NICK UPDATE!

Update from Nick's sister, Katherine de Guzman:

Hi All! Today, the doctor completely stopped the medication that paralyzes his muscles. He moved his arms, hands, legs a little, lips (but can't talk yet), opened his eyes half way and shook and nodded his head a little. He can hear us speak to him, but he's still heavily sedated so he's not fully aware of his surroundings yet. I think tomorrow, he should be able to move more than today, so I will keep you all posted. I will tell him the Lakers won too!


So, I went to see my brother today and he's doing the same: responding to us, understands what we say but can't speak yet. He's aware of his surroundings now, but still on low sedation. The doctor tried to see if he will be able to breathe on his own without help from the ventilator, but he wasn't... he was struggling to breathe. The doctor just found out today that he has pneumonia, so they will be treating it with antibiotics. Once they can get rid of the pneumonia, I think they will be able to wean him off the ventilator. I just hope that his lungs will get healthy soon and that he will be able to go home soon. It's so hard to see him laying there, with his arms tied down. He wants to get out of bed and move. He's frustrated and irritated. July 5th will be exactly one month of him being in the hospital. I do tell him everyday to stay strong, be patient, and that we're all praying for him to get better and all his friends miss him. He gets sad about not being able to see his mom....


In addition, he had a CT scan yesterday and it came out good. He does not have subdural hematomae anymore and there isn't anymore bleeding... so his brain is good now... just waiting for his lungs to get better...

It's not always rainbows and butterflies...but sometimes..it IS!

First Time- Lifehouse
Broken- Lifehouse

Praise God, I was blessed by many brothers and sisters this past week in my fundraising. Right now I have reached $2400, which means I just need $1,000 more.

On a different note:
Three months ago I received prayer from a group of brothers and sisters in Christ. Through that prayer time, God really confirmed many things he was doing in my life. He told me that he was on the move, that his spirit was guiding me like the wind blowing against a sail. A sister praying over me also had an image of me in a large arm chair which represented the arms of Jesus. She said she imagined me enveloped in his arms. Basically, the gist of the prayer was that God wanted me to know that he was near to me and that His spirit is living in me and that I have a special place, a special room in His heart, as his daughter, as His princess.

So on Saturday, I was replaying this prayer time in my mind. I was feeling very weak and in need of encouragement and love. I prayed that day that God would provide someone to pray for me and to once again confirm and encourage me.

Sure enough, on Sunday afternoon I was talking to a group of friends at church, describing to them my missions trip. As I was talking a new friend stopped me and asked me if he could pray for me. He basically confirmed in me what I needed to be reminded of, that god is near to me, and that he is with me. He continued praying and said that god was on the move like a train and he wanted me to hop aboard. He also said that I have a special space in God's heart. BASICALLY EVERYTHING THAT HAD BEEN PRAYED OVER ME BEFORE. O_O I felt so loved by God in this moment.

To top it off, that night I was singing a song that goes "your love, Oh Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness stretches to the skies." As I looked up to the sky there was the biggest rainbow I've ever seen in my life!!!! I was sooooooooo floored!

To top THAT off, after having a very hard week, I went to church on Thursday night and sure enough, they sing the same song "your love, Oh Lord reaches to the heavens." That's when everything started clicking together. And that same day I was blessed with a $300 donation.

As I walk more and more with Jesus, I start realizing that hard times will never cease, but the point is to look to Him and to receive peace in the midst of suffering. We will always need Him because our sin and our brokenness. But there will always be hope and peace for our souls. God wants to bring His kingdom of love here and now, not just in Heaven someday.

This song kept playing in my mind tonight. It reminds me of where I truly stand in this world.

Artist: Hillsongs Australia
Song: When I think about the Lord

When I Think about the Lord,
How He saved me, how He raised me,
how He filled me, with the Holy Ghost.
How He healed me, to the uttermost.

When I Think about the Lord,
how He picked me up and turned me around,
how He placed my feet on solid ground

Chrous*

It makes me wanna shout,
Halleilujiah,
Thank you JESUS,
LORD, your worthy, of all the glory, and all the honor,
and all the praise... (Repeat*)

Nick S.

Friends, tonight I got word that my friend Nick who is currently in South Africa studying abroad was in a horrible accident. He fell off a horse and had brain trauma. He is currently in the hospital. His exact conditions are unknown to me. As far as I know he is in acoma. Please friends pray for His soul.

I know that Jesus has been patiently pursuing him, especially before he left for S. Africa 3 weeks ago. Please pray that he is able to recieve the love of God and his forgiveness in whatever capacity he can.

My bible was flipped to Matthew 18 when i found out about Nick's condition. It says:

2 “What do you think? If any man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go and search for the one that is straying? 13 “If it turns out that he finds it, truly I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine which have not gone astray. 14 “So it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones perish.

I'm so bored of little gods

Just spent about 5 hours in front of the T.V. My brain is sooo fried. I hate how television warps your view on reality. All those story lines about "love" really start getting into my brain.

Reminds me of the David Crowder song- How Great

I'm so bored of little gods
While standing on the edge of
something large
While standing here, so close to You
We could be consumed
What a glorious day

I give up, I lay down
Rest my face upon this ground
Lift my eyes to Your sky
Rid my heart of all I hide

So sweet this surrender

CHORUS:
How great Your love for us
How great our love for You
That grace could cover us
How great Your love

How marvelous, how brilliantly
Luminous, You shine on me
And who can fail to give You awe
To fear You, God, so sovereign and strong



It's so easy to forget Him. All it takes is a few little gods.