Heartbreak

We are still here at OU Children's Hospital in the EEG Monitoring Unit.  Henry is sweetly sleeping next to me as I try to find the words to share with you my heart.  The truth is, I am exhausted and sleep-deprived and tired of being here in this tiny room.  I find it silly to complain as there are so many other people suffering around the world at this very moment - so many suffering worse things even here in this hospital, at this very moment.  We've spent months at a time in the hospital with Ellie Kate and yet I find myself stir-crazy and bored here with Henry, easily complaining about our confinement.  How quickly I forget how easy this is to endure, compared to all of the many other things in the world; compared to all the many other things we've walked through as a family!

We truly appreciate your prayers for Henry and that God would bring, that He would allow, seizures. We need them to come so that the doctors can see the possible triggers, so they can see where the seizures are located and so we all can be made aware of how those seizures affect Henry physically - heart rate, oxygen level, etc.  Although Henry hasn't had an official seizure since our arrival on Monday, the doctors ARE seeing results and are getting information that will help us properly treat Henry.  

The Therapy Dogs Came to Visit Henry! 

This morning, the neurologists rounded and filled me in on the latest readings of the EEG's. Henry's EEG continues to be abnormal.  Unfortunately (very unfortunately), Henry is having continual spikes on the left side of his brain.  This means he could have a bad seizure at any time.  It means he is prone to seizures.  It means he is having seizures.

You may remember that Henry recently had two abnormal MRI scans.  At first, it didn't seem that the abnormality was the cause of the seizures.  It is a common abnormality, from what I understand, and most of the time it goes undiagnosed.  As of now, the specialists are thinking that Henry's seizures ARE related to his abnormal MRI, but not to the part that we have seen on the test results.  They think that possibly, there are other abnormalities that we just haven't yet seen, or are unable to see, on the current MRI's.  

This news is heartbreaking to me, although not devastating.  I know that may sound strange and could be hard to understand.  As Henry's mom, I knew he was having seizure activity.  I'm the one who saw it and pointed it out to doctors.  I'm the one who pushed for testing.  I knew something was wrong.  I had come to terms with the abnormal MRI's, although Mike and I were truly upset with the news when we first found out about the abnormality.  I'm not sad that Henry will again be put on anti-seizure medication, because I expected that to happen after this study.  I just didn't expect seizure activity to constantly be happening in that sweet little brain that grew inside of me.

It's very hard to think that THREE out of our FOUR babies have had seizures.  As their mommy, I have to run away from thoughts of "what if?" or "did I do something to cause these things?".  There is nothing I could or couldn't do to change the Girls or even Henry.  My head knows that, and really my heart does too.  The sting is still there though and it's hard not to feel less-than as a woman and as mother.  Why can't I produce healthy children?  I know - the burden doesn't just fall on me, and no one in my family puts that on me.  It's just a normal thought-process for a Mother.

My Babies snuggling in a hospital bed - this has become a very familiar things for us!  One is always missing though.  We KNOW where Ellie is and she is more alive than ever!  

God now has us longing for healthy baby girl who we can adopt, in His perfect time. 

My heart IS broken for Henry because I don't know what life will look like for him in the future.  Will he get to play sports?  Will he suffer a catastrophic seizure that will debilitate him?  Will HE feel "less-than" as a boy, as a man?  What will this do to him emotionally - especially in the long run?

Mike has quickly reminded me tonight how wonderfully strong Henry is.  Henry is SO very bright, smart, quick-witted, and intelligent.  Henry reads incredibly well, especially for his age.  He is very strong in math and is reading AR books in the first grade (has been for some time now).  Henry is an excellent athlete and really excels in each and every sport he tries!  He is a "natural" at so many things but his true loves are baseball and soccer.  He is a GOOD boy who loves to give - he will give you his favorite toy, his best pair of shoes, his nicest set of clothes.  He gives GOOD GIFTS, and I love that God has placed that in his little heart.  It's one of my most favorite things about Henry!

Henry's actions remind me of what a good gift-giver God is and how He gave me such a marvelous gift in Henry!  God led us to have Henry.  God promised Henry to us, to me.  God told me he would be free of NKH, and He followed-through on His promise.  God breathed life into us again, in many sweet ways, when he allowed me to experience a typical pregnancy, birth, infancy, and toddler-hood with Henry.

The doctors want us to stay until at least Friday, in hopes of us still capturing some seizure activity.  They are also working with us on a plan for home, which would include new medications for Henry.  So, Bubbie and I will snuggle in again tonight (he likes me to sleep in the twin hospital bed with him) and will wait out the next two days, hoping that he will have a seizure.  If not, it's okay because we have a plan and information has shown up for the doctors to see and analyze.  The pressure is off, although we do still appreciate your prayers for seizures.


Several Friends have asked how they can help or what they can do for us.  Seriously, Mike and I are truly humbled - CONTINUOUSLY HUMBLED - over the kindness and generosity of those around us.  Strangers and friends alike, you love and serve us so well and have done so for a very long time.  There is no way we could still be on this journey without your faithful prayers and friendship; without your support, your encouragement, the many meals and snacks and Dr. Peppers you've provided over the years.  We are truly grateful.  Please know that we DO NOT take you for granted, Friends!!


Ways to Help: 

• Pray for seizures in Henry's brain
• Pray for endurance for Henry and for me as we are stuck in this lovely hospital room
• Pray for Conner who is really feeling forgotten and low right now - pray that he would be encouraged and that He would know that He is a treasure to us, to God and to others! 
• Pray for our families as they help with the kids, dogs, etc at home while we are away
• If you would like to help with a meal, you can sign up on the meal calendar by going to this link:
• People often ask about gift cards and, YES!  Those are wonderful.  We are not picky and we are truly grateful for anything the Lord leads you to give or for any way you feel led to love on us.  
• For help with medical expenses, tax-deductible donations can be made to Helping Hands (we turn in our bills and they pay towards them directly OR we turn in our medical receipts and they reimburse us with available funds - ALL gifts are ensured to go DIRECTLY towards medical expenses only):  

The Ellie Kate Memorial Project

Helping Hands Ministries, Inc.

P.O. Box 337

135 Main Street

Tallulah Falls, GA 30573

706-754-6884 (Office)

706-754-9247 (Fax)

www.hhmin.org 

melissa@hhmin.org

Seizures from Heaven

Awwwwwww . . . Seizures from Heaven (insert heavy, happy, sarcastic sigh).  This is what every parent dreams about, right?  Well, it may not be what EVERY parent dreams for their child, but Folks, it's what we are dreaming, hoping and praying tonight for Henry!  I know, I know, I know - it sounds absolutely NUTS.  You must be thinking, "Ryan has lost her mind!  I mean, she has REALLY lost her mind this time!".  Well, I think I "lost it" a long time ago, but in all sincerity, we really DO need to see some seizure activity in our Sweet Henry.  Let me further explain . . .

I'm writing tonight from the EEG Monitoring Unit at OU Children's Hospital here in Oklahoma City. Henry was admitted this morning and will stay here for the next several days, hooked up to a continuous EEG  monitor.  This is where the strange prayer comes in . . . we NEED Henry to have seizures while we are here. 

• We need these episodes to occur so that they are picked up on the EEG monitor.  
• When they are picked up on the EEG monitor, the doctors are able to analyze them and will be able to (hopefully) do the following:
• figure out where the seizures are coming from
• how often they are occurring
• what parts of the brain they are affecting
• and hopefully, what triggers some of the seizures in Henry's brain.  

It's a big deal for Henry to have a seizure while we are here and as any epileptic parent knows, it's only during these times that you do everything you can to ensure a seizure in your child.  Yes, it is very strange, even for us as parents! 

The Child Life Specialist came in and explained to Henry every little detail of the continuous EEG. She let him smell and touch each item, which was exactly what he needed as a sensory-sensitive kid!  I was so impressed (and super grateful!)!

Some of you may remember that Henry has a history with seizures and with seizure-like activity. We've seen this on and off since the fall of 2014 - around the same time Henry was diagnosed with PANDAS.  Henry had an EEG a year ago which unfortunately DID show seizure activity, so we know Henry has them. We were incredibly grateful that the EEG picked up the bad signals within that short period of time (the typical EEG runs around 45mins-1hr and it doesn't always 'catch' a seizure).  Since that time, Henry's been on anti-seizure medication.  We've also done MRI's on Henry's brain to help understand the seizures and to give us reasons FOR the seizure activity.

What's strange is that seizures are NOT part of PANDAS or PANS.  So basically, children with these disorders don't usually have seizures.  It's very rare for them to have such brain activity, so the seizures Henry is having are even more perplexing.

While Henry's MRI's have both come back "abnormal", the doctors do NOT think his seizures stem from that particular abnormality.  This is really confusing on several levels but instead of trying to explain it all and making you even MORE confused, I will just say this - the type of seizures Henry has aren't the type that usually present with his particular brain abnormality (insert heavy sigh from deep within my heart).

Child Life brought us a Hope Link Carebasket! At first, they didn't even know we were with Hope Link.  It was so fun to be on the receiving side of this!  

All hooked up! Henry keeps telling me that he, "looks so weird and gross".  

I told him he looks cool, like a Star Wars Character!  

Friends, you have been faithful to pray for us through thick and thin.  Many of you have been praying for us and with us since the beginning of this roller-coaster journey with  Ellie Kate, TEN YEARS AGO!  We humbly ask for your prayers again tonight.  Please know that we do not take this request lightly, as we know how busy your lives are and how burdened you already are with the heaviness of your own lives.  It is such a humbling honor to have you pray along with us and FOR us, Friends.  If the Lord leads, please join us in petitioning in the following ways: 

• Please join us in praying for Henry to have multiple seizure activity while he is here 
• Please pray that Henry wouldn't have any anger outbursts or any behavior that would prevent him from keeping his EEG leads on his head and body.  In order for us to catch activity, he must of course have everything on his head and in the right spots!  
• Please pray for CLEAR and DEFINITIVE results.  We are asking for pure, cut-and-dry answers so that the specialists will know exactly how to treat Henry.  
• Please pray for the time to go by quickly - for Henry not to get bored but for him to have a fun and exciting time here.  
• Please pray for energy, health and ease of pain for me as I stay here with Henry this week.
• Please pray for our parents (Henry's grandparents) as they help drive Conner and Lucy to and from school and practices and drive Mike to and from work (he still can't drive bc of his entire foot/ankle being in a giant cast).  Pray for energy, strength, patience, grace, provision, restful sleep, and protection for all four of them.
• Please pray for Lucy and for Conner as Henry and I are away this week and as big changes have hit our household once again. Pray that their daytime schedule can somewhat stay the same.  Pray for PEACE over their bodies and minds.

Oh, Friends!  How we covet your prayers!  I'm in "survival mode" thankfully, and my mind hasn't been wondering to the "what-if's" or "why us?", which I am incredibly grateful for!  I'm choosing to stay focused on the Father this Easter week, even though we are stuck here.  It doesn't feel heavy or burdensome, and I know that's because the Lord has made it feel light.  What a good gift!  

Also, our friends have set us up a meal calendar for the next few days and weeks.  Again, we do not take this lightly and we know some of you have literally been bringing groceries or meals for ten years now.  Only someone in love with Jesus could serve and love that well for that long! Thank you in advance for loving, serving, giving, and praying for us.  You will never know just how deeply your actions touch our hearts and how, with each act of love, just how sweetly you point us to Jesus.  

Link to the Meal Calendar: http://www.takethemameal.com/meals.php?t=XTTH9220

Praying for those Seizures from Heaven!!!

Ryan

Those Mercies Are New Every Morning!

Spring is here in Oklahoma! The birds are singing, our little Japanese Magnolias are blooming and so are Ellie's rose bushes, which were planted shortly after her death.  The Bun-Buns (a.k.a. baby cottontail rabbits) have been spotted  hopping around our neighborhood, and the days are finally long enough for us to take an evening walk in the sunlight (walks are one of Lucy's favorite things!).  

Although Spring is known as "allergy season" here in our State (we have some of the worst pollens in the U.S. - yay!) and "migraine season" for some of us lucky ones, it's still a wonderful time of year.  NEW LIFE is all around us and it is a perfect reminder to me that nothing stays the same with God.  His mercies are always new!  He is continuously changing us for the better - for our good and for HIS glory - despite how it may look or feel to us at the time.

"MERCIES" (as defined by Meriam Webster)- 

• compassion or forbearance shown especially to an offender or to one subject to one's power; also :  lenient or compassionate treatment 
• imprisonment rather than death imposed as penalty for first-degree murder
• a blessing that is an act of divine favor or compassion
• a fortunate circumstance
• compassionate treatment of those in distress 

Spring is most definitely becoming one of my most favorite times of year, for this very reason:  New Beginnings.  New Chances.  New Mercies.  ALL THINGS NEW! God reminds me that HE alone makes things new, and in the deepest of my shadows, He shows me that He does EVERYTHING in HIS set, appointed time.  It is never by "chance" or happenstance for us as Believers.  God orchestrates our lives, just as He orchestrates the seasons, and we can trust His good wisdom as the Creator of All!  How exciting is that?!

Ecclesiastes 3:1-15(NLT)

A Time for Everything

3 For everything there is a season,
    a time for every activity under heaven.
2 A time to be born and a time to die.
    A time to plant and a time to harvest.
3 A time to kill and a time to heal.
    A time to tear down and a time to build up.
4 A time to cry and a time to laugh.
    A time to grieve and a time to dance.
5 A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones.
    A time to embrace and a time to turn away.
6 A time to search and a time to quit searching.
    A time to keep and a time to throw away.
7 A time to tear and a time to mend.
    A time to be quiet and a time to speak.
8 A time to love and a time to hate.
    A time for war and a time for peace.

9 What do people really get for all their hard work? 10 I have seen the burden God has placed on us all. 11 Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end. 12 So I concluded there is nothing better than to be happy and enjoy ourselves as long as we can. 13 And people should eat and drink and enjoy the fruits of their labor, for these are gifts from God.

14 And I know that whatever God does is final. Nothing can be added to it or taken from it. God’s purpose is that people should fear him. 15 What is happening now has happened before, and what will happen in the future has happened before, because God makes the same things happen over and over again.

It's Spring Break for our kids and we've been laying low, watching movies, spending time with friends, and playing outside, A LOT.  It's been beautiful here, and I've been able to take Lucy on many walks, which she adores (she is our 'nature-girl').  Henry went on a mini-vacation with My Parents the first several days of the break and came home with all kinds of stories of adventures and excitement.  I'm so thankful he got away and was able to expend some energy that way.  Conner is a home-body and has loved every moment of this "boring break"- reading, riding his bike, playing with legos, smores with neighborhood friends, etc.  Our Boys are oh-so-different as Conner is content to be low-key and Henry is absolute high-energy, constantly needing an outlet.  It makes for quite the challenge, but all in all, it's been a fantastic Break.

 Henry's Adventures with Nunnie and Poppie!

UPDATES . . . 

CONNER:  A week ago Thursday, we enrolled Conner in junior high.  You read that correctly - Conner starts junior high next fall!  I can hardly believe it.  And while I wish we could send him to Private-Christian school, Conner is very eager and excited to be spending his junior high years with the same group of friends he has had since first grade.  Conner has some wonderful friends with great parents, whom we trust.  We are grateful, although I do admit to being extremely nervous for next fall and for all of the things junior high in public school will bring.  Sweet Conner and I were able to attend the enrollment by ourselves, and he too was nervous - teeth chattering, tummy hurting, palms sweating; it's a BIG change, but one that has to happen.  It's a change that God brings, so I know I can trust Him, even though this step is super hard for both Conner AND Momma!  

Another exciting thing about Conner - he has been going to church Sunday evenings with friends from school!  Since our Church Family (Bridgeway Church) is so far North (it takes a good 30 mins to get there, but we love it!),  Mike and I felt led to pray that Conner would be able to get involved with a local Community of Believers - where he can go to Church with friends he does life with - and God has provided just that!  Mike and I couldn't be more excited to watch Conner get fired up each Sunday for church.

Conner's Big Spring Break Purchase 

(Our 12 year old is now in men's sizes)

HENRY:  Henry's had a hard time adapting back into our family life after his vacation.  PANDAS causes Henry to dread changes AND the unexpected, and of course the Break brings both of those things.  I'm so happy to have My Henry back home, but it has been incredibly difficult for him to get back into the swing of things.  This time, the way he has acted out is through verbal and physical abuse towards me.  This is OFTEN the case in children with PANDAS.  They act out towards the ones they love the most - the ones they feel the safest with - the ones they know will
never stop loving them.

We would also love prayers as Henry's supplemental insurance through the state (TEFRA) is being re-evaluated this coming month.  It's a nervous thing to think about - medical professionals from the state, looking over Henry's records and determining whether or not he should be allowed to continue services.  We of course are praying that they will rule in our favor!  If we did not have TEFRA, there would be no way we could get Henry the help that he needs (therapies, medical supplies, medications, doctor visits, specialists, MRI's, EEG's, routine blood work, etc).  We are truly grateful for such a wonderful program, and even though we will most likely always pay portions of Henry's treatments (experimental, non-FDA approved, etc), GOD provides for us through the State and we so appreciate you praying for favor on our behalf!

LUCY:  Our Golden-Haired Girl continues to grow and change, right before our eyes.  Lucy's grown a few inches in height over the last several months, which means her little body is looking more and more like that of her Big Sister.  There are so many mixed feelings that come with that, but I do admit that Lucy's mere change in size has been pretty difficult for me to face.  I remember well, Ellie Kate being just that size - and she didn't grow to be much bigger.  Lucy will be five in September.  Will we have her with us for seven years, like EK?  Will God allow us to take care of her for a longer period of time?  No one truly knows, so each day, I try to give her kisses for a lifetime (sometimes she loves the kisses and sometimes she does not!), and we do our best as a family, to make as many special memories as possible.

Lucy's Spring Break Adventures 

MIKE:  If you've seen Mike lately, you can't help but notice the giant PINK cast on his foot and ankle.  That's right, he chose PINK to represent the girls and he will be sporting it for about another month.  He cannot drive, nor put weight on the foot itself, which means he is super limited.  I've gotten a tiny taste of doing things all on my own - driving him to and from work, driving both kids to and from practices, etc.  It's made me realize just how much Mike does for our family!  He is an amazing husband and Daddy, constantly helping and running around so I don't have to.  Now it's my turn to serve Mike, and although my Interstitial Cystitis is continuing to flare, God's been faithful to give me the energy to do all that my family has needed.  Mike and I covet your prayers that God would continue to give me energy and more importantly, that the Father would continue to heal Mike's foot and bring ease of pain as well!

HOSPITALIZATION: Next week is a BIG WEEK for Henry as he will be admitted to OU Children's Hospital for 3-5 days.  Henry will be staying in the EEG Monitoring Unit, where he will be hooked up continuously, as they try to catch every seizure Henry has at every point of the day or night.  I'm trying to talk-it-up with Henry, reminding him how he can watch T.V. as much as he wants, how he gets to eat the food from the cafeteria (Our Little Men LOVE eating in the hospital cafeteria!), and how he will get special treatment.  In reality, I cannot imagine this Little Boy being in his room/in his bed/in the hospital without running, jumping and playing like he normally does.  How will he get his energy out?  How will he adapt to the changes in environment?  Will I physically and mentally be able to stay with him by myself the entire time (I want to!)?  Lots of questions and not many answers.  I DO know that God is WITH us and FOR us, so I'm choosing to rest in Him, giving Him all of my thoughts and concerns.  Otherwise, I will drive myself nuts.  

Our Sweet Friends have set up a meal calendar for us during these next busy days and weeks.  We are so grateful for the meals you've continued to bring us over the last ten years!  Thank you for serving us during a difficult time - 

http://www.takethemameal.com/meals.php?t=XTTH9220

As we approach this Easter Season, I pray that God would remind you of the NEW LIFE, NEW BEGINNINGS and NEW MERCIES that He brings to us through His Son, Christ Jesus!  

God sent His only son to come live a perfect life in a broken, human body.  

Jesus was our sinless, perfect Sacrifice.  

When Jesus chose to give His life for us on the cross; 

when He became the sacrifice for OUR sins, 

He conquered the penalty of sin, once, for all and forever!  

Jesus conquered death and rose again on the third day, allowing us to spend eternity in Heaven with Him - no more sin, no more sickness, no more brokenness, no more sorrow!

  The ONLY way to abundant life here on earth and eternal life in heaven with God, is to give our lives over to Jesus.  

There are no magic words.  

There is no perfect prayer to pray.  

Just call out to God, asking Jesus to forgive you of your sins.  

Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and become a NEW CREATION this Spring - 

Receive the ULTIMATE new beginning; 

the BEST new mercy; 

the most PRECIOUS new, abundant life.  

Ephesians 2:1-10 (ESV)

"And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body[a] and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.[b] 4 But[c] God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them".

2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV)

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. 

The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

Romans 6:3(TLB)

Should we keep on sinning when we don’t have to? For sin’s power over us was broken when we became Christians and were baptized to become a part of Jesus Christ; through his death the power of your sinful nature was shattered. 

4 Your old sin-loving nature was buried with him by baptism when he died; and when God the Father, with glorious power, brought him back to life again, you were given his wonderful new life to enjoy.

5 For you have become a part of him, and so you died with him, so to speak, when he died;[a] and now you share his new life and shall rise as he did.

Colossians 3:3-4(ESV)

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your[a] life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

Romans 1:17 (TLB)

                                                    

"This Good News tells us that God makes us ready for heaven—makes us right in God’s sight—when we put our faith and trust in Christ to save us. This is accomplished from start to finish by faith. As the Scripture says it,
 “The man who finds life will find it through trusting God.”

New Mercies! 

Lamentations 3:22-23 (ESV)

22 

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;[a]

    his mercies never come to an end;

23 

they are new every morning;

    great is your faithfulness.

Jesus, thank you for paying the penalty of my sin so that I might have NEW LIFE and new beginnings!  You are so good, Father.  Let us see your goodness, your kindness, your majesty in the world around us this happy spring season.  May we forever be reminded that you have designed it ALL and that you orchestrate our lives down to the most intimate of details.  I choose to trust you, Lord - even when I don't feel it, see it or understand it, because I KNOW who you are and what you do.  

Only Because of Him,

Ryan

Are you an American or Christian, first?

It's a strange time in Our Country.  

It's hard to see who is truly right and who is wrong; whom do we follow and will they bring the change we are longing to see in Our Nation?  Whom do we trust?  

It's a battle for Our Land, Our Children, Our Future . . . this Election Season is a battle for Our Hearts.   

Some "Christians" in the United States love America and their "rights" MORE than they love the Father who created them, who redeemed them, who is coming again for them one day.  

It's true.  Look around you.  
Why are we so angry about holding on to what we believe is ours?  

Why do we want to 
"Make America Great Again"?  

Where does that show that our security lies?  

Philip. 5:4-8 (The MSG), "Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself. He had equal status with God but didn’t think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. Not at all. When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human! Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn’t claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death—and the worst kind of death at that—a crucifixion".

• MY security does NOT lie in Man.
• MY security does NOT lie in a Political Party.
• MY security does NOT lie in keeping the American Dream.
• MY security isn't based on border walls and mass deportations.  
• MY security isn't based on what I've earned or how hard I've worked to gain what I posses.
• MY security isn't in my pay check or possessions.  
• My security is not in FEAR of what I don't understand.
• My security is not in FEAR of WHO I don't understand.

MY Security lies with the God of the Universe - the one who Created Heaven and Earth.  

In Christ, we have no possessions.  

We have no country.  We have nothing.  

As Believers, we are called to lay it all down at the feet of Jesus.  When we accept Christ, we accept HIM as Lord. 

• Not Christ PLUS our possessions
• Not Christ PLUS our family
• Not Christ PLUS our dreams, aspirations, plans
• Not Christ PLUS our country

NO.  We are called to lay it ALL down - American Dream, ideals, hopes, beliefs, family, faith, security - everything. 
Apart from Him, we ARE nothing and HAVE nothing.

No, it's NOT the American Dream, 

but Jesus didn't create that dream - man did.  

True Believers of Christ - the ones who've surrendered their lives to Him, calling on Him for salvation, for forgiveness of sins, for the hope of eternal life . . . 

HOW and WHY are you trying to place your hope in a man who promises you the things of this world?????

". . . so guard yourself in your spirit, and do not be faithless", Malachi 2:15-16

Why is our guard down?  Why are we giving into the  temptation of security promises here on earth?  

That, My Friend, is not from God.  

The only true security a Believer has is in Christ.  

One of the scariest things about it all is that so many people claiming to be Christians, claiming to be Christ-followers, are following the Presidential Candidate who is LEAST LIKE CHRIST.  And Folks, that is NOT okay.  

We are  falling into a scary trap.  A trap much like the People of God have fallen into over and over and over again (look at the Old Testament).  The root of that, in my mind, is pure selfishness and pride, and the fruit of those things are ugly - control, envy, and most of all, FEAR.  

Let's face it, the World IS a scary place (and will continue to evolve into an even MORE scary place until the Return of Christ).  

News Flash - it isn't going to get easier!

And  you know what?  That is good for us as True Believers, because 

it means that Christ is coming soon!

Hebrews 13:14(ESV)

For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come

1 Peter 2:11-1 (ESV)

Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. 12 Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.

  

Oh, Believer!!!! 

• I could tell you that tonight in Kansas City, Trump told those with opposing views to "go to hell". 
• I could remind you of the way he so cruelly made fun of a reporter with a physical disability 
• How he has talked of "changing the rules" to give us more access, more "freedoms", more "rights", including killing families of our enemies. 
• I could tell you how he has been asking folks at his rallies to raise their right hands as a public showing of their support (does that remind you of someone?).   
• If I could, I would surely ask you how you explain Mr. Trump's behavior (language, promotion of violence, etc) to your children???  

Believers, we cannot choose what we believe to be "OUR FREEDOMS", OVER a leader who acts most UN-like the God we claim to follow.  

Did you catch that?  

For a Christ-Following Believer, 

electing a President who will act like Christ

 IS FAR MORE IMPORTANT THAN 

putting first (what deem to be your own) 

YOUR FREEDOMS or RIGHTS.  

I'm not promoting any candidate here, Friends (although I have made my choice).  I'm not saying that any of the candidates are completely Christ-like.  

What I AM saying is that as Believers, 
we die to our rights and put GOD first.  

 Who will help us most live like Christ?  
Who will help our Nation be more like Christ?

So, let's step up.  Let's act like True Followers of Christ, who know what God has done for us and what He will do - 

Believers who don't trust in this World, but rather lay down our rights in honor of Christ.

Let's get on our knees and pray, like never before, asking God to capture Our People, asking God to be glorified, asking God for mercy, asking God to give us a Commander-in-Chief who acts more like Christ.

Most Importantly, Let's Pray for REVIVAL, because it always comes during seasons of turmoil.  
Lord, let it be!   
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• *The foolish spew folly from their mouths (Proverbs 15:2).
• The foolish despise instruction and reproofs from those who are wiser (Proverbs 15:5).
• When the foolish try and speak in a dignified manner it feels artificial (Proverbs 17:7).
• Rebukes just bounce off of the foolish (Proverbs 17:10).
• The foolish love to boldly pronounce their opinions (Proverbs 18:2).
• The foolish have repeatedly been ensnared by their words in their past (Proverbs 18:7).
• The foolish are often characterized by quarreling (Proverbs 20:3).
• The foolish frequently disregard wisdom (Proverbs 23:9).
• When others stoop to engage the foolish according to their folly, they end up looking foolish themselves (Proverbs 26:4).
• The foolish have a history of repeating their folly (Proverbs 26:11).
• Those known to be wise are concerned and burdened by the words and actions of the foolish (Proverbs 27:3).
• The foolish rage or mock when arguing with others (Proverbs 29:9).
• The foolish love to give full vent to their spirit (Proverbs 29:11).
• The foolish are quick to speak (Proverbs 29:20).
• The foolish are often characterized by shouting (Ecclesiastes 9:17).
• The foolish may consider themselves religious, but their unbridled tongues show that religion to be worthless (James 1:26).
• The foolish look with haughty eyes (Proverbs 6:17).
• The foolish engage in slander (Proverbs 10:18).
• The foolish joke about their wrongdoing (Proverbs 10:23).
• The foolish make great boasts (Psalm 12:3).
• The foolish are stubbornly right in their own eyes (Proverbs 12:15).
• The foolish are quickly annoyed by insults (Proverbs 12:16).
• The foolish lash out in rash words like sword thrusts (Proverbs 12:18).
• The foolish express no shame over their folly (Proverbs 13:16).
• The foolish speak and act with recklessness and carelessness (Proverbs 14:16).

*How to Recognize a Foolish Leader by Desiring God Ministries

Please also read: How Christianity Explains Trump