Day 12 - Clarification

We are certainly seeing some things happen, but they are more related to those who are praying and seeking God for Talia, than Talia herself.

Talia is stable and behaving much like other newborn babies who are struggling with various issues. The Mercy NICU has up to 50 babies at any one time who need help with breathing, including ventilators for periods of time, and whilst Talia has some additional complexities, most of the issues she is exhibiting are commonplace in the NICU.

Talia is responsive and we are advised she is in no real discomfort, otherwise she would be clearly indicating this in various ways.

As the doctors reduce the breathing support and associated drugs, Talia will be able to cry again (we long to hear her cry!) instead of just screwing up her face to indicate she is annoyed with something!

Clearly we don't know what the future holds, but I feel prompted to make it very clear that we are desperately concerned about Talia's comfort level and are balancing this with our desire to see God move in her life.

Why do I share this again? I have chosen to publish all comments and not edit them (unless something offensive is posted) and I am responding to something which was raised in a comment yesterday and distressed both of us in what it suggested. There may well come a time in which Talia is clearly in distress and a very difficult decision will need to be made.

We hold fast to God's promises and the healing He offers, but should Talia not be healed, there are instances of Trisomy children who live fulfilling lives - how do we know? Search the web and you will find some of them who even share their stories personally. Should they have been terminated? Likewise should the 50 babies in Mercy NICU be allowed to succumb because they may need support from machines for a period? I am sure all of you have your own opinions, but we will openly state that we are proud with our decision to take Talia through to birth and give her the opportunity for life and healing. Indeed, we have and will continue to hand over the results to God, but we will do ANYTHING we can possibly do to influence the outcome, both from a physical and spiritual perspective.

Jan spent some wonderful time with Talia again today, and I am now just over my cold, so tomorrow I finally get to hold my baby again.

The distractions come thick and fast to both us and those who are praying earnestly for Talia. Today Catherine had a bizzare incident in which she tried to save a child from injury in a playground (the mother was oblivious to the danger) and this resulted in her breaking her finger. This is an incredible distraction for her, as she will have difficulty now for 6 weeks!

Along with business and other serious complications in our own lives, it seems clear that there is great spiritial opposition to this move of God. I guess this is a good thing, since it would seem to indicate something is happening in the spiritual realm, but the pressure is intense and I wonder if we can tolerate it. I would even say not to join with us on this journey unless you are willing to deal with spiritual opposition.

Daniel 10:11-13 talks about prayer being heard immediately, but the response being delayed due to warfare in heavenly realms. It also says that "From the moment you decided to humble yourself to receive understanding, your prayer was heard, and I set out to come to you" - I pray that I would meet these criteria, since Jan and I are seeking understanding from God more than anything else.