Tuesday, July 1, 2014

Roscoe's Story :: Prayer is Powerful

Today I wanted to take a little time to share with you a little bit of the story of my nephew, Roscoe. Roscoe was born almost 9 months ago - delivered at 28 weeks and 5 days and weighing in at a whoppin' 1 pound, 2.7 ounces.
We had known before the delivery that he would be coming early and the events surrounding his birth were truly scary. We were praying for him to get big enough before he was born to be able to fit the smallest breathing tube available, and he just barely passed the mark. Knowing that just because of how early he was delivered and how small he was, every day that he remained alive was such a wonderful blessing.

Roscoe has been in the NICU the entire time (almost 9 months now), and there is so much more that needs to happen before he is able to go home with his parents. We have been praying for this precious little guy. Big time.
God is good, and he takes loving care of his children...but that doesn't always mean things are easy or the answer we think is best. All of the journey has been laden with medical issues, but there have been some times in particular where it sounded like Roscoe wasn't going to make it through. One of these times was just recently. People from all over the world, including many people our family has never even met, have been praying for Roscoe. It has been so encouraging! We know that God listens to our prayers and I believe He has allowed Roscoe to live this long because of those prayers. And I am begging Him to let Roscoe live longer, be healthy enough to go home with his parents, and live a long life. God is able. 

In all this time of praying, the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego (in Daniel 3) keeps popping up in my mind. I think of how they told King Nebuchadnezzar that they knew God was able to deliver them from the fire. (A fire that consumed others who even got close to it.) But they also knew that even if God chose not to save them - it was not enough to sway them from trusting only in Him. 

If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.
Daniel 3: 17-18

In this situation, I know that God is able to heal Roscoe. He is Jehovah Rapha, The Lord our Healer. He is able to let him live. He is Elohim, Strong Creator. He is able to allow him to be healthy and go home with his parents. But I also know that even if God doesn't heal Roscoe...I will still trust in Him. I will continue to strive to live as He wants me to. And although that should be so easy to do with how much God has done for us...it is still hard to say sometimes. But I know...
God is good. 
All the time. 

My brother (Roscoe's dad) is so much better with words than I am. Please, read the blog that he keeps updated with Roscoe's story. Read how many prayers have been answered already in Roscoe's life and how God is (and has been) faithful through all of this. 
Please - pray for Roscoe, his parents, and the doctors and nurses that are watching over him. And please, encourage his parents by adding your name to Roscoe's prayer map.
Prayer is powerful.

1 comment:

Waving My Wand said...

Thanks for sharing Tifany. Prayers going up for this sweet lil guy....