Forgetfulness is a blessing!

Watching a child struggle with sleep apnea, is a heartbreaking effort. For a parent, the gift of a baby’s sweet, soundless breathing cannot be taken for granted. Recently, a close friend shared their newborn’s new diagnosis of sleep apnea. As this father’s voice wavered in sharing their fear in going to sleep and the details of their daughter’s emergency room visit, my mind could not help but go back to Philip. I heard Santhosh comfort the father by saying, “We remember, we went through that too, and your baby is going to make it.”

Santhosh went on to quote Psalms 121:4, “Behold, He who keeps Israel will neither slumber, nor sleep.” We spent many sleepless nights at Philip’s little toddler bed, watching him carefully and making sure his chest was rising. His airway was smaller than normal, so the harsh sounds of struggled breathing became the norm for him. He would jar himself awake, when he could not get his breath. Then he would wake up and the cycle would continue. I remember one night, I could not take it any longer. I knelt on the floor next to his bed and held on to him and cried. My mother-in-law tried to pull me away from the bed, but I could only hold on to Philip and try to reposition him in a hundred different ways in an attempt to open his airway. It was a fruitless effort, and nothing I could physically do would help him.

There was no person or professional that could give clear cut answers and help for ourson. But this eternal Word that gives life and pierces to the marrow, was the only thing we could stand on in these times. It was our only source of comfort. We began to speak life over him. We prayed and gave his life into the Father’s hand every night as we tucked him into bed. We went through various surgeries, and as Philip grew, some symptoms changed.

t seems that one of ‘best’ gifts we could have is the ability to forget. Why would this be, you might ask? Honestly, I had forgotten that difficult path we walked through in Philip’s early life. Those were horrible, grievous days that I would rather not remember or think on again. But it all came back to me, as we counselled and encouraged this new father with his new baby.

The Second Corinthians Mandate comes to mind, and I’ll conclude with that from 2 Corinthians 1:3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.

Because of the comfort we received in our troubles, now we are able to comfort those in the same troubles we experienced. So, whatever the trials that you have experienced, know that the God of all comfort who comforted you, will enable you to also use the same comfort to bless another person.

We do this together,

Because every child matters,

Susan Mathews

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Where Are the Children?

As I have met with many of the women who were trapped in the red light districts of Mumbai, I have heard many stories of heartbreak, tragedy, and shame. But it is amazing to me how that ugliness and fiery experience can be transformed from ashes into something beautiful! When we were in Mumbai’s red light district in March, we had the opportunity to meet several women and record their stories that they wanted to share with the world. It is something that once you start listening, you lose track of all time.

It was the same with me. The sun had started to set, and the city lights were twinkling when we suddenly realized how late it had become in this place that was so filled with oppression and darkness! As we hurried into our vehicles with all our belongings loaded, I could see that many women were already sitting or standing in front of their doorways all along the side of the streets. I will never forget this picture. I forced myself to look into their eyes.

Their eyes were vacant, watching us drive by but not “seeing” us. This was forever embedded in my mind. As we approached the city entrance, the sounds were more boisterous, and children were running still on the streets and vendors were hawking their hot and fresh food items.

It was only when I returned home that something dawned on me. Why was it so quiet at the top of the hill where the women were standing outside trying to sell themselves? Where were the children?

Some of the literature indicates that because the young children can potentially distract or prevent the mother from her “work,” many of the pimps force the mothers to drug their children so that they remain asleep on the floors under the bed of their mother. They sleep all through the night, while their mothers work all through the night.

It was such a grieving thought. But it did explain to me why those streets were not filled with playing children, as I had seen at the city entrance.

We cannot simply watch and hear these things with a vacant attitude. Join with us in the work to transform lives to give beauty for ashes!

Read more in this article http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/community/story/2016/mar/30/local-wombrings-aid-opportunity-women-develop/357738/

Because every child matters,

Susan

Pornography doesn’t Hurt Anyone

Does it?

I stay on the email list and facebook pages of many different anti-trafficking nonprofits.  This week, one story caught my eye, and has not left me yet.

It was the story of a three year old girl who was found duct-taped and in her own feces in a garbage bag. She had been left in the care of a thirty-year old man and his girlfriend, by a mother who lived in the same apartment complex and was hooked on drugs. Apparently, the man who reported to the authorities the condition of this child, had gone to this apartment to have sex with this thirty year old guy. The guy offered the baby as well, but the man was disgusted and left.

The little girl has not uttered a word, and the experts think this may be due to the trauma. Apparently, the rapist was taping her mouth, so she must have been able to make some sounds at some point. I guess her eyes were not blindfolded.

She was abandoned by her mother and father, every thing that should have been secure in her life is gone. Her body was torn and ravaged by who knows how many people, not to mention the physical abuse of the rapist and his girlfriend, and the neglect and malnourishment of this baby.

For those who think that pornography doesn’t hurt anyone, they only need to meet this three year old baby girl. She was being sold, her body was trafficked for sex. These sick animals exploited her body, and the sick filth who saw her, bought her to rape her. Pornography fuels sex trafficking.

I know there’s hope for this precious baby, I am going to name Hope. I know there’s nothing too hard for the Lord. Please pray that the right resources, networks, compassionate and understanding caregivers come into her life. The trauma she has endured can be overcome, with the God who promises to be near the brokenhearted and who will work through each of us to help her and others like her.

There’s hope for the addicts as well. There are LIFE recovery groups that go through amazing counseling sessions and therapy. You can find more information at www.freedomeveryday.org

Thank you for praying for Hope and for joining the work of LWR. We will keep fighting to end the demand, and to combat pornography and human trafficking of our children. We do this..

..because every child matters,

Susan

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I dare you to read UNPLANNED!

I came across Abby Johnson’s book titled “Unplanned” while at the library, and finally finished it! For those of you who don’t know her story, I won’t spoil it for you here. Except to tell you that she worked for Planned Parenthood for seven years, starting out as a volunteer, then working up to Clinic Director! I do urge you to read this powerful book!!

Two things I learned in my book study. God’s redeeming grace is truly amazing grace. No matter the past, the crimes of the present, and our future, how HE loves you and me!! He pursues us. To see the plan and heart of the Lord in loving Ms Abby and calling to her spirit was emotional. And I was only reading it! He loves you, my friend. He loves me! Even though I was far from Him, though I was not clean, a lost cause; yet He came to save me!!

Secondly, no matter what the circumstance is, there is power in prayer. We know that our fight is not seen in the physical realm, but in the spiritual. We are so powerful on our knees before the Lord. In the book of Daniel, where he begins his prayer and sees no immediate response, after 3 weeks the angel tells him a message. “From the first day of your prayer, I came with the answer. But the devil and enemy fought for 21 days against me.” (from Daniel 10). There were dedicated prayer warriors with the Coalition for Life in Bryan, Texas who were praying for Ms Abby for YEARS. They recognized the leader she was, and also the compassion she demonstrated for the young women entering the clinic for abortions. Instead of hating or badgering her, they prayed. And the rest is history.

Do you want to see what an abortion looks like? Read this book. Ever hear the words “empty uterus?” How about a physician jokingly say, “Beam me up, Scotty” as the uterus which once held a baby, is now empty? Don’t believe the lie that these babies don’t feel pain. See what happens when the suction probe prods the baby in the womb. There was no place for that baby to escape the pain.

I dare you to read this first hand account of what truly is going on in Planned Parenthood meetings, and in their clinics. Ms Abby was a hard worker, she won the favored Employee of the Year award in 2008. She is here to give us the facts, because she was there and saw everything firsthand.

I dare you to read this book.

Do it, Because Every Child Matters!

Susan

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40 years?!?!

I remember growing up thinking that when my parents were in their “40s” they were considered OLD.

Ah, well. How time does fly!! 🙂 🙂

And how history repeats itself! My children whispering to each other, “Mom is OLD! Mom has gray hair!”

I heard a statement from author and radio show host, Mr Eric Metaxas that I want to paraphrase : “The 40 & under generation get it. They understand abortion. They know that they could have been one of the aborted.”

I was thinking over that statement, and trying to place myself in my parents’ shoes forty years ago. They were still newlyweds and could still be considered new to the USA. They did not eat three solid meals every day, sometimes going days without food. The language differences, the low socioeconomic status, poor housing all could have contributed to one simple and easy decision when they found out they were expecting their first child. I have to ask myself, why did they choose me? It was the easier road, less burdensome road to make a different choice that day they found out they were pregnant. They have shown multiple times over my life span the rewards for taking the road less traveled. They have shown me that hard work and sacrifice does pay off at the end of the day. They have shown me that simply trusting the Lord, and not leaning on your own understanding opens doors that you may not have ever imagined.

So while I appreciate the birthday wishes and the jokes about reaching 40, I honor my parents for choosing life, and choosing me. And I encourage you to do so as well!

Love you so much mom and dad!!! God bless you, and thank you for giving me life!

Sue

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Stirred not Shaken

Back in my younger days I was a huge James Bond fan. I especially loved the new inventions of Q and seeing Bond in his tuxedo. It didn’t matter who was playing Bond. 🙂 Anyway, that phrase “shaken, not stirred” came into my head this weekend, and I thought I would tell you the story.

The past several months have not been joyful months in my life. There have been the mountain top experiences, but the valley lows always seem to highlight and overwhelm any good thing. I came into church Sunday morning feeling heavy with the cares and concerns of the world. And you know how that old enemy, the devil, will jump on that and add his bit to make everything worse.

I was sitting there listening to the meaning of the Indian song that the praise team was singing. It spoke of the power of God that is in us, and how God works through us. I listened for awhile, then I thought to myself, “Is this the Christian life? Worrying about things that you can’t control? Feeling shame and humiliation? Walking around weak like I have no hope?”

Then enters the thought “shaken not stirred.” Except that if you don’t stir yourself up, then you will settle to the bottom. So I will say that I began to “stir” myself up. I know the life that I am called to live. I know who my Father is, and His plan is not to harm me, but prosper me. I know He has a calling over my family. Though the world labels me in negative terms, I remember my identity in Him, and that is what counts. I began to counter every lie with a promise that God had given.

I have to tell you, friends, this was a fight. The Christian life is not for the faint hearted. It calls for us to DAILY renew our minds, and stir ourselves up with the promises of God. The easy way out is just to let go of it all and go with the flow. The harder thing to do, which may be the right thing to do, is to stand for the Lord and His perfect way, will and work.

We can’t do this alone, but with Him we can do all things. I’ll be praying for you to also STIR yourself up!!

God bless you!

filed under: Blogs

Can I Hold You?

My youngest nephew, Chris, had the most adorable way of asking to be picked up and held. We would watch him toddle his way to his mom and dad, latch on to their pant leg and stretch both his arms up to them. He would ask them, “Can I hold you?” It was so cute to hear him asking with the mixed up pronouns!! We loved hearing his phrase, and the picture of him asking this will remain in my head forever!

I was thinking about that picture this month, actually. Sometimes when the worries and questions in life are overwhelming, I just want to stretch my hands up to my Abba Father, and ask, “Can I hold you?”

As Philip entered his freshman year of school this week, I had so many questions. His scoliosis generally prevents him from carrying a back pack. So all during middle school he wheeled his rolling backpack throughout the middle school building. Now that he is in high school, he actually has to walk thoughout the entire campus of the school. I asked how he was managing rolling the back pack over the roads, and he said that sometimes he would carry his backpack. He reassured me that “It’s ok, mom. It’s no problem for me.”

Today was the first day I saw him grab the backpack from the car and sling it on his back. He did it with ease, I admit. But as I drove out of the car line, I cried all the way home. Lord, how long? How long, Lord, does he walk like this? He is already bent over, and now he carries this on his back. I believe he is healed, but I want to “see” it.

Sometimes there is no comfort, no words, no hope in sight. But in those times, stretch your hands to Him and ask Him to hold you. This morning as I prayed, He reminded me of Matthew 11:30…”Come to me all who are heavy laden…Take my yoke…my yoke is easy,and my burden is light.” And I could see then that angels would hold up Philip’s heavy backpack and make sure that the burden was light on him. Strength will rise as we wait on Him, trusting Him, and knowing His promises are sure and steadfast.

Believe His promises, and believe Him. He holds us all in His hands.

God bless you!

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Not for a Moment

While we were in Boston sharing about the ministry of Love Without Reason, this beautiful song by Meredith Andrews was sung during worship. The song basically is saying in the fire, in the flood, whatever the situation, there is not a moment that I am forsaken by God. Here’s the chorus!

After all You are only good

After all You are sovereign

Not for a moment will You forsake me

Not for a moment will You forsake me

After a song like that, I should not be speaking! I’ve heard the song before, but never meditated on the words, especially in light of Isaiah 43 and its promises. It gave me such strength! And for Philip, all last week he was whistling, singing, and humming the same song. He attributes his improvement in grades on the exams last week all to the words of this song. “I know God is with me, He never leaves me, even with the English test!”

I had to tell Philip, God was with you all these years for all your tests. 🙂 Maybe now it is the confidence in knowing no matter the situation, I can get through it, because God is with me. It was a reminder for all of us. Thought it seems we are alone in the fire and in the flood, it is there that the Lord is with us.

God bless you all!

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Eyes and Hands

Caleb turned nine years old on August 25! It was a special day for us, not only to celebrate his birth, but also to celebrate a wonderful medical camp in a city 300 kilometers from Bangalore. Our surgeon and his team who conducted the camp related many exciting events of the day. It was a wonderful time of networking with leaders of the community.

However, to me the highlight was that a record number of patients were identified in this medical camp. Also, the calls have continued to come from this particular region from patients who were not able to make it to the camp. To God be the glory.

One of those patients was this little baby girl. I showed her picture to Caleb. “Look at her eyes, look at her outstretched hand, Caleb. She’s calling us to come and help her.” Her beautiful eyes and her hands are calling you and me. Let me ask you, friend. Will you come and join us? Maybe you cannot literally come to India, but I will go for you if you will send me. Together we will make a difference for this beautiful girl and for the many others waiting to have their facial surgery.

Because every child matters!

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Birthday boys

In the rural town of Shimogga, India we held a recent medical camp. One young man with a cleft lip captured our Ganesh windowattention. At first, he would not look anyone in the eye. His eyes were on the ground. He did not smile.

He roamed around the camp, watching as others met with the doctor and were examined by the team. I took his picture, and finally I got a very small smile from him. When he and his father reached our team for the screening, his father could not answer questions about his health. He did not know the age of his son. He worked hard as a farmer and strived to provide food for all his children. But this young man, named Ganesh, lost his mother at a young age. The only one acting as an advocate was his grandfather, who would push him and encourage him to go to school.

Young Ganesh would go to school, but because of the mistreatment from the other children and even the teachers, he did not want to return to school. We tried to encourage him to pursue his studies, keep his appointment for the free craniofacial surgeries, and keep all the follow up appointments with our doctors. But I wondered about the commitment of Ganesh’s father.

Today we celebrate Philip’s 14th birthday. I really cannot imagine missing the yearly birthdays and the celebration of his life. I wonder how Ganesh’s life has been. A life of criticism instead of celebration? A life of despair instead of joy? A life of captivity instead of freedom? It reminds me of Isaiah 61 and what Jesus has come to do for us, and how He can use us for the Ganesh’s of this world.

Join us as we work together to transform the lives of our children and change their destiny forever.

Because every child matters!

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