Every six months Isaiah must have the metal rods in his back lengthened in order to keep up with his growth. Although this surgery takes only about an hour, it's still hard on the little guy. He'll be under general anesthesia, will have incisions made in his back, be in pain, and need to spend one night in the hospital. In short, it's no picnic. But each time we have gone in for this surgery, we have seen God open doors and impact people's lives. Isaiah has been blessed with a very sweet, fun and gentle personality, that we've seen touch hearts many many times. Even some of the coldest people have warmed after an encounter with the little guy, and it's through this we've seen God work.
Isaiah is probably the only seven-year-old who loves to watch sermons on his iPad. One of his favorites is the John Piper video podcast. He'll pull them up all by himself and just sit there and watch them over and over again. One day I asked him why he like to watch sermons so much, and he just smiled and said "happy." It's this love of God's word that the Holy Spirit has mysteriously worked in his heart that has made such an impact on others. While he recovers in the hospital, he consistently asks us to play sermons for him. He'll just lay in his bed and listen to them, and all the while nurses, doctors, medical assistants, etc. are all coming in and out, hearing the gospel echo throughout the room. I've watched as nurses took blood samples to the words of "He who has the Son has life. He who does not have the Son does not have life!" Doctor's have made their rounds to the words "God wants you to know that you do not have to die in your sins." Sometimes we get strange looks, but we just smile and say "he likes to listen to sermons!" And the Lord never fails to provide us with the opportunity to speak with those around us.
On a side note, we even got a sweet phone call from Dr. Piper once, and I still have the voice message saved on my phone where he tells us he's praying for Isaiah. This is one of Isaiah's favorite things for me to play for him when he's recovering. He just smiles and says "again!"
The Lord has not blessed Isaiah with a tremendous gift of speech. Isaiah cannot clearly, in his own words explain the gospel to you. But he can love the gospel in such a way that his life becomes a conduit through which the words of God's messengers can travel to ears that are normally shut to the things of Christ. In the weakness of this thirty-pound, little paraplegic boy with the understanding of a two-and-a-half year old the light of Christ is magnified in a powerful way and God is exalted. In Isaiah's weakness he is strong (2 Cor 12:10)
We ask that you would pray for Isaiah's upcoming "mission trip" to Shriners. Pray not only for his safety, but for the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ to be proclaimed to all whom we encounter.
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