A New Heart

A NEW HEART

And I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. - Ezekiel 36:36

Today is going to be one of those defining moments for our family. Today Lindsay is going to finally receive the long-awaited Berlin Heart. After six weeks of struggling with our "old" heart, her loving surgeons are going to attach an artificial heart to her heart, which is a precursor to receiving a heart transplant in the future.

There have been many lessons learned by all of us during Lindsay's days of hanging between earth and heaven. A beautiful, blonde-haired little girl who is attached to a ventilator and a heart and lung machine, and who has no ability to communicate, has taught us all volumes with her life.

This weekend, Dr. Jamie Mitchell reminded us that with a trial like Lindsay is facing, she really is in the greatest position to be - healing or heaven! If God in His mercy sees fit to allow the Berlin Heart to be successful - Lindsay wins! If He chooses to call her home to heaven - she wins!

Lindsay has accomplished so much in her 23 months of life. One of the things that she has done is connected people from around the globe to the Lord and to each other. She has taught us to pray with boldness and fervency. She has taught us to know what really matters - not the junk and garbage that we think life is all about. She has taught us that family really matter - stuff that seemed important to us becomes insignificant in light of eternal matters.

She has reminded us that God's WORD is what brings comfort, strength, encouragement and guidance when life doesn't seem to make any sense. She has taught us that God's promises are true and dependable even in the midst of hearts that seem to be breaking.

And she has taught us that God will be God - just when the doctors think they have figured her out - she allows her suffering to remind them that they really are just PRACTICING. One of her doctors yesterday said that he has been amazed how she has overcome every obstacle that has been thrown at her - obstacles that could have been fatal.

Lindsay Bear - you need to know how very much we all love you today! As we have done so many times, we are placing you back in your Heavenly Father's hands, surrendering you to Him. You have taught us so much about life, and most of all, our great God. Thank you, Lindsay, for being the catalyst that God has used to touch literally thousands of people around the globe. And know that Pop-Pop Welte loves you "a bushel and a peck, and a barrel and a heap ..." - but that love is so minute in comparison to your Heavenly Father who has lavished His love on you! - Bill Welte is President and CEO of America's KESWICK, the proud father of four wonderful kids, and five precious grandkids!

Track Lindsay's progress today by visiting www.americaskeswick.org <http://www.americaskeswick.org/> .

God's WORD for YOU: 2 Kings 24-25; John 5:1-24
Think About This: No sin is worse that the sin of self-pity, because it removes God from the throne of our lives, replacing Him with our own self-interests. It causes us to open our mouths only to complain, and we simply become spiritual sponges - always absorbing, never giving, and never being satisfied. And there is nothing lovely or generous about our lives." - Oswald Chambers