pray for lucy: two years later

Deuteronomy 32:7 says, "Remember the days of old; consider the years of many generations; ask your father, and he will show you, your elders, and they will tell you.

God wants us to remember what He's done for us. Whether sorrow or joy, trial or blessing, discipline or reward, walking with Him means He's constantly teaching us and preparing us for the day when each of us meet Him face to face.

March 4 for me will always be a stone of remembrance in my personal faith of what God can do if we will only pray and believe. Today, I stop, remember, praise, and ascribe glory to the One honor is due. My prayers for Lucy have become praise for Lucy to The Healer and the Author of my faith. 

Music takes me back. When I close my eyes and hear a song, I remember and it's almost as if I'm transported back in time. 

Every time I hear "Healing Rain" by Michael W. Smith, I think back to crying out to the Lord in prayer as rain hit my studio windows the day of the prayer service for Lucy two years ago today. I didn't particularly love this song before, but the Lord led me to it and if you happened by the studio, you may have seen (or heard...eek!) me belting this one out. The words were my heart's during that day, that season. 

Healer was the song God gave us to be sung at the prayer service. I'll never forget Kristi Richardson singing her heart out and the crowd doing the same on a drizzly March night. I BELIEVED God would answer our prayers for healing in Jesus name and I know those around me did, too. You would have to possess a passion for Christ to stand outdoors on squishy ground in unfavorable conditions for a prayer service. You would have to be at the end of yourself with nothing to offer but prayer for a situation that is hopeless without the mercy of God.

I look back and wonder if God may have told us to have the prayer service for Lucy at this random location for a specific purpose? This lot is sandwiched between an elementary school, a community playground, and the baseball parks. We soaked that place in prayer for Lucy and her family for the sole purpose of God's glory. I like to think that we prayed so hard that not only was Lucy saved, but many of those lives she touched in our community that pass through the halls of that school or down the slide of that play ground or run around that baseball diamond were saved as well. This piece of ground will always be holy to me because it's where the church cried out for miracle after miracle. This place to me will always be "God heard us."

What Faith Can Do was playing on my car radio as I left the prayer service that March night. The words couldn't have been more appropriate for the feelings in my heart at that moment. James 5:15 says, "The prayer of faith will save one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up." Amen!

Santus Real's "Whatever Your Doing" makes me think of firing up Kate's blog, waiting expectantly for her to post Lucy updates. It's as if I was waiting for a miracle with every refresh. That song was on the top of her play list and so meaningful for what they were going through.

Flash forward to last March, and the word was "hope."

This was before June, the Lazarus moment {miracle if you will}. I remember vividly being at VBS with my friend, Stephanie, checking updates constantly as it looked as if Lucy were not going to make it. We would go to the rally with a room full of hyped up kids and tears would stream down my face as I worshiped singing "Take it All" while thinking of Lucy, who at the time had lost her sight and was steadily losing her life.

Running to The One who heals the blind,
Following the shining light,
In Your hands the power to save the world and [her] life

I remember coming home and sitting at my dining room table in prayer as my kids napped with this cloud over my head that wouldn't go away. I had "no words."

But, I never stopped praying and I never gave up on Lucy's miracle. I kept pleading with God to let her live so that her life could bring Him praise and glory. He had settled in my spirit that He was going to heal her way back at the prayer service. I had shared this with Lucy's mom in the hallway of Lebonheur at the very beginning of her road in 2011. I just had to hold on to hope and believe.

If the word for 2012 was "hope," then the word for 2013 has to be "BELIEVE!"

God did heal Lucy and continues to do so. She got clean scans just last week! THAT'S WHAT FAITH {in Christ the Author and Perfecter of our faith} CAN DO!

I have the privilege of working on Lucy's foundation graphics and 5K promotion. It has been an honor and joy to spend time with the girl I've prayed so hard for as well as to help with the marketing of her cause. Here is the logo for the foundation. They chose a ladybug because in most hospital rooms they visited, there was a ladybug as a cheery symbol to greet them.

So, when we were thinking of promotional photos for this year's campaign, I couldn't help but use Ladybug Girl for inspiration.

Lucy will be 7 on the 7th! It's her GOLDEN birthday!

Lucy brought along her sister on the day of her session which made the afternoon so much fun! I love hanging out with sisters because it reminds me of being with my own sister. We had fun coming up with funny things to say on these bubbles. This was my favorite.

God is still in the business of doing miracles. Never, never give up.

Comments

[Patricia Cromwell]

Oh, the stories that can be told about this remarkable, miracle child.I was privileged to keep up with her through a mutual friend of Lucy's and mine. Shirley Partee, who works at Sonic in Covington,gave me almost weekly updates and prayer requests.Some of Lucy's family would come by there,sometimes with,sometimes without her and update her on Lucy's progress. I attend a weekly prayer group and try to get by Sonic for prayer requests on those days. All of Covington had to have been inspired by the outpouring of God's love for this warrior in a child's body! What a mighty God we serve!