Unspeakable Joy...

I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart;  

I will tell of all the marvelous things You have done!  

I will be filled with joy - unspeakable joy - because of You.

I will sing praises to your name, O Most High.

[Psalm 9:1-2, NLT, emphasis mine]

Miracle (semeion) ... Strong's Dictionary defines it as a sign, mark, or token:

• that by which a person or a thing is distinguished from others and is known
• an unusual occurrence, transcending the common course of nature
• by which men prove that the cause they are pleading is God's! 

Did you catch that..."by which men prove that the cause they (Prayer Warriors) are pleading is God's!  

Prayer Warriors - today, God proved that the cause you are/have been pleading of "Crossing this Jordan" in Jackson's life is God's! 

The morning started early, with an incredible, "still" moment of prayer as we began our journey to the front lines of the battle...

[Be still my child, and know that Our God is a God of Miracles]

 

Our focus going down the road was "Worship" in preparation for War...

[in the rearview...Jackson often raises his hands when listening to worship music in the car]

And as we entered the registration/waiting area of same-day surgery at Pittsburgh Children's Hospital, there was a "peace that surpassed all understanding", which provided smiles all around...

And as our "wait" prolonged, and the Versed (anesthesia med) began to kick in ... the giggles took over!  

The moment captured in the video was an absolute blessing!  Talk about God's hand of Grace on this mommy and daddy moments away from again placing their baby boy on an "altar".  After a time of prayer and a brief, calm, and confident conversation with Dr. Morell...peace enveloped Kelly and I as we handed Jackson over to our anesthesiologist at 8:40am and placed him in the care of our Heavenly Father and His surgical team!

The first surprise blessing of the morning took place just minutes after getting situated in the Cardiac ICU Waiting Room...as Dr. Speer, who diagnosed Hypo-plastic Left Heart Syndrome during Jackson's 18 week ultrasound at Magee-Women's Hospital here in Pittsburgh, walked in to "wait" with us!  Dr. Speer is also the man of God who redefined "laying on of hands" for us - as he was the doctor who held Jackson in Kelly's uterus during the unprecedented, Fetal Aortic Balloon Surgery during Kelly's 21st week of pregnancy on July 24, 2009.  Jackson's fetal surgery was the first successful surgery of its kind in the history of Pittsburgh Children's Hospital...and needless to say, it was only fitting that Dr. Speer "stood in the waters" with us this morning!  

At 10:30am - we received the first update.  The surgery was going according to plan, and Jackson was about to go on to the heart-lung by-pass machine/ECMO in preparation of addressing the tricuspid valve and completing the Fontan re-construction. The nurse shared with us that she would return at 11:30am with another update, and not to look for Jackson to be out of surgery before 2pm, which was anticipated as the surgery was scheduled for 4-6 hours.  

At 11:30am...there was no sign of our nurse, and no update shared - but the reinforcements arrived, as our "spiritual mentors" - Bruce and Kathy joined us in the waters!  Our God's timing turned out to be "perfect" again...because at 11:40am - the air left the room, as Dr. Morrel and Dr. Munoz walked into the CICU waiting room.

At first, we did not know how to respond.  Before us stood Jackson's lead surgeon...only an hour after going on by-pass.  We anticipated 2-4 hours on by-pass...and now all of us sudden Dr. Morell is in the waiting room with his poker face on.  And why was Dr. Munoz with him?  Did something go terribly wrong?  Come on...we have witnessed this scene before on Grey's Anatomy - haven't we?  We braced our self...

Then Dr. Morrel's smile broke the silence! And he shared with us, "It is finished.  It is done.  Everything went according to plan.  We repaired the tricuspid valve, and it is now leaking minimally.  We completed the Fontan, and it could not have gone better.  Everything went 'wonderfully'!"  

We were stunned!  Amazed!  Blown away at what our Great and Awesome God just accomplished in 78 minutes!  You know that I am never short on words...but today at 11:45am, I had nothin'!  The room was silent in "unspeakable joy"!   And our tears said it all...

And then we raised Christ's Banner high...as Kelly, Kathy, Bruce and I gathered in the middle of the waiting room to pray and praise the Work of the Great Physician - Christ Jesus, our Lord!  I will never forget that moment...I will never forget that prayer!  

But God was not done with the "surprises"...for as we said Amen, the CICU waiting room door opened, and in walked Ed Isley, my Managing Director at the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association who lives in Columbia, SC (with 12 stones in hand ) and Ron Coder, a great brother in the Lord and our Regional Manager in Pittsburgh!  And all I could say was..."You missed it!"  What an awesome God we serve...

But don't miss the 12 stones reference...in Joshua chapter 4 - after Crossing the Jordan River, Joshua called together 12 men/leaders together and told them to go back "in the middle of the middle of the Jordan...and pick up one stone, carry it on your shoulder...we will use these stones to build a memorial" - a place of worship that will stand among the people of God forever!  

This journey is no where near over...there are fortified cities (healing) and battles (recovery) to be fought and won!  But we must remain focused - with our eyes on Jesus - because the slightest distraction (especially difficult for all of us with ADD) will cause us to stumble!  Remember..."let us run with endurance the journey God has set before us!  We do this by fixing our eyes on Jesus!"  [Hebrews 12:1-2, NLT]

The Journey into this promised land continues.  Healing and Recovery are God's specialties...and He is already powerfully at work this afternoon and evening.  Jackson rested well his afternoon - but tonight Jackson is waking up with moments of intense pain, expressed by deep cries and screams.  It looks like we are in for a very long night as we search for the delicate balance in the right recipe of pain meds, pacing of his heart and sedation.  Tomorrow morning they plan to wake him up, and hope to move from the ICU to the Cardiac Recovery floor!  

We are exhausted - I am not going to lie...and your prayers are currently providing "breath" for us!  Please continue to hold Jackson's recovery, healing, comfort and strength in your prayers - as well as Kelly and my rest!  The preparation/anticipation and recovery are the hardest parts of the journey...no doubt!  

Prayer Warriors...thank you again for "standing in the waters" with us today!  Your phone calls, FB messages, emails and txts of encouragement were incredible shots in the arm - and our prayer is that you know how much Kelly and I love you! 

Tonight...we will "rest" with "peace in our hearts" in this new land - as we keep All Eyes on Jesus!  

[Below are some pictures of Jackson recovering in the CICU, after God's Miracle Monday Morning]

[One of the most incredible moments revelations today is how Jackson responds to our singing!  Every time he gets worked up, he will immediate calm when Kelly or I begin to sing - typically it is his favorite "Oh, No! You Never Let Go!  Lord You Never Let Go of ME!"  that seems to restore peace in his heart!  Our God is an Awesome God...Worship in War!]