying a back pack. So all during middle school he wheeled his rolling backpack throughout the middle school building. Now that he is in high school, he actually has to walk thoughout the entire campus of the school. I asked how he was managing rolling the back pack over the roads, and he said that sometimes he would carry his backpack. He reassured me that “It’s ok, mom. It’s no problem for me.”

Today was the first day I saw him grab the backpack from the car and sling it on his back. He did it with ease, I admit. But as I drove out of the car line, I cried all the way home. Lord, how long? How long, Lord, does he walk like this? He is already bent over, and now he carries this on his back. I believe he is healed, but I want to “see” it.

Sometimes there is no comfort, no words, no hope in sight. But in those times, stretch your hands to Him and ask Him to hold you. This morning as I prayed, He reminded me of Matthew 11:30…”Come to me all who are heavy laden…Take my yoke…my yoke is easy,and my burden is light.” And I could see then that angels would hold up Philip’s heavy backpack and make sure that the burden was light on him. Strength will rise as we wait on Him, trusting Him, and knowing His promises are sure and steadfast.

Believe His promises, and believe Him. He holds us all in His hands.

God bless you!

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Not for a Moment

While we were in Boston sharing about the ministry of Love Without Reason, this beautiful song by Meredith Andrews was sung during worship. The song basically is saying in the fire, in the flood, whatever the situation, there is not a moment that I am forsaken by God. Here’s the chorus!

After all You are only good

After all You are sovereign

Not for a moment will You forsake me

Not for a moment will You forsake me

After a song like that, I should not be speaking! I’ve heard the song before, but never meditated on the words, especially in light of Isaiah 43 and its promises. It gave me such strength! And for Philip, all last week he was whistling, singing, and humming the same song. He attributes his improvement in grades on the exams last week all to the words of this song. “I know God is with me, He never leaves me, even with the English test!”

I had to tell Philip, God was with you all these years for all your tests. 🙂 Maybe now it is the confidence in knowing no matter the situation, I can get through it, because God is with me. It was a reminder for all of us. Thought it seems we are alone in the fire and in the flood, it is there that the Lord is with us.

God bless you all!

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Eyes and Hands

Caleb turned nine years old on August 25! It was a special day for us, not only to celebrate his birth, but also to celebrate a wonderful medical camp in a city 300 kilometers from Bangalore. Our surgeon and his team who conducted the camp related many exciting events of the day. It was a wonderful time of networking with leaders of the community.

However, to me the highlight was that a record number of patients were identified in this medical camp. Also, the calls have continued to come from this particular region from patients who were not able to make it to the camp. To God be the glory.

One of those patients was this little baby girl. I showed her picture to Caleb. “Look at her eyes, look at her outstretched hand, Caleb. She’s calling us to come and help her.” Her beautiful eyes and her hands are calling you and me. Let me ask you, friend. Will you come and join us? Maybe you cannot literally come to India, but I will go for you if you will send me. Together we will make a difference for this beautiful girl and for the many others waiting to have their facial surgery.

Because every child matters!

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Birthday boys

In the rural town of Shimogga, India we held a recent medical camp. One young man with a cleft lip captured our Ganesh windowattention. At first, he would not look anyone in the eye. His eyes were on the ground. He did not smile.

He roamed around the camp, watching as others met with the doctor and were examined by the team. I took his picture, and finally I got a very small smile from him. When he and his father reached our team for the screening, his father could not answer questions about his health. He did not know the age of his son. He worked hard as a farmer and strived to provide food for all his children. But this young man, named Ganesh, lost his mother at a young age. The only one acting as an advocate was his grandfather, who would push him and encourage him to go to school.

Young Ganesh would go to school, but because of the mistreatment from the other children and even the teachers, he did not want to return to school. We tried to encourage him to pursue his studies, keep his appointment for the free craniofacial surgeries, and keep all the follow up appointments with our doctors. But I wondered about the commitment of Ganesh’s father.

Today we celebrate Philip’s 14th birthday. I really cannot imagine missing the yearly birthdays and the celebration of his life. I wonder how Ganesh’s life has been. A life of criticism instead of celebration? A life of despair instead of joy? A life of captivity instead of freedom? It reminds me of Isaiah 61 and what Jesus has come to do for us, and how He can use us for the Ganesh’s of this world.

Join us as we work together to transform the lives of our children and change their destiny forever.

Because every child matters!

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Easter Story

As Sara, my eleven year old, searched for family pictures on my facebook profile, she came across LOVE 146 recent post. I read to her the recent rescue of a four-year-old girl from the bondage of sex slavery. How grieving to read of this evil taking place in our world today! I briefly explained the need for prayer for all our children to Sara, then I moved on to do some other chores. I found Sara later in her room with tears in her eyes. “Mom, I was thinking about JoJo and Izzi and Gabriel (her 4 and 5 year old cousins). How could someone hurt them when they are so small?”

How indeed. We read Isaiah 61 and discussed the scripture. Jesus died on the cross so that we might be set free from the bonds of sin. If Jesus has set us free, the Bible says, then we are free indeed. Our prayer is that every man woman and child would know that Christ has come to set us free, no matter what our past. The Spirit of God is upon us so that we could heal the brokenhearted, set captives free, preach the good news, comfort those who mourn.

I watched as Sara wrote in her journal that evening. I know that this upcoming generation is going to wreak havoc in the spiritual realm. When their hearts are turned for the broken and vulnerable, they will passionately rescue and restore them with the gospel of peace. Pray for this generation. God is going to use them mightily to break the chains of the enemy and set the prisoners free. This is the Easter Story.

Because every child matters,

Susan

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Wisdom tooth experiences

The only surgery I can recall having was about 25 years ago. I had a permanent tooth lodged sideways in my jaw, which I was told would never erupt naturally. Therefore, I still have one baby tooth. 🙂

My dentist has reminded me many times over the past 1-2 years that I should get my wisdom teeth also taken out sooner rather than later. He mentioned that recovery is much easier the younger we are. Not a flattering kind of word from my dentist, but I did accept it.

So last week I had a wisdom tooth extracted. The same oral surgeon who has extracted Philip’s extra teeth, performed my surgery. As I waited in the chair prior to the surgery, my mind wandered to Philip and all the thoughts in his mind before he goes for surgery. What concerns in his mind, what thoughts he thinks. I compared it to myself. Could I just rest peacefully knowing that God is in control?

Recovery from this tooth extraction has been very difficult. I can barely open my mouth due to the swelling on my face and the pain in my gums. I thought of our young Shivaranjan. For fourteen years he swallowed liquid food through a straw because of his locked jaws. What suffering these young people have gone through? And on top of the physical needs, I am reminded of their emotional needs. What humiliation and shame they undergo in their daily walk through life. And yet I’m so inspired because they do not let these “obstacles” get in the way of their goals. Instead, they press on.

I think it was a good thing for me to go through this surgery. I could feel some of the pain and the heart’s desires of our patients. I needed to be reminded of their courage and perseverance to press on in spite of what stands in the way. May God help each of us in our daily walk to keep our eyes on Jesus, He is the way.

Because every child matters!

Susan

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I only lasted 24 hours

Have you ever experienced that ultimate victorious sensation during special revival meetings at church? After such an amazing time of worship, experience with God and just freedom, you think to yourself I am going to make it!

Well, our church had such a meeting this past weekend. It was a beautiful time of “Soul Care.” Reflecting on past wounds and current rocky emotional states and the healing found in Jesus once these are confessed. It was such a time of deliverance for me. And knowing that “because He lives, all fear is gone.”

Well, I came home from work on the very next day, Monday, still strong. However, after I saw the assignment and test schedule for Philip for this week, I panicked. I became frustrated with myself and with Philip. Then came Sara with her homework. I stared at the pile of dishes through teary eyes. I tried to think of the meals I had yet to prepare for the family tomorrow. And I just let myself back in the spiral of feeling overwhelmed, sad and frustrated. How can I make it this week?

Well, after the pity party, I shook it all off. How could I have let myself fall out like this? It had not even been 24 hours since the church meetings had ended. How could I have succumbed to the wiles and lies of the enemy. I didn’t even fight!

I picked myself up off the ground and dusted myself off. I was not going to let the enemy distract me from what I knew about myself. I know who I am. I know what mighty power I have working in me. I know I am more than a conqueror in Christ, and I have victory because of Him. Though it is a hard road, I am never alone, and neither are you!

I thought about that old chorus we sang years ago, “We’ll not be Defeated!” The words go like this:

We’ll not be defeated

We’ll not be defeated

We’ll not be defeated anymore,

Since the Holy Ghost came in,

Gave us power over sin,

We’ll not be defeated anymore!

Be encouraged, my friend. In the words of Andrew Wommack, “You’ve already got it!” I know the price has been paid for our healing, our prosperity, our joy and our blessing. As is in Ephesians chapter one, I praise God who has blessed us with every heavenly blessing. It has been given, and We WILL claim it!

God bless you!

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Birthdays and whiny Christians

Birthdays can be looked at from different perspectives, either excitement or sadness. I think children look more towards the excitement end. I wish as adults we could keep that innocent mindset as the years progress. 🙂

At my recent milestone, I embraced the day. However, I remembered the 2012 birthday. It was a sad day. I just wondered what I was doing with my life. The day-in rut and the concerns I had in taking care of my family, trying to stay full time in my job and work in the non-profit world. Then to add to all of it, I turned a year older.

Where are you, God? Am I succeeding in the call on my life? Why can’t I move forward? Those were the questions and tears I shed that day.

Add another 365 days and here it is again. I reminisced what an amazing year this has been. Yes, I have to admit I have gotten older. 🙂 There is more gray on my head! But there is definitely more peace in my heart. I’ve realized that I carry an authority in carrying my Father’s name. I know who I am. Instead of being a “whiny Christian” I have learned to go and speak to the mountain and obstacle in my way. I know what the will of God is for me, and I will not let the enemy distract me with emotional barriers and physical illnesses. I speak that over myself, knowing that my words have life and power. I’ve also been reminded that I have the faith of Jesus in me. I have the mind of Christ. Jesus is on me, and my Father looks at me, through the Son. Isn’t it amazing the love He has for you and me?

Remember friends life and death is in your tongue. What do you speak over yourself today? I hope it’s not “Oh, my back is killing me! :)” I urge you to speak to the mountain. Remember your true identity in Him and what you can do because of Christ. We thank God for the victory that we have in Him. And the best part is, none of this expires at the next birthday!!

God bless you!

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