Wednesday, January 14

Little did I know

As I was reading through my bible tonight, I came across a few scriptures I had marked, back in July. These verses were from a devotion I did shortly after receiving the diagnosis of Baby Todd's heart condition. I remember coming across Psalms 139:14 several different times. This verse stuck, because it quickly became our theme verse.
"I praise You for I am fearfully, and wonderfully made"
What a blessing and encouragement it was to know that our son was created perfect in the image of our Heavenly Father. As we prayed and committed Baby Todd to Jesus, we were determined to give God the Glory, no matter what storm we would weather.
The first time we met with the Cardiologist, we were told that Baby Todd would never be able to play soccer or work on the farm. He would not play sports at all, and would probably end up having a "desk job" or something less physical. As devistating as it was to hear that, we knew that was God telling us He had bigger plans. We knew that Baby Todd was special and that God was preparing us for something. At one point I said that Baby Todd will be the next Billy Graham. He will minister to people in ways we would never understand, and touch lives we will never know about. He will have an amazing testimony one day. Little did I know, that his testimony would be told through us.
My devotion, that day back in July, also led me to Jeremiah 1:5.
"Before I made you in your mother's womb, I chose you. Before you were born, I set you apart for a special work. I appointed you as a prophet to the nations."
A peace came over me, as I read the verse tonight. I read the verse again, this time continuing through verse 8. Right then, I knew that we were exactly where God wanted us to be. Painful as it is at times, yet obedient to His call.
6. Then I said, "But Lord God, I don't know how to speak. I am only a boy."
7-8. But the Lord said to me, "Don't say, 'I am only a boy.' You must go everywhere I send you, and you must say everything I tell you to say. Don't be afraid of anyone, because I am with you to protect you," says the Lord.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

We serve an awesome God!!!
I know it's hard but you are doing exactly what God intended. Keep on keeping on!
Carol

Anonymous said...

Amen and amen!!

Jean

Victoria Utermoehlen said...

Wow. I haven't read your blog in a a while and just sitting here reading it brings a whole new wave of emotion. I can see how much God has worked in your life through this and how he is continuing to work. Praise God!
Dusty, I am impressed by your writing...I never thought you could do it. haha.
Those verses from Jerimiah really brought everything home.
May God continue to bless you! You have been and are a blessing to many people.

Anonymous said...

Dustin & Jerri,
Once again, thank you for your words of encouragement and enlightening us all with God's words! "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God" (2 cor. 1:3,4).
Dustin~ thank you for sharing what is on your heart and doing what God has asked of you. Your words have been so God-honoring and we thank you for spreading His Love through the life of your son! WOW, what a thought! I just read this verse and thought of you, " This is my comfort in my affliction, That Thy word has revived me" (psalm 119:50). Jerri~ I thank God for you! And I agree with what Dustin so beautifully wrote about you earlier. God has definately molded you, as painful as it's been, all for His Glory. I thank you for being such a woman of Godly character; a true Proverbs 31 woman! I greatly admire you and your constant faith in the Lord. I pray that we can all grow from this gift from God!!
"Well done good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share in your masters happiness." Matthew 25:21
In His Grace!
jared and annie

The Amstutz Family said...

How awesome! Isn't amazing to have such words of comfort and confidence from God on both sides of baby Todd's life. I've really been challenged through your story to trust and rest in God's will - knowing that it is perfect, even when it doesn't fit in with what I think God is (or should be) doing. Thanks Baby Todd! Thanks to you guys too!