Our first beautiful grandchild, Korbyn Hansen was born to our daughter, Jessica and her husband Jerry, December 8^th, 2008.  She is a gift from heaven for the Hansen’s as they begin their new little “family”.  Jessica labored through the night but had a lot of support; seven of us in the birthing room and more than a dozen or more friends of the young couple stayed through the night in the waiting room. The wonder of new life is so evidently clear at birth, the miracle of separation unto a completely distinct individual. She will uniquely grow up participating, interacting and contributing in her own life to affect others.We eagerly waited to hear Korbyn’s first breath and initial cry which brought great joy and comfort to our hearts. This initial relief was suspended when her first cry was followed by 4 minutes of silence when she stopped breathing. Two nurses and a respiratory therapist worked diligently to help to clear the fluid from her lungs and stimulate her breathing. Jessica was still involved in delivering the afterbirth; Jerry lovingly reassured her that everything was fine. Jerry and the rest of us in the room were gravely aware of these critical minutes. Concern hung in the room and the waiting seemed to last forever. Three of us prayed a prayer for the Breath of God to inhabit that little life, asking the Lord to do the breathing and sustain her. These thoughts had been my prayer during my recent hospitalization with pneumonia. I believe we were there to intercede to the Throne of God with faith that He had imparted and made a living reality. Through the love, prayer and the diligence of hospital staff she regained her breath and has been getting stronger everyday since. “The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life” Job 33:4.

After Korbyn’s struggle to breathe we were all relieved and began to observe God’s precious handiwork “You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb” Psalm 139:13. If you’re a parent, you know that there are times you look at your children, maybe at a time when they’re struggling, and you wonder how they will ever make it. These are the times I believe that God pulls you aside to himself and lovingly whispers in your ear how much he loves your child. “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope“ (Jer 29:11). There have probably been times in our own lives that we didn’t think we would make it through to the next day, discouraged and defeated by our circumstance, until somebody looked at us and saw potential that we didn’t see, giving us words of encouragement that strengthened us to go on. We became uplifted through their words of love.

Because God is love (1Jn 4:8), when He views us, it is through His lens of love. God knows everything about us, He knows what’s in our thoughts and heart, and He still loves us. God loves us so much that He sent his beloved Son to die for us. The Bible tells us in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” This same God wants to come into your life and show you real love. Jesus showed us God’s love by paying for our sins with His life, (2 Cor 5:21). Jesus who knew no sin was made sin so that I might be made the righteousness of God in Him. We are to be renewed in the spirit of our minds putting on the new creation (the new man, born from above) created in righteousness and true holiness (Eph 4:23-24).  Jesus, the innocent Lamb of God, was nailed to the cross as a sin offering, presenting to the Father his blood sacrifice once and for all to satisfy divine justice and make atonement to cover our sin. Sin is not the question in God’s acceptance of us, faith is the only thing that pleases God (Heb 9:22; Ro 3:25; Heb 11:6).

Dear brother and sister, Jesus paid the full price for our sin!! What a Savior!!!!!!! Do we realize how much He loves us? Do we realize how great a sacrifice He made for us? It is because of His sacrifice we are given the privilege of spending eternal life with Him. It is by His goodness that men are led to repentance (Ro 2:4). We have been given eternal fellowship and companionship with Jesus along with all those who by grace through faith choose to accept Him as their Lord and Savior. We can’t earn, work or be good enough to gain God’s approval or acceptance, Jesus already shed his blood, sacrificed his life and gained Gods approval for us. We just have to agree with God that we can’t save ourselves from the penalty of sin and that we need Gods gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord (Ro 6:23).

“…the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe…For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus”  Ro 3:22-24.

We are thankful for His gift of new life with Korbyn’s entry into this world, and are awed by the intricacy of His creation. We know His watchful eye is upon us and He hears our prayers. We trust you Father, with our future and for those of our heritage, committing them to you that they would completely give their hearts to you through the saving knowledge of your love.

During the Christmas season and always, rejoice that Jesus carried out the will of the Father by willingly sacrificing His life for the sins of the whole world; eliminating that which separated us from God.

Thank Him for His unspeakable gift (2 Cor 9:15)!

Many  who know Scott already are aware of how he types his blogs, emails and anything elso he wants to write; by using his toes. Although Scott is right handed, he hasn’t been able to write anything by hand since he lost the ability to akwardly write with his left hand for over 8 years.

The A.L.S. first manifested in his right index finger with the inability to press down very hard while writing. We got fatter pens with gripping foam until he no longer had the coordination with the right hand, then he prodominantly started using his left hand to write, eat, open doors, shake hands, drive locally (yikes!) and everything else we all do and generally don’t give a second thought about. When he no longer could use either hand, he has had to rely on other people to do these and other tasks for him.  He has had to become very patient, as a dependant, he cannot even scratch his head. The many obstacles he faces have been at times very frustrating and have caused him to really seek God’s purpose for his existence. God has been so faithful to encourage both of us  through the grace and comfort of the scriptures and our relationship with Him. The Body of Christ has been used immensely through the words preached, praise, prayer and edifying friendships.

With our eyes fixed on Christ through His Word and the Spirit of life;  we see He has brought beauty from ashes and turned a curse into a blessing. In our trials and temptations we look to God as the way of escape (1Cor 10:13); we can place our trust in our loving Father. He is with us in our fiery trials, we can have confidence in His redeeming character. God will cause all things to work together for our sakes as we seek His purpose. He is not hiding from us, God desires to be known.

As we draw near to God , He will give us rest for our souls. Many may search to understand our own life’s purpose but as we renew our minds to the mind of Christ, then happy will we be and find our fulfillment. We will have an answer for the hope that lies within us.

“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear” (1 Pet 3:15).

We often give no thought to areas of our lives that we feel comfortable or secure in, such as the use of our eyes, feet, hands, mind or breath. I remember the night I went to the hospital how difficult it actually was to breath and how I only could take short half breaths. Even the short breaths were filled with congestion and I was on the verge of suffocating.

Once in the hospital I had no mental energy to focus on anything other than survival. I was hooked up to my bi pap breathing machine for most of my stay and the only way to communicate my needs was to spell words on the floor with my toe. Communicating with your toe is challenging enough but not being able to breathe was beyond challenging it was impossible for me to overcome.

The day I was discharged from the hospital I remember pondering the breath of God and as I was deep in thought His presence began to love and comfort me. God than spoke a word to me saying it was Him that was doing the breathing for me. This word overwhelmed me, I didn’t even have the power to breathe on my own, my lungs didn’t even produce breath, it was all God, and it was His breath. I no longer had to figure out how to breathe, God was doing the breathing for me! Wow! How great is our God!

Not only does God give breath, but He also breaths the breath of life for us, (Gen 2:7). Not just one time when we are born but continually while we live and move and exist on the earth, (Acts 17:28).

How wonderful it is to know that because Jesus is alive and giving me breath, anything is now possible in my body, including miracles! “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me” Gal 2:20.