Blessed Be The Name Of The Lord

Below I have copied verbatim the words of an email I recieved from a long time friend of mine's husband. They have been compelled by the Lord to move to Nepal to share the gospel with the people of Nepal. They have sacrificed much for His name and it encourages and shames me in the same thought to know that their faith has been tested and they praise God all the more in spite of it. I long to have faith such as what they are demonstrating at this time.

Background:

Shanee was pregnant. All was reported well and good about a week ago. Thursday it was reported that the baby may have fetal hydrops and that could result in a 20-30% survival rate or it could just be infection that hopefully could be treated. They asked for prayer and that it only be infection but either way, they wanted the Lord to be glorified. After that email I received another update stating they never made it Bangkok but to New Dehli. Hopes were still high that it may only be an infection. Several tests were ran and nothing was found to be causing the fluid in the chest and abdomen that would give credit to hydrops. Still prayer was asked for and their desire was that the name of the Lord is to be praised regardless. Then I received the following email:

Priya Jean was born by C-section at about 4:30 on the evening of Dec. 31st. After struggling through the night she went to be with the Lord around 6 am on New Year's morning. She weighed about 5.5 pounds (1 pound of which was fluid), and she was unable to overcome the fluid that had built up in her chest and abdomen. She struggled throughout the night as her blood pressure kept dropping and the doctors tried everything to overcome it.

Shanee and I were able to hold her and say goodbye to her with our mothers there by our side.

Shanee is doing fine after her C-section. She should be able to leave the hospital tomorrow or the next day. Shanee and I are so thankful for your prayers and for all the support we've received here. Our good friends Nathan and Kari Shank were here in Delhi and they were there with us at every step. Also, our good friends Glen and Marvella Thompson flew straight here to Delhi from Thailand and were like another set of parents to us throughout this ordeal.

This has been, without a doubt, the most difficut thing we've ever been through. We are pleased that our daughter is through with the troubles of this world and in the arms of her Lord. And we praise Him. We praise Him. Job said it best in the wake of losing all that he valued on earth: "The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord." That conveys our feelings better than anything we could say. The Lord gave us Priya, and He has chosen by His gracious will to take her away. Blessed be his Name. Her life was an undeserved gift to us. We wouldn't trade one moment of the seven months we had with her. And we praise God for it from beginning to end. We don't know the reason why she was taken, but we know the God who made that decision. And He is enough for us. He is our glory and our strength. We want to praise Him right now as the God of all grace and comfort. He has been our truest and most constant companion in the midst of all this.

We are in the midst of arranging the details for a flight back to Missouri. We should be there in the coming week. We'll hold a memorial celebration there--details will follow. Once again, thank you so much for your prayers and words of encouragement. It is our desire that you would praise the Lord with us at this time. He is always worthy of it.

For His Name,

Jesse and Shanee

May the Lord grant them much grace during this time and may their request be granted: Blessed be the name of the Lord.