David: A Man After God's Own Heart

David was brought home yesterday by ambulance. 

Tonight, he is slowly going Home to Jesus. 

Please pray for Marina and for David's parents.

Postcards for David

Hi everyone!

I wanted to update you on our friend, David. I'm a timeline-type person, so I will write out how the last week has looked.

If you don't know, David Cone was born with Cystic Fibrosis. 7 years ago he had a double-lung transplant. 5 years later his body rejected his lungs and he needed another transplant. By the grace of God, he got it! So two years ago he had his second, double-lung transplant. The odds of making it through that second transplant are 50/50 on the table! This last November, David got sick again. He was in the hospital for a few weeks, and ended up coming out ok, but not great. 

Here is the update:

Monday 2/25- David's doctor informed him he has chronic rejection of the lungs. He came to our Young Adults group and told us of the news. He also told us that he wants God's Will to be done. He said he knows he will be healed whether that's God miraculously healing him here on earth, or taking him Home.
Tuesday 2/26- David's health started to decline.
Wednesday 2/27- His health declined so rapidly that he was taken to Stanford Medical Center. His lung capacity was at 0%. He was put on a respiratory machine; he would die without this life support. He was nervous to go on the machine because this was how his first wife had passed away. He told Marina (his wife now) that he knew how horrific things can get, and that she had his permission to take him off of it if she couldn't handle it. At this point the doctors were giving David until the weekend to live. 

The doctors noted that he was fairly coherent through (and after) the procedure, which surprised them. They said that most people are just out of it, and that they usually only live for a couple of weeks after being put on the respirator. It's also rare for anyone to get out of bed, but there have been some cases, though no one has walked more than 500 feet.
The doctors were also surprised when David was able to pick up a pen and paper and write to his doctors, nurses, and friends and family that came to visit. 

Friday 3/1- David was able to get out of bed (while still on the machine) and with the help of his nurses, he walked the entire ICU.... Twice!!!
Saturday 3/2- David was taken off of the respirator and was breathing on his own!!! THEN, he was able to walk the ICU again without the machine!! His doctors and nurses are calling him a miracle.

Wednesday 3/6- David is still at Stanford and is still off of the respirator (Praise God!!) He isn't getting better, but he isn't getting worse right now. PLEASE continue to pray for him. Help us fight with prayer.

During the time he was on the respirator, he would get a word from God and write it down, then give it to the nurse or doctor that God told him to give it to. God is using David to encourage and change lives, even when David is not able to speak. I spoke with Marina yesterday and she said that when David was on the respirator, it wasn't him anymore, it was the Holy Spirit, and when he came off of the machine, David was back. Incredible!!

David's birthday is next month (he will be 35 years old) and he had really been wanting an Apple laptop computer. Marina wants to get it for him now so that he can enjoy it while in the hospital. This would be a huge financial burden on them. Marina is a hair stylist and only makes money when she works; and she took all of last week off to be by David's side. David is not able to work and they still have rent to pay, food to buy and the hospital bills are adding up.

To help fundraise money for David and Marina, I made beautiful postcards with Bible verses on them. I am selling packs of 10 cards for $10.00 and 100% of the profit goes to them. If you are interested in buying a pack, please let me know. If you feel led to donate more money, that is greatly appreciated. If you are not able to do either, your prayers are warmly welcomed! 

Below are pictures of them over the last couple of weeks.

Thank you again for your prayers. Please feel free to share this with friends and family. The more people diligently praying for David and Marina, the better.

Again if you would like to purchase a pack of postcards, please leave a comment and let me know.


Thank you and God bless,
Ashlee

When Nature Calls...

My husband wanted me to teach him how to use my camera. We both think it'd be such a great thing to be a husband and wife photography team! This last weekend we went around town and I showed him how to shoot in manual setting (he's a smart guy, he can handle it). He got a shot of a branch that I love! I told him when we buy a house, I will be hanging that on the wall. I'm so proud of him and am looking forward to many more photoshoots together. The picture below his branch was one that I took on our nature outing, will probably end up hanging that one too.
If you would like to purchase either of these, they are for sale on my website: SincereSnapshots.com

Sincere Snapshots

It's been a while since I last posted. A lot has been going on, but it's all ultimately led to good things. Last month I officially got my photography business up and running! WooHoo!! I'm continually adding great products to packages for clients, and am very happy with the idea of getting to do photography full time. My website is WWW.SINCERESNAPSHOTS.COM Please visit my site and also please "Like" Sincere Snapshots on Facebook. Once we've reached 100 "Likes" there will be a random drawing for a FREE photoshoot!!

I'll end tonight's post with a collage of the photo shoot I did today.
God bless!

When It Rains....

I know when it rains, it doesn't always pour; it can be misty... it can sprinkle... but the phrase "When It Rains It Pours," could not hit me any harder right now.
There has been so many things going on and going "wrong" that without God in my life, I think I'd go crazy. Don't get me wrong, I still have melt downs and cry my eyes out, but I am confident that it will all end up fine (even if His "fine" is different from what I would consider to be fine).
The last couple of weeks have caused me to step back and pray, and ask God what it is that I should be learning right now. ROMANS 5 helps get me through all that is going on. Along with verses such as JEREMIAH 29:11. That's a verse that everyone who grew up in a "Christian" home learned and memorized. I even know a song to sing it with. So to some, this verse may seem cliche, but to me it means everything. God already knows what's going on. He can see me days and even years from now, and the reality of that is mind-blowing and comforting all at the same time.
Things may get difficult, but He has my best interest in mind like a good dad does. I love Him and I trust Him, even when I'm crying like a baby.

One Year Old Invitation

The beautiful girl that I have been taking pictures of each month since she was born is turning one! So for her 11 month old shoot, her mom wanted something specific to use for an invitation to her 1st birthday party. She showed me what she had in mind and I asked her if I could try to recreate it. I told her I wouldn't be offended if she didn't end up liking it. Well, it turns out she loves it; even more so than the original one she had found! I wanted to share it with you all. Out of respect for their privacy, I blurred out their personal information such as address, phone number and email. Here it is...

Pray for Our National Election

I admit that I have not been praying as diligently as I could or should have been for this election. I prayed about whom I should vote for, and then I prayed the, "Oh Dear Lord, please don't let Obama get re-elected," prayer.
But then I got this email (see below) and I realized that my prayers were shallow and selfish. I thought about how God knows what the future looks like, not me, and that I want the man in office that He wants to be there. With less than 24 hours before the election, I'm changing the way I pray tonight and tomorrow. I also will pray throughout the year for our president as well as any person in a seat of government.

The email starts off with this:

It is critical that Christians pray for the coming presidential election.
There is amazing power in united prayer.
 Pray with others whenever possible.

 The power of prayer can overcome any obstacle or ungodly influence  and,
indeed, do great things!

¹⁴ if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.   2 Chronicles 7:14

It continues with what to pray for and Bible verses to support the prayer. 
I hope that as you read this, you will make it your prayer as well. Whoever our President ends up being tomorrow, I pray that God forgives us, has mercy on us, and blesses us.

Pray for repentance for yourself and your nation:

³⁰ Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, Acts 17:30

Pray that others will be motivated to pray faithfully for this election and that the Lord would deliver us from the wrong leaders:

⁶ For this cause everyone who is godly shall pray to You
In a time when You may be found;
Surely in a flood of great waters
They shall not come near him.
⁷ You are my hiding place;
You shall preserve me from trouble;
You shall surround me with songs of deliverance. Selah      

Psalm 32:6-7

Pray that our nation will listen to the truth and not be led astray:

¹³ Righteous lips are the delight of kings,
And they love him who speaks what is right.   

Proverbs 16:13

Pray that those who trust in the Lord will not be shaken:

The Lord the Strength of His People

A Song of Ascents.

125 Those who trust in the Lord
Are like Mount Zion,
Which cannot be moved, but abides forever.
² As the mountains surround Jerusalem,
So the Lord surrounds His people
From this time forth and forever.

³ For the scepter of wickedness shall not rest
On the land allotted to the righteous,
Lest the righteous reach out their hands to iniquity.

⁴ Do good, O Lord, to those who are good,
And to those who are upright in their hearts.

⁵ As for such as turn aside to their crooked ways,
The Lord shall lead them away
With the workers of iniquity.

Peace be upon Israel!    

Psalm 125

(I believe that our country needs to be in support of Israel in order for us to continue to succeed)

Pray that the Lord would defeat those who have no regard for Him in this election:

¹⁴ O God, the proud have risen against me,
And a mob of violent men have sought my life,
And have not set You before them.
¹⁵ But You, O Lord, are a God full of compassion, and gracious,
Longsuffering and abundant in mercy and truth.

¹⁶ Oh, turn to me, and have mercy on me!
Give Your strength to Your servant,
And save the son of Your maidservant.
¹⁷ Show me a sign for good,
That those who hate me may see it and be ashamed,
Because You, Lord, have helped me and comforted me.   Psalm 86:14-17

Pray that the Lord would put His hands on the man of His choice for President (and his team) and guide them in this election:

¹⁶ Then he said to the king of Israel, “Put your hand on the bow.” So he put his hand on it, and Elisha put his hands on the king’s hands.  2 Kings 13:16

The Bible says that God sets up kings and God deposes kings. God is in control:

²⁰ Daniel answered and said:

“Blessed be the name of God forever and ever,
For wisdom and might are His.
²¹ And He changes the times and the seasons;
He removes kings and raises up kings;
He gives wisdom to the wise
And knowledge to those who have understanding.
²² He reveals deep and secret things;
He knows what is in the darkness,
And light dwells with Him.    Daniel 2:20-22

Pray that God's man, and our nation, will be discerning and do what is right:

Discern the Time 

⁵⁴ Then He also said to the multitudes, “Whenever you see a cloud rising out of the west, immediately you say, ‘A shower is coming’; and so it is. ⁵⁵ And when you see the south wind blow, you say, ‘There will be hot weather’; and there is. ⁵⁶ Hypocrites! You can discern the face of the sky and of the earth, but how is it you do not discern this time?

Make Peace with Your Adversary

⁵⁷ “Yes, and why, even of yourselves, do you not judge what is right?
Luke 12:54-57


Pray that the Lord would give wise counsel and guidance to His choice for president in this campaign:

⁷ I will bless the Lord who has given me counsel;
My heart also instructs me in the night seasons.
⁸ I have set the Lord always before me;
Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.   Psalm 16:7-8

Pray that God's man will listen with discernment, add to his knowledge, and receive wise counsel in this campaign:

⁵ A wise man will hear and increase learning,
And a man of understanding will attain wise counsel,
⁶ To understand a proverb and an enigma,
The words of the wise and their riddles.    

Proverbs 1:5-6

Pray that the man of God's choice would be given wisdom and ability from the Lord to overcome any obstacle or difficulty during this campaign:

³³ These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”   John 16:33

Pray that the Lord's choice for President will have special strength and unusual ability from God:

¹³ I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.   Philippians 4:13

Pray that the Lord will arm the man of His choice with strength; would guide him in battle (this election); and would sustain him and give him victory:

³² It is God who arms me with strength,
And makes my way perfect.
³³ He makes my feet like the feet of deer,
And sets me on my high places.
³⁴ He teaches my hands to make war,
So that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

³⁵ You have also given me the shield of Your salvation;
Your right hand has held me up,
Your gentleness has made me great.
³⁶ You enlarged my path under me,
So my feet did not slip.   Psalm 18:32-36

Pray that God's man could, through faith, persevere and maintain his courage throughout this election:

³² And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets: ³³ who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, ³⁴ quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens (other armies).   Hebrews 11:32-34

Pray that the Lord would empower and enable his man in any area of weakness:

⁹ Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.   2 Corinthians 12:9

Pray that the Lord would do something that would utterly amaze us and give His servant victory:

The Lord’s Reply

⁵ “Look among the nations and watch—
Be utterly astounded!
For I will work a work in your days
Which you would not believe, though it were told you.  Habakkuk 1:5

² O Lord, I have heard Your speech and was afraid;
O Lord, revive Your work in the midst of the years!
In the midst of the years make it known;
In wrath remember mercy.    

Habakkuk 3:2

Keep praying. God bless!