Monday, May 23, 2005

Life?

A serious side hits me hard this morning. I got a call Friday morning to go to the ER. A 32 year old mother of 2 had a stroke and is hanging on by a thread. The Dr's have done all they can. Since Friday, some good signs and bad ones, but it's still just a wait. I deal with families in crisis often and know what to say, how to pray, and try to comfort. It's all real, I've never seen it as a job. But this is different. My wife turned 32 a couple of weeks ago, and we've been in and out of the hospital with various issues, but I can't imagine what I'd be going through if I were in Brent's shoes. Brent is the husband, we grew up together. His 2 children are so young. I haven't seen him in 15 years, but I have heard about his life through his parents who attend my church. Great, loving, dedicated people. I don't know if "knowing all the answers" helps in a time like this. I know God is in control and His will is perfect, but that only offers intellectual comfort at least and at most offers no comfort at all, only anger and guilt for not wanting God's will if it's contrary to ours. We can agree with others that God's will is for healing, but do we pretend to know the vastness of God's will? I can't make that assumption. I HOPE it is and I KNOW He can, but I honestly don't know what will happen. Instead, I pray for strength, peace, healing, and comfort that comes from beyond ourselves. I do know that God's will is to be with His children in their pain. I can remember times I wanted to give up when He filled me with just enough to make it through another minute. Audria is a fighter, from what her family tells me, and Brent is a man of God. I pray for more than healing. I pray for friends and family who will stick together to rely on each other to comfort, strengthen, encourage and cry. If prayer is like knocking on the door of a neighbor in the middle of the night, we'll bang as long as it takes, begging for a full recovery. And when all is said and done, I can guarentee answers won't be what gets this family through. The love, comfort and peace that goes beyond our intellect will hold this family together no matter what the outcome. If you pray, please say one for Audria and her family.

3 comments:

Renee said...

Oh My!:-( Prayers going up for her family and friends here.

Rick said...

blog exploded on you - how's it going for brent and his wife?

Anonymous said...

Wow! Stumbled across your site surfing blogs and had to say something. It's most difficult, I think, to see someone so young in health arrest. Be there as you can be and offer what you may. That, sometimes, is enough comfort for the long road ahead. Peace be with you.
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