April 7, 2011

Thursday

Today has given us just a tiny occasion to catch our breath. Clara had a very stable night and so far today she has been ok.  A few of her stats have improved, just ever so slightly. We are encouraged by this, but are still aware that she is an extremely sick little girl. Dr. Turner worded it like this: yesterday she was standing on the cliff with her toes hanging over the edge; today, she's taken about a quarter step back.

Last night, Chrissy and I prayed for God to work a miracle. It was almost the exact same prayer that we prayed the night before we got Clara's amniocentesis results, when we were almost certain that those results were going to tell us that she had a fatal chromosomal disorder. We were in the exact same place, without any rational hope, with no logical reason to expect Clara to survive. But we prayed for a miracle then, and we prayed for a miracle last night.

We do not presume to know God's mind or the intricacies of His plans. But we continue to have faith that He can heal our daughter, and we continue to pray with all our hearts that He will.

Being in this place, without any statistical or logical reason to expect that she will pull through, I have repeatedly gone back to two biblical stories. The first, for obvious reasons, is the story of Jesus healing the sick (or dead, depending on how you read it) girl:
Mark 5:21-23, 35-42 NIV

'When Jesus had again crossed over by boat to the other side of the lake, a large crowd gathered around him while he was by the lake. Then one of the synagogue leaders, named Jairus, came, and when he saw Jesus, he fell at his feet. He pleaded earnestly with him, "My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live." While Jesus was still speaking, some people came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. "Your daughter is dead," they said. "Why bother the teacher anymore?" Overhearing what they said, Jesus told him, "Don't be afraid; just believe." He did not let anyone follow him except Peter, James and John the brother of James. When they came to the home of the synagogue leader, Jesus saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly. He went in and said to them, "Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep." But they laughed at him.
After he put them all out, he took the child's father and mother and the disciples who were with him, and went in where the child was. He took her by the hand and said to her, "Talitha koum!" (which means "Little girl, I say to you, get up!"). Immediately the girl stood up and began to walk around (she was twelve years old). At this they were completely astonished.'

The second passage that I keep returning to is the story of Gideon defeating the Midianites. Gideon has assembled an enormous army of thirty thousand Israelite soldiers to fight the Midianites, but God has other plans:

Judges 7:2 NIV

The Lord said to Gideon, "You have too many men. I cannot deliver Midian into their hands, or Israel would boast against me, 'My own strength has saved me.'

Then God proceeds to dwindle Gideon's army down to 300 men, who then defeat the Midianite army of thousands and thousands.

These two stories are so close to my heart right now because they show God working against all logical odds to produce a miraculous victory that glorifies Him, and can only be attributed to His power. It is our prayer that he will do the same with Clara now. She has been brought to the brink, and we know that it is only through God's intervention that we will be able to bring her home.

Pray for Clara. She is still very, very sick. She is still standing on the cliff. She has a mountain of obstacles to overcome before she is out of danger. But we pray to the One who is able to carry her to safety. Pray that He will carry her there. And know that if He does, the glory belongs to Him alone.

-robert

19 comments:

  1. Prayers for you all on that scary cliff.

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  2. Praise God for a peaceful night. Hoping you guys are catching your breath a bit. Your baby girl and your family are an inspiration to many. We love you all!

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  3. Praying for you and your family. God give you the strength you need to make it thru these difficult days. Hold on to each little step forward. Clara and your family are in the thoughts and prayers of many people.
    - A CDH Mom

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  4. Thank You God for a restful, peaceful sleep for Clara. We still cry out to you Lord to continue your healing powers in her little body and to move among her doctors with inspiration and determination to keep this sweet baby on the road to recover, one tiny, quarter step at a time! We give you all the glory for where she is right this minute! Stay strong Robert and Chrissy! God is moving and none of us want to miss a second of what He is getting ready to do!

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  5. "If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'MOVE from here to there' and it WILL move. Nothing will be impossible for you!"

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  6. I wonder what this huge chorus of prayers for little Clara sounds like in heaven. A symphony of instruments and voices in unison that plays on and on, I would think. I know her creator is listening.

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  7. May God will put his loving hands around your precious little girl. You are not alone for He will never leave you nor forsake you...even in times such as these.

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  8. Robert, thank you for writing this. Going through our own story with Samuel a few months ago is still very fresh in my mind and actually it is hard to respond and read these posts. But I will honestly pray for courage, for strength, and for God's divine healing touch to heal your clara. Blessings you guys!

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  9. We lift Clara up to heavenly hands to where she may be healed. Angels surround her on every side and the are protecting her from anything that could harm her. We pray that Clara will climb the many mountains ahead of her and come to the bottom of the last one. Let the Lord guide her to safety and you just continue your strong faith
    Love and blessings, the Welsh Family

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  10. Praying God carries you all.....

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  11. Keep your faith and let us all keep you all in our thoughts and prayers. Clara is one amazing and beautiful fighter - all CDH babies are. Take the half step back and hope there will be a full one very soon.

    Sending thoughts, prayers and Lung Function Chants,
    Elizabeth

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  12. You knew it was going to be a roller coaster ride. I am hoping that Clara has reached the bottom and is now heading to the top. You are constantly on my mind, and in my prayers. I so want your little girl to receive God'a healing miracle.

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  13. I think of you all each day and continue to pray! Stay strong Clara! -Kolleen

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  14. Praying for A MIRACLE OUR GOD CAN DO THIS MIRACLE!!!! lots of love to all of you

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  15. Praying, praying, praying . . . praising God for all He has already accomplished in and through Clara . . . and entreating Him for a string of miracles. Stay strong, and know that you are all very loved.

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  16. Praying for her to diuresis, esp. her lungs and once that process begins, her pulmonary pressures to recede. Joanne

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  17. Went to bed praying...woke up praying...we will not stop praying...Father, We cry out to you on behalf of sweet, precious Clara Mae Hardy. Lay your healing hands upon Clara's lungs and heart...your knowledge and wisdom upon Clara's doctors...your strength and patience upon Clara's mother and father and grandparents...In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.

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  18. Robert & Chrissy,
    I sit here and weep at the story unfolding in front of me, YOUR story, and how it has taught me to hope beyond all hope, to believe in the impossible, and to dare to dream that God can, and will, work in ways that we cannot begin to even know. You both have been so near to my heart that I feel in moments as though I am holding you there, deep inside, lifting you up to Whoever will listen. I say it often, I know, but I cannot say it enough. We love you... deeply, and we intercede for Clara with "groans words cannot express". Our children ask about Clara often, we pray for her, we hope for you, and we lift your family up to the Creator. May you all sleep in peace tonight, with the light of the Living God resting in your hearts and breathing Life into you all. With all my love,

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  19. Dear Robert & Chrissy,
    We are strangers, but I am praying for your little Clara tonite and each nite. My son is a CDH survivor, and he also fought for his life. These little kiddos have so much fight in them, it is almost impossible to believe. I hope you get to bring your Clara home with you very soon.

    Love from Long Island!

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