MIRACLE BABY SOSHEA BROOKLYN

This testimony absolutely must be shared. Baby Shea is the daughter of Jon and BreAnna Hedlund and the granddaughter of our friends John and Darlene Soshea of Duluth, MN. As soon as it was posted on FB that Baby Soshea was in trouble, an Army of Prayer Warriors was marshalled around the world to bombard Heaven with nonstop petitions on behalf of Brea and Baby Shea. God is still on the throne and prayer still works. Here is their story.

By BreAnna Hedlund

Baby Shea was born August 30th @ 9:22pm....an emergency c-section! She was born having oxygen deprivation "Birth Hypoxia".......my lil girls heart stopped, had to do chest compressions, and really her outcome did not look well..... she was flown down to Amplatz Hospital within the 6 hour time period to be put on a cooling blanket. Mommy was waking up for surgery and didn't understand why her baby was being taken away. I want to tell you the survival stats....

Up to 62% die or have moderate to severe disabilities
Up to 30% have cerebral palsy
Up to 14% blind
Up to 6% are hearing impaired

My baby girl did not look good but we were going to fight, we were going to try this cooling blanket to hopefully slow down the damage this would have on her...... she was put in hypothermia mode for a full 72 hours... extremely hard for a mother and father to watch. Then after the 3 days she was slowly warmed back up, only to find that she was having a lot of problems. She had an EEG to check and see what all this damage of the oxygen deprivation had on her and if the cooling blanket was able to help at all...... our results were extremely horrific, the doctor called us both to her bed side and said, I do not have good news. Her test came back with EXTREME abnormalities, and we talked about all the things that this meant, horrible. the Doctor said we will run another test on Tuesday but at a max it may improve a little but it is so extremely abnormal I am so sorry to have to tell you....I asked is it possible that it could come back normal and she said I hate to say it but NO. I was crying and couldn't even stand, my baby girl this was not what I wanted to hear.

The next 3 days was long...... watching your lil girl with so many things we could already see that werent normal.... we decided that we were not going to accept this report from the doctors.... i couldn't...i knew a God that could heal my precious angel.... so we had already asked for prayers from around the world and asked for many more.... we had many prayers go up for her.... and for those of you that took the time to do so we are so extremely grateful to you for your prayers.... in these three days we had a prophetic word and vision of her given to us about her healing....and signs and signs of her healing! We wanted to see her healed today, but God knew his timing! The day before her test she still was having a lot of trouble, we weren't seeing any improvements, but continued in our faith! Tuesday came and she had her test, it took longer then the first one, the results took what seemed like forever! Finally the Doctor came to her lil bedside and said "I have amazing news for you guys, the EEG came back completely NORMAL!!!!!!!" How could this happen? I screamed, cried, fell to the ground thank God my husband was there, we really received this miracle that we had prayed and hoped for! Thank you GOD!!!!

We would like to send a special thank you to ALL of our Family for their support, love and visits! With out all of you and God we could not have made it through all this! Thank you for all the prayers, the fasting, and prayer nights that were held....we can not begin to express our gratitude! I want everyone to know that its all your prayers that the Lord heard! :) We want you to know all the texts, calls, facebook messages were a true blessing, we apologize we have been so busy with this we have not had a chance to respond. We appreciate all of you! Love you and we will continue to post her progress, she still has a little ways to go to get out of this but she is a MIRACLE! Thank you dear Lord for our Baby Soshea Brooklyn Hedlund!

HYPOCRITICAL CHANCE OR GLORY TO GOD OPPORTUNITY

One of the easiest ways to stick a knife in the heart of a professing Christian is to accuse them of being a hypocrite. At one time or another, every Christian has heard the statement, “And you call yourself a Christian!” Sometimes the question is deserved, other times it is just used against us because we tried to do the right thing and it made someone else feel guilty.  “Hypocrite” comes from the Greek word, “hypokrites” a stage actor or one who pretends to be what he is not. The church has been accused of being full of hypocrites and when you think about it, where else would they be? A person who does not believe in anything and doesn’t behave as if they believe in anything would never be accused of being a hypocrite and most likely never be found attending church. So, while the church may be full of hypocrites, most of us are just human trying to become more like Jesus.

Once you claim the Name of Jesus and have the courage to open your mouth, profess what you believe and align yourself with the Church, a test will present itself. Now the choice is yours, do you take the chance to be viewed as a hypocrite or is this an opportunity presented by God to give Him glory.

I will never forget an opportunity that came my way, many years ago. I had made a quick run to the neighborhood grocery store and as I unloaded the groceries into the trunk of my car, I noticed the cashier had put a gallon of milk into my cart that I had not purchased. My first thought was, I’m in a hurry, I have two little boys at home so praise God for the blessing and after all I didn’t put it in my cart. But God’s voice came through loud and strong, “you didn’t pay for it, someone else did” and “it isn’t your milk, it belongs to someone else.” I decided to do the right thing and bring glory to God even if no one would ever know. Back into the store I went with the gallon of milk. I gave it back to the cashier and explained that I had not paid for it so it must belong to someone else. She thanked me and as I turned around to go back to my car, I looked up into the eyes of my pastor. You never know who may be watching. There have been other opportunities of receiving too much change, keeping my mouth shut when I wanted to lash out or telling the truth although I knew the outcome would not be in my favor. Have I ever made the wrong choice and took the chance to be a hypocrite? Oh yes, but I would prefer not to talk about them and I have had to repent many times.

I believe that God tests us, not to prove anything to Him but to make us stronger and give us confidence that through the power of the Holy Ghost, we can overcome any obstacle that comes our way. This week I was again presented with the opportunity to act upon what I had professed. In the last month my husband and I have been put through a very hard and hurtful trial. It was not something we asked for because we were only trying to faithfully serve God. I believe that “all things work for the good of them that love the Lord and are the called according to His purpose,” so with my mouth I professed the goodness of God and prayed for blessings upon those that had come against us with falsehoods and indifference to the will of God. It is all fine in theory but sometimes a different story when put to the test. I received word that God was sending someone to bless them this weekend. The feelings of hurt and frustration threatened to overtake me so I did the only thing I knew to do; fall on my knees in prayer. Would I curse, blame and run down the people who had done me wrong and take the hypocritical chance or would I bless, encourage, pray for them and bring glory to God. It took some wrestling back and forth but I chose to be a blessing to others and receive a blessing from God.

Every day you will be presented with choices that will satisfy your flesh or feed your spirit. If you choose to satisfy your flesh you may have to wear the label of Hypocrite but if you choose to feed your spirit and bring Glory to God, you will be blessed and wear the label of Overcomer. Revelations 21:7 He that overcomes shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

JUST A BAND-AID

Each of us have had wonderful things occur in our lives, when we want to leap for joy and shout praise at the top of our lungs. Maybe it was the time your husband came home from work with news of a big promotion and raise to match. Perhaps after years of hoping, the test came back positive and it was time to start painting the nursery. It could be signing the papers on your dream house, watching your grandchild do amazing things that you thought were disgusting when your son or daughter did them, a new car, earning a degree or any number of things that make your heart sing for joy. You open up the Word of God and read in 1 Thessalonians 5:18, “In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” You are convinced, God is good, His will is full of blessing and you give thanks.

Now we fast forward to an event that drives you to your knees; your husband loses his job, your hopes are shattered and there will be no baby to fill your empty arms, maybe the house is repossessed, the car is totaled or your child has once again broken your heart. You open the Word of God and read in 1 Thessalonians 5:18, “In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” Are you still convinced that God is good, can you trust that “all things work for good,” do you still give thanks?

Sunday marked the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attacks that took place on September 11, 2001. As I watched the 2001 live footage of the towers in flames, people jumping out of windows and heard the stories repeated of heroic acts of bravery, I was instantly transported back to the very moment I learned of the attack. The forgotten memories of horror and grief came flooding back as the tears stream down my face. The names of the thousands that lost their life that day included, without discrimination, fathers, mothers, sons, daughters, husbands, wives, friends, ministers, secretaries, CEO’s, firefighters, policemen and caring citizens. Could anyone find comfort in 1 Thessalonians 5:18, “In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you?”  Did God still care; if so, where was He; how could any good come from such a hate-filled act, could we still give thanks?

Among the fascinating stories told of that Tuesday morning in September, are the tales of “If not for the Grace of God.” For one person, a car wouldn’t start, another arrived at the corner just as the taxi pulled away, yet another was held up in a traffic jam caused by an auto accident, an alarm clock did not go off, the phone rang just as she opened the door; were they just “lucky” or are these everyday happenings that we never think about unless a tragedy of 9/11 proportions occurs? The story that impacted me this morning was that of a man that had put on a new pair of shoes. As he walked toward the World Trade Center, he realized a blister was forming and he stopped at a drug store to purchase a Band-Aid. Yes, an aggravating blister and the need for a band-aid saved his life that day. I’m sure if this man opened his bible and read 1 Thessalonians 5:18, “In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you,” he suddenly had a clear understanding of its meaning and he gave thanks.

Never again will I grumble at the slow car on the highway in front of me or the traffic light that turns red just as I approach; I will breathe a prayer of thanks when the phone rings at an inconvenient time or I get behind the coupon queen in the grocery line. You and I will probably never know the times we have been saved by the things we viewed as a nuisance. Dear God, please remind me when I start to complain about being late that your Word tells me “In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”

IT WAS ENOUGH JUST TO BE YOUR MOM

I POSTED THIS BLOG IN DECEMBER 2010.  AFTER READING POSTS ON FACEBOOK REGARDING STAY-AT-HOME MOMS, I FELT I SHOULD POST IT AGAIN.  I AM NOT JUDGING ANY MOTHER THAT MUST WORK OR CHOOSES TO WORK OUTSIDE THE HOME; THESE ARE JUST MY THOUGHTS AND EXPERIENCES.

It is no secret that I am a Facebook junkie. I love keeping up-to-date with friends and family. One of the things that I have avoided getting involved in is the “Mass Group Posts.” To me they are similar to the old “chain letters.” Some even go as far to tell me if I don’t post a certain paragraph, I am denying Christ before the world. Never mind the life I live, it’s all about posting a specific saying. A couple of weeks ago, this particular post caught my eye: “I work 24/7. I'm a MOMMY, I'm a cook, a cleaner, a parent, a teacher, a referee, a nanny, a nurse, a handyman, a maid, a shrink, security & a comforter. I don't get holidays, sick pay, or A DAY off. I work through the day & some of the night, on call at ALL hours. I'm underpaid & overworked. Now tell me that YOUR job is harder than mine! Repost this if you're a great mommy ♥.”  I did not repost the item but I couldn’t resist commenting.

I was a full time mommy for 20 years, I never considered myself underpaid. OVERWORKED? Maybe, but I just didn’t consider it in monetary terms. You see, to me, Motherhood was NOT a JOB but a CALLING which I chose to follow. Although this calling did not bring great wealth, it was not without great reward. I will never forget the feel of little arms around my neck and the sound of a tiny voice saying, “Mommy I “wuv” you. What mother hasn’t paused for a few moments just to watch her babies sleeping like angels and wishing she hadn’t said “not right now” so many times that day. There is nothing like seeing 2 little shining faces emerge after a warm bath, snuggling with them in their cozy “jammies” and inhaling that soft baby smell. As they grew older, I loved listening to their funny adventures, discovering the world through their fresh eyes and guiding them through the “teenage jungle.” I have enjoyed being a Mom in every stage of their life. As far as overworked, that is what I bought into when I chose to have kids. They have been worth every sleepless night, every hour lost, and every dollar that I could have been spending on myself.

I know how Mary must have felt when she held Jesus in her arms for the first time. I’ve experienced the overwhelming love that pours from your heart as you rock the tiny helpless little baby. But, did she feel “used” when she knelt at the cross? Did she feel underpaid and overworked when she came to the end of the road with her son? Did Mary complain, “I cooked, cleaned, taught you, dried your tears, washed your clothes, was always there for you and this is the reward I get?” Luke 2:19 tells us, “But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.” Perhaps at the end she reached into her heart for all the sweet memories and murmured through her tears, “It was enough just to be your mom.”

Yes, there were times I was privileged to teach them new things, referee their disagreements, bandage skinned knees, and provide clean clothes and delicious meals. I’m thankful they trusted me enough to take my counsel instead of learning life’s lessons on the playground and that they knew their home was a safe place where they could always be comforted. Being an important part of my sons’ lives as they grew to be men who love God, love their families and still love their mom has been all the pay I required. Steven and Philip, it was enough just to be your mom.

A LITTLE DAMAGE BUT STILL STANDING

The nonstop coverage of Hurricane Irene began Friday evening. There were hourly updates, pinpointing exactly which city was being pounded at the moment, the projected paths of destruction and estimated arrival times at various cities all along the Eastern Seaboard. By Saturday evening, New York City was at a standstill. Subways and mass transit systems including airports had been shut down and many had evacuated in anticipation of the havoc, Irene was expected to bring with her. Although, the storm weakened as it made its way up the coast and inland, there were still reports of flooding, downed trees and lost lives.

I am always struck by the dedicated reporters. They brave wind, rain, stand on boardwalks watching the crashing waves, covered in sea foam and sand all to bring us the up-to-the minute reports we watch from a distance in the safety of our homes. If I am ever caught in a catastrophic disaster, I’m going to look for the nearest reporter and stick to them like glue because they somehow usually come through the storm unscathed. As I watched the reports Sunday morning, this simple little statement of “hurt but hope,” stood out. The reporter said, “There’s a little damage to the bridge after the storm but it is still standing.” The winds had buffeted, the rain had poured down and the surf had pounded against the bridge, but after the storm passed by, the bridge stood tall against the skyline.

Most times life doesn’t give us warnings of the approaching storm. We don’t have the luxury of a nonstop encouraging word Friday night into Saturday to prepare us for Sunday’s storm. They always seem to come from nowhere and hit us full force with unrelenting fury. Recently, an unexpected hurricane slammed head-on into my life. I had no time to board up the windows and evacuate. No, this was a storm that I would just have to ride out on my knees holding on to the Word of God. The wind blew, the rain fell and the surf pounded against the very foundation of my soul but like the securely fastened reporter, I lashed myself to the Rock until the storm finally died down and calm prevailed. Over the past few days, I have taken the time to access the damage. I’ve nursed some cuts and scrapes, a few bruises are still tender but I can say with all thanksgiving, “There’s a little damage to the bridge after the storm, but I’m still standing.”

You may be going through the worst storm of your life. It may seem at times that the ground is shaking beneath your feet and you are barely holding on. Remember it isn’t about the storm; it is all about the foundation. The bridge withstood the hurricane because the builder had anchored it deep into the ground. If your foundation is built upon the Rock and you are deeply anchored in Christ Jesus, you can weather any storm that unexpectedly comes your way. You may come out bruised and battered and there may be a “little damage to the bridge” yet, you can lift your hands toward Heaven and say, “But I’m still standing.”

WAITING ON THE DREAM-GIVER

What do you do, where do you go when all your dreams lay shattered and broken? You go back to the Dream-giver. This has been a very painful few months of confusion, self-doubt, loss and sadness but through it all, God has held me close.
Much has been written about the 5 stages of grief, I experienced them all as I looked down upon my dreams that had died before they ever fully developed. At times the stages of grief blurred into one big ball of pain, other times, I was able to deal with one symptom at a time.

DENIAL: For a time I denied the obvious signs that they were not going to blossom into the beautiful blooms I envisioned. It was just easier not to deal with the reality of the situation. I even quoted, “calling things that are not as if they are.” The buds had shriveled up on the stem and the leaves were wilted but maybe a little more water would turn things around. After all the watering and loving care, I had to face the truth; my dreams just were not going to survive.

ANGER: Anger can be soothing, a security blanket that places all responsibility on outside forces. It also prevents you from assessing the situation and making the necessary changes that allow you to reach for the new season. I am still angry at the damage Satan has inflicted on my dreams but I also realize that I am the only one that can give him control over my future. So the anger slowly morphs into sadness over what could have been.

BARGAINING: Oh yes, I went through the bargaining stage. This was the stage in which I thought I had the power to stop the inevitable. Maybe if I fasted more, spoke positive words, named and claimed my desires and rebuked the enemy that had come to destroy my dreams, I would wake up and everything would be perfect again. My power waned and the bargaining stopped when I acknowledged my weakness, His strength and finally placed it all in the hands of the Master.

DEPRESSION: The stage of depression actually came before the anger. I had never realized how depression can actually suck the very life from you. I was embarrassed to let anyone in on this stage. My husband, friends and family never knew the struggle that I sometimes faced to even breathe. I had always been the strong one, self-sufficient, needing no one but God to see me through. Suddenly, I felt helpless, nothing was working and although, God daily showered His love on me, He wasn’t fixing the situation. There were days that I would spend on my knees, crying out my pain to God. I would make myself go somewhere at least once a week, just to get out of the house; unfortunately my bank account usually suffered from those excursions. Although at times, the dark cloud of depression looms threatening on the horizon, with God’s love, I have been able to move on to the last stage; acceptance.

ACCEPTANCE: The final stage is a great gift from God. It is impossible for another door to open and God to bring a new dream into being until you realize the old dream is really dead; it cannot be revived and will never come to fruition. It must be allowed to teach its lessons, remembered with fondness and stay buried. As the Apostle Paul tells us in Philippians 3:13-14 “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”

What do I do when my shattered, broken dreams have been buried? I go back to the Dream-Giver. His word has promised, “Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.” (Psalm 37:4-5) I stand on the promises of a God who has never failed me. Once again I begin to praise, commit and trust but most of all, I wait on the Dream-Giver for the new dream.

WHAT'S GOOD ABOUT THE CHURCH

Originally posted in April, 2010, I felt led to post it again. It is so easy to take our eyes off Jesus and become so discouraged that we fail to see the good in anything including the church. It was at such a moment that the Holy Spirit convicted me and I began to think about what a blessing The Church has been throughout my life.




Recently, Steve was talking with a man who wanted to change his life. He confessed that his attempt to change on his own wasn’t working; he could be good for a short time and then his desires would overwhelm his efforts. Steve, of course, began to tell him that being filled with the Holy Spirit was his answer. It is only through the Holy Spirit that we have the power to overcome our sinful nature. As the conversation continued, the reasons for his resistance began to spill out; he had been failed by the Church. It wasn’t really “The Church” but people who claimed to be members of “The Church.” He had been betrayed by people who talked “Christianese” but didn’t carry it through to the action phase. BEEN THERE!!!

I have yet to find an individual who has NOT been disappointed by a church member or a church member who has NOT disappointed someone. I have been let down by pastors, SS teachers, Christian “friends,” choir members and the list goes on. Sometimes as I sit quietly on a Sunday afternoon, I realize that I am the one who disappointed that member who needed encouragement, a friend or someone just to care. Yes, The Church is full of imperfect people; people who get angry, act hateful, betray trust, are insensitive and even sin; people just like you and me.

If you talk to enough disgruntled people or read enough religious news you will begin to get the picture that The Church is just a “Club for Hypocrites.” Is there anything good about The Church? This is an excerpt from a devotional by Christopher J. Harris called The Church Has My Vote. I’ve seen church members that take their faith serious and walk that out in their daily lives. I’ve seen Pastors have such an encounter with God that they live what they preach. I’ve seen choir members that were the same righteous people in public and in private. I’ve seen more preachers that were committed to their wives than I have seen the opposite. I’ve seen more Deacons support their Pastor’s than the opposite. I’ve seen church members that love people so much that they’ve given money, time, and their talents just to help someone that they’ve only met a few minutes ago. I’ve seen people cry together and laugh together. I’ve seen men connect with other men when otherwise there were walls of mistrust. I’ve seen women get restored when they’d decided they would never trust again……….That’s the other reason why I’m sold out to the church. It doesn’t belong to any one person. It is God’s!

I was introduced to the church at 10 months old and 54 years later, I still love The Church. It was a place where I learned to love God’s Word. Beginning with wonderful Sunday School teachers who lovingly taught me not just Bible stories but the awesome truths they contained. I had pastors that cared about their congregations and sacrificed personal opportunities to follow the call of God and preach salvation to lovable and unlovable sinners. It was surrounded by The Church that I gave my heart to God and received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit at 9 years old. It was The Church that encouraged an awkward teenager to sing, teach and learn to play the piano, and then use her talents for God. Church has always been a place of safety, where I could feel an arm around me as I poured my heart out to God. There are so many good things about The Church but the best thing about The Church is that I have been accepted as a member. Now it’s up to me. My behavior and attitude will determine if seeking people can find something good about The Church. Will they find welcoming arms or an exclusive club with a closed membership? Will they find the truth of God’s Word or an ear-tickling, back-slapping homily that leaves them unchanged? Will they find the power of the Holy Ghost or dead religion? God, help me to be a part of what’s good about The Church.