New family to pray for. BJ & Tonya have a preemie (can't remember age) named Nalin. Nalin is doing well, and Tonya is able to spend lots of time with him, but BJ is only able to spend a few nights and weekends as he has a job to maintain and they have two children back home. I met them last night while I was shooting my Video (you'll see them in the NICU waiting room at the very end), and we talked all the way to the parking garage. I gave them the web address, and they may check in later today.
Also, Kim & Matt (who I mentioned briefly before) are sick at home and are unable to visit their baby, David. I'm sure that has to be rough, and I'm praying that they get well today. Grandma is hanging out in the meantime. Kim and family have been with the blog since before we met.
And, Joe and Kendra (who you've been praying for in This Post) will be attending a service tomorrow to remember their daughter, so please, pray that it will be a day of grace and love. Their boys continue to do well. I also gave them the address today, and they may check in.
Thanks!
Nate
48 comments:
I feel it.
Thinking of your family.
Just need to learn how to pray and know that it is heard. But I'm drawn to this story and I believe that God is wanting to talk to me. I need to open up and let him in.
Thank you for your blog and updates Nate.
KL, South Africa
I think you're as addicted to writing to us as we are to checking in on you.
Our Lord Father, please bless the families that Nathan has met in the course of his time at the NICU.
Give them all the extra special care they need and share with them your love.
Joe and Kendra, May you find the peace that only God can provide and HOPE that comes in the belief that "All things work together for our good" even when it doesn't make sense. We love you and are praying for you and the boys...and all the Duke NICU residents!
PRAYING FOR ALL FAMILIES IN THE NICU!
GOD IS RIGHT THERE WITH YOU ALL!
BLESSINGS TO ALL!
Words can't describe how your blog has changed my outlook and my relationship with God in such a short amount of time.
I was led to your blog from an adoption forum and have spent a lot of time reading your story, all about your life and Tricia's life. I began with just praying for all of you, basically pleading with God for Tricia and Gwyneth to be fine. I forwarded your blog on to everyone I know that believes in prayer. After reading your blog and reading the blog of your father, I realized that my prayers were all wrong - so I began a conversation with God.
You are so right - and it is amazing how real you make it in your writing - your faith is palpable. Our GOD is an awesome GOD and one to believe in and one to trust - in all times and in all situations!
I find myself checking your blog multiple times throughout the day -for updates on your wife and gorgeous baby girl, but also because it is so inspiring and has renewed my faith in a way I didn't even know I needed.
So, my thoughts and prayers are still with you, but in a way so much more meaningful and so much more fulfilling than before I had the great fortune of being directed to your blog.
Enjoy your Sunday, Nathan. And thank you for sharing your amazing and blessed life with us.
Oh Dear Lord!
We bring these precious miracles before you today:
Please bless and comfort Nalin, and David and Joe and Kendra's boys, and Gwyneth Rose. How beautiful and precious each one of them is to you oh Lord! How amazing that you knit each one of these babies together, please help them now to grow strong and healthy that they may grow up and sing their praises to you.
Lord we also lift up each of these children's families and their special needs. Please bless Joe and Kendra as they griev the loss of their sweet little girl, help them as they care for their little boys. Please restore Kim and Matt to complete health so that they can return to caring for thier darling David. Thank you for a Grandma that can fill in for them. And please bless BJ and Tonya as they navigate raising all their children and deal with this temporary seperation. Bless each friend, granparent, and neighbor who reaches out to help and pray for these familes. May all their lives bring glory to you, Father God.
And bless Nate and Tricia and Gwyneth and everyone they touch, in person or online. May Your peace and Your strength continue to be a ruling presence.
Amen!
Okay, I admit it, I am addicted but it is such a worthy addiction from the ones I had when I was younger.:)
The God who rescued me is the same one today who is watching over all the precious families you asked prayer for and He is so faithful, I am just amazed. I don't think I will have any questions for Him in the near future. I am humbled to have a front row seat, watching Him perform His best work ever, these miracles!! This is "reality" at it's best. He is so good and prayers will be answered for these families too. 2008 is turning out to be the "Year of the Miracles" and I am so blessed to be living in it and partaking of His Goodness.
Bless you Nate and your video was precious. You are good with that camera!!! Praying non stop for your girls who rest in Gods hands.
Love, Laurie in Ca.
I'm officially addicted! I know you said you would be resting with family today but I couldn't resist checking on your family. I know that the messages you receive daily are encouraging for you and those around you but I too find it encouraging to read about how God is super naturally working in both Tricia and Gwyneth's lives. You all are an amazing blessing and living testimony to others all across the world, and I am encouraged each time I log in. Thank you for being a blessing and down here in hot Orlando, we are continuing to speak life and healing into your girls lives as well as the families you have previously mentioned. May God continue to pour out his everlasting love of blessings upon you and those around you. May he continue to use you as a shining light for his kingdom. Enjoy your day of rest and we look forward to another wonderful update this week. We are claiming VICTORY this day in Jesus name! God Bless, Meredith & family/Orlando FL
I couldn't help myself. Just had to check in on this day of rest. Wow! I love that #1 post. Chalk another one up to our gear God. He has used you again to touch the heart of one more all the way on other side of the world.
We missed you at church this morning. Worship was highly emotional, yet for many of us it was sweeter than ever before as we gave praise to our loving God of miracles.
Have a blessed and restful day. May tomorrow bring you much joy. P.S. We're off to spend the rest of the afternoon with our kids and grandkids.
We continue to pray for you and those that you meet. Perhaps your new job is hospital chaplin? I was up several times last night and prayed specifically for healing in Tricia's body so that she can share the joy that her sicknesss is brining to others. I can't wait until the day I turn on your blog and the post was written by her! How wonderful that will be! Praying for a quiet day and extra strength so you can press on through the next week.
Will be praying for those families of the NICU and for Joe and Kendra for the service of their little girl to be so sweet and peaceful with God's comfort surrounding them. Still holding you, Tricia and Baby Rose in my prayers! Expecting many more miracles for your family!
GOD IS SO GOOD! ALL THE TIME!
AW from Charlotte
Being a former NICU parent myself, I can attest to the time and emotions that go into having a child in there. And those days when you aren't physically able to go in are hard. We met many other NICU parents who were in the same boat we were and we found such great solace in their faces and smiles, even if no words were spoken. Nate, know that you are ministering to these dear families just by being there, smiling and saying hi. My prayers are with all the parents in the NICU that you are in contact with.
Erinn
Maryland
You don't know me but I am praying for your family. May God hold you up when you are weak and may He be your strength.----
Matthew 11:29-30 "Take my yoke upon you and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."
Kathy
Nate - I passed your blog onto my friends Ben and Mel Bloker who are stationed over here in Germany with me. Small world...I just found out that Ben Bloker's dad is really good friends with your dad and they had already been praying for you. Just another sign that our God is AMAZINGLY HUGE! Brothers and Sisters in Christ are coming together all over the world to pray for your family (and all the other people you're lifting up). Rest in His peace today. He has you and your girls securely in His grip.
Amy (Matt Kirschner's sister-in-law)
I am guilty of this addiction also, in fact I have my grandbaby this weekend and I am praying for your baby and wife while I am up with my grandbaby, in fact,I also get on line and check if there are any updates after I feed her and get her back to bed (NOW THAT'S AN ADDICTION)Well I'm up anyhow, what can I say. Praying for all today and for the other families you have mentioned.
Ellen in Memphis
Nathan, On this day of rest, praise and worship to our GREAT GOD. Just know that our family's prayer are lifting you, Tricia, Gwyneth and the rest of the NICU family's up in our deepest prayers. Joe and Kendra, "The Lord will give strength to His people; the Lord blesses His people with peace" Psalm 29:11. May this be true to your family and all the other in the NICU. Blessings on this day God has made. We love you's, Nate and Tricia and miss you tons!
In Christ- Jilliane, TJ, Corey, Dylan and Mckenna
Cheasapeake, VA
"Jesus Christ is the same Yesterday, Today and Forever" Hebrews 13:8
For quite some time I've been wrestling with the issue of "suffering well" when the Lord brings difficulties in trials---what it means exactly and wondering if it's possible to be joyful in the midst of life-altering hard circumstances. But you and your family have been such an example of "suffering well"--of contentment and joy in the Lord and clinging to His promises even when things are hard. Really hard. His sustaining grace is so evident in your lives....I'm thankful for what the Lord has shown me through you. We'll continue to pray for Tricia and sweet Gwyneth.
I continue to pray for you and your girls and will pray for Kendra and Joe, BJ and Tonya and Kim and Matt. God continues to be with you all!
I saw your blog last night thanks to a lady who knows you, and who is a member of the same stamping community I am in. Just wanted to let you know that my church prayed for you and your girls this morning.....
God Bless
Although I was glad you were taking the day off today, supposedly, I was a little sad about it, I was feeling the withdrawal pangs from being part of the family. Our men's prayer time included all of you guys. Hope you had a relaxing day if that is possible at this point. Thanks for the "hit."
I have been following your story since January 5th....What an amazing story!! Our God is an awesome God and I can't wait to see the rest of your story unfold. I shared your story with my SS Class this morning and we are all praying for you. I, too, am addicted - not only to your updates - but also to praying for you and all those you mention. May our God continue to bless and keep you all!
Patsy in South Carolina
While we have been reading, this is our first post. We are so blessed to be a part of the body of Christ who is willing to pray for our David even though they only know his name.
We are strengthened through the faith we see in Nate and in Tricia (we have been reading old posts on both blogs) and are thankful we can pray for your family and the families you tell us about.
We will remain in prayer for your sweet girls, you and your family. We look forward to updates for years to come!
Matt and Kim McGee
Everyday I'm blessed by your words and Faith that carries you through. I too check in on you guys throughout the day. I must say that I'm also so blessed by the prayers and comments that others have been leaving!! I read them all. I've checked in on some peoples blogs and have been able to pray for them as well. I'm almost on overload knowing that there's so many people who are in need of prayer. I'm just thankful that God is in control and is with each and everyone of us! So humbling. It's awesome knowing that everyone is touching someone else. I was not going to leave a comment today, Was just going to read everyone elses. But than I just had to:)
Nate,
We continue to pray for your family and are praying for the other families as well. I amazed as I read some of the comments from around the world about how God is using your life story to reach others for Him. Praise God for using us in ways we could never imagine and may never desire, but He knows best and is in control.
Ruth
Nate...if you wouldn't mind giving us a few specific prayer requests like you did before, we will continue to pass on to to our prayer warriors around the world. Thank you for sharing your story with us and I am praying that God will continue to use Tricia in a wonderful way.
We will be praying for all of them.
When we were in the PICU with Dameron, all I could do when I got home was pray for all of those families. It really changed my perspective on everything.
Thank you so much for mentioning Dameron again. He is doing absolutely wonderful. My blog counter went crazy today.
The pictures of Gweneth are AMAZING! She is a miracle.
I think I might be slightly addicted too. But, in a good way. I am thankful that the blogging world brings all of us together.
Your family is on my heart constantly and in my prayers.
Sheri
praying for all of them in MD
Without fail, every person I spoke with at church today...the first question out of their mouths was, "How's Tricia? Any updates?" C3 continues to lift you three up & share your story. Have a refreshing day of rest :)
it is so amazing how God is using you and your family's story. he has used y'all in my own walk with Him in incredible ways and i'm sure with others as well. we will be praying for y'all at our hall meetings. we had been praying for tricia at them for some time (before break) and started praying for gwyneth before we knew her name :)
how awesome that, we as a body of Christ, are able to be praying for families in all sorts of situations, all over the world. thanks for sharing about these families as well as yours!
Your family will definitely be in my prayers, as well as the other families you've met! The pictures of little Gwyneth are beautiful, both heart-wrenching and heart-warming at once. Stay strong!
The Lord chooses extraordinary people for extraordinary messages to His people. Though we sometimes resist our call, it is nevertheless there and requiring our response. Yours has been faithful, true, and pure. It stands as a monument in your lives to God's goodness and grace. Though many might not understand it, they must acknowledge it. Try as you might to get around it, you will trip on it, bump into it. You might try to avoid it altogether, but its beauty is too magnificent to ignore. You have offered up the most lovely act of worship to the King of Kings. Because it is His, your life song speaks hope into the lives of others, many who do not know Him, but desire to know the God who can do this thing.
As I have prayed without ceasing for your daughter and wife, the Lord brought me these words during church today from a song titled "Here In Your Prescence"- "Here in Your presence, we are undone. Here in Your presence, heaven and earth become one. Here in Your presence, all things are new. Here in Your presence, everything bows before you." I thought back to your post "Not Sad" and this was the perfect description why. In Him, heaven and earth become one. Praising God for your lives and praying we might lift Him up as we retell your story to others.
Sister-in-Christ
Amy P, Calvary Chapel in PA
Nate, thank you for telling us about these children and their families. I will be praying for them by name.
Joe and Kendra, I have no idea what you are going through. However I have ask my Heavenly Father to comfort you.
My heart aches for all of you with babies in the NICU.
Love, hugs and prayers in Jesus' name,
Jane in SC
I stand and salute all who are praying, especially Amy in Germany.It is tough being home at this time. I now realize the emotion of always wanting to check the blog. It continues to be a blessing to check the comments of the many praying. Our pray was that through this the Lord would be glorified. Who would have thought that so many lives would be touched. Tricia always had an awesome testimony when it came to dealing with CF but I'm sure she never realized she would be a messenger to so many.Did you catch the first comment -South Africa. Give your two lovely young ladies a kiss good night for me. Nate, now that I am depending mostly on your up-dates I realize that God has given you a fantastic knack for writng along with all the other talents. I still may bring my accordian to sing to Tricia. Love to you all at the "Hang Out".
Thanks again and keep praying.
I am a neonatal nurse and I want you to know I will pray for your wife and daughter. I will also pray for strength for you.
I am amazed by your love for God and your dedication to your family. Your family is making a difference for God's kingdom and that is so exciting to see. I will continue to pray for you and your family and I will be adding the other families to my prayer list. God is so great and I will continue to praise him for all that is being done in your family at this very moment!
I thought about you guys today and wanted to stop by and say hi. We will be praying for you - and for the others you mentioned - thank you for updating and for letting everyone know how best to pray for you and the others there with you in NICU. May God hold your family so close tonight and refresh you each for the day tomorrow. Sunshine
Love and prayers for you, your wife and your daughter. our God IS an awesome God. My daughter was just at Duke in Decemeber as she and her husband lost a baby at 18+ weeks of pregnancy--he was stillborn. The people at Duke were amazing to them and to us. I will be praying for all of you and passing the info to others.
SJ, NC
I just wanted to let you know that I'm praying for Tricia and Gwyneth as well as the families you've mentioned. I don't know you, but was given the link to your site by a friend who stumbled across it a few days ago and have been SO ENCOURAGED by your faith and the love you have for "your girls".
The Lord is clearly working in your lives and I know that you have been a testimony to His faithfulness to those you come in contact with.
"You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore." ~ Psalm 16:11
Rebekah - Southwestern Va.
Reading your blog and sharing with others is showing me just how connected we are in the Body of Chirst. I spoke with my daughter (Melody Goodale Strayer) and she said she went to school with you and you were in SWAT together. Then I went to my ohter daughter's blog (josiahstephen.blogspot.com) and saw that someone there was suggesting she read your blog. Her son had open heart surgery at Duke in June.THEN I got a message on myspace from a woman in PA asking me how I knew about you all who said she had been reading your blog for a week or so. I know the world says there is 7 degrees of seperation between us all. I think with the Body of Christ I am seeing that there is no seperation. We are one. When one part of the body hurts we all hurt. When one part rejoices we all rejoice. Looking forward to next chapter of how God is using you and your family (His humble and willing servants) to touch lives!
We prayed for you at Liberty today
I used to talk to Tricia through email a couple years ago. I really don't know why we lost touch. I am sad that we did. I randomly stumbled across your blog and realized that this was the same Tricia. I have been praying for you guys for the past week and those that you ask prayers for. I have to say that you guys are such a strong witness for God. Its so amazing and brings tears to my eyes. I just have to share your story. I also pray that more people grow closer to God and accept God because of your strength. I know God will continue to use you and your family for His will. Its so amazing!
Amanda Berrie
Oh one more thing. I also love the picture of great grandmother and Gwyneth. Actually I love all the pictures.
Amanda Berrie
I don't even really know how I found your blog -- I was linking from other blogs and ended up on yours - I now can't seem to check in on you guys enough..... I will keep all of you in my prayers.... I had a 2nd cousin with CF - she was before all of this modern medicine - but she was one of the first to ever have a child.... Tricia seems like she is amazing - and what wonderful parents you will be - that love is amazing - in one day you fall completely in ove with this little one - that wasn't even "there" the day before..... I have 2 kids - 9 and 5 - they are my greatest joy.... please know there are people all over thinking of you and your family... Danielle in St. Louis, MO
dlrvoss@sbcglobal.net
I have been reading (and constantly checking for updates) since I first read about you from a blogger that I read (she found you from a comment on a blog she reads)and have been praying for you, Tricia and the baby daily. You are truly a gift from God, it must be hard to go through this, but we all know that you aren't doing it alone.
Praying for NICU babies. Pray God will comfort Joe and Kendra in the loss of their little girl. God is so merciful and amazing. Kendra and Joe, you guys will learn this very soon with all the prayers going up for you. God Bless you!
Sister in Christ, NHC
Dear Nathan,
A friend just sent me the link to your blog to pray for you and your family. Our story is different but yet so familiar in that God blessed us so much using very difficult circumstances. I was pregnant with boy-girl twins when our little girl's water broke at 18 weeks. We were told that we will lose both our children shortly. However, our brave little Rachel hung on for 5 more weeks inside me with no water and Rachel and Isaac were born at 23 weeks 0 days. Rachel spent 102 minutes with us here on earth before she went to heaven into the arms of our Lord Jesus. Isaac spent 6 months in NICU and is now an amazing toddler blessing our lives so much. We received prayers from so many people from all around the world during our journey through our blog. I will be following your blog and praying for your family. I am also praying for your NICU friends Joe and Kendra. We certainly understand the pain of losing a child while another struggles to live.
Sonia, Tokyo, Japan
www.soniaandjong.blogspot.com
I don't know you but have come across your blog and am so impressed and inspired by your family's story! I am sending prayers for Tricia and Gwenyth to get better and strong and for you to stay strong for them. I can't imagine all the feelings and emotions you are dealing with as a husband and father but you sound like a strong person and they are lucky to have you as their family! I can tell but what I read that Tricia is a fighter and I am sure Gwenyth will be too from the way her parents sound. Take care!
RT - from the midwest
I found your blog by way of an e-mail from my cousin who found it by way of a friend's blog. I just felt the need to send a comment after reading some of your story. I am a NICU nurse in NY and often take care of babies born as early as Gwyneth. I will keep you, your family and the other families in the NICU in my prayers.
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