Maria Sue Chapman

May 22, 2008
Maria Sue Chapman (2003-2008)
Maria Sue Chapman, adopted and youngest daughter to Mary Beth and Steven Curtis Chapman, was killed Wednesday night in a tragic accident in the family driveway on Wednesday evening. She was LifeFlighted to Vanderbilt Children's Hospital but for only reasons God can explain she went home to Him... not to Franklin as we all so desperately wanted.
Your prayers are needed for all in the Chapman family. This is a family who has so generously loved and given to so many. Just hours before this close knit family was celebrating the engagement of the oldest daughter Emily Chapman, and were just hours away from a graduation party marking Caleb Chapman's completion of high school. Now, they are preparing to bury a child who blew out 5 candles on a birthday cake less than 10 days ago. These words are unthinkable to type. - Jim Houser (Manager)
Meet Maria
For those who never had the chance to meet this special little girl, we invite you to get a glimpse through this "goofy" blog video shot with her Daddy just two months ago. It’s a wonderful recording to help us remember Maria. We miss you so badly already. We'll see you soon Maria.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tn8ajucsXr8

This is so heartbreaking! I can not imagine what they are going thru! Lord, please hold them in your hands right now, ever so close to your heart! Help us all to remember to dance!
Steven Curtis Chapman Cinderella Music Video & story

Praying for Rain ... and Reign

Poor rainfall in rainy seasons = less water for hydroelectric power & less water for crops = lack of food = famine conditions
Rising cost of food production (due to factors such as: environmental changes, poor rainfall, and crops being used for fuel or livestock) = less aid for the same cost = less food distributed to areas of need = famine conditions
Rising costs for food & fuel = economic downturn in developed countries = less giving to aid organizations = less aid provided to those in need

There are many things running slow right now because of lack of electricity, which comes from lack of water. Please continue to pray with us that Ethiopia will receive the much needed rain.

I also wanted to share with you this wonderful picture of Africa with the little hands on Ethiopia - we are waiting and praying!

Happy Anniversary Honey ...

13 YEARS!!! I love you so much! I can't believe it has been years when I am so in love with you today it seems as if it was yesterday! Kids, jobs, friends and even a few "intense fellowship" moments but you are my one and only babe, always! I pray we will grow more in love as we get gray hair and become that "old" couple out walking while holding hands. Thanks for sharing in this grand adventure we call life, I wouldn't want it any other way!

Birthdays ... What is in a number?

Hmmmm.......35. Well, Thursday was my birthday and I don't feel older today. My very special friend took me to breakfast at a place that we love and can just sit and talk for awhile. We all had dinner with my parents at my favorite Mexican food restaurant and ended with mocha with my husband! It was a pretty good day!

And, well about 35 is where we are in line. (Oh, that sounds so, so I don't know) I actually think we may be a couple less than that but trying to stay on the conservative side. That does not mean that we will ACTUALLY get our referral after number 34 because of some wanting only girls or only boys or toddler children so you get the jist. We are still waiting! :):)

An update with Steve is that he will be having a pump put in on Tuesday morning that will hopefully help and get his body to where they want it to be able to be a recipient. Tracy will be flying up on Monday night to be with Monica and returning home Wednesday morning if all is well. Thank you for your prayers and keep 'em coming!

Well, I'm off to finish some household chores. (I was outside all day yesterday and have a sunburn to prove it, so in the house today)!

Artificial Suppliments ...

Well, not able to have a transplant. Some tests are not where they should be and so is not a candidate right now; will input the pump and hopefully it will work to restore some things and then on to the transplant. Keep praying!

Update from Monica:

Hello from Spokane, 1 week and 1 day counting.....
So, some answer to prayer came today when Dr. Ice came in today, and told us that he has found 2 people that have had to use the Heartmate II the way that he needs to use it on Steve. He is calling them to find out particulars so he won't have to reinvent the wheel. Dr. Sandler told us yesterday that Dr. Ice was planning to go and talk with the manufacturers of the device to persuade them to let him use it in this way. Surgery is planned for Tues. May 20. Typically, patients are in ICU for 1 to 1/2 weeks post op. Then back to the 5th floor for 2 - 3 weeks, then he may be discharged to go "home". Home will be Spokane for Steve while he is on the transplant list... a patient has to be within 2 driving hours of Sacred Heart when they are on the transplant list. So, most likely I will spend most of the summer here, and then I will have to return to Boise to work in August. It will be really tough... but we just aren't to that bridge yet... so we don't need to be concerned with crossing it. Steve is battling nausea because of the fluid buildup in his body... pray for him in that way... and that God will continue to strengthen him so that he will be ready for surgery. Continue to pray for favor with the insurance companies.Pray for Dr.'s Ice and Sandler, as they compile information, and prepare for Steve's surgery. We know that God is the physician.. and He is using them. Pray for discernment, that, at ANY time, if GOD shuts a door, we will be obedient. Praise GOD for HIS faithfulness!!!Pray for our families, and for Trevor especially... he just wants Steve to come home so they can play ball. Trevor and my Mom came for the weekend this weekend, to spend Mother's Day. That was a huge blessing.... sad to see them go.... but we press forward... and do what we have to do right now. We Love and Appreciate YOU!!!!Blessings,Steve and Mon

We really have no adoption news to be reporting other than please be praying for the process right now as there seems to be some hindrances going on with everyone right now. Many are trying to get thru court before it closes and there are some power outage problems and on and on and on. Basically, evil will try to overcome good always. Pray and be encouraged my friends, we are all in the battle together!!!

Orphans & Heart Tranplants = BitterSweet

In this world you are an orphan - eagerly anticipating your adoption as God's child.
In this world you are a widow - longing for reunion with your Bridegroom.
In this world you are a stranger - a pilgrim waiting to become a citizen of heaven.
And in this world, God has called you to care for the orphan, the stranger, and the widow.
C. Thomas Davis

As we are praying for our little ones so far away I can't help but think of the circumstances that happen to them before they will get to us. Praying for the many people that will touch their little lives and those that maybe should have and never will. It is just not a simple process. Adoption is not for the faint of heart, but nor is the giving up of your child. (some have no choice: death, poverty or even starvation) Even though this is a challenging chapter in our lives how could we say no? We can't! Pure and faultless religion is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress. James 1:27
I also think of my sister in law and her husband in prayer much right now, also bittersweet. He is in need of a heart transplant; someone has to die and be a donor and be a match for this to happen. NOT a simple process either. As we pray for a heart I can not help but pray for the person would have to donate their heart and their family as well. It has made that little "are you a donor" on my licence become more real. Both Tracy and I have always been and now would ask you to take a look at your and if you have no reason's against it, PLEASE look into it, pray about it, and save a life when you are no more. I think some just don't think about it and so don't until it may be becomes real in their lives with a situation. So, look now and say "yes" if you would.
I just finished reading a book that talks about Christs Red Letters and in this was the statement:
for evil to win, simply do nothing! Sometimes we get overwhelmed or fear may be the cause but doing nothing in many aspects of our lives just lets evil win with out even a battle. Lets get in the battle; love our Lord; sing praises to Him alone; and to God be the Glory!!

Steve in Spokane

Made it to Spokane ... waiting!

Hello Friends,
wow.... I am still reeling from how surreal this all has been. So, the Dr.s at St. Lukes all agreed that Steve needed to stay in the hospital as long as possible before being transported to Spokane. We were relieved to hear that. At this point, our plan was stilll to travel domestically via Southwest. I had a check in my Spirit about that. Our prayer has been that we are not living by fear, as God does not give us a spirit of fear...but that we walk through the doors that God has opened, and have discernment to make decisions that God is leading us to make.
Our flight was to leave on Sat. night at 7:35. Dr. Field (cardiologist on call) didn't feel confident in us flying domestic. He suggested Steve be Medivac'd. This was good!! He also suggested that I would probably not be able to go. I accepted this.... with lots of tears. It wasn't about me, it was about getting Steve where he needed to be. So, my dear sweet brother, Tracy, and my sister in law Jori, made arrangements that if I should need to fly domestically... my brother would fly with me, and help with luggage, and then fly back. WOW!!! I am so blessed!!! Well, when Dr. Fields saw the tears, he had mercy on me, because he strongly suggested that Spokane send a plane that I could fly along with. We waited to hear back. We knew we would not be going Sat. night for sure. And that is all we knew. Most of you who know me well, know that I am a planner.... 3 years ago, this would be eating me alive... not knowing what would happen even tomorrow. But, I believe that God has been shaping me for this race for 5 years. International Missions has taught me patience. You have no idea what will happen from one moment to the next when you travel Internationally. It's moment by moment, step by step. And that is EXACTLY what it has been. We were so very blessed by the St. Lukes staff. Each time, when there was a tough moment, a painful night for Steve, etc. God would send an angel in the form of a nurse. There she/he would be, in the doorway. And, the Chaplins, they were such a blessing. Thank you Pastor Dave, for doing communion with us. So, I thought that what most likely would happen, was that we would fly to the airport from St. Lukes, and then on to Spokane. Shawn and Sherry suggested us looking into an Air St. Lukes membership. I figured it was a little late to get a membership... but... God's favor had been upon us thus far... I'd check. I asked Ruthie, one of the nurses, about it. She said she thought there was a waiting period of 3 days to a week. Without my knowing, she called and asked the appropriate people, who then called supervisors, and they waived the 3 day waiting period. I would urge you all to look into it.... we found out that a 50 mile trip via "Life Flight" is about $13,000.00. They make great gifts. So, I figured that covered us on this end, what about the flight FROM Spokane? So I called Sacred Heart, asked who they used for medical flights, and called. They said that it was a 7 day waiting period. PERIOD!! Bummer. Okay... so, I went down to fill out the membership, and get things rolling for the St. Lukes membership at least.... and I looked down at the pamphlet.... and (praise God) the St. Lukes membership... is in partnership with the company that I had just gotten off the phone with. We were already covered. I then went back up to see Steve, and the sweet nurse Shosta, told me that they were almost positive that I could go. She also said that the Spokane Dr.s require their respiratiory therapist, and nurse come directly bedside to get Steve. They would make an assessment to be sure I was sane enough (stop laughing people) to travel. They didn't want anyone who was intoxicated (ha) or an emotional wreck to get on the plane with them. We became fast friends. Steve got to see the Apache Helicopters on the heliopad, and the military planes on the tarmack.... he was happy!!! So, our medical flight was an hour. And as soon as we got to Spokane... they started tests. They have been doing test after test since yesterday. The plan is that the transplant team will meet on Thurs. and that is when they will decide if Steve is a candidate.
Dr. Icenogel is a Christian. He is the transplant surgeon. He and Steve bonded right away. He says it like it is for sure. But, then again, we don't need any of this sugarcoated. He has involved another Dr., Dr. Rick Jensen... who is a pediatric Cardiologist. Because of the nature of Steve's heart defect, and the procedure that he had done when he was 6 weeks old, Dr. Jensen was recommended to take a look at how Steve's heart is working... etc. Dr. Jensen is also a Christian... and he prayed with us today.
I will be honest with you though... this is really tough. The Psychiatrist came in today, and started talking with us. That was overwhelming. In the book of Daniel, we learn about Shadrach, Meschach, and Abendigo(sp?), and how they weren't delivered until they were actually in the fire. We are in the fire, and we need prayer. We are being cradled in the arms of Jesus right now.
Pray.... my dear friends.... Pray.......
Be Blessed!
Steve and Mon