Please Continue Praying for the Perrins

Hayes (left) and Bailey (right) on Day 45. Bailey is now up to 2 lbs 8 oz.

I talked to Chris tonight. Let me just say first that he and Emily seem to be thinking SO WISELY about things and are unified. The Lord is their strength, and they are understanding what it means to lean completely on Him in a totally different way than ever before. They are being changed forever as they walk through this trial.

Chris and Emily (and Emily's mom) got to meet with the doctors again this morning. According to these doctors, the outlook for little Hayes is very bleak. The neurosurgeon's estimate is that there is a 90-95% chance that he will have SEVERE developmental disabilities and a 5-10% chance that it would be anything better than the worst case. The neurosurgeon put it in perspective and told them that he only sees cases this bad 3 to 4 times a year. Considering that this doctor is on staff at a large hospital in a large city where he cares for many patients, we can see that this news is worse than horrifying.

Unfortunately, one of the doctors who has been present for some of these discussions is one of the less helpful neonatologists on the team of three that rotate through (the same doctor comes every day for a week, and then they rotate) to see the babies. It seems like so many conversations they have with physicians are complicated because of language or cultural barriers. In fact, only one of the doctors on their team speaks fluent and clear English and communicates descriptively and thoroughly. It just doesn't seem like they've got a full picture of what's really going on and what the possibilities are just yet.

Thankfully, next week one of the more helpful neonatologists on the team will be visiting the babies each day, so Chris and Emily are eager to get this doctor's perspective on what they've heard this week. Chris and Emily will also be sending a copy of Hayes' file to some doctors at another very advanced children's hospital in another city hoping to get additional information from these doctors about what they recommend as next steps for Hayes' care.

Hayes is scheduled for another ultrasound on Tuesday to see what's going on in his brain. Please join me in storming the gates of heaven with hope-filled prayers that a miracle occurs and that there is clear re-growth of brain tissue, that the fluid in his head will be replaced by healthy brain matter that is reconnecting. My thought is this: If God can redeem a people for Himself and turn wicked sinners into Christ-followers, if He can part a sea for those who are trusting Him, if He can form a man from the dust of the ground, if He can save entire nations of people from destruction... then He can most assuredly grow Hayes' brain tissue back again and fill that tiny little skull with healthy, connected tissue.

Please pray with Chris and Emily that they will have clarity, wisdom and discernment as they hear additional opinions. We are praying that there is no confusion about how to care for Hayes and that there is unity on all fronts.

Of course, we are to be praying for all things in accordance with God's will. But how in the world do we do that when it seems like there are so many complex issues involved? How do we even know exactly what to ask? This is real life, so we know we can't just pretend like it'll all just go away or that we can delay and come up with ideas some other time. It's happening now, and we can't see the big picture. Praise God that He knows the big picture and has provided His Holy Spirit and His Son who are interceding with and for us! What amazing comfort!

Romans 8:26-39
Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written,

“For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Hebrews 4:14-16
Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Psalm 33:20-22
Our soul waits for the Lord; he is our help and our shield.
For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name.
Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in you.

Romans 5:1-5
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.