A time to pray

Why God? It’s a fair question with which to begin. Why is my friend laying in a hospital ICU with her chest open? Why did her blood clot and stop the flow to her heart? Why did her heart stop beating?

So many questions. No real answers. And yet, I hope. God has already worked more miracles in this situation than I can even comprehend. Prayers have been sent up around the clock from around the world. We’re “not out of the woods yet,” but looking back on the blur that was yesterday, I can see God’s hand in everything.

“Blessed be Your name on a road marked with suffering,
Though there’s pain in the offering…
BLESSED BE THE NAME OF THE LORD”

Ben sent an update on Melissa just before noon today. Here it is:

All of the people here are very thankful for the prayers that everyone has been offering up throughout yesterday and the night. Melissa had a really good night, spent some time awake and responding to Brad, and her family. She has been in surgery already this morning, to re-bandage her gauze. Much to everyone's surprise the gauze was completely white. The bleeding is minimal, but the right side of her heart is still not working at all.

The main prayer request is this: The best case scenario is that in the next few weeks the right side of her heart will begin to function normally with her spending that time here in the ICU. The worst case scenario is that the heart does not recover, and it requires her to be on a heart transplant waiting list. The doctor mentioned she would be high on the list because of her health and age. Both families are doing noticeably
better, as they have realized the progress made in the last 24 hours. Melissa's mom is still asking for the continued prayer of everyone, as it has clearly been giving Melissa strength…

And now I shall make like KT Hesse and compile a brief list…

Things for which I thank God:

Heart surgeons
Timing
Friends with whom to cry
Cell phones
Helicopters
Taylor University
Ft. Wayne Lutheran Hospital
911
Hymnals
Prayer vigils
Prayer chapels
Coffee
Hospital volunteers
Sympathetic DC workers
Understanding professors
Due-date extensions
Excused absences
Make-up quizzes and tests
Coworkers to sub
Medical technology
Free pizza
Family
Love
Kleenex