Perfection...

Years ago, I listened as one of our friends in our bible school class prayed. He was praying for a precious little boy who was about to undergo a surgery to repair his skull after being born with a condition in which his skull was misshapen and didn't allow for brain growth. When this little boy would wake up after surgery, his parents had been told that his eyes would be swollen shut...that he would wake up unable to see until the swelling went down. This kid was two. So just take yourself there for a minute.. I remember my heart breaking as I couldn't imagine how difficult that would be for his parents. This was years before I was pregnant with Lia, and of course, I had no idea I would one day walk a similar, heart wrenching journey with my own child.

The thing that stuck out to me in Craig's prayer was that he prayed for perfection.  I remember him asking God to "bless this surgery with absolute perfection".  And I loved that. 

Why don't we do that more often?  Why?  Isn't that what we want?  We want the cancer to be completely gone...not just smaller. We want the preterm labor to go away for good...until the baby is full term. We want the heart defect to be fully repaired, with good heart function afterward.  We want the surgeon to be able to place child's broken bones back together completely and with ease.  We want no setbacks, no complications. We want perfection. God is capable of doing so much more than we can even think to ask of Him.  I think we need to be boldly asking for perfection. He can handle that. 

I don't understand why children are struck with cancer.  I don't know why young mothers are either.  I will never understand why a young, courageous firefighter and father is killed while at his job being a hero and saving others. Why can't all kids be born healthy and full term, free of any congenital defects or disease?  I don't get it, and as I get older, the stories seem more and more prevalent, and seem to hit home much more personally. 

Those questions will never go away...not while we are on this earth. The thing that remains constant is that our Lord loves us. All of us. He wants us to bring him our deepest desires. I'm so thankful that we are able to go to Him with the things that are troubling us...the things we want most in this world. I'm thankful that he listens. And I know....we don't always get what we ask for.  But the thing is...we always get to ask. And He always hears us. I think I'm going to continue asking boldly for perfection...I mean, if He's there and hears us, then why not go big? Why wouldn't we ask for perfection?...it's what we really want. 

Please join me in praying for a few people who need big prayer warriors on their side.  Warriors who are willing to pray boldly for perfection and peace ... Some of the names are:

Truman, Julie, Esther, Maddie, Landri, Piercen, Christina, Erica, Katie, Nancy & Larry  I'm sure there are so many, many more...

"Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen."  Ephesians 3:20,21

This time last year we were busy praying for perfection for these two ladies... it's hard to believe it's almost been a year... Thank you Lord.  Really....Thank you.