Mother's

There are so many amazing things about being a mother. First of all I never knew how amazingly strong your love for your child would be. Second of all, I never would have guessed the millions of ways that God shows forth His truth that children are blessings. I'm not just blessed because I have the children, I'm blessed in the way they make me view God and the world, the way they sanctify me constantly, and the way they make me think about things I wouldn't normally on my own.

For instance, tonight at dinner, Colin takes one of the kids off for a spanking and Gracie asks me, "What would happen if I took the spanking for ___? Would that be like what Jesus did for me?" I was so preoccupied with the interruption of the child getting disciplined that I was glossing over one of the main reasons we discipline in the first place. Without spankings we wouldn't know the significance of someone else's sacrifice for us. If said child had never known how awful it was to get spanked, what would they care if one of their brothers or sisters took over that spanking? And second of all, the selflessness and love of Jesus to do that for us is an act that was so generous and wonderful. Why would we be so grateful for someone to take our earthly punishment and so negligent to be grateful to our Christ who took our eternal punishment for us?

Part of the joy of this situation was also seeing one of my kids being blessed with a believing mind through faith. Affirmation of the covenant that He gave to us so long ago. Knowing that this is a gift from God above alone for this child that I love so dearly is such an amazing gift to me as well. This gift for this child that I would do just about anything to spare from pain or misery from God who willingly gave His Son into pain and misery so that my child and I could share in this gift.... it truly boggles the mind!

Another added blessing today came via my sons. There was some jealousy over a toy car today that was really upsetting one brother. The other brother came over on his own accord and freely and joyfully offerred up this car to his sad brother! It was so sweet to see him share and love his brother in such a way. Then later, Noah said out of the blue to his daddy, "Would you please read to me a story about Jesus? Read to us about God's love." A heart that loves God and longs to hear more about Him?! What better gift could a mother ask for on such a day?!

Soli Deo Gloria

Stacy McDonald update

Yea!!! I just read this update on James McDonald's blog. Praise God for healing this mother on this Lord's day that some like to also call Mother's Day :)

Prayers for Stacy McDonald

I just saw this on one of the bulletin boards I frequent. Colin got to spend a day with this lovely family not to long ago when he interviewed Stacy for his upcoming movie. Please pray for this family!

Emergency Prayer Request May 6 Friends and Families, I am typing this note while sitting in an ER in southern Wisconsin. We have been on the road for three and a half weeks, speaking at New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Michigan, as well as ministering at churches along the way. But an emergency has come up. As background, my wife Stacy, mother of 10, has no feeling in her left foot. Over a month ago, she injured her foot, but did not notice it until it became infected. Our doctor in Houston cleared out the area and prescribed an antibiotic. We noticed the infection returning Thursday evening while at the INCH conference. Stacy's podiatrist called in a prescription of antibiotics Friday. At the Michigan conference Saturday, we met with a homeschooling mother who was also an ER doctor who doubled the antibiotics and told us to watch the infection. Today, while visiting with the Erber family, it looked worse than ever, which brought us here to the hospital. The doctor here believes Stacy's foot infection has entered into her bone. She has recommended we return to Houston as soon as possible. Stacy is now receiving a shot of antibiotics. We will then plan the fastest route to get her home. This condition is quite serious, but we are trusting in the Lord and His Sovereignty. We ask for your prayers. Feel free to forward this request to any who may be able to offer prayer. In His Service, James James M McDonald

The Tempest

This last weekend was full of excitment. It started Friday when we had a tornado hit our humble little town. It didn't cause any damage to any of our family's houses and thankfully no one at all was injured. My mom's neighborhood got it pretty bad where tree after tree was uprooted - quite an amazing sight really! As my little family huddled in our shower underneath a mattress we found a good opportunity to share with the kids about God's power and His sovereignty when they asked, "Why did God make the tornado?"

Another bit of news is that my sister had her baby this weekend! As she described to me the whirlwind that was her labor and birth (which I unfortunately missed) I found myself dreading and fearing my own upcoming labor and not wanting to go through it at all. I am providentially faced with God's answer to my fears through the twister that my city went through. It is God who brings the storm, it is God who sees us through, and it is God who uses the storm for our good. If we go through life with all sunny days and no pain, we might never see how truly reliant upon Him we are for our needs and even our next breath. So I repent of my fears, and I thank Him for the storm and I ask Him for the grace and wisdom to remember these truths when I am in the next one.

They're back!

I am so thankful to report that everyone made it home safely from their trek across the ocean! I don't think they had the best of times due to a bout with the flu, but they managed to squeeze in some laughs along the way. Colin says the kids did great on the plane and we're complimented on every leg about how well behaved they were :) They're all getting back into the routine except for the going to bed at 7 and waking up at 6am thing - I'll be glad when that goes back to normal again. Here's some pics from the sojourn.

Gracie and Noah on the first plane.Gracie on a canon in EdinburghNoah shooting a toy gun. Seriously, 90% of his pictures on the trip were of him in this pose. Should I tell him guns are illegal in Scotland?Grandma and Grandpa celebrating 60 year birthdays.