If we love God and really want His will for our life, I think it's safe to say that we can trust Him to bring good from it—no matter what happens to us. Even if we have to take detours because of our own stupidity or if we're innocent but someone else gets involved and brings hurt and pain into our life, we can trust God to work it out, "No person on earth and no devil in hell can keep me from God's will."
It's comforting to really believe things will work out okay…even on a day like Good Friday, with so much suffering and pain. When nothing made sense and everything was hard, God worked it out for good—bringing the greatest blessing mankind will ever receive!We can believe Friday was good because of the result it brought, not because of what happened at the time.
Ryan is going through the hardest time that I have ever known. I know that I have gone through this really hard time, and looked back and know that I wouldn't even be half the person I am now if this wouldn't have happened. Haven't many of us experienced this? Don't we wish we could just grow in good times? I can only imagine what kind of amazing heart and inspiration Ryan will be to others once he is able to look back at this time in his life. My heart smiles to think of the kind of man he is going to become. I often get lost in my own thoughts thinking and envisioning Ryan walking into a youth group, a high school, or a basketball auditorium where young people are gathered to hear my little brother speak of the Lord's amazing work and his own personally testimonies.
But we only seem to really grow during hard times. I think it's because it's during those times that we really press into God and go to a deeper level in our relationship with Him. Why? Because we have to. It's our only choice if we want to make it through the difficulty. When we trust God, He gives us the comfort of knowing that He can work bad things out for our good.
Hebrews 12:2 says that Jesus, for the joy of obtaining the prize on the other side of the cross—the resurrection—endured the pain. Like Jesus, we have to endure bad things. To endure means to outlast the devil; to be steadfast long enough to let the trial do whatever it's going to do in our lives and get from one side of the cross to the other.
Ryan is enduring this trial. He is outlasting the devil with amazing perseverance and steadfast prayer and hard work. He does not give up because he knows that God has not given up in him. As a family we come together to KNOW and DECLARE that we will overcome and outlast the trials of the past year!
Each step we take in the journey of recovery has steps backwards and then we get to become joyful in the steps forward. Ryan is finally becoming better adjusted to his new facility, Touchstone. The first week was extremely difficult on his mind and body, he was simply exhausted in every form possible. Exhaustion with a brain injury patient would be us not sleeping for a week straight - but people still asking you to perform you daily work activities. That is how Ryan looked and felt for the first week of therapy. He is now doing much better and his stamina is strengthening each day.
Now that YOU have persevered and continued reading this blog post ... I will finally let you in on God's amazing new miracle that we have gotten to witness in Ryan within the last week at the new facility. - Ryan's aggression has suppressed. THIS IS HUGE! We went over a month that his immediate family members could barely sit in the same room with him for 10 minutes without getting punched, kicked, or something thrown at us ... and 10 minutes was a good day. Ryan has not hit or become agitated with any of his family members in over a week! This is such a blessing for us because it was very difficult to see the one you love become so angry with the people that care about him the most. Thank you Jesus for allowing Ryan to gain peace and patience.
Ryan will not be able to come home for the holidays, but we are praying that next year he will be the one leading the prayer of thanks around the dinner table. Ryan is located in Conroe, if you would like to visit please contact a family member before showing up. He loves visitors and would love to see you! Thank you for your continuous prayers and faith as we come together and outlast these trials.
Jesus endured the cross because He knew what was waiting on the other side of it; we will endure this circumstance, because we know what is waiting on the other side, the joy and the blessings of our Father.