Do You Know What Really Happens?

Do you know what really happens when a partial birth abortion is performed? Well, I had heard about it before but never really investigated it until this election.

Brace yourself for the pictures below!

This is what is done to a baby at 23 weeks...how cruel, horrific and this is MURDER...I don't care how you try to justify it.

Partial Birth Abortion

To see additional, more detailed images of partial-birth abortion, and documentation from medical experts on the accuracy of these images, click here.

Guided by ultrasound, the abortionist grabs the baby's leg with forceps.

The baby's leg is pulled out into the birth canal.

The abortionist delivers the baby's entire body, except for the head.

The abortionist jams scissors into the baby's skull. The scissors are then opened to enlarge the hole.










The scissors are removed and a suction catheter is inserted. The child's brains are sucked out, causing the skull to collapse. The dead baby is then removed.

Letter from Anthony P. Levatino, M.D., J.D., former abortionist, explaining that the images shown above "accurately depict" the partial-birth abortion method, and that "the images are size-appropriate to a fetus of approximately 24 weeks gestation." -- March 4, 2003

These were found at:

http://www.nrlc.org/abortion/pba/diagram.html
http://www.nrlc.org/abortion/pba/PBA_Images/PBA_Images_Heathers_Place.htm

This is another accurate depiction of a Dilation and Evacuation of a 23 week fetus in a partial birth abortion

This one was found at: http://www.nrlc.org/abortion/pba/DEabortiongraphic.html

I know, there are times when a doctor will give a patient devastitating news about their unborn child and their prognosis of pending death...but...is there anything to difficult for God to heal if it is in His plans?

Jeremiah 32:27
"Behold, I am the Lord...Is anything too difficult for me?

If you are in doubt...please read this young mother's blog...from beginning to end. You will then see the amazing, mighty and all powerful...healing God that we serve. God knows your baby before he/she was formed in your womb and He knows every step that your child will take through their life...no matter how long or short that life might be.

Jeremiah 1:5

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations."

http://www.mycharmingkids.net/ (Couldn't get button to work & I'm tired & it's late)

Not everyone has a happy ending to their pregnancy regardless of the prayers that you pray or the ones that other pray for you...but God has a plan. He can touch people, bring them to the Lord through your tragedy and your child can minister to lives and never live to be two days old. Which is exactly what happened through Selah's singer...Todd Smith and his beautiful wife, Angie. Please take the time to read their story and God's amazing grace and plan for little Audrey Caroline's very short life. God has done amazing things through her precious little life. As well as Todd's sister and brother-in-law in the death of little Luke Sponberg at only 10 weeks old to SIDS. But yet, God has used his little life to touch so many people. This family lost two precious babies within just a couple of months of each other.

• http://www.audreycaroline.blogspot.com/ (Couldn't get buttons to work here either & it's late)
• http://www.thelukesponbergfoundation.blogspot.com/ The Story of Baby Luke
• http://www.stringofpearlsonline.org/PearlsStory.html - Another story of God's amazing grace...the story of Pearl. From this site you can read more testimonials from other families. I just discovered these a few minutes ago.

So many people have no idea what a fetus looks like from conception to birth. They think that the fetus is a "blob of stuff" but let me tell you for a fact that I know these babies have fingers, toes, fingernails, ribs and all the parts that make up a baby from just a few weeks post conception. You might ask "how do you know?"...well, let me tell you!

I have worked for OB/GYNs for 25 years and my present and my former employer are pro-life. They are both very strong Christians. Dr. W (former) got the fetuses from pathology from other patients who miscarried from 8, 12, 16, 24 and 28 weeks. They were preserved in formaldehyde and put in jars so he could show women who were contemplating an abortion that these were babies...not masses of tissue and blood. It changed so many ladies' mind who would have aborted their unborn babies.

Watch this slideshow of a fetus and it's growth.

http://www.medicinenet.com/fetal-development-pictures-slideshow/article.htm

Having said all of this to say...who are we or who are the doctors to play God and decide when a life should end. Just because the doctors say that there is no hope...God said there is always hope in me. That is just one of the reasons that abortion is wrong...we(mothers) or them (doctor) are playing God and we/they are not qualified.

Seek God's face before casting your vote on this election day, November 4, 2008.

God has burned this into my heart tonight. It is late but I have to get this posted if it changes one mother's mind on abortion or changes one vote on this historial election day.

Will the innocent blood of these babies be on our hands as well, if we vote for the wrong candidate and more abortions are performed?

Added note on Saturday, 9:20 AM.

I just went over to Tea With Tiffany and read her POWERFUL letter about her personal experience with abortion to Mr. Obama. Please go over and read it...you will be forever changed. Click here to view her letter.

Do Not Lose Heart

2 Corinthians 4:16

So we're not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace. (The Message)

I love how the Message Bible puts this verse..."not a day goes by without his unfolding grace"!

Wow!!!

Each one of has experienced trials and troubles in our lives and in our families...if you are alive and breathing...you have been there. So many times, we feel like we can't go on, can't put one foot in front of the other, can't utter another prayer, can't get out of bed and/or just don't want to.

We have felt at times...Why should I keep trying? Why should I care anymore? Does anyone even see that I am hurting or do they even care?

Can you relate to one of these times in your life? You might have experienced more than one...I know that I have.

• If you are having financial troubles, setbacks...it is not the end.
• If you have been lied to and deceived...it is not the end.
• If you have lost your job...it is not the end.
• If you have lost your home...it is not the end.
• If you have been a victim of robbery, identity thief, home invasion...it is not the end.
• If you have a child who is entangled in sin...wrong relationships, failing according to life's standards, refusing to communicate with you or your family, on drugs and/or alcohol or involved in homosexuality...it is not the end.
• If you spouse has walked away from your marriage, chosen someone else over you...it is not the end.
• If you have lost a loved one to death...whether it is a sudden death, suicide or a long illness...it is not the end.
• If you have been in jail or a family member is in jail...it is not the end.
• If you or your family member committed a horrible crime...it is not the end.
• If you have lost or are losing your sight, hearing or even a limb...it is not the end.
• If you have a disabling illness or disease...it is not the end.
• If you are in the depths of depression, battling depression or chemical imbalance that is affecting your way of thinking, feeling, reacting and your relationships...it is not the end.
• If you have learned that you have a terminal illness...it is not the end.
• If you have done things in your life...past or present when you acted foolishly and are mortified by what you did...it is not the end.
• If you are nearing death's door...it is not the end.

It might seem like the end, you might wish it were the end...BUT it is not the end because God is God, He is in control and the end has not come yet...not until God says "this is the end".

We must have faith in our Heavenly Father, trust Him in ALL things and lean on Him completely.

Hebrew 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

I don't know who this is for today but I felt that someone needed to hear this. Be blessed today and you trust in Him.

Itty Bitty, Tiny...From His Perspective

You have learned so many different things over the course of your life, you have been taught so much in Sunday School, Children's Church and in "big" church...but...sometimes God turns on the light bulb...just a little brighter for some and 200+ watts brighter for others (like me).

I was praying and asking God to speak to me again through His word because of some situations that we were going through that we completely out of our control. I felt the Lord remind me of where we were last year and what He promised me back then, still applies today.

Last year, 2007, was one of the worst years...it was a year full of financial attacks of the enemy, job related stresses, no family time, investment property issues, deadbeat tenants and so much more.

During those times, I felt like I was lost in the sea of stress...bobbing up and down and each time I come up....seemed like the enemy pushed us back down with another attack. I would only have enough time to grab a quick breath of fresh air and then it was down under again.

This was an ongoing thing over the past several years. The enemy tried to beat me up, make me blame myself and/or my husband, tell me the best thing to do was to just run away...leave it all behind and go. The darkness would sweep in like a fog, only it was very black and oh, so lonely.

On December 18th, 2007, I started looking again in Isaiah because God really spoke to me the week before in Isaiah 61. I stopped and started in several places...reading a few scripture in this chapter and then in that chapter. I turned to the back of my old Bible, my old faithful, King James version from childhood....there was a note that I had written one that said "Be renewed...Tap into God's strength...Isaiah 40:28-31. I read 28-31 and then went back to read the entire chapter.

Isaiah 40:28-31
(28) Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. (29) He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. (30)Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; (31) but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. (NIV)

I got to verse 10 and 11...I thought about God going before me, his provision for my needs and his protection as my shepherd. Wow! But then, I got to verse 12 and it hit me hard! I read it over and over...I continued reading the chapter but my eyes were repeatedly drawn back to verse 12.

(10) See, the Sovereign LORD comes with power, and his arm rules for him. See, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him. (11)He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.

Verse 12:
Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens? Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket, or weighed the mountains on the scales and the hills in a balance?

I began to think about that and meditate on that one verse....then other verses came to my mind:

Isaiah 41:10
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Psalm 18:35
You give me your shield of victory, and your right hand sustains me; you stoop down to make me great.

Psalm 138:7
Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life; you stretch out your hand against the anger of my foes, with your right hand you save me.

Psalm 139:10
...even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.

I began to thank God when I think about the awesome size of his hands...(really, I can't even begin to comprehend it) and the size of my problems. He goes on to say in the verses that follow different comparisons of things we can understand (ie. mountains, dust, nations) to the size of His hand...like in verse 15...

Isaiah 40:15
Surely the nations are like a drop in a bucket; they are regarded as dust on the scales; he weighs the islands as though they are fine dust.

He weighs the islands as though they were fine dust....WOW! If the islands are "as fine dust in his hands....then my problems are so tiny that you couldn't even see them with a microscope. All that brought the assurance that NOTHING IS TOO BIG FOR GOD, that nothing is impossible for God and he holds me in the palm of His mighty hand because I am His child and with Him...we will make it!

He reaffirmed to me today that if He said it in the Bible, confirmed it to me in December '07, then it was just as good today as it was then. He let me know that I can REST in Him, for He will take care of me and my family. He will do the same for you!

Amazing Grace

Grace

Grace

God's Grace

Now, that is truly amazing.

What does grace mean?

I love this definition in the Unbridged Dictionary for GRACE:

Theology.
a. the freely given, unmerited favor and love of God.
b. the influence or spirit of God operating in humans to regenerate or strengthen them.
c. a virtue or excellence of divine origin: the Christian graces.
d. Also called state of grace. the condition of being in God's favor or one of the elect.

When God pours out His favor, His grace on you...you experience what it means to be in the state of grace....being in God's favor...one of the elect.

ELECT:
Theology. a person or persons chosen by God, esp. for favor or salvation. (Jennifer's interpretation is...hand picked by God...means you are special to Him!)

We have been praying and trusting God in an area of our lives for the past year. We are at a time in our lives that we need a plan of escape. Back in June, we felt led to go in a certain direction in this situation. It seemed like it was the plan of escape that we needed, however, it was not the way that I had been praying for. It took me several weeks to come to terms with this new and different direction because it was not the way that "I" wanted. It was not the "desire of my heart" and I had to resign myself to the fact that God sees the big picture and knows what is best for me rather that is best for my pride.

When we came to the fork in the road, we turned left because we felt that was the correct direction. I don't think that we missed God but I think God wanted to see if we were willing to lay down our pride and follow Him...no matter which direction that He was leading us.

We must have passed the test of willingness to obey in spite of our own feelings because a week ago, God said "STOP!"

We stopped in our tracks, continued to pray for guidance, had our close friends praying with us for God's favor in this situation.

God said "make a U-turn...NOW!", go back to the fork in the road and go in the direction that would have been a right turn in the beginning.

We were obedient.

God is faithful.

Last night after returning home from a shower at church, we got the answer that we were praying for in my inbox of my email. We still had questions and I asked those questions last night...all the while...praying for God's favor in this situation. When I got up this morning...the answers were there again...in my inbox of my email.

Praise The Lord!

God is Faithful!

We have a few small hurdles left to clear but God willing...it will be another prayer prayed, answered and turned into another testimony of God's amazing grace. We will continue to pray for God to clear the way until everything is signed, sealed and delivered on October 24th.

Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (NIV)

WHAT AN AWESOME BIRTHDAY PRESENT FOR A DAUGHTER TO RECEIVE FROM HER HEAVENLY FATHER FOR HER BIRTHDAY...OCTOBER 20TH. I don't mind if it is 4 days late:)

We are nearly the end of our Isaiah 61...The Year of the Lord's Favor...2008 and God has faithfully honored His promise in 3 of the 4 areas that we have been believing God for. The last one seems to be impossible to the human mind but I know that "NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR GOD!"

Luke 1:37
For nothing is impossible with God." (NIV)

We are praying for a loved one to return to the Lord, commit their heart to Him, serve Him and be used mightily by Him. NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH GOD!!! Please agree with us in prayer that this will happen.

My prayer is to keep them physically safe and beyond that..."Break them, Lord! Whatever it takes."

Standing On God's Promises

2007

Emotional

Discouragement

Doubt

Fear

These are just a few words to describe 2007 for our family. I can honestly say that it was one of the absolute worse years of my life.

It was full of attacks from the enemy and I allowed fear, doubt, discouragement and depression to take up residence in my life.

When it seemed like things could not get any worse...they did. I have never felt so defeated, hopeless and could not control one thing that was going on in our lives.

BUT...I will never forget December 13th, 2007...it was the day that the momentum of our lives changed and the sun began to shine again.

In my desperation, I was praying that morning...crying out to God in my pain and asking Him to speak to me through His Word. I began to thumb through my Bible...I stopped on numerous passages but nothing was speaking directly to me. I refused to give up and kept searching God's Word.

I turned to Isaiah 61 and in the NIV...the heading for this chapter was "THE YEAR OF THE LORD'S FAVOR"....I stopped immediately and began to read. This was when I felt the Lord speaking deep into my spirit...peace, hope and excitement began to fill my spirit. Yes, there was an ounce of doubt that the Lord was really speaking this passage to my family for the upcoming year....2008. So, for me....when in doubt...seek confirmation from the two wisest people that I know...Pastor Rusty and Dorinda. (Love you guys!) I texted Pastor Rusty and asked him if I could pray this passage over my family for 2008...I don't trust my interpretation of the scripture very often. He immediately texted me back and said..."Yes and you should...I will agree and pray the same prayer for you guys!". I emailed the same question to Dorinda the same day.

Then...the excitement really set it!!! Out of the entire chapter of Isaiah 61...these are the verses that we have been standing on for nearly a year.

The Year of the LORD 's Favor

1 The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, 2 to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, 3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion- to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor. 4 They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations.... 7 Instead of their shame my people will receive a double portion, and instead of disgrace they will rejoice in their inheritance; and so they will inherit a double portion in their land, and everlasting joy will be theirs. 8 "For I, the LORD , love justice; I hate robbery and iniquity. In my faithfulness I will reward them and make an everlasting covenant with them. 9 Their descendants will be known among the nations and their offspring among the peoples. All who see them will acknowledge that they are a people the LORD has blessed."

There was hope and a promise for the coming year...God was in control and He would work all things out for His glory in His time.

BUT...it wasn't until the next day that I received this email from Dorinda that I began to REALLY shout...here is her original email:

Jennifer!

awesome ! that is amazing...

last night before i went to bed i was praying for you. i did not hear an audible voice but i knew God was speaking to me to send you an email about the power of praying the word ..... and after talking to you the other day about 2008, Isaiah 61 was on my heart!

any way - here is what went through my head last night as i was praying for you....

Hebrews 4:12 says -
For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow, it judges the thought and attitudes of the heart.

The KJV says quick and powerful

The part about the double edged is what I want to get at. On one side it fights the devil. The enemy cowers when we SPEAK the word of God. He knows he cannot begin to battle that power.... It was the spoken word of God that created the universe and that cast the enemy from the portals of heaven to where he is now. The spoken word of God is powerful when fighting the enemy. That is why it is so important to not only read and meditate on God's word but to speak it out loud. The enemy cannot read our minds. He shivers on what he hears out of our mouths.

The other edge of the sword is where the power of meditating and reading God's Word comes in. From one side we fight the enemy- from the other side we clean ourselves up. Rusty's blog on Tuesday I think dealt with that. But God's word penetrates to our soul and spirit and circumcises our heart.... as the Bible says - that just means it helps us to crucify our flesh.

So - when you read Isaiah 61 and you get to verse 7 - that says "instead of their shame my people - Roger and Jennifer W - will receive a double portion and instead of disgrace Roger and Jennifer will rejoice in their inheritance; and so they will inherit a double portion in their land, and everlasting joy will be theirs. For I, the lord, love justice; I hate robbery and iniquity (robbery of people not paying their rent). In my faithfulness I will reward them and make an everlasting covenant with them! Tell the devil out loud what God's word says. Shout it at him. Then meditate on it every day. This is God's promise to you! I am so glad God gave you this verse before I had a chance to share it with you, because now you know that God promised this Word to YOU.

Throughout the Bible we are told to meditate on God's Word (think about and repeat over and over again to ourselves) pray God's Word ( the only way we can be sure to pray according to the will of God) speak God's Word (like Jesus did when he was tempted to be discouraged - spoke it out loud to satan)

remember also verse 10 in the rough times: I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoice in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness.....

Jennifer, God is raising you up to be a warrior. I know you are tired of fighting the emotional and spiritual battles, but I see the warrior spirit in you. God sees time so much different than we do. He is infinite and we see time through our finite beings. Time for God is just like this line below

________________________________________________

He looks down and sees the beginning as well as the ending and all the points in between. He sees your good times and your rough times, but ultimately He sees your rejoicing in heaven for eternity. That is how He works all things for the good of those who love Him.

That is why placing our trust in Him is so vital. Trusting Him when we are tired and worn out. Trusting Him when we feel all is going down the tubes. Trusting Him when we cannot see the light at the end of the tunnel. Simple trust. He has promised you victory - so tomorrow, if it brings worse news than yesterday, you can trust in Him.

The other scripture I have been praying for you and Roger is Psalm 25. The whole chapter deals with asking Him to show His ways and teach His paths. It is my most favorite chapter in the whole Bible. I probably read it about 10 times each week.

love ya girl! you are a precious friend. i love you dearly and am so thankful you consider me to be your friend.

dorinda

2008 has been a wonderful year full of promise, excitement, renewed hope, strength and seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.

Please pray with us for my meeting at 11 AM tomorrow as I meet with two investors from California who are in town to purchase investment property. They will be looking at all 11 houses to take over. Please pray for favor with V and J and a workable deal that both parties will be happy with.

Tomorrow could be the answer to the prayers that we have been praying for since last year and the promise from December 13th, 2007 of Isaiah 61 coming to fruition.

Have a blessed day and rejoicing in Him!

Jennifer

Thankful Thursday

I am so thankful today that I have a wonderful husband who loves me in spite of all my faults.

I prayed over 20 years ago that God would send me a wonderful man who:

• Loved Me Completely
• Loved My Son As His Own
• Was A Christian, Godly Man
• Was A Family Man and Wanted To Spend Time With His Family
• Had A Good Job With Steady Income
• Financially Stable

I had so many people to tell me things like..."you don't want much do you?", "you will never find anyone like that these days!" and "keep dreaming, girl!"

Well, I did keep dreaming and praying!

God cares about the "specifics" in our lives and in our families. I was told many, many years ago to pray specifically for what you want from God, even though, He already knows your needs and wants.

I did and He did.

On September 4th, 1990...God brought the most amazing man into my life. He met my criteria and so much more. I married this wonderful man 5 months later. We will celebrate our 18th wedding anniversary on February 23rd, 2009!

My wonderful husband, Roger has lived up to what God has commanded him to be and to do...I am so thankful for my Godly husband.

Ephesians 5:22-33

(22) Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. (23) For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. (24) Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. (25) Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her (26) to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, (27) and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. (28) In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. (29) after all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church - (30) for we are members of his body. (31) "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh." (32) This is a profound mystery - but I am talking about Christ and the church. (33) However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

If you want to read about our amazing "Love Story"...go to my archives under "My Love Story" or start in February '08...it has been an amazing, rocky, wonderful and turbulent road...but we are still together and very much in love still.

I love you, Roger!!!

Update on Brandon's Condition...Tuesday Night

Good Evening Everyone!!!

God is good all the time! I want to start by saying thank you for your prayers as we have felt each and everyone of them. God is faithful to the cries of his children! I am so thankful that I am a child of God's and I have so many prayer warriors praying along with me.

I spent the last several nights with Brandon in the ICU...all night long. We have had several rough nights where he did not rest well at all and was getting extremely frustrated, agitated and impatient with everyone. I called on several people to add this situation to their prayers, as well as, what to do about coming home at the end of this week. As you most know, I have a 13 year old and a husband at home also. I felt pulled between the two and wanting desparately to do the right thing for both of my children.

When I got back to the hospital yesterday after getting a much needed 4 hours of sleep and a shower...the nurse said he was being moved to a regular floor. However, we had not had any good reports on the regular floor staff at the particular hospital. I was very anxious about him going to the floor as he could not do one thing for himself...not even scratch his own nose. It was all night on Sunday...Mom, scratch my nose, my face, my head, my arms...the Morphine was making him itch terribly and we were waiting on the Benedryl for relief. He was extremely out of it yesterday on pain medicines and that was also a concern of mine going to the floor. This particular floor still has semi-private rooms and family is not allowed to stay overnight with their loved one. So, needless to say, I was extremely stressed, anxious and tired...not a good combination for this mother. I prayed and asked others to pray also.

We were moved to the floor at 9 PM last night and he was in so much pain. Again, we prayed and prayed. He would get the hiccups and it would cause his so much pain with the chest tubes still in place. Once, he had hiccups and was winching in pain...I began to pray over him right there for God to stop the hiccups, remove the pain and give him rest. The hiccups stopped IMMEDIATELY!!!! He rested better last night than he has the entire time we have been here. God hears our prayers!!!!

We did have terrible nursing staff last night...so bad...that I had fully planned to come to the hotel this morning and start searching for another hospital and doctor who would accept him immediately. It was horrible!!! No bedside manner, hateful, rude and just down right mean! Brandon was in no mood for this type of treatment with all the pain he was suffering and being at their mercy and neither was I! Brandon and one of the male nurses had words...heated words and I was playing referee...told them both...that is enough! When the surgeon stopped by at 3 AM to check his abdomen over...we ratted this two nurses out! They probably heard us because we were directly across from the nurses station. This had been an ongoing thing from the minute we got to the floor. I understand the need to do your job and follow the orders set by the doctors...but the right hand did not know what the left hand was doing at all. Each floor had different policies and rules. He was allowed ice chips and his oxygen was removed all day in ICU but when we got to the floor...they would not give him one drop of water, piece of ice or anything. He had not had one thing since Friday night...except a little ice. Very frustrating and add their lack of bedside manner, no sleep and lots of pain....boiling point! I prayed again and told God...these people are not going to see the love of Jesus if He do not intervene but they would see the devil himself! Thank goodness they went off duty at 7 AM. By the end of their shift...one was being very nice and helpful. PTL!

We had the greatest nursing staff today that we have had since we got there. Our nurse, Islom, was awesome....she pampered, spoiled, doated on Brandon all day long. We were able to wash his hair, bath him (sponge), change sheets on the bed and he felt like a new person. He had a very restful the night before and had a great day today. He sat up and talked to us for about 3 hours staight with very little pain medicine, slept a couple of hours and then talked another 2 hours. He and I had some great one-on-one time this afternoon to talk about all that God had done for him during this trying time. He was very receptive and was very encouraged by all the prayers that were going up all across the country for him...thanks to my family, church family and my new blogging family. I can never say thank you enough. Please keep it up...we are out of the woods just yet.

We got 1 chest tube removed today and everything looks very, very good. If all goes well...hopefully, the NG tube will be removed tomorrow or Thursday...he has to wait 1 day and then he can have small sips of liquid to drink. Then if all goes well, he can introduce jello and other soft foods and broths. He was able to sit nearly straight up in his bed....bed elevated for long periods of time with minimal pain. His voice was strong and his fighting spirit is also. He is determined to cut the recovery time way down from what the doctors say. He is very brave and tough...he has only uttered a couple sounds from of being in severe pain...most of the time he remains silent when they are doing things to him. The chest tube removal...he said was more painful than having it put in and we still have one more to go.

The surgeons have said that with the pelvic fracture and broken ankle that his recovery time will be 3-4 months. It will be impossible for him to work and earn a living because he is on his feet all day. This is causing him a lot of concern...but I told him that God is a big God and he can do the impossible...if he just let him.

I spoke with Mandy...his friend who is staying with him tonight so I can get some sleep....been up 33 hours with no sleep and just finished my only meal and drink in over 24 hours. His staff tonight is awesome and they are very pleased....now this mother can rest in peace without worry that my son is being mistreated in the hospital that is supposed to be caring for him.

Thank you all again for your love, prayers and phone calls.

Goodnight all! Love you guys!

Update on Monday Night

Just wanted to thank each and everyone of you who are praying our family and especially Brandon right now. He is suffering in a great deal of pain and has a very long road ahead of him. However, we serve an awesome and very big God! He has a plan for Brandon's life and this will all work together for good.

Today, a guy from Georgia Medicaid came by to see him but he was asleep and I talked to him. He was there to get information to help assist Brandon with his medical bills since he does not have any insurance. Praise the Lord!!!!! I have been stressing a little over it but continued to pray that God has unlimited resources and he was in control. This was an answer to prayer and a great peace of mind for me. Pray now that he will be approved and assistance will come soon.

Thank you again for all your prayers....I know I have felt them. He has been officially discharged from ICU to the step down unit but there are no bed available. I was told that when they move down that I couldn't stay with him at night...please pray that if this is true that he will rest comfortably and will have kind and caring nurses. We have encountered some today that have not been very nice and that makes it hard on him and this mother (to let the love of Jesus shine...cause I wanted to let them see the devil...but I didn't). I will update you as often as I have computer access on his progress.

Love all of you!

Brandon...Update On His Condition

For those of you who know and for those of you who haven't heard yet...our son, Brandon was in a terrible car wreck Friday night...early Saturday morning in Atlanta, GA.

Roger and I had taken Tyler to meet up with the youth at our Fine Arts competition and spent the night before heading back home Saturday morning. We got up Saturday and was just about to leave the hotel coming home when I received a phone call from Georgia...I had assumed it was Brandon since I had left him two messages and sent him a text the night before with no reply. There was a tornado that hit downtown Atlanta on Friday night...I'm sure most of you have seen the coverage on television and he had moved back to Atlanta three weeks ago.

This is what happened: He had just gotten off work and his friend picked him up....it was after midnight when his shift ended. For some reason, Brandon was driving going back to where they were staying after the tornado had hit downtown...where he also works. There was another storm coming through with lots of rain and high winds...as they were driving down the interstate...the high winds hit the car and he hit standing water causing the car to hydroplane and go into multiple spins before slamming into the retaining wall and hitting the other wall on the other side. They say the car looks like a piece of tin that has been crumpled into a ball. His friend was conscious and able to get out of the car when the car caught fire...he was able to pull Brandon free of the car before it burned. I believe the prayers of this mother...pleading the blood of Jesus over him daily were heard. Satan would love nothing more than to end his life but God intervened and spared him.

I had a conversation on the drive to Atlanta (7 hours) alone Saturday night...I told him that what he intended to harm my son...God intervened and spared his life. I told Satan he was a LOSER in the name of Jesus...needless to say by this time...I was angry! People would have thought I had lost my mind if it had not been dark. I arrived in Atlanta to a hospital downtown and it took me an hour to find it because of power outages, debris and blocked streets.

He looked pretty bad when I finally made it to the ICU unit. He are the update, official list of his injuries:
(1) Two punctured lungs with chest tubes now in place - hope to removed in 2-3 days
(2) Broken ribs - nothing to be done except wait for it to heal itself
(3) Broken pelvis - nothing to be done except wait for it to heal itself
(3) Broken ankle in 3 places...now with pins and a metal plate in it
(4) Internal injury to his bladder rather than the puncture they had originally thought. - catheter x 3 weeks, rescan and it not healed then catheter x 2 more weeks
(5) Perforated small intestines...found when they did surgery thinking it was a bladder problem - surgically fixed on Saturday night
(6) 3 small lacerations to his liver...other cause of abdominal bloating and drop in blood count. - nothing to be done except wait for it to heal itself
(7) Incision now from surgery that starts at breast bone and extends to groin - very painful without all the other injuries! They left his stomach open and it is just bandaged to help prevent infection or if they had to go back into surgery...pray for immediate healing
(8) NG tube...up nose that goes down to his stomach to help prevent vomiting and aspiration if he did vomit. -hope to be removed in 1-2 days
(9) Nothing to eat or drink...not even water...want intestines to have time to mend before making them work again. - hope he can when NG tube is removed.

Needless to say...he is in a huge amount of pain. They did figure that his nausea was not caused by the Morphine but by the internal bleeding and not allergic to the pain medicine. PTL! This ICU here allows family to stay with their loved one 24 hours a day except for 6:30 AM - 8:30 AM and the same time at night as well. That I am thankful for. It has been a long two days but it will be even a longer road to recovery.

Please pray that he will get moved to the step down unit, get his NG tube removed so he is able to have at least water, chest tubes removed in the next day or 2 and pain management. He is extremely frustrated and agitated right now. It hurts terribly to cough, hiccups or even talk much and now he is itching all over...asked doctor for Benedryl at 6:15 AM this morning.

I am at the hotel to get some sleep while his friend comes to stay with him. The friend who was in the car with him went to surgery yesterday looking for internal injuries but they did not find any. He is having severe back pain and will be kept for another day or two.

I am so thankful that he was not knocked unconscious too or they would have both burned to death. God is ALWAYS in control regardless of how it looks, how it feels or what anyone ever tell you. He promises to NEVER leave you nor forsake you.

Please pray that God will minister to Brandon, his friends and the staff in a very powerful way and they all will see the love of Christ in a very tired mom...who loves her son so very, very much. I would change places with him in a minute if I could take his pain away. Please also pray for a speedy recovery...faster than anyone expects...he is already surpassing where the doctors predicted he would be at this point.

Please, please pray against ANY infection, pneumonia or blood clots...dangers he is facing right now. Please keep us all in your prayers and I will update when I can...don't have access to internet except at the hotel for right now.

Love you guys!