Gratitude & prayer journal: 9/7/2023

September 7, 2023; 8:07am

I’m grateful for Ronin. He has been a blessing from the very beginning, and this whole journey – including my wearing pregnancy, our discovery of his medical fragility, and our time spent at the hospital – has grown me and my family so much. Life since Ronin has taught me to surrender my wants to whatever the Lord wills. It’s helped me prioritize what and who is important. It’s widened my perception beyond what I’m able to see; given me glimpses of eternity. And it’s strengthened my understanding of my place and role in building God’s kingdom.

I’m grateful that Ronin’s stent procedure went well yesterday. The stent that had initially been put in his pulmonary artery when he was about 3 weeks old (and only a little over 3 pounds) had to be replaced with a larger stent (now that he’s grown to nearly 8 pounds). The procedure began at 9am and finished around 2pm. We spoke with the surgeon afterwards, and she was happy with how everything went. (This is the same woman that put the initial stent in that saved his life.) Although Ronin is still intubated and partially sedated, the new stent has already made a significant difference to his blood oxygen saturation levels.

I pray for Ronin to have an easy recovery, and that he’s able to wean down on pain meds and oxygen support over the coming days. If it is in God’s will, I pray for the day to come soon where I no longer have to kiss my baby goodbye and leave him at the hospital. In the meantime, I pray I can use the most of this time in waiting. But more than anything, Lord, I pray for You to continue using this situation for Your glory. Please give me strength and Your peace as I move through the days ahead.

In Jesus’ Name, Amen.