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Prayer Request: Abundant Living
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Prayer Request: Abundant Living
Lindsey Vaugh is an 18 year old graduating senior and was the youth pastor in the church I visited today. Her sermon was articulate, intelligent, and inspiring. She briefly referenced an illness and gave no details. I knew that she spoke with wisdom beyond her years and I made sure I met the family afterwards.
Lindsey Vaughan was born at 26 weeks and weighed 2 pounds and 14 ounces. She had a class 4 bleed on the brain and wasn't expected to live. The doctors told them if she lived, it would be with severe brain damage. Through prayer, Leslie lived to be the beautiful and intelligent young lady she is today.
This beautiful young lady has her challenges. The ventricles in her brain are not the same size. She has struggled with this her entire life. The doctors put a shunt in at birth and have replaced it many times. She currently has 3 shunts. In her short 18 years, she has had 65 surgeries. She has constant headaches and is on high levels of pain medication. Through it all, she has continued with her studies and been a leader in her church. She is graduating this summer and hopes to attend college in the fall.
Lindsey's mother told me the story and gave me permission to write this. I promised this mother that people are reading these stories and praying. She wanted to be added to your prayer list. Her prayer request is for technology to advance and for them to be able to create a shunt that will be a permanent solution.
I talked to Lindsey's father and he told me how incredible Lindsey is. He gave permission for me to tell the story and encouraged me to talk to Lindsey.
Lindsey is as much a delight in person as she is from the pulpit. She described her pain and how much pain medication she is on. She told me of her 65 surgeries. I asked Lindsey's permission to add her to my stories and she quickly agreed. Her prayer request is for the headaches to go away.
As I looked at this family, I thought about how prepared spiritually they were for this event. They are active in church. They joined Middletown Baptist when they were expecting Lindsey. They have an older son who was also active in church. They lean on the church. They get spiritual strength from this church. They also contribute to the church. Lindsey's mother is the youth leader and she was honored during the worship service. The youth song leader gave a testimony about the difference she had made in her life and the dramatic presentation was dedicated to her. The youth couldn't talk about her without crying.
This family could have chosen to withdraw from Christian service. When I think about the physical demands of having a child operated on 65 times, I get overwhelmed. They could have chosen self pity and taught it to Lindsey. They could have been angry with God. They could have taught Lindsey to depend on them instead of God. Instead, they saw Lindsey as the miracle she is. Throughout this trial, they served and loved God with all their heart, strength, and might. The fruits of their labor were evident in that service today.
I wish I knew more about the story. I can only imagine how many ups and downs there were. Since there are no perfect people, I'm sure there were many times when faith wavered and discouragement tried to take over. Like most humans, I'm sure they are very aware of all of the times they failed. Regardless of any stumbling along the way, their faith and strength was overwhelmingly obvious today.
What I saw is a young lady spiritually prepared to face life on life's terms. The gift her parents taught her was the value of faith. God can give her what her parents cannot.
I saw both acceptance and determination in this young lady. I cannot imagine her facing these circumstances without faith. In human terms, she certainly has reason for self pity and bitterness. Self-pity could ruin her life. Bitterness could turn her into someone that no one wanted to be around. All of the attention could have spoiled her. Disappointment could have made her give up. Instead, she seemed to know that the only thing that could really ruin her life is to have a life without God.
Please join me in praying for this family. In addition to a prayer for improved technology and freedom from pain, thank God for Lindsey and everything He has planned for her life. Pray for her hopes and dreams and her spiritual journey. Thank God for her faithful and courageous parents.
This might be a good time to look at your own life and honestly ask yourself about your faith. Is anger, bitterness, self-pity, or defeat ruining your life? If so, confess and ask God to replace those emotions with love. When I truly love the Lord My God with all of my heart, soul, and might, there is no room for anything else.
If you don't know the Jesus that Lindsey spoke about with so much faith, get on your knees and ask this sweet Jesus to reveal himself to you.
Revelation 3:20 promises he will answer. "Behold, I stand at the door and knock; If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come to him."
Confess that you are a sinner (someone who misses the mark) and ask for his forgiveness. Invite him to be a part of your life. It really is that simple. With that simple prayer, your eternity with Jesus begins.
"God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life" John 3:16.
We are not promised a life without pain. If we trust God, we are promised victory over life's circumstances. I've heard the expression, "pain is inevitable but suffering is optional." If you are suffering, you have a choice. You can live. Look at Lindsey. She is living. By loving the Lord God with all our soul, we can be happy, joyous, and free.
"I came that they might have life, and might have it abundantly." John 10:10
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