grateful

So it looks like our blog is back up and running. Thanks for your patience :)

Today was a good day today for Pierce. He only had one major "episode" (an "episode" is typically where he quits breathing or his oxygen saturation levels dip drastically- this is completely normal and expected in preemie world, but still very scary to watch). He seems to be recovering well from the VAD surgery and he is getting much bigger. Pierce weighed in tonight at 2lbs even!!! His feeds are steadily increasing- he is currently getting 2mL's every 3 hours (for those of you who are as bad as I am at #'s: 5mL's make a teaspoon, so he's getting about 1/2 a teaspoon at each feeding). Also, he is still on low ventilator settings and there is talk about a planned extabation at some point this weekend (shh...don't tell Pierce, he's been known to not follow the "plan").

As we left the hospital tonight, Nik and I were reflecting on how far Pierce has come in one month. It is truly amazing to see how he has grown, how many hurdles he has jumped and most importantly, how he has been used by God to impact so many lives. I can't even begin to describe the amount of joy and gratitude that fills our hearts tonight.

I stumbled upon this quote this morning and thought it was so appropriate during this trying time. It says, "God allows in His wisdom that which He could easily prevent in His power." As I reflected on that today, I had such a peace that God has indeed allowed this for a reason. God is not a distant Father who ignores us in our problems. No, in fact, God allows these dark times in our lives for a reason. He has a purpose in all of this. Many of you are probably asking a question that have wrestled with in the past: so what is His purpose? How could a loving God allow our baby to suffer through such gut-wrenching times? The answer is made clear throughout Scripture: to demonstrate the glory and sufficiency of Christ. And how is that demonstrated through suffering? John Piper answers that question in saying, "Christ is most magnified in us when are most satisfied in him when we lose everything but him." He goes on to say, "Christ is magnified by being preferred above everything that life can offer."

Throughout this past month, Nik and I have been forced with the sobering truth that nothing in this life, apart from Christ, is unfailing. Our marriage, our child, our own lives, our possessions- none of those things can or will ever fulfill us. All of those bring joy, but none bring complete satisfaction. It is our prayer that God continues to use this trying time to make us more like Christ and to bring us into a deeper, more trusting relationship with Him. We also pray that He does the same in your life as a result of watching our story unfold and by witnessing His hand on Pierce's life. And honestly, if just one of you comes to faith in Christ as a result of this, it is all worth it. Every ounce of pain and suffering is worth you knowing our Lord, because friends, He is truly the only all-satisfying thing you could ever cling to.

Praying for our readers tonight.

Much love,
Lindsay, Nik and Pierce