Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Isaiah 40:1-8

1 Comfort, comfort my people,
       says your God.
2 Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,
       and proclaim to her
       that her hard service has been completed,
       that her sin has been paid for,
       that she has received from the LORD's hand
       double for all her sins.
3 A voice of one calling:
       "In the desert prepare
       the way for the LORD ; 
       make straight in the wilderness
       a highway for our God.
4 Every valley shall be raised up,
       every mountain and hill made low;
       the rough ground shall become level,
       the rugged places a plain.
5 And the glory of the LORD will be revealed,
       and all mankind together will see it.
       For the mouth of the LORD has spoken."
6 A voice says, "Cry out."
       And I said, "What shall I cry?"
       "All men are like grass,
       and all their glory is like the flowers of the field.
7 The grass withers and the flowers fall,
       because the breath of the LORD blows on them.
       Surely the people are grass.
8 The grass withers and the flowers fall,
       but the word of our God stands forever."

I’ve been thinking about this post for about a week, but I never really knew exactly how to write it or what to say.  I still don’t, but this is my feeble attempt to honor and remember sweet Alden.  My last post was also about Alden…asking you guys to pray.  Well, last Sunday, December 13th, the Lord called her home after an incredibly valiant fight against Leukemia. 

I only got the opportunity to spend two days with Alden, but I first heard of her in the summer of 2008.  I was working at T bar M and one of Alden’s friends was in my cabin.  During our morning bible study, my camper asked us to pray for her friend who was recently diagnosed with Leukemia.  We prayed…infact, all week we prayed.  My camper wore a pink and green “Praying for Alden---Isaiah 40:8” bracelet in support of her dear friend and a consistent reminder to lift her up in prayer to the Father.  

Fast forward to a couple of months ago….the Lord had our paths cross, and the pink and green bracelet is how I made the connection! As I spent time with Alden and her mom, I was encouraged in my faith and challenged by theirs.  Not many 13 year old girls can have the joy Alden had while facing such a battle.  I saw Jesus in her, and I’m certain others she came in contact with did as well.  After our paths crossed, I began following her caringbridge closely and praying for her consistently.  She was never far from my thoughts and prayers as I now wore my very own “Praying for Alden” bracelet.  It began my reminder, not only to pray, but also to trust in the only ONE who can truly heal.  I never knew if the Lord would heal Alden here on earth or if her healing would be in heaven, but I trusted in His faithful Word that He is in control and has each of our days numbered.  I was so sad to learn last Sunday that Alden went to be with Jesus.  Thirteen year olds aren’t supposed to be concerned with chemotherapy…central lines….what pain killers will actually help the constant pain…IV drips…hospital stays.  They are supposed to be thinking about boys…and texting…and friends…  It just didn’t seem right that she was having to suffer. 

I’m thankful that Sunday night was House Church.  As we sang the words “Come praise the Lord with me, all who have been set free.  We will adore the King of Glory.  Let the world hear the sound of sinners once lost, now found.  Crown Him with many crowns, the King of Glory!”, I wept, but the Lord did something amazing in my heart.  The sadness I felt throughout the day was replaced by rejoicing.  For the first time, Alden was truly set free from the weakness…the pain…the central line…the IV drips…the LEUKEMIA!  She was set free…she was praising the Lord with me.  The cool thing was that she was doing this all in the presence of her Healer, her Savior, her Lord!  She was crowning Him with many crowns because He WAS, IS, and ALWAYS WILL BE the King of Glory.      

Alden’s life had another impact on me as well.  For a while, I felt the Lord leading me in the direction of nursing in pediatric oncology.  Through Alden’s journey, her faith, and the faith of her family during this trial, the Lord continued to confirm this calling in my life.   On the other hand, through knowing Alden, I began to question the Lord because I got so involved in her story.  I wept when I read the pages of her caringbridge about her pain and suffering…I prayed for her and her family….I questioned the Lord,  “Lord, am I really cut out for this??”  Through Alden’s life, He gave me a resounding, “YES!!!”  Not by my own might or power, but through the strength and grace that He ultimately gives to walk through life and death with children and their families.

So I will continue to wear my pink and green “Praying for Alden” bracelet as a reminder to pray for her family, as a testament to the Lord’s faithfulness to heal, and as a confirmation that if the Lord calls me to work with pediatric oncology patients, HE will give me the grace and the strength to walk this difficulty journey with them. 

The verse at the beginning of this post is one of Alden’s life verses.  This sweet girl not only KNEW the Lord, but she loved Him not only with her words but with her life…

 

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Pray for Alden

I wanted to ask you guys to pray for a sweet girl named Alden.  Head on over and check out her caringbridge site.  This is one of the bravest girls I know, and she is fighting a tough battle with Leukemia.  She captured my heart from the moment I met her, and my heart is breaking to hear of how much she is struggling right now.  She and her family are appreciative of anyone willing to lift her up in prayer to the only ONE who heals.  This family’s faith is in the Lord, and they know that He is in control….but they are pleading for the Lord to spare Alden’s life.  Please pray!