Asking for Prayers

I just received a call from a friend last night asking for prayer for a dear family. So I am coming to you faithful readers and prayer warriors this morning.

On Friday the family she was calling about....well call them the V's, God know them....were on a lake water skiing. On their way back to shore they hit some rough wakes and their 11 year old daughter flew out of the boat and died. Please be praying for this family. For those who have lost a loved one..their is many areas that are stretched and pulled. Your faith is very much tested. This was a "freak" accident and yet there will be so many questions. We can trust the Lord and still wonder why these things happen. This family will be changed forever and July 24th will be a day that marks that!

Dear Father...
I pray for the V family. That you would protect them and their hearts. That you would protect their marriage and their family. God...you know the details and you know their needs. We know you are in control of all things and yet this seems unfathomable. Another "accident" yet you never left them and you wont. Be with them in these days and the days to come. They will be dark...they will be hard!

Thank you friends....my heart is breaking for this family. I know prayers work....A peace is there that otherwise is not.

Having Hope...and a prayer request!

It seems hope is a theme so many of study and want. Last week in church the communion service was on hope. It was EXACTLY what I needed. We all hope is things. Hope for the future..hope for healing...hope for love....hope for health. We hope because we have not yet seen it happen.

I no longer hope for a husband...I have a great one. I no longer hope for kids...I have 5! I no longer hope for healing here on earth for Larson...my answer was given on January 22 of 2008 that my hope for healing would be granted but not here. So the list goes on. I continue to hope for things... but I feel I have a little bit of a pessimistic edge. I am afraid to hope...because what if that is not the answer I will get. Should I just resigned to the fact that the answer has already been determined. That God knows the answer or should I still hope.

I have spent some time in the sci pures looking at hope alone. There is SOO much there and many answers for my questions are given.


For I hope in You, O LORD; You will answer, O Lord my God. Psalm 38:15
Yes! I hope and He will give HIS answer. May I be content with it?

Through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. Romans 5:2
I hope in the eternal kingdom. For this earth is passing away. All my tears will be wiped...the pain gone and hope answered!


And hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. Romans 5:5
I will hope in Gods love for me and remember the gift He has given through His Son. That although it may not be what I want...it is still good!


Bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 1 Cor 13:7
I will still hope in all things...just still searching!


But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation. 1 Thess 5:8
I will hope in my salvation

Now she who is a widow indeed and who has been left alone, has fixed her hope on God and continues in entreaties and prayers night and day. 1 Tim 5:5
In all the loneliness I will remember and hope IN THE LORD

And a few more....
Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy. 1 Tim 6:17

in the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised long ages ago, Titus 1:2

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Heb 11:1

So with these thoughts on hope...
Right now I am HOPING for healing and pain relief with my back. My MRI results showed 2 bulging discs and a disc tear. The pain is constant and intense. I am struggling with pain management. I want to enjoy my kids and though I am...I can't do as much as I had HOPED!! I am going in on Wednesday at 10am for a cortisone shot in my spine by the disc problems. I would be so grateful for prayers if you feel led...Please pray for...
1...the shot would work and give some relief, immediate relief and relief for awhile
2..through other therapies the discs would heal themselves. I am looking into a therapy that a chiropractor has here in town. I have heard by the doctor that it is not likely for the discs to go back in place but not impossible...so I will Hope.
3....no side effects from the cortisone shot....spinal headache/more pain/ ANY SIDE EFFECT!
and whatever else you can think of...
Yes...I am still going to HOPE for healing with my back. With Larson...the Lords desire was not to heal. We ask for the Lord to take the cup from us or let thy will be down. Well...the Lords will was not to heal. But I believe we can still Hope...its what we do when what we hope is not what we get.

Thank you friends!

String of Pearls Run

Many of you have already seen this foundations...but Id like to take this opportunity to talk about it myself. Laura...the founder...has become one of my treasured friends. We met when I found out that Larson would not make it. Lauras daughter Pearl has the same diagnosis as Larson, but aside from that, we are both Colorado natives and have many things and friends in common aside from our brave children!

Lauras friendship AND her medical knowledge helped me and my family more then I could have ever expected. Meeting her was definitely orchestrated by our Heavenly Father and so was her ability to help. It is no mistake that Laura was trained not only as a nurse, but a Labor and Delivery nurse LONG before she new of the story it would create in her own life with her brave daughter Pearl. Instead of tucking away her gift and her training...she has faithfully been using it to help many other families in the same situation we were in....walking the journey of carry your baby to term who has a fatal diagnosis.

On July 25th...if you are in the Denver area (or want to fly in!!!) I would love to invite you to join others in supporting this amazing and well needed ministry. The following is a letter from Laura that I emailed to friends in town, but would love to have you read it as well. Thanks for your support to this wonderful ministry.



Friends, Family and Patients,

On July 25, 2009 we will be hosting a 5K Run/Walk event in Parker, Colorado to benefit String of Pearls, a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization providing perinatal hospice support to families who are struggling with the devastating reality of a fatal diagnosis for their unborn baby. String of Pearls is based right here in the Denver Metro-Area where their tangible and emotional support is available to families both locally and across our country without any cost. Their services include the crafting of unique birth plans, coordination with other professional support, liason between the family and the birthing staff, and precious memory making kits. This is a great nonprofit organization and we should all come out to show our support. Look for them on the internet at www.stringofpearlsonline.org

The event will be held at Stroh Ranch Park which is approximately 1/2 mile west on Stroh Road from Parker Road (Rt. 83). The event will begin at 9:00 AM and race day registration will begin at 7:30 AM. Throughout the day, local businesses will be providing information about their new products and services, there will be many kid's events, and there will be activity demonstrations throughout the day, including a quick start tennis program, martial arts and others!

At 11:00 AM there will be a drawing for prizes and all registered participants will be eligible to win. There will also be an opportunity to pre-purchase additional tickets prior to the drawing to increase your odds of winning. Prizes include a one night stay at the Hampton Inn of Parker King Suite, four rounds of golf a Black Bear Golf Club, custom made foot-insoles and many more great prizes.

Registration is easy! Please open and print off the attached registry form and return it to us as soon as possible. Help us make this inaugural event a success by participating and telling everyone you know! Let's start the first year off great and set the tone for many more years to come!

If you have any questions, please give us a call or email us. Thanks for all your support!

Dr. Matthew Derry
Dr. Tanja Sukovic Derry
Back to Wellness, L.L.C.
(720) 851-7400
12919 Stroh Ranch Court
Unit B
Parker, CO 80134
www.backtowellnessnow.com < http://www.backtowellnessnow.com/>

Laura Huene
Executive Director
String of Pearls
303.507.1992
PO Box 630454
Littleton, Co 80163
www.StringOfPearlsOnline.org

Faith!

Happy 11th Anniversary...heres to many more!!!

Id like to think that my faith is strong. I am not wanting to say it is weak for sure...but in this season of my life I can definitely say it has been tested, tried, refined and questioned.

Steve and I just celebrated our 11th wedding anniversary. A feat I can definitely say I am so very grateful for. A milestone i can say was not achieved on our own. Then who possibly got us here? What got us here? Yep...our faith! But faith in what?

Just last week I commented to Steve that the last 3 years have been some of the hardest. It is almost 3 years ago that our journey of loss began. Sure we have lost...great grandparents,aunts and uncles....Steve has more then I, but for Steve and I personally, it hit harder beginning in 2006. That is when our first baby was gone. We went in for our check up...and no heartbeat. Shock? yes! Sadness? yes...But I didn't feel complete despair. I had heard of early loss. I knew it was not completely uncommon.

So we continued on...hoping for the baby after our loss. Another O'Brien to raise. Another sibling for our children. Well...loss again. Another heartbeat gone to soon. We decided to try again. Yes...we had hope...we had faith that it would not end this way...or did we. I have been told that if I had more faith I would not have c-sections? So...if I had more faith...would my babies die? I'm not trying to be cynical...just questioning the advice of some!!

Did we have faith that God was in control of ALL things? What we mustard up as our story...or did we have faith that the story to come had already been written by the Creator who had already written the story this far? Is our faith in our faith....or is our faith in God?

Can I have enough faith to change the story God has written to a story I want? Can my faith change the outcome? Do I believe that God has written the story and will get me through ANYTHING...whether I see it as good or bad...! My faith Has to be in God...not myself...or my life would not turn out the way it has. I would be a superhero and change that for sure....but I definitely wouldn't be who I am today.

Well...I can say looking back..I had faith. I had faith that things would work out. But my faith was in the story and how I WANTED it to look. Others around me had lost a child early in their pregnancy and ALL yes ALL had s HEALTHY baby after. So certainly I would have that "rainbow baby" as well. Or would I?

So this is where I am at. My faith for sure has been tested. And now...my faith is being refined and redefined. No longer am I putting my faith in a story I have created, but I can not tell you it has been easy to put my faith in the story already written, but not yet seen. I trust in a God who has providentially given me life. Who has made me a wife, a mother, a sister, a daughter. I have seen His hand in my life...but can I see His had in the dark times as well?

I am really speaking out loud in this blog the thing I have been pondering in my mind. I guess really being vulnerable and sharing things that I have wrestled with during the last few years.

The questions were few at the beginning, but have grown as our season continued down the road of loss. Now wondering which direction we are headed.

Currently I am enjoying my children...but still a piece of me continues to miss the toddler not here. I have been experiencing a GREAT deal of pain in my back and have been in physical therapy for 3 months now. I am going for an MRI and hoping for more clarity as to the direction of my pain management. It could be anything from a bulging disc..to a ruptured disc. I have pain constantly in my back radiating down my legs and into my calves. I don't share this for sympathy or for advice, but because it seems to be another hurdle for me. Can I trust Gods decision to take me down this path that has been hard...but bearable, often dark...but I know He is there. The pain is often frustrating and making it hard to enjoy normal daily activities. I love working out, but have not been able to for the last 3 months. I can't rely on that for my sanity...although I did. So once again I am back to trusting God in this story...or wanting to!

I have felt somewhat down at times...just wanting some relief, but seeking what that relief is. Is is from the pain of this world? I know we are all meant to suffer and by no means to I believe my story is terrible suffering. I have seen many suffer more. But I have also seen many rejoice in the hope and faith of new children and new beginnings. I am wondering what mine will be. I know it will be my own story. Written specifically for me. Hoping for something great...wondering what that is. And is great my idea of great or the great that God has decided will be great for me.

Do I trust in my own faith...in a story I have written? Or is my faith in a God who is far bigger and better and more in control then I could ever imagine myself to be? I know I trust God...I want to trust Him more...I want to have Faith in HIM more...I want to rest in Him more.

Praying for more faith!!!

The Dash

Last Friday we had my grandmas funeral. My mom was brave enough to speak and talked about the life she lived. She also shared this poem by Linda Ellis...You may have heard it but Id like to share it...

The Dash

I read of a man who stood to speak
At the funeral of a friend.
He referred to the dates on her tombstone
From the beginning to the end.

He noted that first came the date of her birth
And spoke of the following date with tears,
But he said what mattered most of all
Was the dash between those years.

For that dash represents all the time
That she spent alive on earth
And now only those who loved her
Know what that little line is worth.

For it matters not, how much we own,
The cars, the house, the cash,
What matters is how we live and love
And how we spend our dash.

So think about this long and hard;
Are there things you’d like to change?
For you never know how much time is left
That can still be rearranged.

If we could just slow down enough
To consider what’s true and real
And always try to understand
The way other people feel.

And be less quick to anger
And show appreciation more
And love the people in our lives
Like we’ve never loved before.

If we treat each other with respect
And more often wear a smile,
Remembering that this special dash
Might only last a little while.

So when your eulogy is being read
With your life’s actions to rehash
Would you be proud of the things they say
About how you spent your dash?

I sat there reflecting on "the dash". Mostly I have read stories about children who have gone to be with the Lord. Although their dash may not be in years....they still have a dash. Either between minutes or moments....days or weeks....months or years. No matter what...they have a dash. I am constantly reminded of the dash Larson had. From the 22nd-23rd...from 1 minute to 23 hours. Yes he lived for but a day and yet he did get a dash. That dash did much for me...my family...and those around me. And although the dash came to an end...his memory continues on.

As I remember my grandmother this week, I will also remember the dashes of so many others....Pearl, and Sophie Ann, and Issac, and Asher, and Noah, and Brinley, and Sydney, and Chloe....and the list goes on and on! I'll remember all their dashes and hope that as I continue my own life, that I will consider what will be in my dash. May it be filled with faithfulness to Christ and Him alone!

Saying Good-bye

Thanks for the prayers....my Bubie (yiddish for grandmother!) passed away tonight! Saying good-bye is not so fun...she would have been 90 on June 16th! She taught us much and she will be missed!

Please pray

This is Corie's friend Laura, I am hijacking her blog today! Today is Corie's Birthday and she is facing another difficult path on her journey. Her sweet grandma is in the hospital and is not expected to live through the week. Her grandma is a precious woman who has been the source of so much laughter for Corie and her family.

Will you pray for Corie, her grandma and the rest of their family? I am asking God to bring hope, comfort, peace and the assurance that He is near, even in the darkest hours. I know He will wrap His arms around each person in the family and has promised that He will never leave them. I want this truth to be so real to all who are there waiting at the hospital.

The past 18 months have been long and full of so many unexpected turns for this sweet family. I am so proud of Corie...she is a gift to so many and I count her as one of my greatest treasures. She is walking this journey so bravely, even in the moments when she would like to just sit down and not take one more step. I want her to know we are holding her arms up, just like Aaron and Hur, held up his arms during the battle. I know all of you love Corie and her family and will hold their arms up. Pray for strength as well as moments of laughter and true joy.

Thank you for praying and for loving this sweet family so well. They are so easy to love...

Sending love to your sweet family,
Laura and co


But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
Isaiah 40:31