This is just a quick post to share the fabulous news that Logan went home yesterday! When I consider where he was last week and where he is now, I am overwhelmed by God’s faithfulness to heal my little nephew. So thank you for your prayers, and please keep them coming. He’ll be on steroids and anti-seizure medication for several months.

He’s not 100 percent, but he’s a lot closer than he was last week. Clearly, he was feeling well enough to ride a trike down the hospital hall yesterday. Whenever you think of Logan, please pray for his complete recovery from ADEM. We appreciate those prayers more than you know.

Until next time, grace and peace.
Leslie Ann Jones, freelance writer, stationery designer, mommy, photographer

{read more about Logan’s story here}

On 08.26.11 · Leave a Comment · In Faith
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Thank you so much for your faithful prayers for Logan. I have been overwhelmed by your love and support for our family during this time, and I wanted to let you know that your prayers are working.

Ginger (Logan’s mom), texted me this picture yesterday morning. I know that a feeding tube doesn’t look like much fun, but Logan’s smile made me feel much better about my little nephew. It means that he’s getting some of his personality back.

Thankfully, the doctors never had to perform surgery on Logan. The steroids he has been on have kept the swelling under control, and over the weekend, Logan’s involuntary movements all but disappeared. His speech is returning to normal and he is resting on his own.

He went in for a CT scan this morning to see if the swelling has receded more, but the doctors have not yet shared the results with the family. We’re hoping (and praying) given Logan’s positive progress over the past few days that the scan will show significantly less swelling and that he will be moved from the ICU to a regular room soon.

I really don’t think I can convey how grateful our family is for your prayers. Logan is a sweet and rambunctious little boy, and it’s been difficult to see him so very sick. I will let you know if there are any major developments in his healing, but if you’d like to stay more informed, please visit the Caring Bridge page that has been set up for him. His parents are updating it regularly with details about his progress.

Thank you, again, for spreading the word! Please don’t stop praying. Things are looking up for Logan, but he’s still a very sick little boy. He has a long road ahead of him.

Until next time, grace and peace.
Leslie Ann Jones, freelance writer, stationery designer, mommy, photographer

{read more about Logan’s story here}

On 08.22.11 · Leave a Comment · In Faith
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It’s difficult for me to go on with life as usual these days. I have piles of work that need tackling, but yesterday I found myself unable to focus. My mind was on my little nephew hundreds of miles away at Arkansas Children’s Hospital.

Sigh.

Bless his heart.

It’s hard to believe that just a few days before the whole ordeal started at the beginning of July, he was playing on the beach. It’s been an incredibly rough month and a half since then.

I just got off the phone with Dennis’ mom, and she said that the swelling had receded a tiny bit. But not much. He has lost control of his limbs. They just amble all over the place on their own. The high doses of steroids that he’s on could be causing it, or the swelling could be causing it. Only time will tell which it is. He has not slept since 3 o’clock yesterday morning. He’s amped up and restless, and I’m sure he’s exhausted.

Which leads me to the specific prayers I’m asking you to pray.

Continue to pray for a miracle – for God to stretch out His hand, touch Logan’s swollen brain, and make it better than new. Pray for rest and restoration. For restorative sleep. Pray that there would be no long-term damage. That the incessant wiggling and wriggling of his arms and legs would cease. That when all of this is over, he would be the same happy and vibrant little boy that he was before.

Pray for God to guide and direct the doctors as they treat my sweet nephew – for wisdom and discernment as they decide courses of action – for God to use them as instruments of healing in His hands.

Pray for peace and comfort for Ginger and Bobby (Logan’s parents). Pray that God would strengthen them and grant them all they need to handle this difficult situation. That they would be able to rest. That their fears would be eased. That God would make His presence known to them now.

And finally, continue to pray for God to glorify Himself. For complete healing and restoration that cannot be explained any other way than that God Himself had a hand in it.

Please pray.

Until next time, grace and peace.
Leslie Ann Jones, freelance writer, stationery designer, mommy, photographer

{read more about Logan’s story here}

On 08.19.11 · 1 Comment · In Faith
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I’m so sad to write this post this morning. My sweet little nephew is back in the ICU. Many of you may remember me requesting prayer for him last month. He has had a couple of relapses since then. In fact, the picture above was taken when he was last discharged on August 9. Today I’m asking for prayer again. Specifically, I’m asking you to pray for a miracle.

The Bible is full of stories about people who carried their loved ones to Jesus. With a touch of his hand, he wiped away all the sickness and disease and restored them to health. If I could physically carry Logan to Jesus, I would, but I can’t. I can carry him to Jesus in prayer. I believe that God is still in the healing business. If you believe the same thing, please join me in carrying my nephew to the Lord.

The doctors stand by their previous diagnosis of meningoencephalitis, but they think that has now caused ADEM (acute disseminated encephalomyelitis). Don’t google it. It’s scary. Basically, he has several areas of swelling in his brain. He’s on high doses of steroids to reduce the swelling, but if the swelling does not go down soon, they will drill a hole in his skull to relieve the pressure.

If you’re a mom, you know how terrifying that sounds.

So please, pray for a miracle. Pray for complete healing and no long-term damage. Pray for God to glorify Himself in this situation – that He may receive all the credit for Logan’s healing. Just pray. Please.

I will keep you updated as I learn more.

Thank you for your faithful prayers.
Leslie Ann Jones, freelance writer, stationery designer, mommy, photographer

{the backstory: part one, part two, part three}

On 08.18.11 · Leave a Comment · In Faith
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It seems that the running theme of these monthly update posts is busy-ness. July was no different; in fact, it was the busiest and most chaotic month yet. We visited with Dennis’ family on the farm and then returned to the farm to lend a hand when Logan had the first round of seizures. We went to the Smoky Mountains with my family. I wrote articles and curriculum and designed a custom wedding suite. Dennis tore apart the master bath and slowly started rebuilding it. It was a crazy month.

And when things get crazy, I enter survival mode. I stayed up late to complete my work and neglected running. I got farther behind in my Bible reading and struggled to maintain any sense of order in our household.

I always thought that if I just worked a little bit harder, if I was a little more disciplined, that I would be able to do everything and be everything, but that’s just not true. I’m discovering that a disciplined life is only possible if the life is structured for discipline. I’ve been trying to introduce discipline to my life by addressing separate pieces of the whole, but it’s like trying to neatly stack books on an overflowing bookcase. There’s no room for it.

Hence the decision for Micah to start preschool. On one hand, three hours a day doesn’t seem like much, but on the other hand, it more than doubles what I had previously. It gives me precious quiet time alone to read the Bible, and it allows me to work during work hours and leave it behind when the day is over. That means that I’ll have more time to do things like go running and maintain meaningful relationships and actually be intentional in all areas of my life.

At least, I hope it will. We shall see how it goes. Don’t worry, I’ll keep you updated.

Until next time, grace and peace.

Leslie Ann Jones, freelance writer, stationery designer, mommy, photographer

On 08.10.11 · Leave a Comment · In Self Improvement
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