Category Archives: Prayer

Caleb’s Prayer

Posted on by
7

Two years ago I was invited to be the keynote speaker at a high school camp over Labor Day weekend. Mind you, this was pre-cancer, this was at a time when the content had nothing to do with my story in particular and had everything to do with being just a plain ol’ dude with (possibly) something to say about Jesus.

As an intro into each of my messages I invited the teens to pray with me in unique ways that I thought would allow us to engage the particular Jesus topic we were about to encounter. So, for example, when I shared stories that captured the side of Jesus that reminds us how he fights on our behalf I invited the kids to rub their hands together and then open them up as if receiving a gift. We took this prayer posture while we then invited the God who gives, cares, and sacrifices on our behalf to be more present in our lives. I thought it was a cool experience…I new knew if it connected on any level with anyone else…and it didn’t necessarily matter I guess.

Anyway, two years later, we decided to visit up at camp for the day. As we were there (this was last week) ten year old Caleb asked if we could pray this same way on my behalf. It must be noted that Caleb was only eight when I invited the camp to pray this way two years ago, and it must be also noted that he’s way too young for this camp in the first place! Oh, and it should probably also be said (though we all already know this) that none of us ever remember what a teacher, preacher, or speaker of any kind said twenty minutes ago let alone two years ago! What the?! And yet here we find Caleb not only remembering but wanting to engage in it right here, right now, at this very moment! Caleb approached the directors of the camp and asked if the entire Faith Quest (the name of the camp) community could pray over me in this way–“in the way that Ryan taught us to pray a few years ago.” I’ll say it again, what the heezy?! What the hizflip? What the what!?

So twenty minutes later I found myself with my wife, my parents, one of my sisters, and my uncle being prayed over in front of 500 people, lead by one boy: Caleb.

It was needed prayer too.* I had just spent the entire prior day sick and in the ER. Heading out to the camp for the day was a risky move, one that we were lucky enough to not have backfire on us because you just never know from moment to moment how my body will respond and feel. We stepped out on a limb driving out there and it did not come without cost–but it also came with great blessing. And the greatest of those blessings was Caleb’s faith. It was his prayer. It was the prayer of the FQ community initiated by this one boy.

Honestly I cannot tell you what he said in his prayer. I’m not sure it matters too much. There’s this idea in Scripture that the Spirit of God groans on our behalf, that even when we don’t have the words or when we’re saying goofy words, the Spirit of God is speaking for us and speaking in the silence and even speaking through our gibberish. Caleb prayed as a person of faith, he prayed with humility, he prayed with passion, and he definitely prayed with courage. It was beautiful to see, it was beautiful to be carried by his words, and I hope that all the high schoolers who were out there that weekend learned something from him. I remember being in high school. High schoolers can be a dense group of people. Or. OR they can be a cloud of people who are able to be touched by such moments as these. My hope is that they were. My hope is that they saw Caleb’s faith and were invited to step up to the challenge of belief, hope, and prayer. I know I felt challenged and invited.

Thanks Caleb!

Oh, and the greatest thing about all of this was the giant hug that Caleb gave me afterwards. For a kid that isn’t the biggest of them all, his hug was huge! Somehow his small stature engulfed my bloated body up on stage has he gave me a massive bear hug that far exceeded his frames potential. It was just one of those moments that sticks with you.

 

* Prayer is obviously always needed. But in this particular moment there was a stronger felt need for sure.

Good News For My Son

Posted on by
10

Did you know that a lifelong undiagnosed extreme fruit allergy will ruin and attack your immune system? It can cause chronic ear infections, wreak havoc on your digestive track (causing other sensitivities to food), and it causes neurological damage (not permanente) among other things. Essentially it messes with your body in intense ways…as if you’re eating poison…which you are.

After being off fruit for two weeks my sons body is healthier than its ever been. While it’s hard to articulate and it’s still up and down due to the nature of our life right now even his ability to regulate his extreme emotions and intense sensitivities has been transformed in this short period of time. Even further, and of the most importance right now, in these three days his swollen lymph nodes have begun to shrink to the point that yesterday our doctor exclaimed “There’s no possible way this boy has lymphoma!”. Turns out his lymph nodes were maxing out after years of storing up toxins due to this unknown extreme allergy! (my wife could write a three page article here detailing Jones’ medical history in order to show how many connections there are to symptoms of a bad fruit allergy and his health concerns since birth)

I cannot tell you how glorious yesterday was, how ecstatic all of us (including Jones) were to know that not only do we no longer have to fear Jones having cancer, having a biopsy, or having to have his lymph removed but we also get to see my son head down a path of health! He has been plagued his whole life with chronic ear infections, with food allergies and sensitivities, and with a brain that functioned so intensely that it often would get out of control. In the last two weeks he has shown a calmness and new level of emotional articulation that are new*, his body has looked healthier, and most importantly his lymphs have begun to shrink.

Anyway, the point to all this is that my son does not have frickin’ lymphoma! He’s not having a biopsy! He’s not having surgery in the next week or two! This is amazing, wonderful, glorious news and we have to thank all of you for your constant and vigilant prayers. I mean think about it, these prayers not only brought healing to his neck but are going to bring a holistic healing to his entire life. I wasn’t even asking for that…but now feel like I can and must exclaim in solidarity with one person from the Bible who said “Thank you God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ever ask or imagine!”

Maybe I just need a bigger imagination?

 

*Don’t get me wrong, all of us in our house are still struggling with very extremem emotions that swing at any given moment even on a wonderful day like yesterday…but that’s the blog I’ll be writing tomorrow!

Westboro

Posted on by
1

Today the Westboro Baptist Church will be in little ol’ Vancouver Washington protesting at one of the local high schools because of the rampant homosexuality taking over our schools in Vancouver and Portland. We hope to be able to go to a counter protest today at the local YWCA.

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace;
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon:
where there is doubt, faith ;
where there is despair, hope
where there is darkness, light
where there is sadness, joy
O divine Master,
grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood, as to understand;
to be loved, as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life.
Or, in the words of Jesus…

Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
69XNQJZK9R7R