Tattoos really aren’t my thing
{just being honest}.
Not for me personally.
If you, my sweet friend, want every limb and your entire trunk tattooed to the umpteenth degree – –
you go!
I was already a pin cushion much of my life with shots for the Multiple Sclerosis and medical procedures, so the thought of paying someone to purposefully stick needles in me,
ummmmm,
no thanks.
But I do know that much of this generation
{and many in my generation get into it now too}
digs ’em and all I can say is,
“whatever.”
My two oldest daughters have some.
I can’t remember if Tyler does or not,
but I know he has had one planned.
Anyway,
Karl, as I’ve previously mentioned, has them.
One on his chest.
It looks like this:
I just can’t help but believe that unbeknownst to Karl,
it was put there prophetically.
Not just for us, but for him too.
When he wakes up and looks in the mirror,
he will see
TRUST
And for us, so that when we are there with him, praying over him and reading him scriptures, we can see it peeking out from under his hospital gown.
TRUST
So hard to live it out though sometimes, isn’t it?
I know it is for me.
It is so easy to get wrapped up in the “what ifs”.
But this is the verse I have had to go back to time and time again.
“You, oh Lord, will keep me in perfect peace,
when my heart and mind is stayed on you.”
Isaiah 26:3
I’m realizing, yet again, that it’s my choice to have peace.
I just have to continually resign my heart and mind to Him.
The barometer of
TRUST
is
PEACE.
The easiest and fastest way for me to get to that place of
PEACE
and quiet confidence in Christ
is through prayer and fasting.
It applies to every life situation.
I know many of you are going through
your own difficult places.
He offers us His peace,
but it’s up to us…
Will we trust?
Moment upon moment…
day upon day.
Autumn also has some tattoos.
One of her tattoos is on the inside of her wrists so when she holds her wrists together
One says
Jeremiah
The other says
29:11
I told her the other day while we were sitting in the waiting room, “Honey, I don’t believe for a second that your tattoo was really your idea. I believe that the Lord had you put it there for this very tragedy in your life.”
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you, not to harm you, to give you HOPE and a FUTURE.”
Jeremiah 29:11
Autumn lost her first love to a car accident on a sunny Sunday in July a few years ago. He was a kind-hearted young man that we all really loved. He was on his way to baseball practice and the car he was merely riding in took a curve too fast. He lost his life.
Autumn has struggled greatly with life and, quite truthfully, with God since Quinton was killed. It is difficult to explain tragedy to us adults, let alone young people.
So this traumatic accident with Karl on a sunny Sunday in July a few years after Quinton’s death {as Karl came to pick up Autumn for church} is all too reminiscent to Autumn and our family.
What young person experiences a tragic car accident
on a sunny Sunday in July to the person
they love and care for twice in their short 22 years?
Downright dumbfounding to me.
I know adults who really have never even had any tragedy in their up-close lives. Maybe someone in their extended family, but not up-close, ya’ know?
I choose to believe that the God’s plans for Autumn and Karl are good, that Almighty God has HOPE for their future, and
that they/we/all of us can TRUST Him.
And when I focus on that fact, I find HIS peace.
As far as an update:
They allowed Karl to have the ventilator off for 28 hours and he breathed on his own the entire time. We believe that is wonderful.
I just spent an hour in talking to Karl and reading scripture over him and praying over him.
I sure love that young man and I can’t wait till he can sit at my kitchen counter and turn red cause I’ve been teasing him again.
Please keep praying!!
*~*standing together till Karl is healed*~*
Praying still – often each day.
Love,
janet and gang
Thank You for your post. I love your honesty. I continue to pray for Karl as the Lord brings him to mind. Pain and tragedy are so hard to understand. One of the reasons that people refer to Job often is..it gives us a look at what was going on behind the scenes. So often we only get to see one side of a situation. Then we simply have to trust a very big and loving God. When we sit in a hospital room with a loved one..it is easy to forget that there is a whole another world going on outside. There is something about those situations that almost swallow us up. Take some time to simply walk outside and breathe deeply. All of you are surrounded with prayer and I am excited to see what God is going to do!!!!!
Thank you, Linny! Love this post so much!!! Especially loved the comment, "The barometer of TRUST is PEACE" — what a truth for a time like this. We will continue, continue, continue in prayer for Karl, for Autumn, for Karl's parents and brothers, for his medical team, for your children while you are so busy on Karl's prayer team, for Ruby Grace and her needs and for her future big sister whose name I think we don't know, yet, on this side of the water. Praying for all. I'm not signing up for the vigil because our own hours around here are so unpredictable, but am praying anyway.
still sending prayers
Heather
It is so easy to trust when everything is going our way and life seems ideal. But when we are hit with a curveball and life seems out of control, that is when we must trust with everything in us. It is out of that trust that we grow closer to Him and our faith matures in ways we cannot believe. Autumn has been on my heart this whole time, I am praying that she will learn to trust God in a new, beautiful way and will discover the amazing plan that He has for her (and Karl =)!!
I am actively praying!!!
Just this morning, I was spending time alone with the Lord outside and pondering about how some people have gone through tragedy, how life must have changed for them, everything different and sad. I haven't lost anyone close to me yet and I was wondering how much my life would have changed. I pray that I will still find joy and peace in Him no matter what, and to keep in mind that our time on earth is just temporary and not to let sadness overtake us.
About tattoos, so far I know that His people aren't meant to have them (Lev 19:28), in the old testament we get a glimpse into His heart on things that matters to Him… He can certainly turn mistakes into good for His glory and use whatever ways to help us trust Him.
Will keep praying and look forward to the good news that he opens his eyes.
He truly is the God of all comfort…holding you all up to our Father…
Praying In MN! For Karl, for Autumn, for both families.
Yay KArl for breathing on your own! Now we need to get those eyes open!!
Praying sweet friend…. may God bless your sweet Mama's heart
xoxoxo
PS I believe that Karl is going to be fully restored by the Lord
We so appreciate your updates with scripture laced all through them. My husband coached Karl in baseball a few summers while in high school. When we moved to Pagosa, Vicki was the first person to introduce herself to me at a JV football game. We understand how this family can become very near and dear to your heart very quickly. Thank you for loving them through this. For those of us who are far away we stand back and give thanks for you and your family as you physically pour into them and meet many, many needs. Blessings and prayers for Karl and praise to our God, Jesus Christ who is faithful and all-powerful!
Theresa Bradford
Thank you for this reminder. I am praying for Karl and for Autumn. Let them both know that prayers are coming from Guthrie, Oklahoma!
Thank you for your honesty. It is so easy to read someone's blog and admire (envy?) their life and put them on a pedestal. You inist on sharing your very real life and I love it. Praying for Karl and Autumn and for all your littles that they will be patient while God uses their mom and dad in yet another crisis. Blessings to you all tonight.
Still praying. Still believing God to be orchestrating miracles in the things we can not see… in Karl's cells, neurons, nerves, etc.
You must listen to this song when you have a chance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDjhPlu1EDQ
Much love!
still going…. as long as it takes. And then some. xo
Praying and trusting in Him.
Brooke Annessa
http://www.TheAnnessaFamily.blogspot.com
Praying constantly! I have a deep sense of peace in Karl's healing! Love to Vicki Bob and the boys, and of course to Autumn and your family!
Still praying with you…
Ah! When I was praying for my hour for Karl the other night, I was praying for Autumn too (remembering Quinton) that the flashbacks and horrible memories would stay at a minimum. Still praying for that and for you all! <3
Still praying Linny! The verse you wrote about keeping in perfect peace is the one I have been claiming for your family. Love and hugs from the NW.
Lifting up Karl and Autumn all through the day – praying for all of the family as well. Love you guys.
precious, linny.
believing and standing with you.
sending love to autumn, too. you're so right that that is a LOT for anyone…especially a young adult. may she continue to cling to Him. i love the next verse of in jeremiah, too. …and you will find me when you seek me with ALL of your heart.
Standing with you Linny. That Gods plan for Autumn and Karl are good and He has a hope for their future and that we will trust Him. It is the peace that surpasses all understanding. May your precious girl be filled with His peace when she doesn't understand. We are praying so hard for her and Karl and all surrounding them. L
still praying in Korea. thought about Autumn and Quinton–didn't remember his name but remembered you sharing his story a while back. like others, I prayed for Autumn to stay strong in the Lord against traumatic memories. thanks for taking time to update us all.
Still praying and believing….choosing to Trust!
Blessings,
Julie
I will keep praying for him and for Autumn. My heart goes out to you all.
Thank you Linny – this is my verse right now (Isaiah 26:3).
You know I love all of your kids (and the ones you haven't brought home yet)…, and at different times have felt led to pray for specific ones.
God has never let Autumn up off my heart. And we probably couldn't be more different – but I feel like God has such a huge plan for her life that is taking place RIGHT THIS MINUTE.
These awful things, Autumn, don't waste the hard stuff. Refuse to. Make the circumstances squeeze out what good God can bring from them.
I've been closer to your circumstances than I feel free to blog about. But I know that He usees heartache. He uses "I can't change this – God help me" moments. And none of it is wasted. He knows and He walks it right alongside you – loving Karl even more than you.
Believing – that He is ministering to Karl in ways we don't even know.
Still praying, still believing, still trusting! Thanks for the update! So excited to hear that he was breathing on his own for so many hours.
Standing together till Karl is healed! Let it be so, Lord God, let it be so!!
I haven't posted in a couple of days but I am praying and have other friends praying too.I don't know what I am doing wrong but my name won't stay on the prayer sheet.God is working and I am praying also that the doctors and others outside the family can see the power of prayer.
Leveta
Hey, just wanted to let you know I have still been praying. I actually woke up at 3:44 this morning praying for him.
Hi, I've been away with my husband for the weekend but you all have been in my prayers. Praying for Karl as he recovers and praying for all of you who love him. You are hurting in a different way and I just pray that God will heal the wounds in you soul and give each of you comfort and peace and strength for each day.
Still praying throughout the days for Karl!
Linny and all,
We are continuing to pray for Karl, that his eyes will open TODAY, that he will be completely restored to you and all who love him. Be assured that although we are having some struggles of our own, we have not forgotten you. We pray for you constantly. Sending our love your way.
Alycia A and family
Praying for Karl, for healing, for his eyes to open, for God's peace for Autumn and your entire family (and Karl's family as well!). Keep us posted.
Prayiing day and night for healing for Karl, and I will pray for Autum as well.
The Arnold Family
pain in our adult children's lives…its hard. I am walking through a hard place with my 23 yo daughter right now too. I just keep praying that this only makes her/us stronger. We can be there for them, but cant take the pain away.I just keep giving her back to God you know?DO I trust HIM to know what is best for her??? Prayers for your whole family and esp Autumn.