Hope Link

 

 

 

 

 

Isaiah 61:1-3English Standard Version (ESV)

 

"The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me,
    because the Lord has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor;
    he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim liberty to the captives,
    and the opening of the prison to those who are bound;
 to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor,
    and the day of vengeance of our God;
    to comfort all who mourn;
to grant to those who mourn in Zion—
    to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness instead of mourning,
    the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit;
that they may be called oaks of righteousness,
    the planting of the Lord, that he may be glorified."

 

 

 

I first felt God call me to ministry when I was in high school.  It was at Falls Creek, and all of you Oklahoma Southern Baptists know that can be an emotionally-charged place where decisions of all kinds can be made.  However, the calling I felt, the surrender I gave, had nothing to do with a great speaker or with the dehydration that comes from sitting in the pews of the then, non-air-conditioned outdoor auditorium (you know you remember those sweaty nights!).  In fact, this happened afterwards, in our church's cabin and there were two other kids that felt the calling too.  It's exciting to say that they are now serving as husband and wife in full-time ministry!  God is so creative and so good. 

 

To be honest,  I didn't know what God would call me to, however I knew that somehow, there would be a ministry in which He used me.  Late in 2000, He gave me this passage in Isaiah (Is. 61:1-3).  It was at the beginning of some serious healing He did on my heart - when my relationship with Him ceased to be one of performance.  At that time, I thought God would use me to help other "Christian" girls struggling with their identity and with their faith; those struggling with ways they had failed in the past, because I most certainly had done a lot of that. That wasn't what God was calling me to, and at that particular time, He still had MUCH more healing for my heart in that area. 

 

 

When Mike and I married, we were so excited to see what ministry God would give us.  You see, ALL of us who belong to the Lord, are ministers.  If you know Jesus, YOU have a ministry God has already placed in your heart and in your life!  We thought our ministry would be one of adoption, of financially blessing others, of overseas mission trips.  WHOA.  We had no idea where God would take us or where he would place us in ministry!

 

After Ellie Kate was born, Mike and I met Scott and Amy Haas. Their little girl Lilly, also had a rare genetic disorder.  Scott and Amy were taking a class at our church and happened to see a poster of EK, with specific prayer requests on it.  We somehow connected and found out that we shared the  same young pediatrician.  Can you imagine being given the job of overseeing the health of two VERY complicated, serious, terminally-ill baby girls (Seriously, Dr. R - you are a rockstar and the Lord used you in so many way)?!  God clearly brought us together.  Their is no doubt about it.   

 

I remember the first time we met  in person - the Haas' came over to our house.  Liberty and Conner, the eldest children, were about the same age, and they had a lot of fun together (they still do).  It was like a sigh of relief to meet someone like us - with monitors and meds of all kinds, someone who knew the medical lingo and who knew what it felt like to live in the hospital for months at a time (they've actually lived longer in the hospital with Sweet Lilly).  Amy and I realized that there wasn't a group for us, and we really had no outside support.  There were these amazing, international organizations for other groups and diagnoses, but nothing for the weird stuff, like us.  We talked about starting our own group; we prayed about it, as did our husbands, although I am sure they thought we were crazy for taking something else on when our daughters were on hospice (Ellie Kate was taken off after one year).  I don't want to speak for Amy, but I knew.  I just knew that this is what God wanted for us, from us. 

 

 

It's just so true!

 

In 2008, shortly after Miss Lilly Audrey Haas met Jesus, we started our group.  Through a precious pastor and his wife, Mike and I realized that THIS was our calling.  THIS was our ministry, our mission in life.  The broken-hearted.  The poor in spirit.  Captives in mourning.  THESE were our people. Thus began Hope Link. 

 

Hope Link will always be Ellie Kate's Legacy

 

We started with three mommas and now have over 30 that are involved in various ways.  We also are a 501c3 organization.  We meet monthly as a support group for moms of kids with rare, serious and undiagnosed disorders.  Hope Link has ministries of it's own as well, such as our Care Basket Project, where we donate hospital care baskets to those who are in-patient and are dealing with similar rare circumstances.  God has allowed us to evolve and change, and it has been absolutely beautiful to watch.  We've had parent night out's, as well as annual Hope Link Halloween, Hope Link Holiday Party, and our Hope Link Back-to-School Bash!  Hope Link Graduates formed this year which is solely for families whose children have received their Ultimate Healing. 

 

One of the most important things we do is our Hope Link Retreat, which is for our moms who have attended at least four meetings within the last year.  This is a retreat where mommas don't have to pay a thing.  It's a respite time for them, without tubes, without beeping monitors, without home-health nurses (even though we love them), without appointments. This year's retreat seemed to be the best yet (and I had absolutely nothing to do with the planning or execution of the event - yay!), and as we gathered around the bonfire, the Holy Spirit pierced my heart. 

 

Hope Link Retreat 2015

 

Under the stars, and with a smore' in hand (okay, maybe one in EACH hand), my heart beamed with joy, thinking about this mission that God has given to me and Michael, to Amy and Scott, and to our families.  This ministry that God called me to so long ago - one I never would have chosen for myself . At times I've actually begged to be led out of this ministry.  I have cried out to God to be released from, because this ministry is what I live day in and day out in my home (and so it will be for you . . . what God has called you to can also be the hardest thing  that you face, but it will refine you).   Hope Link is intertwined with the McLaughlins.  It's my personal calling and purpose. Mike and I have no doubt that it's the calling of our family as well.  These sweet families may never know or never understand the depths of love and commitment we have for them, but they WILL know that they are loved and that they are not alone. 

 

 

Here's the thing ya'll - your ministry is where you already are!  What are you already doing?  What pulls at your heart, the thing that you can't turn your back on?  What people-group are you drawn to?  YOU have a purpose.  Your marriage has been given a ministry and so has your family.  What is it?  Go out and valiantly jump into that calling God has given you, Friend.  You will never know such rich fulfillment as when your heart is serving in the ways it was designed and purposefully placed.  In giving of yourself physically, mentally, spiritually, emotionally, and financially . . . you will find rich joy, intense purpose and deep healing. 

 

 

My prayer, with this long post, is that you will recognize that you have been chosen for a specific mission and purpose.  Your ministry is there - go and recklessly love where God has placed you.

 

 

With Hope and Purpose,

 

Ryan