I've had a follow up post to A Reason Not to Homeschool almost ready to go since Friday morning, but my sister's baby totally took over. My other post is coming, but I have to take care of current business first:
Baby Grace is doing well, as is Jonelle. My dad's blog has a ton of photos and all the latest.
I was, as I said on Friday, blown away by your response and prayers. Thank you. Words do not express the gratitude I feel at the outpouring of your support. Your immediate and continued prayers powerfully demonstrated the kind of community we are: A community of support and love. A community of prayer.
I am so honored to be a part of this community. What a privilege!
Three things struck me today:
1. I want to remind you that we absolutely want to support you in prayer as well. If you don't feel like sharing your prayer matter with the world via Facebook, we do have the private Prayer Closet on our Forums. We pray for these needs on a weekly basis within our prayer groups.
2. With great popularity comes great opportunity. You may not read my posts often. You may not know me very well. You may not really care what I think about. But when I posted with the Sonlight logo on Facebook an urgent prayer need, you responded. 144 comments here. 50 there. More and more pouring in. Absolutely inspiring and humbling. I'm not a celebrity in the homeschool world,* but the Sonlight logo gave me a certain amount of clout. This is both wonderful and sobering.
Sobering because my friends who have equally weighty needs don't have the instant support that I did. They aren't connected to a well-known name. Their needs aren't as pressing. And so their burdens fall more squarely on their shoulders.
May we as a loving community of believers draw together for all needs. May we continue to support one another ever more. And may those who feel alone, abandoned, in need and still wanting be comforted. I know I need to grow in this area. Which leads to...
3. The Leech Effect. I hate bringing up the same prayer request week after week in our prayer groups. It feels draining, unproductive. And so I don't mention it. Worse yet, there are times when a need is brought up yet again that I think, 'This again?'
How terrible of me! May we never weary in doing good and constantly bring our needs before the Lord.
That said, what can I pray with you about today?
~Luke Holzmann
Filmmaker, Writer, Surrogate Father
[…] despite the difficulty of this time, I'm so grateful for the way you have united yourself with us in prayer for my family. That's a part of Christian brotherhood that is so amazing and good and […]
Thank you so much, Se7en. Thank you!
Lord, I ask that You comfort and be near Moses. Strengthen and provide grace and peace. Take away the frustration and bitterness that comes from unhelpful advice and blame. Shower Your grace and redemption in this situation. May the time come soon when all of these horrible experiences can be turned around as a way of blessing, encouraging or helping another. I pray for Moses' quick recovery that enables the whole family to flourish--even this young man who is currently causing so much pain and destruction. Beyond this, I ask for Your grace to flow in this situation. May Your goodness change attitudes. Provide love, support, help, care and a group of people who will notice and do something about it. Give those around Moses wisdom and grace so they can help the situation, not make it worse. I pray for a very close friend and a mentor who can come along side and help. Amen.
Thank you for letting me pray with you.
~Luke
Luke, you know me.
Here is what is going on:
I have a violent child who has been hospitalized six times. He is currently in residential care. He gets out Wednesday. We cannot have anyone over or make plans from one week to the next; we are afraid of what will happen. He has sent me to the hospital before with injuries and has anyone helped? No. You have to be beaten up by your SPOUSE to get help. Not a large child. Other kids have been injured and I am being warned that I *must* keep them safe by agencies working with us. The agencies like to instruct me as to how to react to this or that, and their advice conflicts. Or I get impractical advice on "just keep kid x and y away from each other." Then I am blamed for not following protocol, which would make hilarious blogging material if I didn't care for my son's privacy.
It seems it has always been the prevailing attitude that it is the parents' fault when children misbehave. It isn't always. Several of my children are disabled and we have no family nearby.
I swear... I used to be a blessing to others. I used to be the one that would pray for others. NOW, I realize looking back that I would be so much more knowledgeable to be of REAL SERVICE because of what I've been through... and I'm on the couch for the count right now.
Ironic, isn't it? Please pray that I will recover and flourish, get a better attitude (this is awful and lasts forever, and I'm mad that no one notices or cares, is how I feel now) and that I can someday be a helper to others. OK?
Thanks!
Not for lack of trying!!! My kids are especially praying for your kids "on the far side of the world from you" this week... I told mine that yours were in a war torn country and how frightening it must be for them and immediately they took them to heart... and launched a prayer meeting. So at least three times a day (meal times!!!) some arrows are going up to heaven for your children.