“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (NIV)
I stood by the bedside, his tiny hand in mine. Monitors beeped. A maze of tubes were connected all over his baby body. Eyes closed, he laid there so very still; his tender skin the color of the hospital sheets. My heart shattered.
She stood beside me, my hand on hers as she explained everything that had happened. Her words caught in her throat; my breath caught in mine. Eyes full of tears, she remained there so very bravely. My soul shuddered.
I stood beside his bedside. I stood beside her. My legs barely able to hold the weight of it all. My eyes so full of overwhelming love, witnessing such indescribable pain. Our world, shaken.
How could this be where we were? No warning signs. No clues. No red flags to prepare us for how a small, undetected hole deep inside would change life as we’d known it. And it seemed that we each began carrying a hole deep inside us too, carved out by the grief flowing through it all. Me being me, just wanted to make things better, but of course, I couldn’t.
“Jesus replied, ‘What is impossible with man is possible with God.’”
Luke 18:27 (NIV)
I stand beside him, his not so tiny hand in mine. Car horns beep. Neighbors wave as we meander our way through the neighborhood on our evening walk. There’s nothing still about him at all. I’m lucky to keep up with him at all. My heart soars!
What’s impossible for us is possible with God!
She stands beside me, hands me a mask, and explains everything they’re doing. This girl of mine, a Medical Mommy extraordinaire. Dad too! Words of pride well up in my throat. Eyes full of competence and confidence, they remain, taking care of what needs to be done every day, heroes without capes to me. My soul sings!
What’s impossible for us is possible with God!
I stand beside him. I stand beside her. My legs barely able to hold the weight of all the joy. Our eyes full of overwhelming love and gratitude, we are witnesses to so many indescribable miracles. Our world shifts.
What’s impossible for us is possible with God!
It’s been a year today since Sutton’s intestines unexpectedly moved from his abdominal cavity, up through a little hole in his diaphragm, collapsed his lung, and pushed his heart to the opposite side from where it should’ve been. His near lifeless body was life-flighted to Nationwide Children’s Hospital. There, he lost most of his intestine and now he must receive all his nutrition intravenously through a line in his heart.
So, how can we be where we are today? Sutton home and trying to do all his big brothers do? Only through God’s grace and strength, overwhelming love, wonderful doctors and nurses, the support of many, and lots and lots of prayer.
The doctors were able to repair Sutton’s hole in his diaphragm. Though it’s a slow process, our “holes” are beginning to heal too, but only because…say Jesus’s words with me one more time:
“What is impossible with man is possible with God.”
Amen!