After His Own Heart

Noah (with his train hat) and Hannah Grace

Fall Festival 2007

Dear Friends,
Thank you for your continuing prayers. You have been faithful to remain in constant prayer for us. There are many days when I am so tired and your prayers have been carrying me through. This week has been good. One of my close friends took me to a spa and it was incredible. I was completely pampered for 3 hours! We had a great time laughing together. Its amazing how a little pampering will lift your spirits! The kids and I spent some time Friday night making cookies (from scratch!) for our church's fall festival. Noah and Hannah Grace had a great time pretending to be little chefs. Can you believe I didn't even care that my kitchen was a complete disaster?? Or that my mixer blew the breaker! We tried to make pumpkin cookies, but they turned out looking like blobs and tasting like dough balls. We have never laughed so much! Hannah Grace said the cookies tasted like "healthy cookies." Not really what you are going for when cooking for kids! We are looking forward to going to the fall festival tonight. Noah can't wait to ride the "Thomas" train. I will be sure to take some pictures. Please keep us in your prayers on Monday. We have an another ultrasound. I am looking forward to seeing Sophie's sweet little face. But, I am dreading hearing any more bad news. Sometimes, I think, "how much worse could it get? What can they tell me that I don't already know?" It's also hard to hear it again and again. It seems like when I get myself on solid ground, we have a test result come back or its time for another ultrasound. But, I know whatever the news, it is ALL part of God's great plan for us and for Sophie. I will be sure to get lots of pictures of Sophie and post them on Monday night.

I will leave you with a short devotion from a book a good friend gave me. Its from "Beside Still Waters", by C.H. Spurgeon.

After His Own Heart
-When your faith endures many conflicts and your spirit sinks low, do not condemn yourself. It was David in haste who said, "I am cut off from before your eyes" (Ps. 31:22). Yet there is David now in the blessed heavenly choir, for even here on earth he was a man after God's own Heart. (Sam. 13:14)
There is a reason for your season of heaviness. Great soldiers are not made without war. Skillful sailors are not trained on the shore. It appears that if you are to become a great believer, you will be greatly tested. If you are to be a great helper to others, you must pass through their trials. If you are to be instructed in the things of the kingdom, you must learn from experience. The uncut diamond has little brilliance, the unthreshed corn feeds no one, and the untried believer is of little use or beauty. There are great benefits to come from your trials and depression.
Many people have a comparatively smooth path through life, but their position is not the equal of the tested believer. The one who is much plowed and often harrowed will thank God if the result is a larger harvest to the praise and glory of God by Jesus Christ. If your face is now covered with sorrow, the time will come when you will bless God for that sorrow. The day will come when you will see great gain from your losses, your crosses, your troubles, and your afflictions:
From all your affliction His glory shall spring,
And the deeper your sorrows, the louder you'll sing.

Aimee