NKH Awareness Day - Wear, Share, Give, Love

This Saturday, May 2nd is NKH Awareness Day across the globe.  This day has been created by NKH warrior-parents, fighting to draw awareness to the disease that affects their children, and in many cases, takes their lives at a very early age.  Mike and I, along with the rest of our NKH Family around the world, invite you to take part as we Wear, Share, Give, and Love to raise awareness. 

What does "raise awareness" really mean?  I've asked myself this question often.  It sounds silly, but you see things everywhere now, asking others to "raise awareness".  I can't speak for everyone, but I will share what the phrase means to me . . .

Raising NKH Awareness means that you are sharing information on this disorder which both of our daughters were born with.  It literally means telling others about NKH - what it is, what it does and how you can help; and how can you help?  You can help by giving to NKH research!  You can also help by loving, encouraging and praying for other NKH families.  Don't discount any of these things, Friends!  As an NKH parent, as a parent of children with rare diseases, I promise that love, encouragement and prayer are all things that I crave, that I need, and that I long for on this wild journey. 

For us, raising NKH awareness also means sharing Ellie Kate and Lucy's stories.  We long for our daughters' lives to leave a mark on this earth, and that includes having their names coincide with NKH research (thanks to you, research donations have already been made in their names!).  More importantly we want their names to coincide with "Reckless Love".  Our desire is that you will learn to love better, deeper, wider, and more unconditionally because of what you have seen and learned through Ellie Kate and Lucy Belle. 

You've shown great support on NKH Awareness Day in the past, making us extremely proud of the village of people who are along for our crazy roller-coaster ride!  For the last few years, we've asked you to wear gold and blue, the color of our NKH Crusaders (our NKH mascot).  You've also boldly written the Girls' names on your arms, hands, wrists, etc for all to see; the goal being that people stop and ask you about the "rough tattoos:)", and you get the chance to raise awareness!  This year, we are asking you to do the following on May 2nd in honor of Ellie Kate, in honor of Lucy Belle and in honor of our NKH Family around the world . . .

• Wear Ellie Kate and Lucy's name (arms, sticky-notes, hands, etc)
• Share Ellie Kate and Lucy's Stories with others
• Give to NKH research which is going on now!
• Love a special-needs individual in a reckless way

You can also change your FB profile picture to help us get the word out:

 

 

By raising awareness, you are helping us find better treatment for those suffering from NKH.  By celebrating this day, you are encouraging those in the trenches, fighting against NKH everyday.  Participating in the day lets us know that Ellie Kate's name will be used - that her story will be shared and that someone's heart will be touched by it.  As parents, May 2nd gives us hope for the future; for better treatment for those like Lucy, who are living with NKH.  By taking part on this day, you remind us that we aren't alone.

 

Thank you for standing with us, for fighting with us, for celebrating this day with us. Thank you for helping us raise awareness on May 2nd.  WEAR.SHARE.GIVE.LOVE.

 

--Ryan

We are Running the Boston Marathon!!

You read that right, folks!  We are running in the Boston Marathon tomorrow, April 20th!!  Okay, so it's not our entire family who is running, but LUCY IS RUNNING!!!  Truth-be-told, Lu Lu isn't running, because she physically cannot run, walk or even crawl.  However, she has a runner who is running in her name.  That runner is Ms. Brandy White from Vermont; and tomorrow, Brandy will be running in THE Boston Marathon.  We couldn't be more proud! 

Here's Brandy picking up her packet today! 

I Run 4 is an absolutely wonderful organization, where typical people run for those who are not physically able . . . people like Lucy.  I Run 4 was founded in 2013 and now has thousands of runners representing thousands of special-needs individuals around the world.  Can you imagine? 

Here's a description:

"God gave me the gift of mobility. Others aren't as fortunate . . . who do YOU run for?
This is a community forum for inspiration from those who have special needs and for you to inspire others with YOUR story and who YOU run for!"

It's such a special thing to imagine, and I often wonder if Brandy will ever know how important her running is to our family.  Most likely, Lucy won't ever get to run in this lifetime.  Brandy runs in her name.  Lucy's name is out there for the world to see, running in great races such as the Boston Marathon! 

And here's something super cool . . . you can track Brandy as she runs tomorrow for Lucy by texting 234567 with her bib# 13030.  She starts at 10:25am, EST! 

 

Check out her cool shoes!  Aren't they fun?!

 

 

On an entirely different note, Mike and I want to sincerely thank you for the encouraging messages and texts we've received over the last few days.  Our hearts have been so heavy over the news of Henry and his health situations.  Sharing that, along with the recent dreams have given us, make us super vulnerable, and yet some of you have sweetly swept in and are ready to help in any way. 

 

I find it so encouraging to know, that when many of our friends have understandably grown tired and weary of serving and lifting us up, there are others (some even altogether new to our rollercoaster) with renewed energy and passion, ready to love us.  Astonishingly, there are always, ALWAYS those faithful friends who have energetically stayed beside us, consistently able to help, even when they are weary and worn of the McLaughlin Clan. 

 

 

Please keep Brandy in your prayers tonight and tomorrow as she prepares and then runs in Lucy's name tomorrow!  Also pray for her as she recovers from this giant fete.  I cannot even imagine running that long, ya'll.  She is a superhero! 

 

 

As always, thank you for staying with us and for loving us even when we are hard to love -

Ryan

Hard To Love - Results, Heartaches and Dreams

First off, I want to say, "God Bless".  Seriously, God bless you RICHLY for reading this blog.  May He exceedingly bless you for following our family through these ups and downs, and twists and turns.  There are so many that I have a hard time following them all.  And some of you have been there from the very beginning of our roller-coaster ride - that's a whopping ten years, people.  GOD BLESS, and I mean that with the most sincerity.

There is always that family in your community, in your church or in your town . . . you know the one I'm talking about - the family with the non-stop calamities.  The family who seems to always be stuck in the middle of some sort of terrible muck; the ones always facing hardships, illnesses and loses.  The natural thing to do, when you know of a family like this, is to want to run far, far away.

You don't want to get involved because there is always drama.  You don't want to step in because you could become emotionally drained - heck, you could end up being drained emotionally, physically, mentally, and everything in between.  You think, someone will step in.  They know lots of people.  Lots of people know their story.  Or, you've helped for a while and think, "it's time for someone else to step in and care for these hurting people".  You are not evil to think this way.  It is a true, raw, human response to a train-wreck of heartache.

Oh my goodness friends, I did not want to be "THAT" family, but that is exactly what we are.  I know it and I am learning to accept it, because quite obviously, it is what He wants us to be - at least in this season.

I thought that season would be short and that once we figured things out with EK and got back on our feet, things would settle down and we wouldn't "need" so much from others.  Then, I realized that season would last a bit longer because Ellie was so sick for so long, and then Mike lost his job and we moved in with my Parents for a long time (that's when we moved to Moore).  Then God gave us our beautiful home (He gets all the glory for that and for everything in our home as well bc it is ALL from Him!), and the boys' school was just down the street and we were just a few blocks away from my parents, and we finally were in our own home again!  And then Sweet Lucy came along, and our lives drastically changed and became even richer than we ever thought possible.  We went through a very difficult time of Ellie being so sick, and Lucy also being in and out of the hospital.  The season felt so heavy and more difficult than any before.  Then Ellie passed away, and that has been the hardest season of all.  Now . . . well, now it is a different type of season, but it is still hard, exhausting and we still mourn Ellie Kate's death while also dealing with new and unexpected things.  

Last week, Henry had an EEG, as you may remember. Today, we received the results of that EEG, and they were not good.  The results are not what we expected.  The results could change a lot for Henry - even impacting his future.  Other test results for Henry came in today as well, and they too are confusing and complicated.  We are still trying to take it all in. The Lord is good and He has given us a great peace.

When I picture how I am feeling (I am a very visual person), I feel like I am standing inside of a giant tornado that is angry, swirling, with tons of big things flying through the air around me, spinning and spinning and spinning.  So much unkown, so much that I keep forgetting to do, so much that I want to do and need to do . . . and yet, I am standing still in the middle of it, with peace.  I'm not panicking.  I'm at peace.  But I am still overwhelmed.

Maybe God has made us "That Family" to humble me, to humble Mike - heck, maybe He will use it to humble our extended family too (the Lord knows that they didn't sign up to have us in their family).  I am a "Mercy" person, so I have no problems loving on families that may be labeled as difficult, but being here ourselves gives me more perspective and grace for those who always have things going wrong in their lives.  Maybe God just wants me to have a bigger heart for those hurting in different ways?  I don't know.  I don't know why you stick with us and why some of you have continued to give, love and serve us for these ten years.  

Good things have happened this week too!  God ALWAYS does good in the midst of the bad.  We have to remember that and sometimes even look for the good in it all.  We found out that Lucy will be at Wayland Bonds Elementary until she is junior high!  We get to stay in that wonderful, welcoming, warm school and we couldn't be happier.  That news shifted things for me and Mike and even more confirmed our thoughts of moving.  We were hoping to wait a little longer and save more.  However, we know now that Henry will be on an IEP next year (and likely through elementary), so he will officially be in the special education program as well.  Our DESIRE is to have Henry and Lucy both at Wayland Bonds where they can be at the same school, see the same therapists, and be in the same special ed programs (although they are VASTLY different bc Henry's disabilities are not intellectual disabilities).  Henry LOVES WB as he was in Pre-K there.  Every time we take Lucy to school, he tells me how safe he feels there, how much he loves it, and how he wants to go back.  I want to do that for him - for him to feel safe at school again.  

Tonight we saw the absolute house of our dreams; a house we could stay in forever.  And guess what?  If we were in that house, the kids would go to Wayland Bonds Elementary School!  This house is handicap-accessible, ya'll.  It was custom built for an officer here in Oklahoma City, who became paralyzed and then was tragically killed in an accident.

In this home . . .  Every single doorway is accessible.  Every bathroom is accessible.  The room that would be Lucy's is directly next to ours and it has it's own bathroom, big enough for Lucy's wheelchair.  She could have her own bathroom for her bath chair and her nurses could have privacy! Would you believe that the rooms has pink and white stripes on the walls and a chandelier as the main light fixture?!  It is already made for a Princess!   There is a ton of storage for equipment and formula and equipment (can you tell I am excited?!), along with a therapy hot tub INSIDE the house (not very extravagant, even though it sounds like it).  Lucy could get in, anytime of the day, anytime of the year, and move her muscles!  She could have therapy in the pool.  Henry is also having trouble with severe aches and pains in his legs due to the things he is going through.  We've been giving him hot baths daily, but how much better would a hot tub be - one that is specifically made for therapy?!

This dream is just a dream right now.  We are thrilled to know that something like this is out there - something accessible for people like us.  And it's brave for the family of this officer to sell the house, especially after suffering such a great loss.  God would literally have to move a mountain for us to move in and even MORE mountains to make it happen before school starts.  Our God owns the cattle on a thousand hills.  But I also know that He may not want this for us now, or ever, so I'm not getting my hopes up.  It's just an exciting way to end a very hard day full of not-so-fun news and I dare to say that it gives us hope, in a strange way.  Lord, we trust you with this.  We give you our home and everything that you've given to us.  We give you this dream house and the dreams of ours that come with it.  Guard our hearts.  Give us clear direction.  If it be your perfect will, if it would be the best thing for our entire family, please open doors and move mountains.  We trust you and we rest in the fact that you are all-knowing.  


I admit it - we ARE that family, Friends.  Part of me just wants to apologize to you over and over again for having to go through this with us, for having to know us and be witness to so many heavy things.  Yet, I cannot apologize for my life, my family, our struggles because God is Sovereign, and "there but for the grace of God go YOU (it could easily be you on this journey bc there certainly isn't anything special about us)". I know God wants me to continue to document our ride, our story.  I truly believe that we need to learn from each other - when we see, when we know, then we learn.  We've learned to love deeper, serve with purpose, give sacrificially, and so much more through our seasons, and our prayer is, that as you read our journey, God will teach you the very same things and even more!  

God Bless,
Ryan

FIRE

One thing after another, after another, after another . . . that is what this week was like.  I put out one fire and got a call to come put out the next.  This week though, I've been physically hurting - really hurting, to a great extent.  I had one of the worst migraines that I've had in two years and my IC is flaring again.  The pain is so frustrating because I cannot get the things done that I need to, that my family needs for me to get done.  And some things are falling through the cracks, and if you know me, you know that I HATE for that to happen.  Honestly, it CAN'T happen often with the life that we lead - there are too many details that are too important; life-dependent details.  

Here is a recent video about a study done on my disease - Interstitial Cystitis.  I'm not quite sure what I think about all of this information yet.  I guess I just really want to know more.  I can't base anything off of a two-minute video from a local news station.  I want facts, which shouldn't be too hard to find since the research is being done here at OU (how awesome is that?!).  At the very least, this video gives validation to my pain and to the pain of my IC Sisters out there:  

News 9 - IC


Also this week, I was diagnosed with another pain disorder.  Again, more fires (and with IC, I literally feel like I am on fire, ya'll).  I find myself so incredibly discouraged because I'm unable to truly care for myself right now - with Henry and Lucy needing non-stop, round'-the-clock care.  I also can't seem to find the right set of doctors to listen to me (I have some fabulous doctors, but the ones I need to help me the most aren't able to, aren't willing to, or don't know how much I need them to step in and step up). 

I have always been a strong advocate for our Girls and I feel like I'm a strong advocate for Henry (and for Conner when needed). That's the Momma Bear who protects her cubs and fights for what's best for them.  This week though, with the new diagnosis and the extreme pain that I am in, I just want to give up and give into the pain.  Meaning, I just want to stop fighting and stop advocating for myself and just curl up and live in pain instead of finding better treatment.  What would that look like?  IT would look like me cringing, waddling to and from places, being late more than I am even now, crying more often bc of pain, not being able to get ready/shower bc of pain . . . it would mean that I could ONLY care for the bare minimum in life . . . my children and their many needs.  I wouldn't have time or energy for anything else.  Most nights I am not even able to make dinner - I can only sit with a heatpad on my back and ice on other areas. That's where I am this week.  Maybe it's because I have been a health advocate for TEN freaking years, and I'm just TIRED of it.  Or maybe it's just hard to fight for myself.  Please pray that my heart will be encouraged.  I can't even ask for any other prayers right now because pain has taken over my ability to do most anything but just survive and be there for my family this week.

HENRY - I want to thank ALL of you who prayed for Henry last week.  He had an extremely rough week with his behavior, and we aren't sure why, of course.  Mike and I were just dreading Friday and the EEG.  It's sensory-overload for the average adult, much-less a child with sensory issues!  Ya'll, Henry was a CHAMP.  He did better than Mike and I could have hoped or dreamed, and we know much of that was due to your petitioning the Father on our behalf.  Thank you for praying for Henry to feel safe and calm.  We had the best EEG Tech that we've ever had (and believe me, we have had MANY over the years), and they even had stickers from Henry's favorite movie.  Sherman and Peabody stickers were actually all they had, can you believe it?  God was so good to care for each detail, and Henry truly did earn his hot-wheels toy that day!  

We do not have the EEG results, but we should get them next week.  Once we get them and once we are able to process them as Henry's parents, we will share with you what we feel led to.  We so want to be open in our journey, as we know the Lord has called us to this so that ALL of us can learn more about suffering and the lives of special needs families/the lives of people who have buried a child.  We also want to protect little Henry and his privacy too, so if we don't share much, it will be for a good reason and we appreciate your understanding.

Henry wasn't able to start school last week, but we were able to meet his home-bound teacher, and she is wonderful!!  Henry was extremely nervous and shy, so he hid while she was here in our home.  Please pray for confidence and that he will follow the rules.  He has so much work to catch up on.  It will be a challenge for me as well to add the additional schoolwork to our everyday routine (he will be doing everything that they are doing in the classroom and not just homework).  I'm not sure what this will look like or how it will turn out, but I do know that I REALLY need the Lord to step in as I am so weak.  


A few fun things and a dream . . . 

God provided us an opportunity to briefly share about NKH this past Friday evening on KOCO with Damon Lane. We were helping the Oklahoma Blood Institute promote one of their blood drives as well, and since both of the girls have received blood transfusions, we of course are huge advocates!  Mike is a super-duper-super-star-awesome-blossom donor and even has a special pin for donating so much (really, I kid-you-not).  I loved that the boys could watch us serving in this way and that they were able to see other people give blood too, knowing that it goes to people like Ellie Kate and Lucy (I tried to give, but as always, I was too anemic to do it).  Thank you, Tara Scott for letting us be a part of it all (as you can see, all three of the kids were eating it up!)!!

We've been dreaming of moving, as I've mentioned in other posts.  Henry begs us to, and honestly his behavior changes once he walks through the door of our home.  He has been greatly affected by the bad memories that this house holds, while the rest of us see both the good and the bad.  I do admit, when it's late at night; when it's quiet and everyone is asleep, it is desperately hard not to lay in my own bed, and picture Ellie Kate's last painful night here on earth, where she slept between me and Mike.  That's where she took her last breath that Sunday morning, December 23, 2012 - right here, in our home, in our room, in our bed.  We WANTED it that way because we WANTED Ellie Kate to be as comfortable as possible, and she was, right here in the place where she felt the safest.  Sometimes, however, this is overwhelming for me and it gets overwhelming for Mike and the boys too.

So, we've seen this amazing house that we would consider over-the-top for us (we are pretty simple, if you haven't figured it out yet), but it's in the perfect area with the perfect schools (still Moore schools), still close to my parents (for the extra help that they graciously give us), plenty of room for home health nurses, plenty of room for all of Lucy's medical equipment, plenty of room for all of her supplies (most of which are getting dusty in the garage), an actual office I can use for Hope Link, tile floors for Lucy to use her walker with, walking distance to the school for the boys and eventually for lucy (with me, of course).  Anyways, I joked on FB that we would need to win the lottery to be able to get that house.  But then I was reminded about how sweet dreams are.  Really and truly, aren't they sweet?  Big dreams and little dreams, all placed on our hearts - it's so fun to imagine and hope; it's a gift from the Lord, even if our dreams don't come true!  

My dreams aren't coming true right now, of that I am sure.  I do not dream of living in severe pain of every kind (physical and emotional), but I am not alone in my pain.  God is overseeing it and WILL use it for His glory and for my good.  I have an incredible husband who loves and serves the world so well (including his family).  And even in my pain, I can lay here and dream about happy things instead of dreaming of how I'm going to put out all of those fires . . . 

-- Ryan

Jesus be Near, because I Just Don't Know . . .

Hi, my name is Ryan Elizabeth McLaughlin and I have three special needs children, one of which now lives in Heaven.  It. Is. A. Roller-coaster of the most intense caliber.  

Henry has been out of school for a while now.  Thankfully, he is able to do this because of plans we have in place with the school.  He and I are having lots of adventures, and most of the time, Lucy gets to join in too.  He is reading so well and quite fluently, and I have the opportunity to teach Henry to pray, grocery shop, clean and do many other things that are important in life.

 Some photos of us learning about wild animals!  

Henry loves animals and is so good with them.

Of course I had to show these precious Lucy pictures of pure delight! 

My "strong-willed child" is more than just strong-willed, People.  I think I officially realized this about Henry after Ellie Kate died.  But I thought it would get better - I thought that, if his heart healed from the death of his sister, then he would get better and life would get better.  But Henry's pain is so much more than that.  For the first half of his life, Henry experienced a lot of instability, even though we tried our best to keep life stable and safe. Mike and I were mostly at the hospital with Ellie Kate.  We of course would take turns and our parents would take turns, but that still means that Henry didn't have the stability of having both of his parents at the same time, as most children do.  He and Conner learned to have home-health nurses in our home, especially during the evening (when we needed it the most), when a family usually spends quality time together.  We weren't surprised with the behavioral diagnoses, but we were surprised with PANDAS.  PANDAS is more definitive, affecting the brain, the body and everything in between.

Conner has lived a very similar life as Henry, but he had Mike and I at home, stable with him for those first two years.  It's amazing that two children can have so much of the same up-bringing and yet have such different outcomes.  I know personality has a lot to do with it, and timing, and a million other things.  It's still hard to understand why Henry has been affected so deeply in every way imaginable.  I can't imagine how Henry and Conner filter through the aspects of even our daily lives with NKH, PANDAS and IC and all that comes along with each of those things.  God knows, and I have to choose to believe that.  I have to choose to trust.  

We had hoped that tinkering with the meds would have brought more peace to Henry's life, but at this point, they have not.  At least not for an extended period of time.  Is he in a continual PANDAS flare?  Is his condition made worse by the emotional things he has/is facing?  I don't know.  We don't know.  The doctors we have seen and have spoken with do not know.  I just don't know what to do, ya'll.

Henry needs to start home-bound services with the school this week.  So far, we haven't been able to get him to complete much of the schoolwork that has been sent home while he has been out.  I'm SO incredibly nervous about home-bound services and how Henry will treat the teacher.  I'm nervous about how he will handle the work.  Will he do it without a fight?  

Also, Henry is having an EEG done this Friday.  We've done so many EEG's with Lucy and with EK.  I have never had an EEG with one of my children who can walk and talk. I have no idea how Henry will react to all of the wires being stuck to his head, but I do know that the test needs to be done.  Over the last several months, we've been seeing some serious and scary things with Henry - almost seizure-like.  When you get down to it, I'm nervous about the results.  I've had so much bad news when it comes to my children and their little brains.  I don't know how Mike and I will react if the EEG shows seizure activity, or abnormal activity.

I don't know how to parent this.  I don't know how to navigate. I'm not even sure how to advocate for Henry because I honestly don't know everything that he needs.  I also don't know how we will pay for all of this as Henry does not have the supplemental insurance through the state that Lucy does (which doesn't pay for everything, but does pay for a good chunk of her needs).  That's a taste of what I don't know.  

I DO know that God is Jehovah Jireh and that He will provide all of our needs.  I DO know that this is a need, so He will take care of it, even in miraculous ways, and we are praying that Henry will see God provide and, for the rest of his life, that He will remember seeing God move on his behalf.  I DO know that Henry was promised to us and I WILL cling to the promises we received concerning Henry from the book of Isaiah.  I DO know that God knows exactly what is going on in Henry's little body and in his little mind.  I DO know that Mike and I will continue to cling to each other and that we will continue to love ALL of our children unconditionally; even if we don't know how to parent well, we will love and serve and teach them to the best of our ability.  That's what I DO know.  

Jesus, be near.  Help us to love all of our children well, pointing them to you.  May all of them feel safe and secure in our home and outside of it.  Guide us to the right doctors and facilities.  Navigate, because we cannot.  Help us to love our children recklessly, even when it is hard, because that is exactly what you do for us.  

-- Ryan 

Miracle

"It's not just the most important miracle ever.  It's not just the most astounding event in the life of the Messiah.  It's not just an essential item in your theological outline.  It's not just the reason for the most important celebratory season of the church.  It's meant to be the window through which you view all of life." - Paul David Tripp

This week, a Dear Friend sent me this beautiful devotional from Paul David Tripp's New Morning Mercies.  Cheri McNeill just buried her husband, not even a week ago, and yet she sent me this encouraging word concerning resurrection and our forever life with Christ.  She did this because the Lord prompted her too, because He is ALIVE in her, even in death; because like her, part of my heart is already in Heaven, and she wanted to also encourage my heart this Easter week.  DEATH does NOT WIN! 

I was so breathtakingly moved by the level of wisdom Tripp used as he beautifully unfolded these Truths.  This devotional laid it out so clearly for me that I HAD to share with you.  The Body of Christ NEEDS to be reminded these things, and what better time than at Easter? I take no credit for the contents as the words are from David Tripp.  I have simply shared my heart with the words in blue.   

2 Corinthians 4:13-15, "(We know) that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence .  For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God."

"What does it look like to look at life through the window of the resurrection?", asks Tripp, "What about the resurrection must I remember?" . . .  What's important for me to know about Easter and the resurrection as a Believer?

1. The resurrection of Jesus guarantees your resurrection too.  Life is not constantly repeating the cycle of the same old same old.  No, under God's rule this world is marching toward a conclusion.  Your life is being carried to a glorious end.  There will be a moment when God will raise you out of the broken world, and sin and suffering will be no more! (exclamation mine)

2.  The resurrection tells you what Jesus is now doing, Jesus now reigns.  I Corinthians 15 says that he will continue to reign until the final enemy is under his feet.  You see, your world is not out of control but under the careful control of One who is still doing his sin-defeating work.  Even though my life feels out of control most days, I can rest in the fact that God is overseeing it.  He is allowing and controlling all things.  My world feels chaotic, but I choose to trust the promise of God who reigns over this broken world as well as over the maladies of my life.  

3.  The resurrection promises you all the grace you need between Jesus's resurrection and yours.  If your end has already been guaranteed, then all the grace you need along the way has been guaranteed as well, or you would never make it to your appointed end.  Future grace always carries with it the promise of present grace.  Grace: the disposition to or an act or instance of kindness, courtesy, or clemency; unmerited divine assistance given humans for their regeneration or sanctification (Merriam Webster).  

4.  The resurrection of Jesus motivates you to do what is right, no matter what you are facing.  The resurrection tells you that God WILL WIN.  Sin WILL BE DEFEATED.  Righteousness WILL overcome evil.  This means that everything you do in God's name is worth it, no matter what the cost. Did you catch that, ya'll?  It is WORTH IT.  NO MATTER WHAT THE COST.    Believer, what you are facing, what you are struggling with . . . it is SO worth it! 

5.  The resurrection tells you that you always have a reason for thanks.  Quite apart from anything you have earned, you have been welcomed into the most exciting story ever and have been granted a future of JOY and PEACE FOREVER.  I will not only experience peace and love forever (believe me, I am longing for that just as you are); I will experience LIFE with Ellie Kate and Lucy FOREVER!  And it isn't because of anything I have done or haven't done (thank you, Lord!).  For this, I will live a life of thanksgiving - how could I not "go tell it on the mountain"? because of this great grace and redemption?! 
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Truthfully, I would not have chosen this exact life, these exact circumstances and illnesses for myself or for my precious family (especially for my children).  But, with all of my heart, I choose to trust Jesus, My Lord.  How can that be possible?  Oh Friend, let me tell you!

Every human born on this earth has a sinful heart, a sinful nature - we are pre-disposed to it.  The payment of all sin is death.  Plain and simple - you sin, you must pay the penalty of death. BUT, we have a Savior.  The Father God sent His one and only Son, Jesus to live on this earth just as you and me.  He experienced every single emotion and every single temptation, and yet He did not sin.  He never messed up, broke a promise, cursed God, lied to his earthly parents.  Jesus is the blameless, spotless sacrifice for our sin.  He CHOSE to be the payment for my sin and for yours.  He chose to pay the payment for sin, in your place, because of His great, unimaginable love for you.

When Jesus died on the cross, He thought of you and He thought of me.  On that day, on that cross, Jesus had the sin of every man for all time, on His shoulders.  Jesus lay in His tomb for three days before his miraculous resurrection.  Jesus rose from the grave, up from death; and on that day, Jesus conquered death.  For those who believe in Him, there will only be an earthly death of our body.  There will be NO DEATH of our spirit - our spirit will live forever with Jesus, perfected and whole!  Did you catch that?  For the Believer, there is no death.

Do you wonder if there is something more in life?  Do you feel lost or alone, afraid of what the future holds?  Do you long for a secure eternity and a life that does not end?  Come to Jesus.  Invite Him in.  No magic words, no perfect words, no right words.  Just start a conversation between you and the God of the universe.  Choose to trust Him as God.  Choose to trust Jesus, who gave His life for you.  Choose to believe in that Jesus rose from the dead.  Choose and receive your true freedom.  There is no freedom apart from Christ.  

And Believer, once you have given your life to Jesus, do not forget the incredible cost of the cross.  Remember the truths that David Tripp laid out so clearly.  Take these things with you.  Rejoice over them at every moment and realize the freedom and future that you have in Jesus.  

He Is Risen!
Ryan