Good morning dear friends,
As many of you already know, the Lord blessed our family yesterday with a new grandson. Hudson is such a blessing, but he came to us in a very difficult way.
Yesterday morning Jeremiah text me and said: [Pray. In ambulance. Cindy.] I immediately told Tammy and we started praying. The next text I received was: [Need y’all to head this way] Trying not to panic, Tammy and I packed something as quickly as we could and started on a 7 hr journey that I made in less than 6. We feared that she had lost the baby. As we got ready to pull out I prayed – “Dear God, our lives are in your hands. Help us. Amen”
As we made our way down the road we discovered that the baby was still alive but that within 24 hrs Cindy would need to deliver it. Her due date was January 18, 2013. Then Jeremiah called me and said that we was in surgery prep at that very moment.
That’s when I called Pastor Zack and asked him to ask you to pray. Thank you dear brother for your help and support. Dear Twin Oaks family, you’ll never know how much it meant to us to know that you were with us in this. We knew that God was the one in control, but we needed your support.
Finally we got here and learned that little Hudson had arrived in this world (3 lbs. 12 ozs.) We saw him and although he is a preemie, there is a certain air of wiriness about him. Whenever I think of the name Hudson, I think of the great missionary, Hudson Taylor. God has some special plans for this little boy.
Cindy still needs your prayers. Yesterday was unreal. There was a time in the ambulance when they thought that they might be losing her. When we first got here, there was a lot of uncertainty. But then our gracious Lord began to show us some signs of encouragement. I know in my spirit that it was because His people were praying. Thank you. God taught me so much yesterday about prayer and the support of the body of Christ.
Cindy still has several health issues that the doctor feels will be OK over time. There is still a long road ahead of our family, but we know that our Savior goes before us.
If things had gone as planned, I would have preached a message this Sunday morning entitled – “The God Who Understands and Cares” from Psalm 103. Never in my wildest dreams did I anticipate that this message was just for me. Love you brethren.
Psalm 103:1 My soul, praise the Lord, and all that is within me, praise His holy name. 2 My soul, praise the Lord, and do not forget all His benefits. 3 He forgives all your sin; He heals all your diseases. 4 He redeems your life from the Pit; He crowns you with faithful love and compassion.5 He satisfies you with goodness; your youth is renewed like the eagle. 6 The Lord executes acts of righteousness and justice for all the oppressed.
7 He revealed His ways to Moses, His deeds to the people of Israel. 8 The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and full of faithful love. 9 He will not always accuse [us] or be angry forever. 10 He has not dealt with us as our sins deserve or repaid us according to our offenses. 11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His faithful love toward those who fear Him. 12 As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.
13 As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him. 14 For He knows what we are made of, remembering that we are dust. 15 As for man, his days are like grass- he blooms like a flower of the field; 16 when the wind passes over it, it vanishes, and its place is no longer known. 17 But from eternity to eternity the Lord’s faithful love is toward those who fear Him, and His righteousness toward the grandchildren 18 of those who keep His covenant, who remember to observe His instructions.
19 The Lord has established His throne in heaven, and His kingdom rules over all. 20 Praise the Lord, [all] His angels of great strength, who do His word, obedient to His command. 21 Praise the Lord, all His armies, His servants who do His will. 22 Praise the Lord, all His works in all the places where He rules. My soul, praise the Lord! (CSB)
"Seeds of Faith" 