Lesson For The Week (Jan. 12)

God Is Our Hope
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. (Romans 8:28)
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Billy & Yen Ling's Story
Our second daughter, Savannah, was born on June 14, 2006. I remember standing beside Yen Ling’s bed after the delivery. We were exhausted, but happy. Though Savannah was born three weeks early she looked beautiful and healthy. But then a nurse came into our room and asked to talk to me.
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The nurse took me to see Savannah and showed me the roof of her mouth. She had a cleft palate. About four or five nurses tried to explain what this meant, but I was only half-listening. That day I felt scared and even disappointed in God. Why did my little baby daughter have this challenge? Why didn’t God protect her? Those questions only lasted for a moment, though. I knew that God was in control and that we’d face this challenge together as a family.
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A week after her birth we had to take Savannah back to the hospital. She had lost 1/6 of her birth weight and had jaundice. It was very scary and difficult to see her lying on a plastic hospital baby bed with bright lights shining on her and needles in her arms. After a few days she was OK, but there were more challenges to come.
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Savannah’s muscles have been developing too slowly. She should be able to lift her head up and turn over, but she can’t. Yen Ling has had to take her to weekly physical therapy sessions. Savannah also has mild to moderate hearing loss in both ears. This means she’ll need to wear hearing aids and take speech classes. And in November doctors took blood to test Savannah’s 15th and 22nd chromosomes. If there is something wrong with her DNA it will be her (and our) biggest challenge yet.
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Just a few weeks ago Savannah had her cleft palate surgery. That night I sat by her bed wiping the blood away from her nose and mouth as she slept. It’s difficult to watch your baby cough up blood and struggle to breathe. But as I sat there I felt complete peace; I knew God was holding her in His hands.
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Savannah has now fully recovered from her surgery. She’s talking more than ever; and she even laughs! We received one DNA report from the doctor two weeks ago. The general report showed that her overall DNA structure is OK. We’ll find out about the specific chromosome reports soon. It can be scary to think of all the challenges Savannah faces. But God is our hope. And He is Savannah’s hope, too. As her parents, Yen Ling and I would give everything to make her well—we’d even take her challenges upon ourselves so she could be OK. But we can’t do that. The only One who can give us hope is Jesus. We hope in Him because He says in Jeremiah 29:11: “For I know the plans I have for you [Savannah],” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Savannah has a beautiful future ahead of her and we’re excited to see what God has planned for her life.
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God's Word
Psalm 42:5:
Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God.
Proverbs 3:5,6:
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.
Lamentations 3:25:
The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him.
Jeremiah 29:11:
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Romans 8:28:
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.
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Download the lesson (English) - word file
http://www.ortv.com/chinese/ebs_c/doc/2007/20070112_L7_GodIsOurHope.doc
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Download the lesson (English) - pdf file
http://www.ortv.com/chinese/ebs_c/pdf/2007/L7_20070112e.pdf

Download the lesson (Chinese):
http://www.ortv.com/chinese/ebs_c/pdf/2007/L7_20070112c.pdf

Past Lessons:
http://www.ortv.com/english/ebs_c/ebs_e.htm