Well, we're back and exhausted (we rolled in around 4:00 AM). It was an amazing weekend and we're looking forward to our first opportunity to lead a class. More on that later.
You may recall back in June my story of a farewell to a family that had given so much to our church. They were off to Louisville for a new job and to be closer to family.
On our way home from Chicago we learned that James, at only 35 years old, had collapsed in church Sunday morning from a stroke. We knew only that he was in the hospital and stable, that a specialist would examine him in the morning and that several from our church in Columbus got in their cars right after church to go to Louisville to be by their side. Today I received the following update via email:
The neurologist confirmed that James had a stroke. I guess he had a blood clot from years ago in the back of his brain and the Dr. wants to obtain his old records to review them. This clot is in the frontal lobe. They have him on blood thinners and will treat him that way right now...he will be in the hospital for at least a week and then will need therapy when he is discharged. The Dr. said possibly he may have a leak in the heart causing the clots...they are going to do further testing to determine the source. Of course, this has hit the [family] very hard...keep praying for his recovery and for strength and comfort for the family, as well.This is a family that has been through so much, I don't know how they're still standing let alone still giving the way they do, and now this. It humbles me to think of how blessed my family is and I wonder how one family experiences so much tragedy and another so little. I don't have that answer, and won't this side of eternity, all I can do now is trust and pray.
Some of you know James and Kym, most of you do not. Either way, will you please pray for healing for James and for strength for the family to endure? It breaks my heart to hear of their suffering, but I know that suffering makes us stronger.
Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God.
We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.
In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will.
It breaks my heart to. They are such a loving and humble family. Me and my family will be praying for them.
The latest update is that James will be in the hospital for about a week and then to therapy. He has some paralysis on one side and can't get up on his own, which is understandably driving him crazy. Please keep praying for James and his family.
I only wish I would have read this when you first wrote it. I could have been praying sooner. But it's never too late. My heart goes out to this brother. What a difficult challange he has. But, in truth, he will come to acknowledge this as the greatest thing that has ever happened to him. I believe that this is the mark of ligitimacy from the Father, as discribed in Hebrews 12.