May 2011 Newsletter
Posted By cmbuuck on August 15, 2011
Father’s Love Letter—I knew you even before you were conceived—The word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born, I set you apart.” Jer.1:4-5 (NIV)
When Jeremiah was called to be a prophet to Israel, God declared that even before he was conceived, he was known by God and set apart for His divine purposes. The road that Jeremiah would walk in his ministry life would not be an easy one, for he suffered much abuse at the hands of his fellow Israelites. I wonder if he ever reflected on these words when he was going through his darkest times? When he was alone in that cold, damp prison cell, did he ever go back to the beginning of his ministry and meditate on God’s words to Him? I believe the revelation that he was known by God, and set apart for His purposes, gave Jeremiah the strength to continue to walk out his destiny, even in the darkest of times.
Knowing that it was God who knew us, and formed us, and called us into life, is the bedrock of our existence. When everything else around is not making sense, this truth can give us the grounding that we desperately need to go on. We are all looking for a sense of meaning and purpose in our lives. Many people have not received this affirmation from their parents, but it was not their parents who knew them before they were conceived, but God. It was God who set us apart for His divine purposes and plans.
Before an architect constructs a building, he meticulously puts every detail on paper, every component needed to make his dream into a reality. The idea is first conceived in his mind, and then is transferred on paper, and then when everything is just perfect, he starts the process of building his creation. In my own limited understanding of God’s creation process, this is how I imagine it to be. He first conceived us in His mind, and with great thoughts of love, He began to chart every detail of our DNA in preparation for the time when he would form us in our mother’s womb. What a wonderful thought, to know that the God of the universe knew us intimately and set us apart for His purposes even before we were conceived!
Prayer—Father, Your love for me existed even before you formed me in my mother’s womb. You knew me and set me apart for Your special purpose long before I was born. Help me to receive a deeper revelation of this truth, so that I might continue to walk out my destiny in the shadow of Your love. In the name of your beloved Son Jesus, I pray. AMEN. Written by Barry Adams from Father’s Love Letter Devotional Series #8 of 53 www.Father’sLoveLetters.com
Baby Joseph Maraachli Heading Home After Getting Tracheotomy—Baby Joseph Maraachli is heading back home to Canada after his parents received help from an American pro-life group that assisted when a Canadian hospital refused to provide the baby a tracheotomy to help him breathe. Joseph’s parents wanted him to have the medical procedure done in the same way their daughter had one before she passed away. Joseph now can breathe easier as he dies from a rare medical condition that will soon take his life.
Doctors at SSM Cardinal Glennon Children’s Medical Center in St. Louis performed the tracheotomy on March 21st and, in a follow-up statement, deemed the procedure “medically appropriate” after a thorough examination of the 15-month-old boy who a Canadian hospital refused to help.
Today, officials with Priests for Life, the pro-life group that provided the financial and logistical support for bringing Joseph and his family to the United States, informed LifeNews.com, that Joseph is now headed home.
“Our mission to save Baby Joseph and help his family was never based on any prediction of the future, but rather on the value of his life here and now,” Priests for Life Father Frank Pavone said. “Our critics, on the other hand, looking into the crystal ball that ‘right to die’ advocates seem to always think they have, claimed our intervention was futile because Joseph would only end up having a machine do his breathing for him.
“We don’t have to answer their criticism; Joseph is doing that for us, with every breath he takes. He has gained benefit from his tracheotomy, is breathing on his own, and is going home to live with his parents, who will love and care for him for as much time as God gives them together. Life News.com 4/21/11