Grateful

I wanted to let everyone know how much your prayers and support have meant to Bethany and I. It has been overwhelming to feel God's presence in your phone calls, emails and messages. We truly are grateful for the family and friends that we have been blessed with. To know that people are praying in different parts of the country and throughout the World (Iraq, Turkey, Wales, etc) for our little girl is humbling. Thank you all for praying to our God on behalf of my little girl. All that continues to dwell in my heart is "What a mighty God we serve. Angels bow before Him, Heaven and Earth adore Him!" God is doing amazing things and all I want to do is stand in awe of His works. Thank you for joining us in His praise!

I also wanted to share a little bit from our sermon at church yesterday:

(We have been attending the Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham. The pastor, David Platt, is truly a man of God. To hear memorized scripture pour from his heart is inspiring. Not because it is memorized, but because it is learned. It is hidden in is heart. It is a fire shut up in his bones that indeed he cannot keep in. Oh that this could be my heart's desire. To desire God in such a way that I would meditate on His word with such passion, that I would hide It in my heart so that I wouldn't sin against Him).

David has been talking about salvation the past few weeks and yesterday discussed grace and faith. Grace is given to us through salvation even though we do not deserve it. This is a concept that we learn very early in church but something that really hit home yesterday. Salvation isn't something that I was handed at the age of 7 and then put in my pocket. Salvation is given to me daily. Every single day. Even though God showed me grace yesterday, I still do not deserve it today. I still have nothing to offer. But He is faithful to complete what He has started in me. Every single day. And what is so amazing about this grace? He doesn't expect or need anything in return! What could I give God anyway? For even in my best attempts, I am still wretched. I am still ruined! But through the grace of God and the blood of Jesus, he does not see this ruin. He sees His Glory reflected back.

This is where we come in... through our faith in Jesus. David put it like this: "Faith involves radical dependence on God's work in our lives. We need HIM to mold our hearts. We need HIM to empower our lives." He does not need us for apart from Him we can create no good thing. But... But, when we put our faith in God and rely on him with a "radical dependence" then God receives all the Glory! What a beautiful picture of how His Grace for us and though us allows us to bring Glory to Him!

I wanted to thank you all again for your faith in God for Emma Kate. It has definitely inspired me to have faith in her healing. Bethany has her appointment on Wednesday, April 30 at 8:00 am central time. We will let you know what we find out.