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Hope

There is something about Easter that brings a unquenchable, undeniable, overwhelming feeling of hope.  No matter what’s going on in your life Easter puts things in perspective.  Life is hard, and life as a Christ follower is hard.  Ravi Zacharias says, “Christianity has not been tried and found wanting, it has been found hard and untried.

This Easter highlighted a truth about the cross that I had not fully embraced until this year, by His stripes we are healed (Isaiah 53:5).  Last Easter began a journey with our then 19 year old son that we were not expecting.  Chandler came home for spring break, walked in the door, and was greeted with gasps from his mother and I.  We had been talking on the phone about his ongoing stomach issues but when we laid eyes on him we both realized just how serious it was.  He had lost 30lbs, all off the color in his skin, and had no appetite.  Over the next month or so and many test we were given a diagnosis, crohns disease.  Crohans is an auto immune disease that attacks your intestinal track, and the doctors had describes Chandlers case as the “definition” of crohns.  He was put on medication, the kind you see on commercials and ask yourself, “why would anyone take that”, he drastically changed his diet and we got established with a specialist.

If your not putting on the full armor of God each day, this is about the time the enemy with sucker punch you.  Satan will flood your mind and fill you days with fear, anxiety, and frustration.  Fear over the medical bills, frustration over the live changing challenge facing your son, anxiety over your helplessness.  But that’s about as creative as Satan gets.  He is not very original.  Fear, fear, and more fear.  God on the other hand can’t wait to creatively, recklessly and lavishly love you.  From the very outset the Master story teller was narrating a miracle story in Chandlers life.  The specialist, just happened to be right down the road from Chandlers school.  The first test had to be reevaluated by another doctor because Chandlers health improved so much between visits, and on and on.  Every step of the way God has been lighting his path and giving us an opportunity to share His handiwork.   Over the next several month, Chandler completed a half marathon, paddled the 112 miles from Georgia to the Gulf of Mexico down the Apalachicola river, traveled on an all expense paid trip to Israel and kept up all of his school work.

Great Provider

As dads, we all worry about provisions, but when you turn it over to God he will not only provide, He will draw others up and into your story and through that experience expand His kingdom.  Just a few weeks ago Chandler wrote a beautiful essay about his journey and submitted it to a foundation offering college scholarships.  This $15,000 scholarship had one requirement.  The applicant had to have crohns disease.  I love it when God takes life’s challenges and kinda rubs satan’s nose it it.  That may not be biblical, but it feels right.

Don’t Put A Dollar Figure On Provision

Isaiah 53:5 ..by His stripes we are healed.  What a great truth to remember.  We certainly will be praising God if Chan is awarded the $15,000, but it’s not about the money.  We know that God will meet or financial need but He wants to accomplish so much more.  I am confident that the miracle is in the opportunity.  The opportunity to share our story and connect with others in a way that will enrich their lives and draw them closer to God.