An awesome day...

Today was one of the most overwhelming, amazing, awe-inspiring, love-filled, blessed and nothing but a total "God day". My heart is swelling from one of the most humbling days. God is so good, man, it is SO true that I have to say it again, GOD IS SO GOOD!
Ashtyn's surgery went beautifully and I have to say at the beginning of the day I was feeling very apprehensive about sending her back for the surgery and I was quite emotional. I am an emotional person, but I never anticipated how much emotion would pour out of me as Greg & I walked back into the waiting room after leaving her with the doctors and nurses and being surrounded by 24 people who loved on us, prayed with us and for us and were there just to listen and do whatever they possibly could to support us. It was as if God said, "It's okay Ragen, be real, let it out", and boy did I ever. And then the thought of all those who were unable to be with us physically but were with us spiritually and emotionally and were lifting us up to the One who loves us more than we can imagine, blew me away.
Not only was this day amazing just because all that transpired on our part, but God worked His awesomeness when He aligned the opportunity for us to not only be supported by this group, but some of our best friends in their time of need as well. As we were driving to the hospital we learned that The Lindley's were still at Children's Hospital with the possibility of their son Chase having a tumor on the lower part of his brain, which PRAISE GOD he doesn't, but what was even more amazing, they are on the 7th floor (2 doors down), the exact floor we were all waiting on and staying overnight. When Ashtyn was recovering we told her that Chase was right down the hallway and she wanted to be wheeled in her bed to see him, although that couldn't happen, the nurses wheeled him by in his wheelchair on the way to his MRI and they got to wave and say Hi and most comforting to one another smile and let eachother know they were okay.
Then, during the day, another one of our friends, Bob & Nancy Weiss, learned that their mom (Bob's mom) was being transferred to Barnes (which is connected to Children's)in critical condition. Talk about a prayer team in action. Too cool, as we all joined hands in the waiting room, all 24 of us, to lift up these prayer requests and bring Him praise for bringing Ashtyn through her surgery safely and successfully.
AND another one of our friends was in a major car accident a little over a month ago and a couple people were able to go visit him. I would like to ask for you to pray for Adrian & Suzanne Blevins and their family as he continues to make amazing progress. Suzanne and I went to school together and hadn't seen eachother for several years until God reunited us a couple months ago when their newborn baby was sick. I thank God for their family and the witness they are. Adrian, Suzanne and their daughter Lexi just recently accepted Christ as their personal Savior, which totally rocks!! I know they would love to recieve encouraging words on his CaringBridge page, so you can check out his story here and leave their family a message and support them through this trying time!
Just knowing we were all there was bitter sweet. We were able to be together in the toughest times and love one another through them. Now that is what life is all about. Loving eachother through life, being real and leading people into life-changing relationships with Christ. And I tell you what, although I've been a Christ-follower for years, today was truly life-changing for me.

Father I come to You in total awe of Your magnificent presence in our lives and I thank You for Your amazing timing. It truly couldn't be more perfect. I thank You for all the people who have supported through their love, support and prayers, I pray that You would bless them beyond compare Lord. Continue to be with Ashtyn, Chase and Adrian as they recover, be with The Weiss family through their mom's illness, I pray that Your will be done in each situation. I love you and thank You for Your amazing grace, love and forgiveness. You are awesome Lord...

It just never gets old...

As I am at work tonight I am totally overwhelmed...not just the busyness of it all...but truly so thankful for the opportunity to help bring a new life, one of God's many miracles into the world. It truly is humbling and amazing! As one of our babies entered the world tonight I was practically whopped upside the head with the amazing comparison between a brand new baby and a new christian. The total new life that each has and the impact that so many others can have on not only the baby but on the new christian as well. How each if not lovingly nurtured in those early days can fall victim to so many "bad" things in life. We as Christians play a critical role in a new Christians walk just as parents or caregivers have for these beautiful miracles. It's just awesome to watch that "new creation" as they enter into their new "environment", into the person God has created them to be. My heart is just overwhelmed with how amazing and awesome our God is!! And I pray that He will continue to use me in each of these "new life" miracles.

Father God, I thank You for allowing me to be here tonight and to witness yet again, the miracle of birth...it truly never gets old. I pray for each family that is represented here tonight and pray that You will bless and watch over these babies all their days...may they grow up to love and serve You...watch over them Father, protect them and keep them safe. Your truly amazing...

I'm back...

I cannot believe that I haven't blogged since 2007! To be honest I needed a little break to digest all that my heart has been feeling over the last few weeks...but not that long...at least I didn't think.
My heart has been so full of so many emotions lately...from total awe with God in His magnificence, joy, sorrow, back to total happiness and in total awe of Him.
I haven't even blogged on the Meadow Heights Arcadia Valley launch on 1-6-08, which was overwhelmingly amazing! Talk about blessing a persons heart. It was incredibly amazing to see the joy on people's faces as they entered and the most awesome part for me was to see the hunger in the eyes of people to meet the Jesus who loves them...people I have grown up with my entire life. I couldn't fight back the tears as I watched them take it all in, clapping to the worship music, singing, some even dancing. My heart was and still is overflowing! Before the opening day, God had already performed miracles in that place, the mere fact that the building was completed in 11 weeks, the people He brought together to complete His vision and the healing that took place in the hearts of many...including me. Throughout the Imagine Campaign Greg kept sharing Deuteronomy 16:17 "Each of you must bring a gift in proportion to the way the Lord your God has blessed you", and although we are giving the commitment God laid on our hearts, I honestly still felt a void, He has blessed us more than would could ever imagine, guess or request and I wanted to do something more...I know you truly cannot "outgive" God, but I wanted to try. And I am so humbled by the fact that He allowed me to be part of His vision for Meadow Heights, the He has blessed my life with sharing this vision with people who's hearts truly burned deep with His vision as well, and for allowing me the amazing opportunity to watch these people who have been hungering for something more, for His love, and for using me to love on them and shine His light for them to see. It is so stinkin' awesome!
After the launch, our family needed some "down time"...time to reconnect, time to praise Him and time to reconnect with some friends we have been away from for a while. Then came time for Ashtyn's 9th chemo treatment and a serious talk with her cardiologist. That day was incredibly draining...emotionally and physically. She has been growing more sick with each treatment, but this day it was the worst we've seen it thus far. She hadn't even completed her treatment and was very sick. And I have to say, as a mom, seeing this precious child like that, brought everything swirling around me. It brought everything grimly back into proportion, and then to make a surgical decision topped the entire day. The whole rest of the day as I held her in my arms the best thing I could do was hold her tight, and keep reciting Jeremiah 29:11 to myself over and over and over, to remind myself that He loves her far greater than I ever could and that He has not brought us to this place in our journey for nothing. He truly amazes me at the way He continually shows up and brings comfort to us in our time of need. If your reading this and have no idea what Ashtyn is dealing with you can check it out here and please feel free to sign her guestbook. She loves receiving messages. The site is still under construction, but I am planning on adding journal entries for every test she has undergone since the beginning.
It feels good to be back, prayerfully it won't be so long until next time.

Father God, your love is truly amazing and I stand in awe of your Omnipotent presence. Thank You for loving me and continue to fill me with Your vision, help me to never lose sight of the lost and hurting. May I see them through Your eyes and with Your love and clarity. Continue to fill me with a hunger for Your word. Your truly amazing...