Monday Morning and a Shared Email of Encouragement

It's been a few days since posting with good news to report.  The Queen has done the weekend updates, so if you missed anything you can find them on her blog here:  4 U Ruthie.

As to the Monday morning update, the Minion is doing great.  She's increasing in strength and keeps winning on the cognitive front.  Her vocabulary is back and she's even picked up a few new words.  She can identity people by name (the Big Three especially) and asks for things in ways that are understandable.  You can pray for ongoing healing, strength, recovery, and protection.

Everything keeps going up and to the right, and for this we're grateful.  I'm sitting on the rehab floor where other families are not experiencing the same.  It's a stark reminder that we're entitled to nothing.

A friend of mine sent me this the other day.  His name shall be held in confidence to protect the innocent, but he's a dear friend and good brother and always thoughtful.  His email has been edited below, but you'll get the gist.  I hope it encourages you.  Share as you see fit.

Trent,

I wanted to write you to correct you (just a little) because you had an error in logic in your sermon on Sunday (referring to 7.27).  You said something to the effect that if God had brought Maggie this far, surely He would see her through to the end.  Your point was well-taken that past movements of God inspire faith for a new movement of God.

While I contend that the probability is high that the end is not so soon due to the high prayer volume and value, the high probability of substantial positive Kingdom impact, etc., I do not think your logic applies here.

Why?  Because the scales that weigh this are wrecked by the value of The Good over the value of The Expenditures.

Expenditures:  prayer, money, time, gut-wrenching waiting, hair-pulling bureaucracy, people who think y'all are crazy, and others in a long line.  Tack on the train wreck of emotions, potential long-term harm to your family, and other costs that have been evident these past few weeks, the expenditure line is ridiculously high.

Good:  only one item goes here.  She had doctors.  She had caregivers.  But she didn't have the loving arms of her father around her.  Remember the picture you sent me when all this broke and we were on vacation?  It was you holding her.  Her father had his arms around her.

If you put that on the scale and look for a return on investment, it crushes the scale.  Breaks it.  Wrecks it.  It's over.

I tell you that to tell you this:  you have already won.  In a moment, y'all have conquered the naysayers, the world's valuation of sick orphans, the Chinese valuation of women, and many other things.  You have already won.

If you zoom in to see the broken side of the scale, you see a church on her knees.  You see daily sermons via blogs and witness to many who are lost.  You see moments of biblical clarity that are breath-taking.  You see people learning to live out their faith through their service.  You see people remembering and sharing the truths that help them through dark days.  The list is endless.  And there are new things to see each day.

But I never needed to see more than a single, priceless treasure of her in your arms.

As you pay the real and terrible price each day, please don't experience the price without looking again on what was purchased and clearly see what y'all purchased for her.

With ongoing prayers and overflowing thanks for the victory that is Maggie,

Your friend