SORROW FOR THE NIGHT, JOY FOR THE MORNING

I eagerly await the Day when there is no more sorrow. How wonderful it will be when the only tears we cry are tears of joy and awe at the sight of the Holy One!

Unfortunately, that Day hasn't come, yet. It will come soon enough (very soon), but until it comes, we must endure all of the pain, hardship, and brokenness this world has to offer.

There are some, though, who are already experiencing life face-to-face with the Father. One of the most recent is baby Lorna Ganeath Galatian.

Our sweet friends, Scott and Nanci Galatian, have been foster and adoptive parents for quite a while, but never had a child themselves. On Tuesday, February 23, that changed. Lorna was born weighing 2 lbs 11 oz, and was 16 inches long. She was relatively healthy for her age and size and was doing really well. Wednesday afternoon Lorna started having trouble. In a very short amount of time, she was gone. I don't know why God took her to be with Him so soon, but I do know that He is sovereign and faithful.

We have a great opportunity to show our love, support, and faithfulness to God's word by praying for the Galatian family. If you know them, I'm sure you've already been praying and contacting them. If you don't know them, I implore you to lift them up in prayer. This is a grief with which I'm not familiar, but I do know how much a family of believers can encourage a brother or sister in mourning.

"...weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning." Ps. 30:5 

Shalom

UPDATE - 2.22.10

I know I said I wasn't going to post any more updates for a while, but this one is too good to pass up:

4:00 PM... Glory be to God for even more great news from the Bynum camp! DEBBIE IS GOING HOME TONIGHT!! She got herself up at 6:30 this morning, took a shower, and put her makeup on! Later, John got her walking the halls several times. One of the doctors stopped them in the hall and said that he wouldn’t have bet a nickel that she would be doing this great! Since John is a paramedic, the doctor said he is going to check out an IV pump and the meds she needs and send them home!!! They did make her promise not to go back to work this week and maybe next week. She will not need to go to the Rehab Center since she is doing so well and they can do any physical therapy she might need at home. Two of her doctors were off today but came in to tell her goodbye.

So, they are sending up a soft food tray and if she can get it all down without any trouble, they will be going home. John wanted me to pass along that he wants to have one big “Welcome Home” bash and invite everyone instead of several groups planning several different events…he doesn’t want to wear her out! Be looking for more info on that soon! John said Debbie would love to have visitors, but please call first to make sure she isn’t resting.

If that isn't an incredible example of the power of prayer, then I'm not bald!! PRAISE GOD!!!!!

Peace, Love, and Dark Chocolate

UPDATE - 2.19.10

Here's the latest update on our dear sister, Debbie:

I just got off the phone with John. He told me that she has been awake and talking some today. She told John and the kids that she loved them. She told the nurse that she was ready to go home! She is having a little trouble with fine motor skills, but this is the be expected.



The therapist had been there and when I talked to John, Debbie was sitting up in a chair and talking! Ok, people. Let's stop for a second and let this sink in....Less than five days ago, we were just praying she would make it through the next hour. NOW, she is awake, sitting up in a chair and eating ice chips! What an AWESOME God we serve! Praise you God for your healing thus far of our precious sister, Debbie!!!

Now, here are some intructions from John and the doctors. She can still have visitors this weekend, but here is the thing. She still needs LOTS of rest to continue healing like she has the past few days. SO, the doctors said they HAVE to limit the number of people in the ICU to 2 at a time. AND NO SICK PEOPLE, PLEASE!!! If you are sick, you will NOT be allowed to see her! This is for HER protection as her system is still so fragile. Thank you for your understanding! Also, if there are too many people for everyone to be able to see her, PLEASE UNDERSTAND and not get your fellings hurt. It is nothing personal. Debbie stills needs to get her rest. We expect the weekend to be busy with visitors who can't come during the week, so if you CAN come during the week, that might be better.


So there ya go! I hope to keep giving these great updates!!!


God bless,
Delisa

How awesome is our God?! And how awesome is it that in a matter of just a few days, over 1,500 people have come together on facebook, not to mention the thousands of others who are not on facebook, to pray for this child of God?!

Let's continue to pray for Debbie and the Bynum family. It's certainly not over, but there is so much for which we can praise our compassionate Father.

In the meantime, I'll start getting back to other topics on this blog. I have a lot of thoughts I'd like to share here. Hopefully, I'll be able to make some sense of them and share them in a manner that readers will be compelled to discuss. Although I'm not really a writer, I appreciate feedback just like most any writer would.

Isn't God amazing?

Peace, Love, and Dark Chocolate

UPDATE - 2.18.10

This is the latest update from Delisa:

4 PM... John just called and they were able to take the tubes out! They did make her promise not to try and use her voice or talk for 2 hours. I can only imagine how hard that is going to be for her!!

She is wiggling her toes and moving her hands when they ask her to. She is still a little slow to respond, like she's sleepy, but she is responding. John said she even seems to recognize people she hasn't seen in a while, so this is good. He said she is very emotional and cries pretty easily right now.

The Neurologist said it may be a while before they can tell if there are any neurological deficits but they are optimistic that there may not be any. She is recovering faster than they could have even imagined she would have.

Tyler went to the doctor and they said his feeling bad was probably due to stress. Please keep Tyler, Audrie and Shellie in your prayers. It cannot be easy watching your Mom suffer like that.

I am just hopeful that she will be able to talk to them soon! Keep the prayer coming, Prayer Warriors. She's not out of the woods yet, but the trees are getting thinner! :-)

And this is from Amy Hilterbran Bell, a friend of John and Debbie:

I just got off the phone with John. He said she has been talking some, and responding well. She is wanting a vanilla diet Dr.Pepper, lol, but she can't have one just yet!~ She is still very weak and tired, but at least we are getting good news, and moving forward! Thank you Jesus!

Praise God from whom all blessings flow! Keep praying!!!

Shalom

UPDATE - 2.17.10

Here's the latest on Debbie from the "Praying for Debbie Bynum" facebook group:

GREAT NEWS!!! John said that there were several visits from friends today...from high school and church. He said with the first visit of high school friends, she never opened her eyes, but starting crying when they talked to her. He didn't think she was really crying until the next set of visitors came in and she started crying again. He realized then that she really was crying. When another friend came in and said something like "Girl, I bet you're ready to go home!", she opened her eyes and NODDED "YES"! How great is this!!! The nurses came in and were amazed. John said she interacted with them in that way for about five minutes before she went back to sleep. The doctor said that if she is still doing well in the morning, they are going to take her off the ventilator. They said it will still take a while for her to get up and around. This is such great news!

Thank you for your continued prayers for the Bynum Family. They can feel the love and prayers from everyone of you!

Several of you have mentioned CarePages to me. I just set up a CarePage for Debbie, mainly for those who are not on Facebook. Please spread the word!


https://www.carepages.com/carepages/DebbieBynum


God bless,
Delisa

Keep praying! It's working!! God is faithful and mighty to save!!!

Shalom

UPDATE - 2.16.09

There have been a few developments, but Debbie is still in need of our prayers. If you're on facebook, I would like to invite you to join the group "Praying for Debbie Bynum." There, you will find updates and a community of over a thousand praying right along with you. God has been so gracious to us so far, and we know He is faithful. Don't be afraid to let Him know how much she means to us. Even if you don't know her, you can pray for her because she is a sister in Christ.

Here is an update from Delisa McKinzie on the Facebook page:

8pm...Our Acappella family (singers, wives and kids) just returned from the hospital. The guys got to go in and sing a few songs to Debbie. She is still unresponsive, but I believe she heard them. After they finished, I, along with the other wives and two daughters got to go in and see her for a few minu...tes. John called as we were on our way home and asked us to pray for a concern at the moment that has to do with her heart. If I understood him right, something in her heart is not firing like it should. They were getting ready to take her to get an EKG and a sonogram so they know what they are dealing with. The doctors feel like she had a few small wins today. They expect days where she has some wins and some setbacks, but we will take the wins today and give God all the glory!



She still has a LONG road ahead so DON'T STOP PRAYING! The next few days are critical! And please say an extra prayer for strength for John. He is not sleeping very much at all!

Keep the prayers going up!

Shalom

URGENT PRAYER REQUEST!!!

If you're reading this, please stop and pray for our sister and friend, Debbie Bynum. Debbie is the wife of Acappella's manager, John, and is in ICU with bacterial meningitis and severe sepsis. Here is an email I just received from Delisa McKinzie that will help explain the situation further:

I just spoke with John and here is what he told me…

Debbie has a very rare strand of bacterial meningitis. It is not contagious, however, it is the hardest to fight and kills 4 out of every 6 people. She also has an abscess behind her ear that is leaking puss around her brain. She also has pneumonia. The first two weeks are critical and the doctor is trying to be optimistic. He gives her a 50/50 chance at this point, IF she can make it through the next week or two. Then, he feels 95% sure they can start to get things back for her with some very intensive treatment and medications. The doctor said she is not going to fight this quickly…it will be a 6-8 week process, assuming she makes it through the next few weeks.

John said that one of four things will happen…
1) This will overcome her and we will lose her.
2) She will fight it, but never be better than she is now.
3) She will fight it and will get some of her motor skills back, but could still have brain damage.
4) OR…she will make a full and complete recovery.

They have done a CT scan and MRI to see exactly where the abscess is because they have to remove it. When they find out, they may move her to either a hospital in Dallas, Baptist (here in OKC) or St. Francis. Please keep praying…continually. This sweet lady is fighting for her life right now and she needs us!!! And we are praying that they will keep her here in OKC so we can be there for John!

I will keep you posted as I hear more.


God bless,
Delisa

Shalom

A PERFECT OPPORTUNITY TO LOVE

Please check out this post from my friend, Brandon Scott Thomas. It's a perfect opportunity to love someone you may not even know.

Don't delay. Do it now.

IT IS URGENT!!!

Peace, Love, and Dark Chocolate

SWEET PEA

In the most non-biased way I can possibly say it, we have the sweetest little girl on the planet! Gabby is such a compassionate, caring, understanding, generous soul and Steph & I are madly in love with her.

Since Steph and I have been married, each night at bedtime, the three of us pray together and then tell Gab "good night." For the past few months, Gabby has been the one praying, which is awesome. I have noticed how her prayers have progressed and matured. The insight she displays sometimes catches me off guard. Just last night, she prayed this:

"Lord, thank you for reminding us how much we're blessed. Even though times are tough right now, we still have a lot more than most people in other countries. We have food to eat and a home to live in and cars to get around in. Help us to give to others out of what you have given us."

We are so blessed to have our Little Darlin' in our lives. Our daily prayer for her is that she continue to grow in God's wisdom and understanding and that she will see through God's eyes. I think she is already starting to do all of that.

I just had to brag on my Sweet Pea!

Peace, Love, and Dark Chocolate

Pray On, Sister!

I just read this blog and it made me feel really good... until I read some of the comments. There is a traditional belief in most churches of Christ that says women should not pray aloud if a Christian man is present. I'm gonna come right out and say it:

I OBJECT!!!

I may be way off base in my beliefs, but I honestly don't think I am. The Scriptures say that women should not have authority over men (1 Tim 2:12), which is another highly debated subject in and of itself. However, it doesn't say that women cannot pray aloud in the presence of men. As a matter of fact, doesn't Paul (the author of 1 Timothy) clearly state in other passages that we should pray for one another? I find it insane to think that he meant for us to be so legalistic as to not allow our wives or sisters or daughters to pray for us while we are present. Men, what happens when you're having a hard time with your faith and can't find the words to lead your family to God's throne in prayer? Does your family simply not pray? Somehow I doubt it. If that is the case, think about this: dads who have good relationships with their daughters who get married and move away want to hear from their daughters, regardless of whether their husband is in the room or not. When they don't, they feel slighted and unloved. Do you think our heavenly Father wants to hear from his girls on a regular basis, regardless of who else is there? I do. God always wants to hear from the women He created. It strengthens the Father/daughter bond that women need. It also promotes unity within families. That unity should spread throughout the Church and promote unity of God's family.

That's what I think about it. What do you think?

Peace, Love, and Dark Chocolate

I Love My Wife!

I want to take this moment to make it abundantly clear that I have the sweetest wife on the planet! Last night I had a lot of trouble sleeping, which is super important since my alarm goes off at 5:00 AM. Stephanie knew I wouldn't be able to fall asleep by just laying there, so she stayed up with me and we talked about all kinds of stuff - our goals for ourselves, family aspirations, frustrations. We talked about our desire to live healthy lives and cut out the junk. We talked about our financial situation and how we hope to improve it. We talked about the different things that cause us fear. She encouraged me in my new work endeavors and my exsisting work with Acappella. She encouraged me as a parent. She encouraged me as a friend. Most importantly, we prayed about all of it... together. I can't think of a better best friend to have! I love you, Baby!!

Husbands, if you're not praying with your wives on a regular basis, now is a perfect time to start. Wives, if you're not encouraging your husbands on a regular basis, now is a perfect time to start. What has happened in the past is exactly that - in the past. It's time to leave it there and move forward toward the goal that God has set before us.

I'd almost be willing to bet that my wife can "out-sweet" any other wife on any given day. Any takers?

Peace, Love, and Chocolate

Laboring On Labor Day

I pray everyone has had a wonderful Labor Day today. Ours, considering some of the financial muck we're wading through right now, was truly blessed. We got to live another day and attempt to make it the best today we could make it. Gab got to hang out with Mikayla a lot today. Steph had to go to classes but didn't have any life-threatening homework. I didn't have to go to work today... mainly because I don't have a regular job yet, but I know that will change soon. Maybe this is God's way of saying to take a little Sabbath today and not labor, but instead, trust him to provide everything we need. I have every confidence that God will make the right job available at the right time. In Psalm 37:25, David says
"I was young and now I am old,
yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken
or their children begging bread."

There's something to be said about those of us who know God. He is always faithful and just. He always takes care of his children. He knows exactly what we need, when we need it. That's why Jesus instructed us to pray "Give us today our daily bread" (Matt. 6:11) and also, "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own" (Matt. 6:34).

So, we pause to pray for those who don't have the priviledge of earning a living on this Labor Day, but we also provide this word of encouragement: don't lose heart. God is not finished working on you yet!

Peace, Love, and Chocolate

URGENT PRAYER REQUEST

Hey Family!

I have a huge and urgent prayer request to share with you all. Please lift up my sister Rahnee (sounds like Ronnie) Williams to the Father as soon and often as you can. I received word this morning that her the oldest two of her four daughters have run away and she hasn't seen them since Friday. As bad as this is, it gets worse. She is going to be evicted as of tomorrow, September 2. At this point, she has no idea what she will do, where she will take her two young girls, how she will feed them. There is a church in Eugene, OR, where she currently lives, that is trying to help her, but there is only so much they can do at this point. I don't really know how to help other than to pray for a miracle. I know a God who still works miracles and He listens to the requests of His children. So, please, pray. It's the least you can do and the most you can do.

Shalom

Fly Like An Eagle

Surely you know.
Surely you have heard.
The Lord is the God who lives forever,
who created all the world.
He does not become tired or need to rest.
No one can understand how great his wisdom is.
He gives strength to those who are tired
and more power to those who are weak.
Even children become tired and need to rest,
and young people trip and fall.
But the people who trust the Lord will become strong again.
They will rise up as an eagle in the sky;
they will run and not need rest;
they will walk and not become tired.

Isaiah 40:28-31 (New Century Version)

Keep praying for us. It's the least and the most you can do... That and buying our house. It's a great starter house. Just think about it and get back with us...

Peace, Love, and Chocolate

Getting Back On The Road

So, we're finally traveling again. We will be in San Diego this weekend, then here in Nashville for ACAFEST next week. After that, we'll be in Rockford, IL on July 12 and then it's off to Brasil for 2 weeks! We're gearing up for an unforgettable summer. Hope to see you at a concert soon!

Also, keep us in your prayers as we go through this life change. There are obstacles and challenges we have to face in order to answer God's call. Pray that we will overcome any and every hurdle placed in our path as we reach for the goal set before us. Remember James 5:16 and remember us when you're before the Father.

Peace, Love, and Chocolate

Hope for the Holidays

Okay, Kids. This will be short and sweet, but extremely important, so please pay close attention.

I have a sister who is raising four kids by herself and is having a really hard time supporting herself and her kids. She, like the rest of my family, is very stubborn and even more proud. That means she doesn't like to ask for help. Ever! That's why I'm asking for help for her.

First, I ask that you pray for her. Her name is Rahnee (sounds like "Ronnie") and her kids range in age from 13 to 1 1/2. She needs as much prayer as you can muster, and prayer is free.

Second, she needs encouragement. My hat's off to all single mothers. I can't imagine the level of difficulty and commitment it takes to be a single mom. If you are a single mother, I ask God for a special blessing upon you and your children. My your blessings overflow from his gracious hand. If you want to give her and her daughters some encouragement, let me know and we'll work out the details.

Third, if you have the financial resources to reach out and help her, I know she would appreciate your help in that regard. She works two full-time jobs, but that simply isn't enough. She needs financial help. If you are able and willing to help in that way, let me know and we'll make it happen.

Finally, pray more. Prayer changes everything. God is faithful to his people when we seek him diligently. My sister needs your help. She needs your prayers and your support. She's too embarrassed to ask for help, and she would freak out if she knew I were writing this plea for help, but I refuse to let her suffer anymore, as long as I have anything to do with it. Do the right thing. Search your heart and give my family some hope for the holidays.

Peace, Love, and Chocolate

Teach Us To Pray

Prayer. Such an integral, essential activity as part of our relationship with God. At the same time, such an easy activity to forget or forego in our daily itenerary. Why is that?

Maybe it's that we have so many other things going on that we put prayer off until later. Maybe we don't know how to pray. Maybe we simply forget. Maybe you're like me and get lazy. Whatever the reason, most of us are stuggling in the prayer department, myself included.

So, what is prayer? Prayer is simply a conversation between ourselves and God. It may seem a little one-sided at times, since we don't always get answers right away, but it's a conversation nonetheless. It's not limited to when we wake up in the morning or go to bed at night. Neither is it limited to worship services when someone gets up and prays on the behalf of the congregation, after which the crowd responds with a hearty "Amen." It's not limited to times when our heads are bowed and our eyes are closed, either. It's just a conversation. Those of us (in typical American culture) who have (or had) good relationships with our parents know that we don't have to bow our heads when we speak to our folks to show them respect and love. It's the same with God. He gives us every opportunity imaginable to talk to him. We don't even have to speak aloud. He knows our thoughts, and if our thoughts are prayers, he still answers us.

Matthew and Luke both give instructions and examples on prayer. Luke sets the instructions up with a request from one of Jesus' disciples. He says, "Lord, teach us to pray..."(Luke 11:1) Now the context of this request implies the word "how," as in "Teach us [how] to pray." I like to look at it differently, though. Leave the implied word out of the sentence. "Teach us to pray." A lot of our problem is that we just don't pray...at all. Some of us need to be taught to pray before we are taught how to pray. I often need a reminder to pray. I know how. I just don't do it when I should. Sometimes I need to be taught (or retaught) to pray.

When your entire world comes crashing down around you and you don't know what to do or where to turn, that's when God is saying "Talk to me. Tell me about it. I'll fix it if you let me." Whether it's the porn addiction you just can't kick, or the ungodly relationship you have no business being in, or the drugs that have you by the throat, or the dirt you heard about "Jimmy Sue" that you just can't keep to yourself, or whatever it is. That's God saying "I want to hear from you. Please, just let me work in your life. I can make it all better for you. I've done it before for so many others. It's your turn. Take your turn. It's time for you to be blessed." That's God teaching you and me to pray.

Of course, Jesus gave us a great example of how to pray. I'm sure we have all heard it, and most of us have said it, a thousand times. "Our Father, who art in Heaven..." Some call it "The Lord's Prayer" and some call it "The example prayer." Whatever you call it, you know that it's what Jesus instructed us to do. It's not so much about how you do it, or the words you say. It's a matter of your heart. Let your words to your Heavenly Father be from your heart. If your heart is happy, then rejoice and praise God. If your heart is heavy, then lament and call out to God. If your heart is angry, then wail and cry out to God. He knows we struggle and that it's not all puppy dogs and rainbows for us. Take David, for example. His psalms are a mixture of all those emotions, and then some, and God heard his cries and answered him. Need another example? Try Job. He prayed for his kids when they had parties, just in case they had done something wrong. When Job was struck down with painful sores, after his kids were all killed and he had lost everything he owned, he told God how he felt. Obviously, he didn't feel any joy, but because he was faithful to God, he was healed and given more than he ever imagined. Jesus did it too. The night before he was captured and crucified, he prayed, telling his Father he didn't want to follow through with the pain and the death. He knew, however, that he had to do it because it was God's will. Turns out that Jesus had done the right thing by talking to his Dad because he was raised from the dead three days after he was buried, and he's in Heaven getting ready to take us home with him!

Pray because it is your custom. Pray because it is a part of you. Pray because it is what you do. Don't expect immediate answers all the time. God answers every prayer and he answers them when he is ready to answer and how he wants to answer. There is no such thing as an "unanswered prayer." Maybe God says "No. I have something else in store for you." Either way, he always answers.

So take this opportunity to some praying. If you're not the praying type, right now is the best time for you to become the praying type. If you are, right now is the perfect time for you to increase your conversations with Dad. Whereever you are, just talk to your Father. He will listen. He will answer.

Peace, Love, and Chocolate

Family Ties

I had the priviledge to visit Portland, OR over the past weekend and it is a beautiful place filled with beautiful people. I got to spend time with some folk that I really care about and met some new folk that I have come to care about a lot too. To those of you whom I got to hang with, even for just a little while, you're great people and I have every confidence that your lives will be richly blessed.

There was one momentous event that I will always remember and I want to share it with you. For the first time in my recollection, I got to spend time with both of my remaining brothers at the same time! I know that sounds weird and messed up considering how much I love and respect my family. Anyone who knows me knows that my family means more than almost anything to me. So I called my oldest brother, Bobby (Bob) and we, along with his son, Nathan, his daughter, Jennifer, and my dear friend, Aleisha, went to my other brother, Robert's house. We all spent time talking about our lives and our other brothers who have gone home and our careers and I learned so much. I learned how much my brothers remind me of my dad. Robert looks and sounds a lot like my dad 20 years ago. Bobby speaks and acts just like my dad always has. I also learned that Robert and I have a lot of the same musical taste. We both love Tower of Power! He has (or at least had, at one point) everything they ever released. Now, that's a collection!

We had a great time together and then it was over. Nate, Jenn, Bobby and I had to go our separate ways so we said our goodbyes and told each other we would keep in touch. Robert had one slightly peculiar request of me before it was all overwith. He asked me to pray for him. That made me really happy. He wants to be the righteous man I know he can be and I'm so proud to be called his brother, regardless of his past or anything questionable that he may have gone through. So, my request for you is to join me in prayer for my brother, Robert, as well as my sister, Rahnee (sounds like Ronnie), that they can see Jesus in all their circumstances and rely completly on him to lift them up.

Peace, Love, and Chocolate

Update

We found my sister! Upon some good advice from some dear friends, I called her local police and had them do a wellness check on her. I found out that she just had knee surgery on Friday and is recovering now. In fact, she just went back to work today. Keep praying for her and her kids because we're not out of the woods yet. Thank God she's safe, though.
Also, keep praying for the Freeman family.

Peace, Love, and Chocolate

In need of your prayers

Hey guys, there have been some crazy things going on lately and I need to share them with you. First of all, my sister, Rahnee (the one in my pics) hasn't made herself available in quite some time and I haven't heard from her since April 6th. I've tried calling but can't get an answer and now her phone isn't working. She has 4 kids that she's raising by herself. She may be perfectly fine but she may be in trouble. If you're a praying person, and even if you're not, keep her and my family in your thoughts and/or prayers. I just want to know she's okay.

Also, I found out that one of my former students took her own life today. Her name is Kaylana Freeman and she was a student at Canyon High School. I'm not giving details, partially because I don't know them, moreso out of respect for her and her family. Please pray for her family and friends to find comfort in this tragedy. Kaylana was such a beautiful, talented, sweet, pleasant person and I will miss her terribly. Pray as though your life depended upon it.