The Gameplan...

"But I, with a song of thanksgiving, will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed I will make good. Salvation comes from the LORD." [Jonah 2:9, NIV]

How awesome would it be to see world class doctor's bow down and worship our Heavenly Father tomorrow morning for His miraculous healing, signs and wonders in Jackson's life? It is not a matter of can He...but Will He? And I can honestly say - I don't know! I don't know how God will perfectly work out His divine and holy purposes in Jackson tomorrow morning - but He will! And Kel and I are ready to go - and our heart's cry out that tomorrow morning all would know that God is our Healer and that Salvation comes through His Son - Christ Jesus alone! And so tonight...with a song of thanksgiving - we surrender Jackson to our Heavenly Father's Sovereignty!

It has been quite a month - and I can't believe that it has been 25 days since I last wrote! But as promised...I will write when felt led to do so! The last three weeks have been intense, and full of God's miraculous blessings! We still can't believe that we are living in this beautiful home! It is more than anything we ever could have imagined! And you want to talk about the demonstration of God's Love and support...I can't begin to tell you how many "man and woman" hours have been put in over the last three weeks by our amazing friends and family to help turn this house into a home! And to see the Hand of God move through them has been one of the greatest blessings I have ever witnessed - and tonight...it definitely is home!
The move was as perfect as one can be - and to be back in "community" with our church family literally two minutes away is indescribable! As we traveled over the last day from the farm...Carter said. "daddy - does this mean our vacation is over?" Vacation! Are you kidding me...that was no vacation - but talk about an awesome time of preparation and growth individually and as a family! Our God is an awesome God - and I will ever shout praise for the ways in which He united and developed this family through our time in the "wilderness"!
And oh how the many opportunities to "Be Still" and dig into His Word have powerfully moved over the last several weeks! Being very transparent...there has been some honest doubt over the last three weeks, and the enemy has been on the attack! And we are absolutely exhausted! Scheme after scheme has been brought - and yet here we are standing in our Heavenly Father's Strength and peace hours away from Jackson's birth! This is the night that we have been waiting for through so many sleepless nights...and I can't begin to share all the emotion! I feel like I am graduating high school or college all over again! Better yet...the night before our wedding! You remember the emotions you experienced in those moments...so excited, proud, pumped, anxious, nervous, and yet scared to death! Or maybe that is just the first born coming out again...but that is where we are tonight! Every emotion possible I think we have experienced in the last three days or are experiencing right now! We are ready to go...with all eyes on Jesus!

The gameplan:
Tomorrow morning, Monday - November 30th - Kelly will deliver Jackson by c-section at Magee Women's Hospital. He will immediately be stabilized in Magee's Neo-natal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and as soon as he is able, will be transferred to Children's Hospital where he will be stabilized, observed and evaluated for several days. After meeting with Dr. Merrell - (Jackson's Pediatric Cardio-vascular Surgeon) last week, at this point everything is on the table regarding his care and surgical plan. Dr. Merrell and his staff want to give Jackson's left ventricle all the time they can for it to demonstrate its functionality and effectiveness to sustain life. They are prepared for the worse surgical course of action (the Norwood series of surgeries), but are not ruling out another angioplasty balloon or valve(s) replacement surgery. It truly is up in the air as to what/when/how God will move! But - we trust that He will reveal His plan and course of action for Jackson! And we continue to plea and cry out for God's super-natural, divine healing! Hey - Christ waited for two days to raise Lazarus from the dead...who knows what He has planned! But we do know that He is by our side and that His Word is a lamp unto our feet! He will be with us hour by hour, step by step - and even though our desire is for a huge flood light that will light up the landscape and dangers 500 yards around us...we embrace and stand on His promise of a lamp!

And so tonight...stand with us and Praise Him! Sing a song of Thanksgiving...and surrender to His Will! He can, has and will continue to move mountains - part waters - deliver us from evil - and forever shower us with His Seriously Ridiculous Love!

With all eyes on Jesus...let us walk through fire!