Thoughts By Mike Di Maria

Claire

Sarah Kathryn on the beach with Ellen


Dear friends and family
What and interesting week. On Monday morning our dear friend Eric Ball called me to let me know that he had been praying for me and that God had given him Psalm 91 to pray for me.
Psalm 91
1 Those who live in the shelter of the Most High
will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 This I declare about the Lord:
He alone is my refuge, my place of safety;
he is my God, and I trust him.
3 For he will rescue you from every trap
and protect you from deadly disease.
4 He will cover you with his feathers.
He will shelter you with his wings.
His faithful promises are your armor and protection.
5 Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night,
nor the arrow that flies in the day.
6 Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness,
nor the disaster that strikes at midday.
7 Though a thousand fall at your side,
though ten thousand are dying around you,
these evils will not touch you.
8 Just open your eyes,
and see how the wicked are punished.

9 If you make the Lord your refuge,
if you make the Most High your shelter,
10 no evil will conquer you;
no plague will come near your home.
11 For he will order his angels
to protect you wherever you go.
12 They will hold you up with their hands
so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.
13 You will trample upon lions and cobras;
you will crush fierce lions and serpents under your feet!


Little did I know that later that day we would find out that Sarah Katheryn would be diagnosed with Pneumonia and it would be discovered that Claire has a tissue mass on her lung. It's in moments that like this you have to decide what your going to put your trust in. Can I take the good things from God and not accept the bad things that come as well. Can I really take God at his word when he says not to dread the disease that stalks in the darkness. We have chosen to trust no matter what.I am reminded of Brennan Manning's words when he writes that trust is our gift back to God and He is so enchanted by it that Jesus died for Love of it.
Well as it has turned out Claire's lung does have a tissue mass on it but it is not cancerous. It will require surgery and we talk to the surgeon on Thursday to understand more about the procedure. However we have not given up hope of a miraculous healing if God would chose to do so.
Thank you so much for all your prayers and support.
God is Amazing.
We love you
Mike Di Maria