Update on Ethan

Aurielle and I just spoke with Ethan and Christie, Ethan's mom, and she said to feel free to post what happened and then some updates on how he is doing.

Ethan was hit by a car after school on Wednesday, January 23rd. He came out with some serious injuries (liver damage, internal bleeding, and several broken bones in his arm and leg). They flew him to Johns Hopkins, and so he has been getting some of the best care that is available to him.
He has been conscious and talking through everything, which was obviously a wonderful sign.

He had surgery on the bleeding, which went well.

Ethan had surgery, on Saturday, on the broken bones, and now has an arm cast that will be on for about 4 weeks and a leg cast that will be on for about 6 weeks. Overall, the surgery went very well.

His blood count was getting low, but not to an emergency level. It was enough for concern, so they will be doing a blood transfusion and monitoring his blood count about every 4 hours.

They checked his neck and his head, and all of that cleared. No damage.

All in all, Ethan is doing great and should be out of the hospital in no time. He is healing and the hands of God have truly been upon him. Thank the Lord!

Ethan and Christie both appreciate the multitude of prayers from everyone. It helps a lot, and we can all see the many ways God has been working through all of this. Please continue praying and keeping Ethan on your mind, as every little bit helps. He has been so strong and has made it so far. With God's help the rest of the way, Ethan will be back in action before we know it!

Just a thinking point

"We gain more from sickness than we do from health. We pray more when we are scared than when we are confident. And everything that happens to you--the tragedies, the unexplained circumstances, even the stupid choices you make--all of it is grist for the mill of God's loving purpose."

[Quoted from Keep Believing by Ray Pritchard]

Pray for Ethan!

Pastor Andrea read this psalm at the end of youth group tonight:

PSALM 46
1 God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.

2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,

3 though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging.
Selah

4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy place where the Most High dwells.

5 GOD IS WITHIN HIM, HE WILL NOT FALL;
GOD WILL HELP HIM at the break of day.

6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
he lifts his voice, the earth melts.

7 The LORD Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Selah

8 Come and see the works of the LORD,
the desolations he has brought on the earth.

9 He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth;
he breaks the bow and shatters the spear,
he burns the shields [b] with fire.

10 "Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth."

11 The LORD Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Selah

School Lunch Day??

This SUNDAY...yes, Sunday...is School Lunch Day. Does that make sense? No. But if, for some strange reason, you feel like reproducing the lunches you have during the week at school, go for it.

More funny things on school lunch, like the above one, are here.

Prayer Requests

If you have any prayer requests (or praises!) during the week, please post them here, or anywhere, so we can keep those requests on our minds and hearts each day.

James 5:16
"Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective."

2 Thessalonians 1:3
"We ought always to thank God for you, brothers, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love every one of you has for each other is increasing."

Love skiing or snowboarding??