He Doesn't Stop

Each day Ian comes home with a list of things that he has said with his voice in therapy. Last night he was using his voice while we were out to dinner to tell me and the waiter what kind of beer he wanted. Ian has said several times that he's really close to being back to full speech.

Ian is a picture of Christ to me in his obedient response to what the Father has given him. And he is obviously fighting to control temptations to untruth- if he weren't, his response to therapy, Bible reading, going places, would be much different. Thank you, Ian, for your faithful example:)

Thank you, always, for praying.

Larissa

Bless the LORD, O my soul
and all that is within me
bless his holy name!
Bless the LORD, O my soul
and forget not all his benefits,
who forgives all your iniquity,
who heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the pit,
who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
who satisfies you with good
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s


Ian and I have spent a significant amount of time studying Psalm 103. We noticed while studying this that the first benefit listed is that God forgives all of our iniquities. If we were to be given no other benefit but our salvation through of Jesus' death on the cross, it would be enough to bless the Lord with all that is within us and it is of most importance.


While studying this Psalm, God brought me the idea to start memorizing scripture with Ian. It's something that he used to do a lot and that I've prayed about being able to do with him again. We've been praying for his short-term memory and I've been trying to think of exercises to help him with that. Memorizing scripture was the sweetest thing that God could've brought to mind. Since then, Ian has memorized several verses of Psalm 103, and is able to recite them with his voice. It's wonderful to hear him speaking truth again.


Speaking of, speaking, Ian has been doing a lot of it. His voice is coming more and more easily. Every day he is using his voice several times, to tell us things, to have conversations with us, to ask Lydia what's wrong when she's crying and to tell her that he loves her. I remember when we used to spend half an hour just to get one sound out. God is helping and Ian is responding in obedience.


We truly appreciate everyone's prayers. I recently told Ian how many people are reading his blog every day and right away he said "wow." I'm praying that soon we will see "the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living" through Ian's complete healing.

Larissa

Ian's First Post

Ian wanted this to be his first message on the blog. He wrote it this afternoon.

Ian gave me the best birthday gift yesterday. We were sitting in the van after therapy just talking, and he let out a real, true Ian laugh. It sounded just like it used to. He looked happiest that I've seen him in the past two and a half years.

Thank you, Ian;) I lov u.

All experiences of suffering in the path of Christian obedience, whether from persecution or sickness or accident, have this in common: They all threaten our faith in the goodness of God and tempt us to leave the path of obedience. Therefore, every triumph of faith and all peseverence in obedience are testimonies to the goodness of God and the preciousness of Christ- whether the enemy is sickness, Satan, sin or sabotage.

Desiring God by John Piper

( I think maybe it was windy.... )

High King of heaven, my victory won

May I reach heaven's joys O bright heaven's Son
Heart of my own heart whatever befall
Still be my vision, O ruler of all

I've been reminded several times this week of the never-changing confidence that we should have in our salvation. Ian will reach heaven's joys because of Christ's substitionary death on the cross. His life is not easy, a normal day really isn't that fun, and he has much fewer comforts than he did three years ago. But he has Christ. And even if that's all that he has, we have to be content, because all that Ian has in Christ is all that he needs.

Thank you for praying.

Larissa