One week ago, we were preparing for one of the biggest moments in our lives – we were preparing to send Townes into surgery to receive a new heart, for him to be refined, for the Lord to do a good work within him – a miracle.

Our son is a miracle because Life is a Miracle!

We needed hand soap … that seemed simple enough. 

Until I realized that while our lives have been filled with long hours at the hospital and frankly a quarantine lifestyle since February 6th, we have been shielded mostly from whats been happening elsewhere. 

I walked into Target on a treasure hunt to find hand soap because I struck out at the grocery store and Walgreen’s by my house — more than once. I even felt fortunate to find one of the two bottles of fingernail polish remover left at Walgreens after striking out at the grocery store. I was like a kid looking for the golden egg on Easter because I needed to remove my fingernail polish! This seems essential to me, especially since I can’t go to my local nail salon for the foreseeable future.

It was eerie when walking in. There were hardly any people (so glad everyone is following the Stay at Home order) but what made it more strange was when I saw the big sign out front that read, “NOT A COVID-19 TESTING SITE” and all the employees were walking around with blue medical gloves (I can spot those these days from anywhere) and masks. They were diligently scrubbing every cart, basket and checkout with Clorox and Lysol. We owe all these employees a big thank you, that they are ensuring I can safely retrieve a basic household item. They are showing up each day to provide us the safest environment possible with everything that is going on in the world.

So I started thinking about this “hard season”, not just that it’s hard because I have spent the last 2 months at a hospital everyday but because we are all facing something that is unknown. We don’t know how long this is going to last – we don’t know how long we are going to have to wear a cloth on our face – or how long we will have to wait before we can go out to dinner with friends – or you fill in the blank here. The unknown can be frightening.

But what if we all “leaned in” to what is KNOWN. Leaned into a Savior that calls us his child – his son, his daughter. Leaned into a Savior that loves us immeasurably more than we could ever imagine. Leaned into a Savior that calls us righteous in him, and worthy, and LOVED.

2nd Corinthians 6:18, “And I will be your Father, and you will be my sons and daughters, say the Lord Almighty.”

Romans 3:22, “The righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference between Jew and Gentile”

1st John 4:19, “We love because he first loved us” 

I wonder what would begin to happen if we leaned into him during this season and deep within our souls, we began to believe we are his prized possession, that it’s to him to whom we belong. That through him we have received forgiveness and redemption, acceptance. That in this relationship with our Savior could we discover that, maybe just maybe, that quirky part of us we don’t like, he called into being for a reason, that it’s actually a gift – could we begin to see ourselves the way he sees us? Could we begin to understand the authority we have been given through him?  Could we stand on the foundation that our inheritance in Christ is imperishable, not subject to corruption or decay. Our inheritance in Christ, does not take our breath away but does the exact opposite – it gives us breath…life. 

And if we could begin to understand these things, could we then pass them along? Could we encourage one another in this “wilderness season” – could we allow ourselves to be refined, so we can build up the body of believers stronger than before? Could we believe that on the other side of this God is doing something so great – a Revival?

One of the things I have been learning is that we are always being refined – if we allow ourselves, we are always learning. What is the Lord teaching you in this season? 

I have been learning Strength.  I have discovered a strength I didn’t know I had because its not of my own. Psalm 28:7 “The Lord is my strength and my shield” Boy have I learned that to be true! I have a noticeably queasy stomach when it comes to medical things… somehow I’ve managed to keep it together while looking at my son’s incision and all of the tubes connected to him. The very thought of having a son with all of these wires and needs brought me to my knees just 6 months ago. Exodus 15:2″The Lord is my strength and my song. He has given me VICTORY.”  AMEN!

My son has taught me daily about strength over the last 2 months – he has fought for LIFE and through the miracle of transplant we have been given Life. Praise Jesus – James 1:17, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”

All the doctors and nurses are amazed at how well he has responded post surgery. He has had his chest tubes removed, his ART line removed, his RAP line removed, and all his respiratory support removed in 6 days. He started feeding on the bottle again today which means if all goes well he will have his feeding tube removed. And the best part of all, is that we will be moving to the step down unit soon which puts us one step closer to home. The nurse tonight said, “its astonishing how well he has done!”

Easter is possible – we will be home on our back deck together – all of us: Scott, Me, Townes, Tucker & Luna, celebrating our Savior. Thanking and praising him for the greatest two gifts we could ever receive and never repay.

Remember during this season, your strength comes from the Lord. You may find yourself lonely, or sad, or depressed, or feeling helpless but together we can get to the other side. – let’s lean in and discover more about our Savior, allow ourselves to be refined and lean in to whom we belong. 

Like a potter’s clay, I believe something beautiful is being made –
Maleah