Support Josiah

Six Months

I'm writing this post on Monday night, April 3rd. Today marks exactly six months since we started this fundraiser. Six months since we reached out to our family, friends, community, and even strangers for help. And tonight, there is a backhoe sitting in my back yard, and Foust Pool Construction will begin work on Josiah's therapy pool in the morning. The sense of gratitude we feel is hard to put into words.

Six months ago, Jeremy and I were having a conversation about Josiah. We were sharing with each other our concerns for him. And we were coming to terms with the reality that, yet again, we needed support to help care for him. This is a reality we have had to face many times before, but we knew that this particular need was extraordinary. And so we swallowed our pride. We started to tell our story publicly. And we asked for the financial support needed to build Josiah a therapy room and therapy pool. I remember telling Jeremy that I was prepared for it to take a few years to raise the funding needed. WE COULD HAVE NEVER IMAGINED THAT, IN JUST SIX MONTHS, CONSTRUCTION WOULD BEGIN! But we know that there were people praying specifically that God would do this in six months time. 

Jeremy and I often talk about how God has made us so emotionally complex. We have absolutely no doubt that God planned Autism and brain damage for Josiah. This isn't some tragic mistake. This is a trial and a blessing, and it was all planned by our loving Heavenly Father. It was planned predominately for His own glory, but, in His great grace, He also planned it for our eternal good. I often ponder about the fact that I have no doubt that Josiah will be heaven someday. What a gift that is! And then, when I contemplate what may lay ahead for him on this earth and before heaven, I am gripped with concern and fear. In these moments, I am thankful for the promises God has given His children in scripture, and I'm thankful for a husband who is so often an instrument of the Holy Spirit in my life as he reminds me of these promises.

The truth is that my faith is often weak. Just a few days ago, I had texted Jeremy after a very long day. The kids were finally all asleep and I was left with my thoughts. I texted him about feeling alone and scared that I won't be able to manage and protect Josiah if he has a meltdown at night. I told him that, in the dark of the night, my fears for the future feel bigger. I told Jeremy that I was trying to focus on the suffering that Christ endured on the cross. I was grasping for perspective that night. Jeremy patiently and lovingly reminded me of where our focus should be. He said, "To focus solely on the cross is to limit our Lord to that one moment in time. It is an exceedingly important moment for us, but it is not the comfort that the apostles recommended for hurting people. Paul didn't say he reckoned our present, light afflictions as not worthy to be compared to our Lord's sufferings. He said they're not worthy to be compared to the glory that shall be revealed in us in the age to come. And he didn't say to persecuted saints that they should comfort one another with a vision of the cross, but rather with the fact that we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be resurrected. And Paul and Silas in the 1st century jail cell with bleeding wounds on their back didn't keep a stiff upper lip so as to not make little of our Lord's suffering on the cross, rather they praised God for the hope that lay before them. Even Jesus, for the glory set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame. If we are to focus on something, let's focus on the New Jerusalem. That's what He bought for us on Calvary - the hope of the resurrection into the eternal bliss of HIS presence."

The HOPE of Heaven! What a BLESSING!

Before Heaven, we have some living to still do on this earth. And that living may be hard. But God has proven time and again to us that He will provide the grace and strength and wisdom needed to see us through. He is using all the people who have given and supported Josiah through this fundraiser to encourage and sustain us. We are forever grateful to our Heavenly Father and to all of you. 

Our prayer is that we will Finish Well. 

Because of His AMAZING GRACE,
Christy

Jo's Santa Bubble Face