Pray4Tal Emails

Thursday, October 1, 2009 – Our Journey begins

Greetings and Blessings to you my dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

First I would like to apologize for sending this news out in an e-mail. It is actually too painful to communicate in person as of right now but I know and trust each one of you will understand.

I am coming to such a deeper understanding of and in the power of prayer. As I sit here completely powerless to do anything, in the physical, to help the beautiful child growing within me. I am growing stronger and more confident in the spiritual impact and effectiveness my prayers are having.

Now, is the time for Micah and I to reach out to those of our friends who know and trust in our Savior. Who will pray, with faith, for God's perfect and pleasing will to be accomplished. At this point we need wisdom and strength. And though it is difficult to reach out (due to my fears and insecurities) I know it is the right thing to do because we will all be able to marvel in the Glory of God as this story unfolds. May it increase out faith and help other to see our awesome God.

First the praise, God has granted the deep longing and desire of my heart for a Boy!!! Our little Tal is a much waited for son of blessing who we believe will bring joy and healing to our family. I praise the Lord for His loving kindness!!!

Now for the faith part of this journey; the Doctor at Children's Hospital has diagnosed Tal with a Diaphragmatic Hernia. In short the natural hole in the diaphragm that allows the esophagus and veins to travel into the intestines is too large and has given room for the stomach and possibly the spleen to herniate into his chest cavity. Leading the stomach to push Tal's heart to the wrong side of his chest. As he grows this can cause his lungs and possible heart to not mature enough. The blessing in this is he in presenting with the more "normal" case of this diagnosis and his heart is healthy and strong.

As there are many choices and options before us, God has spoken to my heart that we cannot cross a bridge until is stands before us. So we wait to meet with the Parenatology Group and as each step unfolds we are praying for wisdom though at this point our FAITH is in Tal's complete healing.

I deeply love and respect each one of you, especially your walks with our Savior and King. Your prayers are appreciated and we will update with specifics as this faith journey unfolds.

Love and Blessings,

 Miko S. Johnson

Wednesday, October 14, 2009 - Post 1st Visit to UCSF

My dear family in Christ,

First I would like to Thank each of you for your prayers and encouragement. God so very faithfully held Micah and I (and his mom) together yesterday.

I don't even know how to ask you to continue on this Journey of Faith with us when my feet are barely able to move one after the other. But I know we have been sustained and have overcome so much due to the absolute truth of God's word and your loving prayer support.

We were told yesterday that Tal may have a 10% chance of survival after birth and this is only possible is he does not have any other birth defects. We are suppose to have an Amniocentesis done to check for further signs of defect. If the Amnio comes back with further markers his chance of survival is 0. Our diagnosis is in the worse possible range as Tal's liver is herniated into the chest cavity.

The Fetal surgeon told us "in reality" our only course of action is to either terminate or elect to have an experimental surgery, if we qualify. This surgery has only been performed on 3 babies and of the 3 only 2 survived. And I would have to move to San Francisco for 6 or more weeks.

All I can say at this point is we are unwilling as a family to give up. In my Bible study today God reminded me that it's not about who or what is against you it's only about who is for you. In 2 Kings 6 Elisha is surrounded by an army and his servant informs him of this "reality" but Elisha, though blind, saw through eyes of faith the truth of their circumstances. Elisha told his servant "Don't be afraid" and then asked God to open the servants eyes to the truth and God allowed the servant to see "Hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around".

This is the God I serve. This is the God I have fully committed my heart and life to. I have no idea how this will end but MY God ordered the creation of the earth and every living thing. HIS reality is so different than the one the Doctors have offered. I desperately want to only see with eyes of faith. Jesus is my savior, my everything and I know there is a plan in motion that I may not understand this side of heaven but I am (as well as our family) choosing this day to believe in Tal's healing. This isn't over until Tal breaths his last breath and even then, we all know about Lazarus.

So what is this crazy lady (at least that is what the world would think of me) asking for in the area of prayer, well we are breaking this down into steps.

 First - That God would miraculously heal Tal. That his lungs would begin to grow exponentially. And his little body would be restored to the order God designed our bodies to be.

Second - Amnio: do we have this done? It will help the Doctors post birth and could make us eligible for surgery.

Third - Experimental surgery? Right now we are leaning no but we don't want to make any decisions out of fear.

Fourth - Anyway this shakes down we will have to live in San Francisco for anywhere from a week to 3 months. How? Where? Etc?

And lastly, I cannot even express the pain of knowing I have this beautiful baby boy who moves and lives within me. That as of right now the only place he can survive is within me. That I will carry him to term, have a c-section and then...only God knows. I am determined to not allow our girls to suffer through this but to learn about true faith in Christ and I am committed to our marriage being stronger because of this. So I completely humble myself before the Lord and all of you and ask for prayers for strength, wisdom, faith and however else the Lord may lead you.

"May the God of Hope fill you (and us) with all joy and peace as you (we) trust in him, so that you (we) may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit". Romans 15:13.

Please know we dearly love and appreciate you. And though, at this time, I might not be able to communicate verbally. I will most certainly answer e-mails (I kind of live off of them, reading them again and again when I need encouragement) and continue to pray for you as well.

Praise the Lord for he is so very loving and kind,

Miko Johnson

Monday, October 19, 2009 – Decisions and Continued Prayer Needed

Dear Prayer Partners,

Greetings and blessings to you in the name of our risen Savior, Jesus Christ.

I cannot express in words how much each of you mean to us during this time. Micah and I find ourselves continually amazed by God's loving kindness expressed through your words of comfort, steadfast prayers of faith and support.

It's time like this (as we were reminded by Scott our pastor at The Bridge) that we need to continue to be a people of Thanksgiving!!! And we are so thankful for all the ways God is blessing us at this time. I would like to share just a few of our praises with you. Micah and I are closer than ever, sharing deep times of prayer and worship. Our girls are growing in their ability and the understanding of what prayer means to us as Christ followers. There is a unity of prayerful purpose in our family. And when you do not have a biological family the importance of the family of Christ becomes immeasurable, so for that I am especially thankful.

Micah and I have decided, through prayer and the peace of the Lord, to decline the Amino and thus the experimental surgery option. I have attached the letter I sent to the Dr. at UCSF, it explains fully why we have made this choice. Please read it if you would like to. In it I share the testimony of God's faithfulness in my life and why I have hope in Christ.

Our standing prayer needs are:

1. Continued faith and total submission to God' will. May our prayers be filled with thanksgiving, faith and hope, trust. It's a strange place to stand; believing and knowing God heals, that Jesus is our advocate and the Holy Spirit is our comforter. Though our hearts desire and belief is Talison being completely healed we truly have to live everyday with the words of Jesus upon our lips, "not my (our) will but yours be done." Because it is to the Glory of God that will live as a people of faith through the darkest nights of our soul. I know the creator of the universe and everything in it, is ever looking at our lives through eternity and I draw hope in that. This is why I can believe Talison is completely healed and still be prepared for if it is God's will to take Talison home. I long for one with a heart of submission to the other. I don't think this is faithlessness but my desire to yield my everything to God on the alter of my burning will and desire for fleshly control.

2. Protection from pre-term labor and complications.

3. Wisdom for the Post-birth care for Talison. The Doctors and nurses who will be involved. And peace as I will have to deliver by c-section. Which will mean a significant time of separation from Tal for me. Almost unbearable to think about at this time. For Micah as he will have to make choices and decisions for Talison without me. Tal could not be in better hands than that of his earthly daddy and heavenly Father.

4. Strength; walking daily with my obvious pregnancy, excepting with grace questions and comments which are totally normal for the average pregnant women. Enjoying everyday, every moment, every movement. Living as a wife and mom of encouragement and love.

5. Provision - for however long our short our stay in San Francisco will be.

Micah, the girls, and I, love and appreciate you,

Miko