Come Alongside...

Hi!
Hope this finds you doing well. We are good. I thought I'd start by updating you on what has happened recently. We had the CT scan scheduled a week or so ago. We've rescheduled it twice though because Selah has had a cold and the CT nurse said it isn't safe to sedate her with the cold and extra secretions and mucus. So, we moved it to March in hopes that she'll be all "clear" from the cold. She is feeling better, thankfully! We are truly thankful that she has been so healthy...such a blessing! We will take the cold over what could be...just have to remember that on those nights of up all night suctioning with no sleep, ha. After the CT scan we will meet with the doctor and team to discuss their recommendations, timeline, etc, for the jaw surgery. It's just been delayed a little bit. Honestly, I can say that I don't mind. I'm so thankful for this time at home with her and just was relieved to not have to have her go have sedation, a short hospital stay, etc. I know it is something we have to do but I believe God knows the desires of my heart and is working it all out....I'm thanking Him. :)
Now on another note...
I've been thinking lately about the support and prayers we are honored to have in our lives...thank you! I've also been seeing a consistent message in my devotional, messages at church, and in other sources. I'm humbled by God's persistence and willingness to pursue, to teach, to grow me...if only I let Him. God has been reminding me of the power of prayer and the power of not only embracing the support but also giving it...caring other's burdens. I remember shortly after my second miscarriage I was given a book that was such a blessing...healing. I remember reading in it about different seasons in life and how God brings people along during the different seasons....I'll try to explain. It mentioned that sometimes He brings others along to hold our hand and walk beside us, or sometimes to lead us in their experience and their faith, or sometimes to go behind us...supporting and reminding us that we can keep going. It mentioned that sometimes these individuals will be there through many seasons in our life and sometimes they may be there but then fade as we go from one season to the next. I've learned that this is true...at least in my life.
I know there are some friends that I can identify with and connect with no matter what, no matter how long. There are some sweet friends who at one time I've been so close to but then as seasons come and go have realized that the connection is not as strong as it once was. There have been some amazing friends who have offered comfort, support, love, and hope...only through what they've experienced. There have also been friends and others who have prayed in faith on my behalf...when I've not had the faith to pray. And then there are some precious friendships that I'm ashamed to say I've let fade only because I didn't maintain or invest in the friendship...didn't let them know how much they meant to me. God has also taught me though that at some seasons in life it is ok to "let go" of some relationships/friendships and to cherish the blessings from them.
Now, all this is to say that I'm learning and am humbled by the friends and relationships that God has brought and brings into my life. He is teaching me to embrace them and to honor them but to also know that He orchestrates it all...He knows the timing and the ways...He knows who and what He we need to come alongside us...
I share this because there is a sweet friend that has been such a blessing to me. She reminds me so often of the prayers she is lifting up for us. She has shown so much love and support and I'm truly honored to call her friend. There is a connection between us...unspoken but understood...that only God has allowed to be there...in His divine grace and power and ways. I haven't asked her if I can share...God has been laying it on my heart...so hopefully she'll be ok with it.  :)
This precious friend is Crystal Keller. Crystal is currently pregnant with a sweet baby girl...Kelsie. It hurts my heart to say that things haven't been the way that Crystal would imagine this experience would go. I don't want to take away from her sweet words...as she shares her heart and story. I do want to say though that the "facts" do not look good for her sweet baby. Crystal is daily faced with the uncertainty, the unknown, the "battle" to not be consumed by the "what if" or the heartache of thinking of her sweet baby's life fading away. Crystal also faces daily the longing to have and love this sweet baby and the desire to be Kelsie's mom. So, I ask that you would please check out her blog and just let her fill you in...www.nomatterwhat-ck.blogspot.com 
I share this with you in hopes that you will come alongside Crystal and offer your prayers...on her behalf...in faith. We are so blessed to have the honor of coming before a Heavenly Father who hears our prayers...spoken and those of our heart...our God who know our brokeness, our desires, our hopes...our God who hears when we pray in faith on behalf of others...when they may not have the strength or faith to pray. Although it hurts me to know that she is currently going through one of the hardest times in her life, I can also say that in the name of our God...who is mighty to save, healer, sovereign, faithful...that His hand is holding her...He is working. I ask you to check out her story and to come alongside me, to come alongside her and to pray....

***Disclaimer*** As you may have figured out...if you're a friend, aquaintenance, the Walgreens gal, you're never safe...you never know when you'll be a part of a post...:) Just kidding..not really!! :)

Much love to you!!!!