Great is THY Faithfulness

"I thank my GOD upon every remembrance of you." Philippians 1:3

Dear Praying Friends and Family,
That verse above is for you! Thank you for all the prayers that you have prayed this past week for my friend Catherine Smith's baby, Josie, "CJ." Last Thursday, the doctors in Birmingham said she had a 20% chance of survival. On Friday, they gave her a 50% chance. You have prayed for her along with many, many others and GOD has heard and answered the cries of HIS children once again. Below is a letter that Baby Josie's Mom shared with our church family yesterday over email. I want to share it with you dear "Mighty Musk Ox Prayer Warrior Princesses and Princes," and thank you so very much for bringing her before our FATHER. HE delights to answer the cries of HIS children.

Dear Loving Church Family,

We are so touched and humbled by your display of brotherly love. Stan and I were talking last night, again, how we just feel like a PART of the multitude of people who are carrying this load. We don’t at all feel like we are carrying this alone and even that it’s too much to bear. Even though we are hopeful that Josie will live now, we felt this way a week ago when her living was not as hopeful. You have undoubtedly made the yolk easy and the burden light. We feel so blessed, loved, and ministered to. Thank you so much.

“Many oh Lord my God, are Your wonderful works which You have done, and Your thoughts toward us cannot be recounted to You in order. If I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.” Ps 40:5

The Lord’s mercies are new even this morning! I just spoke with Josie’s night nurse and Josie tolerated being weaned from the vent to 85% oxygen also with a slight decrease in the amount of pressure the oxygen is given to her. Bless the Lord, oh my soul and all that is within me!

Addy (her big sister who is 6, my add on here) and Harley ( I think she is three, me again) greatly enjoyed seeing Josie yesterday. Harley had put a toy train in the diaper bag that we were unaware of and pulled it out when we got there and gave to Josie. Addy couldn’t stop starring at her with the eyes of a mother, really, with joy yet protecting her own heart from attachment…she still isn’t allowing herself to fully trust that Josie will be coming home with us one day. I was able to help with Josie’s chest tube removal, change her diaper, and lift her little body to change the soiled blanket from her chest tube removal yesterday! I was ecstatic, especially after 2 days of not being able to uncover her face or touch her at all! When I picked her up her little skin was so tight from all the swelling that has settled along the back of her body, it felt like her skin just melted around my hands. Josie had a new nurse and dr yesterday, both of which were a little rough and loud with her, but nonetheless, Josie tolerated the loud voices, rough handling, and lights in her face unprotected by her face blind by keeping up her oxygenation, so we were really encouraged even though I wanted to tell them to be quiet, cover her face, and not touch her at unnecessary times! The dr also ordered to completely stop all 3 meds yesterday, which the nurse this morning reported that she’s not showing sign of respiratory distress without them, so praise the Lord, once again!

One week ago this evening we were given little hope that this little girl would live, we feel so humbled to look back at His numerous, wonderful works over the past week. We don’t deserve such mercy and lovingkindness. “With weeping they will come, and by supplication I will lead them. I will make them walk by streams of waters, on a straight path in which they will not stumble. For I am a Father to Israel…For I will turn their mourning into joy and will comfort them and give them joy for their sorrow…and my people will be satisfied with My goodness.” Jer 31

With love,
Stan and Catherine Smith

Please continue to remember this dear little one, and her Mom especially as she is recovering from an emergency C Section and going back and forth to the hospital almost every day. They have three little ones at home, in addition to Addy and Harley, little brother Will is 19 months. HB and i were able to keep Will on Wednesday, HB did most of the keeping, while the rest of the family went to see Josie. He was the BEST little guy...what a blessing!!!

I also want to thank you for your diligent prayers for my dear friend Wanda's daughter who almost died a couple of weeks ago after giving birth to her first little one. Crystal is doing well from what i understand, and Madelyn Avery is thriving, this baby that they have waited years to have. Praise the LORD for HIS answers to your prayers. Thank you so much for remembering them and praying for them through such a difficult time for their family.

When i was thinking about what to share with you this week, the LORD brought to my mind the love and appreciation that Paul had for the church at Philippi. I was blessed to be invited to a Bible study this week with the FBC, "Willing Hearts" group, and I have enjoyed so much reading about Paul's love for the Philippian believers. Paul's love for the believers at Philippi overflowed for these dear believers who loved and cared for Paul. He appreciated so much their prayers for him. Paul wrote this letter to his beloved brothers and sisters in CHRIST while he was in prison for sharing the gospel. He did not want them to be discouraged about his situation but to encourage them that GOD had used his imprisonment to further the gospel of CHRIST. In Philippians 1:12-14 Paul writes, "Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel. As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for CHRIST. Because of my chains, most of the brothers in the LORD have been encouraged to speak the word of GOD more courageously and fearlessly." Paul goes on to say in verse 18 and following: Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, for I know that through your prayers, and the help given me by the SPIRIT of JESUS CHRIST, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance."
Some of you have been reading these emails since the beginning when these emails were "borne," during a very, very difficult time in my life. I wasn't in a prison, prison like Paul, but i have been in a prison of sorts with my health and these emails have been a way of sharing my heart with you, my dear friends and family, and hopefully magnify the LORD JESUS in some way. I am amazed quite honestly most of the time when any of you write and tell me that you read my emails and are praying for someone i've asked you to remember. I know they are long, and I am humbled that any of you would take the time to read them.
What i want to say most of all is thank you so much for your prayers. Thank you for your prayers for me with all my health struggles which have been great at times. As Paul shares in II Cor. 1:8, "We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on GOD, who raises the dead." I have been under great pressure at times throughout these past four years, maybe five now, that i've been writing you, and I realize that it is when i am under the most pressure, that these letters have meant the most to you. I know that is the grace of GOD being strong in my weakness. "But HE said to me, "MY grace is sufficient for you for my power is made perfect in weakness." II Cor. 12:9. As i was weed eating yesterday I kept trying to think of an illustration to use for the Friday email and nothing "profound," would come to me. And it was like the LORD was gently reminding me that when I am weakest i see HIM most. I guess when i'm able to weed eat, i'm not at my weakest...but i sure am thankful for better health. Your prayers have carried me and my loved ones and I want you to know how very, very grateful I am to you for praying for me in my "imprisonment" with my health struggles," for my family, and for my loved ones. I and these loved ones you have prayed for am profoundly grateful for moving the heart of GOD on our behalf. Thank you so very much, brothers and sisters, for the prayers you have prayed on our behalf. These outcomes with Crystal, and Josie, and me and my family, may have been very different without the saints praying for us.
You may have missed me sharing a couple of weeks ago about the "Mighty Musk Ox Prayer Warrior Princesses," that i learned about at the recent Women's Conference that took place at FBC. What a blessing it was to my soul! One of the illustrations that Donna Partow shared that Friday night concerning prayer was how the Musk Oxen surround their young in a circle to protect them from wolves coming and killing them. Donna demonstrated this by pulling women from the congregation and getting them to gather around someone who needs our prayers. She said when we have mother's and grandmothers, aunts, and our church family praying for us, we are surrounded by the prayers of the saints, and we are protecting our loved ones from the ravages of satan through our prayers. That illustration has really meant a lot to me since i heard it, and i am taking my role of praying for you more seriously. I welcome your prayer requests and as a "Mighty Musk Ox Prayer Warrior Princess," it is my privilege and honor to pray for you as you have so graciously prayed for me and my loved ones. I know that GOD answers prayer...HE's done it over and over in my life and yours. HE tells us to "ask and it shall be given to you, seek and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto." One thing i'm noticing about prayer is that GOD changes my heart to know HIM more when i am diligently praying for something and I love that! HE tells us in Ps. 37:4, "Delight yourself in the LORD, and HE will give you the desires of your heart." He is ever teaching me to delight in HIM...and how many ways can i look around and see the desires of my heart that my FATHER has given me.
I am so thankful for my LORD JESUS CHRIST who died on the cross for my sins and rose from the dead, that i could run to HIM any time of day or night. It's not like in the Old Covenant when you had to go through a High Priest to talk to GOD...no brothers and sisters, JESUS makes it possible to go directly to the FATHER through HIM, when we come to HIM in faith and repent of our sins. In Ezekiel 36:24-27 we learn of the NEW Covenant that GOD makes with us: "And I will give you a new heart with new and right desires, and I will put a new SPIRIT in you. I will take out your stony heart of sin and give you a new obedient heart. And I will put my SPIRIT in you so you will obey my laws and do whatever I command." That's what my JESUS does for us ya'll, HE loves us sooooo much! HE is our Intercessor and HE pleads with GOD on our behalf. HE loves us and prays for us through the HOLY SPIRIT. "If you then being evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly FATHER give good gifts to those who ask HIM?" Matt.7:11. Our FATHER delights in giving us good gifts...gifts that are in HIS will, and that are good for us, and that bring glory to HIM. May we ask HIM boldly as we come to HIM and trust HIM. Thank you so much for asking for healing on behalf of Josie and Crystal most recently. Please continue to remember Josie...she is better, but continues to be in NICU and they are weening her off the ventilator.
Through Josie's sickness i have been reminded of the dear prayers that were answered for my own daughter who almost died as an infant due to a growth across her windpipe. So many brothers and sisters were praying for her in many different churches, and we are so very grateful that GOD used the doctors and nurses to bring healing to her. She has been such a joy to us, and we praise GOD for her life and what HE is doing in her and through her. Today, she was honored at the community college she attends for dual enrollment classes and was awarded the History Award for the whole college. We are so honored and grateful to the LORD for blessing her with a sound mind, favor with her teachers, and a desire to study hard. When she was little and on a lot of medication i certainly was concerned if she would be "normal." Thank you JESUS for answering the prayers of your children for Hannah Beth's life. She will be graduating from high school on Memorial Day at 2:00 at Southwood Presbyterian Church in Huntsville. We'd love to have you come and join in the celebration of GOD's goodness and faithfulness in our lives to bring us to this point. When my kids were little, I wondered if I would make it to have one graduate, and now GOD is blessing me with both of my children graduating from high school and John Mac almost college in December. This homeschool Mom is so very thankful and we couldn't have done anything without GOD's grace and mercy in our lives and HIM answering your prayers for me.
"GREAT is THY FAITHFULNESS," is this week's song...sung by Selah. HE has been so very faithful down through the ages to answer the prayers of HIS children, and HE continues to be so very faithful to me and to you....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RpRCClg8pEY. May the LORD JESUS use this song to comfort and encourage as you listen and watch and remind you how very much HE loves you!


I love you dear brothers and sisters, and I do thank my GOD upon every remembrance of you. Thank you so very much for your dear prayers on my behalf, my family's behalf and on behalf of those i've asked you to pray for. GOD has answered and continues to answer your prayers. To GOD be the glory and GREAT is HIS FAITHFULNESS!!!

With all HIS love,
mitzi

In the pictures -Catherine and baby Josie
Us with HB at Awards Day today












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"I strongly suspect that if we saw all the difference even the tiniest of our prayers make, and all the people those little prayers were destined to affect, and all the consequences of those prayers down through the centuries, we would be so paralyzed with awe at the power of prayer that we would be unable to get up off our knees for the rest of our lives."-Peter Kraft, professor at Boston College

"But the prayer of the upright is HIS delight." Proverbs 15:8