Thank you to everyone for your continued prayers.  I know thousands upon thousands of you lifted us up in your prayers yesterday when you gathered in your churches, with your family and with your friends.  While we depend on the hospital staff to determine the course of action, we depend on God to direct the staff, to direct Kevin’s treatment, to direct the way we are heading.

Change has been inevitable, and uncertain.  Uprooting ourselves from Lancaster has been difficult, at least for me.  We were finally coming into a time of steadiness in our lives, after being married almost a year and a half, and finally having good jobs, and answers to immigration.  However, the Lord does not guarantee us comfort, he just assures us that he will always walk with us, and never give us more than we can handle.

Today is a phone call/visit day for me.  I have a TON of phone calls to make to immigration, insurance, my Dr, and a handful of other things.  It just so happens that now is the time we were to re-submit for Kevins’ 10 year permanent residency status (he is only a 2 year, and that expires in January 2009).  With this submission, we need to interview at the Philadelphia Embassy to prove that we married for love.  I am praying that they give us an extension, and that I can get some answers today.  I am praying that insurance will pay for some of my housing staying here.  I pray for my job to understand and accept my requested leave of absence.

I have a close friend coming to visit and take me to run errands to the grocery store and just to get out of the hospital for a bit.  Also, some family and friends from New Danville plan to come to Johns Hopkins tonight to pray with me.  Although I am not letting anyone besides immediate family in to see Kevin at the moment, I have no objections to visitors to pray with me, as long as you call me and ok the time and date.

Thank you for all you are doing.  Below is the devotional for today..again, God places these amazing verses and devotionals in my path for a reason!  Blessings to all of you!

Change

Read Philippians 3:7-11

Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

LOOKING up at the hills near Lake Elsinore, California, I remembered the hills behind the neighborhood where I grew up. They were a great place to play – fairly safe, with just a slight element of danger to add excitement to our days. Several years later, those hilltops and tiny caves were gone, replaced by large, modern homes.

Just as neighborhoods change over the years, so do people. We go through various experiences that change us. Whether the results are for the better depends largely on our attitude.

Consider the apostle Paul. Both he and his living conditions changed after his experience with Christ on the Damascus Road. Rather than arresting Christians, he became a courageous and bold defender of the faith. He was beaten, stoned, shipwrecked, and imprisoned. Paul certainly had good reason to complain, but he thanked God. Why? Paul recognized that his greatest treasure was Jesus Christ and the righteousness Christ offers.

Change is inevitable for all of us. So when it comes, we can look for the new opportunities God is offering in it and, like Paul, we can rejoice, give thanks, and embrace the change.

Star Ferdinand (Texas, U.S.A.)