Hearing Test

I took Addie in for her hearing test last week. She did wonderfully during the test and she does not have hearing loss! What another blessing! God has touched her and touched her. We were not able to travel to Cincinnati today for her follow-up appointment because all of the kids are sick this week. It has been a crazy winter of sickness for us, but that is okay. We are just going to relax and enjoy the days at home recouping. They will get over this soon to just like everything else. Thankfully it is not strep throat because we had a scare of rheumatic fever with Michael following his last case of strep. God touched him also. We are so thankful for all the ways God has been working in our family and we are continuing to see the truth that James talks about. James 1:2-4 ^"Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." We have gone through some trials lately, but so has everyone. The difference is that God carries us through as when we try to follow in His steps. Job 23:10-11 "But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold. My feet have closely followed his steps; I have kept to his way without turning aside." We are continuing to pray for the miraculous because we serve a miracle working God as we have seen again and again. I have been reminded again of the truth of Jeremiah 32:27 "I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?" God is bigger than we can imagine and He desires to work in our lives. When trials come our faith in the greatness of God must not change; that is where our perseverance and maturity come from. And "faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see." Hebrews 11:1. Learning to live believing in God who is our hope is what perseverance is all about. Learning to hold onto that faith regardless of the circumstances and what the world says. Learning to trust that the Bible is all true and always true. Learning to not just know but to live out the fact that God is who His word says He is regardless of what is going on around us. This life of faith is not easy, and it is easy to lose your focus, but that is why we must keep our focus on Jesus who is desiring to continue to grow our faith which is why He allows the trials to come. I will leave you with this encouragement about faith from Hebrews 12:1-3 " Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart."