Good morning. It’s good to be alive on this oddly warm Thanksgiving 2017.
Last week Luke Morton asked us if we would share a little bit about God’s faithfulness and provision in our life at our church’s Thanksgiving Eve service. It’s been good to spend some time thinking about specifically how God continues to provide, just what we need, always at the right time.
Below is the text of what we prepared.
If Noah were talking right now, he would tell you that he thanks God for Elmo, as those in the 5 PM service certainly know.
A bit of background
Noah and I have a genetic syndrome called Freeman Sheldon Syndrome. For Noah the condition has led to lots of challenges — long hospital stays, trips to the ER, planned and unplanned surgeries, regular outpatient appointments, and the daily struggle with not eating by mouth and his lack of mobility, etc.…
However, we have clearly seen God’s goodness and provision in and among our suffering, not in spite of it.
As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”
“Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.…” – John 9:1-7
A few things that stand out to us from 2017
1.
We are grateful to be spending less and less time in the hospital. It may sound like a small thing but it’s a huge answer to prayer. So far, in our current Fall-Winter season, Noah has had two colds, but neither of them have forced us to go into the hospital. What a blessing!
God has been so faithful to take care of us, to answer countless prayers, and now recently to provide some needed encouragement through the tangible blessings of rest, and more consistent time with our community.
2.
Earlier this year we had the opportunity to walk along side a few families with children facing especially difficult illnesses. It’s heartbreaking to watch our children suffer and struggle. Honestly, sometimes we’re not sure if we trust the Lord and his seemingly crazy plans.
But, the Lord has been faithful to hold us up and to show us that our circumstances are really opportunities laid out for us by God.
We are thankful for a hope in our father who understands our suffering and pain, who comforts us in the midst of it, and shows us visions of a much better place that is to come.
3.
God has shown up and not been silent.
He has provided through the compassion and kindness of our church community, our community group, through our extended family, through our encouraging care teams at Seattle Children’s and The Boyer Children’s Clinic, and the joy of watching our son grow. Noah’s life and all of our lives glorify God.
4.
God has been faithfully present in the mundane this year.
In this past winter, we had long seasons of just working to survive—or at least that’s how it felt. Whatever it was, it felt grueling. This has sometimes meant little socialization, no time for projects, or planning. We became mostly focused on the day to day.
But God has given us lots of joy in this way of life. We love Matthew 6:23 and how God provided just enough but not too much.
Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? – Matthew 6:23
We are so very glad.
Thank you.
