On our way home from the gym today, Rhyan said, “Oh! I have to tell you something very important to tell you!’ Usually she’ll say something like, ‘Did you know that Adam and Eve were never born.’ Or ‘There was a boy that was nice to me at the Y today.’ I’m never sure what is 'very important' in her precious mind, so I always listen intently.

She said, “I saw Jesus by my bed last night.” I wasn’t quite prepared for that. She went on to say, “I asked Him if I could see His face, and He showed me.” I asked her what color His hair was. She said it didn’t have a color, but His eyes were brown like ours. I asked her how she felt when she saw Him and she said, “very, very, very, very excited!”

I’ll never know what she saw. I’ll never know if it was a dream or if her little heart is still innocent enough to see the Truth in its purest form. But I do know one thing for certain. She asked to see His face.

One of the greatest reasons God gives us the gift of children is not to teach them, but to learn from them. What I learned this morning from my child is, if we want to see Jesus, we simply need to ask.

Telling secrets to Santa

All she wants for Christmas...

I asked Rhyan tonight what she would give Jesus for Christmas if she could give Him anything. She didn’t hesitate, and with a big toothless smile said, “Me.”

I smiled ‘all the way up to my eyes’ as she says, and told her that she is what He wants most of all. He wants Rhyan, He wants me, and He wants you. We are His beloved children.

Yesterday, Rhyan ran away from home. She was angry with me and I told her that I loved her and I didn’t want her to leave, but it was her decision. I underestimated my strong-willed child. The moment she got out of my sight, I went after her. The faster I went after her, the faster she ran. All I wanted to do was catch her. I think Jesus feels like that about His children when we run from Him. When we’re running away, all He wants to do is catch us.

As much as I love Jesus, as much as I love being His servant, and as much as I believe in Him, I find myself running away at times. Even very recently, I’ve found myself sprinting far from my Shelter.

So this Christmas my gift to Jesus will be me. I’ll, once again take my daughter’s lead, and stop running. And I’ll let Him catch me.

I can’t tell you how overwhelmed I am. I’ve gotten letters and encouragement from strangers that I’ll probably never meet. I’ve reconnected to friends that I haven’t talked to since high school. And I’ve been reminded that I have an amazing group of loved ones that will always be by my side. It’s been quite an emotional ride these last few days and I don’t know how to thank anyone, really. I say ‘thank you’, but this is one of those things that ‘thank you’ doesn’t seem like enough. I am just continually grateful to have you in my life.

Hey all! I just wanted you to know that we (meaning Matt) added an Amazon link to the Rhyan's Hope website. Amazon will donate 4% of any purchase to Rhyan's Hope, or 6% from all gift card purchases. If you're looking for any last minute Christmas gift ideas, here you go!! :)

I saw this article this morning and I thought it was pretty neat. :)

I have been an underachiever with Mary Kay, Creative Memories, and anything else that involves asking people to spend their money. It’s just not in my nature to ask for things. I think that’s one of the biggest reasons that Rhyan’s Hope has been a little nerve-racking. I believe in the cause. I’ve seen the miracles. But, even asking for a dollar was difficult. It wasn’t until yesterday that I understood more clearly. Rhyan’s Hope isn’t just about raising money to provide cochlear implants. It’s about our story.

We had business cards printed up for Rhyan’s Hope, and I handed them out to people that I care about at the YMCA that weren’t on my email list. They are people that have known Rhyan as a baby, took care of her with her hearing aids, kept watch over her and made sure she was extremely careful while playing in the weeks following her surgeries. They are people I love. I handed my first card to one of the child watch workers, and she asked, “Do you want my money now?” I was so taken aback. I immediately said, “No, I just want you to read her story.”

Rhyan’s Hope is definitely about helping little ones get cochlear implants. It will take funds. But what I want more than anything is for every life to be changed by what they read, and what they see God accomplish. When I say that it’s about our story, it is. It’s about Rhyan, Matt, Evynn, me and our family. But it’s about you, too. This is your story now. Thank you so much for the part you’ve played.

We love you to pieces.

Just a few days after my last post, we received a letter in the mail regarding our TIN. All I had to do was call the IRS and we had it over the phone. So, God didn't make us wait after all! He continues to amaze us in our walk through this.

I can't even describe how I felt when I hit the 'send' button today to tell our loved ones about Rhyan's Hope. I felt like everything that we had been through was somehow all worth it. God gave purpose to our devastation. I have to admit that I was putting stress on myself about it all, especially with our unveiling in the middle of Thanksgiving and Christmas. I keep listening for His still small voice to tell me that He's in control. That the good to come from Rhyan's Hope will be beyond my imagination. And I hear Him ever time I listen.

In the middle of writing this, I got our first online donation from my sister-in-law, Brittney. Shortly after, I got our second donation from a friend of someone in my email address. I cried. I really just sat here and cried. It was just the encouragment that I needed. He uses you all to speak to me of His love. If you are reading this right now, please know that I am just so unbelievably grateful for you!!