Our God Is Greater

On Friday, November 30, 2012, our son, Hudson Philip Cook was born! Seven weeks early- 3lbs 12 ounces and 18 inches long.

Cindy is still resting and re-learning some basic things, so she asked me to post to her blog.

God woke me up Friday morning as Cindy was having a seizure in another room of our house. It’s a miracle that God allowed her to be found in time. Just after being placed into an ambulance, I watched with desperation as Cindy suffered another seizure and stopped breathing. A heroic paramedic worked frantically to find a way for Cindy to receive oxygen and helped stabilize her. After we arrived at the Hospital, we learned Cindy was suffering from a severe case of “Eclampsia,” a life-threatening condition during pregnancy that necessitates the delivery of the baby. After an emergency C-section, we were told that Cindy would probably be awake soon, but hours and hours passed and Cindy was still unconscious. Her doctors became concerned and ordered more tests. Just prior to a CT scan, God answered our prayers and Cindy opened her eyes. Cindy’s wonderful parents, sister, and others filled the hospital room with tears of joy and shouts of “Praise God!” I asked Cindy if she could hear me, and she nodded her head.

Thank you, Lord!

Over the next two days, Cindy would move in and out of consciousness as doctors worked to lower her high blood pressure and treat other symptoms. It would be Sunday morning before Cindy would regain her memory, so as you can imagine, it wasn’t easy for Cindy to go from preparing for her bi-weekly doctor visit on Friday morning, only to wake up on Sunday to learn that she already had her baby. But, Cindy has shown so much grace and strength over the past few days. She wants God to receive all the Glory for what He has done.

God has used the last several days to teach me, humble me, and challenge me to share with others what He had to remind me of:

I’m used to watching people being loaded into an ambulance, but helping paramedics place my own wife and unborn son into an ambulance was something I never expected. And watching my wife have another seizure and stop breathing en route to the hospital brought me to a point of desperation I can never fully explain.

Sometimes God takes His children up to the edge of something terrible or seemingly unbearable and He asks us, “Do you trust me?”  And sometimes in the midst of complete desperation, He says, “I have something to show you. I have something for you to learn.  

It’s not your job to understand why you are in this storm; it’s not your place to find the answer to every problem; and it is not within your ability to rescue yourself or others from every danger.  Son, you cannot solve every problem. You cannot overcome every obstacle, and you cannot weather every storm. But I can.  If I can protect Daniel from certain death, if I can walk Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego through a fire, and if I can bring Lazarus back to life; I can deliver you from this storm. If I can give sight to the blind, if I can heal any disease, and cure any addiction, I can deliver you from this storm. But even if I don’t, I will give you a peace that few people will ever understand and I will never leave you.  Trust me, I will never leave you. Now, you must pass through this storm to understand. If you want to see what I have to show you, you must experience the storm. You can’t dodge it. You can't run from it. You can’t hide from it. Do you trust me?

You see, I have chosen this path for you so that you may glorify Me. Do you trust Me? When you reach the worst part of the storm, when you are overcome with fear, and you have tried everything you can think of to save your wife, call out to Me. Cry out for Me! Desperately call for me! And I will hear you. Then you will understand. Then you will see what I have wanted to show you. Then you will know that I am God and you are not. Then you will remember that I created you for my glory. Then you will remember that the path I have put you on has a purpose.”

“I am the Beginning and the End; so I know when the storm will begin and when the storm will end! A storm or desperate need does not catch me by surprise nor do I have to ask for help to see you through.”

“Sometimes, I allow my disciples to pass through a storm.  Remember? The Sea of Galilee, a small boat, and a terrible storm- Convinced they were going to die, struggling to stay alive, desperate, doing everything they could do to survive and realizing it was not enough- panic set in. There was only one Hope- only one chance- I would have to intervene. And then, ‘Peace, be still.’ I want you to live each day remembering that it is not just in the midst of a deadly storm that you are desperate for my help- it is every moment of every day. Life is held in My hands. Your life is a vapor, but the decisions you make effect eternity.”

Cindy and I want to thank you for your prayers and support. We have felt surrounded by the prayers and encouragement of friends and family and are so thankful for God’s blessings over the past few days. Cindy and Hudson are recovering well. Hudson will most likely have several weeks in intensive care and we continue to covet your prayers for him.  Thank you.

³⁵ On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side.” ³⁶ Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him. ³⁷ And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. ³⁸ But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?”

³⁹ Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea,“Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. Mark 4:35-39 NKJV