Devotions
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Yesterday we began a four part series about the miraculous God story told by Heath and Katie Franke. This is the second in the series. Make sure you follow their story the rest of the week.
1 John 5:14 - This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. NASB Romans 12:5 - So we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually parts of one another. NASB Matthew 18:20 - For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst. NASB When we learned that Noah was going to need surgery due to a massive brain bleed, I remember calling my small group who I knew would pray and ask others to do so. Due to COVID only one person had been allowed in with Noah. Heath was inside and I had been outside. At some point during all of this I had been updating our small group. I remember calling Jenni to update. I couldn’t type, my hands were shaking too much. And I remember asking her to pray. I called my parents to tell them and asked them to pray. Thankfully, the hospital said I should come in. Security took me past everything and right to Noah and Heath. Noah had a blank stare on his face. I remember thinking, oh I’m glad he isn’t repeating anymore and calm. I now know that this was not a good sign. The nursing staff was rushing all around. They were moving Noah to the OR and quickly. The neurosurgeon was on the way and they needed to get ready. The nurse talked to us on the way, assuring us he was in good hands and this needed done right away. We got to an open area by the OR. They did not put him in a room as there was no time. Other Physicians and staff were coming in for their scheduled surgeries and being told everything was on hold. Theirs were cancelled because this was emergent. They were hooking Noah up to machines and starting IVs. I remember he still had a blank look on his face. The anesthesiologist tried asking him simple questions however he didn’t get an answer. They asked us to sign some forms giving permissions, etc. It was during this time things were moving fast but also in slow motion. Like you see on the movies where you are standing still and everyone around you is rushing at warp speed. The staff that had their surgeries cancelled looked at us with sorrow. It felt like we were losing him or had lost him. Their faces told the untold story. The neurosurgeon arrived and prepared us for what was ahead. He has a massive brain bleed. We needed to be ready for this. It was going to be a long road for him. If he makes it through surgery, we are looking at his speech and cognitive thinking. The bleed was on top of this part of his brain. So, “hang in there mom and dad. You can do this but you need to be ready. None of this is going to be easy.” We walked out to the surgery waiting area and I said, we need to call Jonathan. He needs to know what is going on. So I called him. I tried with all of my strength to hold it together for him. I explained what was happening and asked if he could talk to his boss and come up to the hospital. I could tell he was crying and said he would. (Glory Days will always hold a special place in my heart. They closed their phones down and were just there for Jonathan for about 30-45 minutes. They did what they could for him and even brought him to us so he wouldn’t have to drive) I know Heath called his dad and I called my mom. I remember texting our small group to keep praying. I’m not sure when or how but Pastor Michael and Pastor Delinda were able to come in and sit with us. I found great comfort in having them there. They didn’t need to say anything, just having them near was a source of strength and comfort. When the surgery was over the neurosurgeon met with us. She said he had a midline shift, fractures and bad bleed. They were able to use plates to put things back together, because it was like a puzzle once they opened him. She felt like the surgery went well but again, told us to be prepared for a long recovery. We were going to be at the hospital for a while, in the ICU for a few days most likely. She wanted us to be prepared in that this was going to be a long and hard recovery. If he recovered well then MAYBE he could start school in August, maybe. Because of where the bleed was, we really need to focus on his speech and thinking. Those were our two main areas of focus. In the morning they would do another CT and she would see us then. Hang tight and be strong, you got this. As they prepped him to go to the ICU, it was decided I would stay at the hospital. It was decided that Heath and Jonathan were to go home and be with Caleb. It was at this time we learned the church was outside praying. We heard some were and were grateful our small group dropped what they were doing to do that. However, it wasn’t just our small group. Roughly 80 people had come to pray. 80 people put the church in action. As Heath and Jonathan were leaving, they were moved by the amount of people who had stopped their day and came to pray, for us. We cannot explain the source of comfort this provided us. That is a moment in which they will never forget. Scripture calls us to pray individually and collectively. If you are not a part of small group at church, I encourage you to do so. Make a practice of gathering to pray according to His will. We cannot explain the source of comfort this provided us. Tune in again tomorrow for more of the story...
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AuthorNotes from the Staff @The Woods Archives
March 2023
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