Sunday, August 28, 2005

Good evening. Just a quick note- for those of you who didn't get a chance to read the last post- scroll down now and check it out! It's the last online journal entry BJ wrote before he was hospitalized, and it is very powerful.

Though BJ is still in very serious condition and this journey will be very long, today was a pretty good day. The doctors have mostly gotten his external bleeding under control. (They thin his blood so it won't clot in the ecmo pump, but then it won't clot in the places they need it to.) The X-rays have shown that his lungs are clearing a bit, and they have even begun to hear respiration sounds from his right side! BJ's also been coming out of sedation every few hours, so there have been brief periods of time when he's been able to respond to us, either by moving his head slightly or blinking his one eye that isn't swollen shut. This is exciting for my family, obviously, because we haven't been able to communicate with him at all. We really miss hearing him tell his stories that are always 2x longer than necessary because of his attention to detail... :)

I just want to thank you all so much, once again, for your continued prayers. It is truly so insanely BEAUTIFUL to hear how many of you have been moved to pray for BJ and my family in the middle of the night, the middle of the day, the middle of whenever. And thank you so much for spreading the word about my brother to others who will pray. God has used him is such mighty and reaching ways, and continues to do so through this, as we have all seen. I am astounded and so encouraged at the network of Family we have discovered through this experience!!!

Love, Lauren

(Don't forget to read his journal entry below!)

22 Comments:

At 1:10 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Still praying...I am so blessed by reading this, seeing how close to God this family remains,no matter how hard it is... I love you!

Danny,
Québec,Canada

 
At 5:28 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Dear Ones,

When the valley is deep,
And the mountains are steep.
When the body is weary,
When we stumble and fall.

When the choices are hard,
When we're battered and scarred.
When we've spent our resources,
When we've given our all.

In Jesus name we press on,
In Jesus name we press on.
Dear Lord with the prize,
Clear before our eyes.
We find the strength to press on.

KPO

Elsie Jay

 
At 5:31 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Got a note from Bart about BJ and I have been praying!!! I am amazed at what GOD has done through BJ both before he got ill and since then as well. One of my favorite things to do is watch GOD at work and taking something bad and using it for good for those who love him.
I loved his journal entry you posted and can say it blessed me and helped me along in my own walk. THANK YOU!!!!

 
At 6:19 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I am praying, without ceasing, for your family and BJ. I hope that each day continues to bring good news.

 
At 8:20 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Lauren,
You have a very special family, and a wonderful relationship with your brother. I have known you for quite a while, and your parents also, and have always be in awe of your closeness. I have been praying for BJ, and also for you and your sister and parents. I know what it is like living at the hospital with a seriously ill loved one. What a comfort to know that God is right there with you and will help you get thru this. BJ's life and testimony have touched so many people already, and ther are many more that will be hearing about him as I am passing this site on to friends across the country. God bless you and your family. BJ is constantly on my mind, and in my prayers through out the day.

 
At 8:48 AM, Blogger Carrieanney said...

BJ,
Just want to let you know that I'm still praying for you!! God is so good! He is using you to unite His children all over the world. I am truly amazed to see how quickly His children have responded. It's very encouraging to me, as I'm sure it is to you. Keep on keepin' on, brother!

Carrie
Xenia, OH

 
At 8:55 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Still Praying for you. Stay Strong.

Jonathan Haag

 
At 9:45 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

We're continuing to pray at Highland Lakes. It is so hard to not see all of you. I know the progress is slow, but we praise the Lord for positive things that are happening. We love all of you very much.
Gay Christy

 
At 9:48 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I have my entire youth group and Church praying for BJ. I was blessed beyond words by his post.
God Bless,
Caleb Moore (Walker's son)

 
At 9:55 AM, Blogger Jessica & Todd Youmans said...

BJ & Family - We are still fervent in prayer for you. In fact, last night I woke up 3 different times with BJ on my mind and I prayed for him each time. What an awesome journal entry - I love that God will use anyone and that He is in ALL situations! We love you & are praying for you!

Love,
Jessica, Todd & Andrew Y.

 
At 10:03 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I got word of BJ from the grandmother of a young lady that went to Peru with BJ's group. What a truly awesome young man and family. You are in my prayers and God's hands. Keep the good news coming. And when BJ becomes a pastor and hits the revival circuit, please send him to Tulsa, OK.

With love and prayer,
Your Sister in Christ, Vanessa

 
At 10:15 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I just got back online after getting to college. I am still praying for BJ and I've talked to a lot of people that went to Peru with BJ last year that go to HLG. They are praying too. Just know that BJ is being prayed for at Hannibal-LaGrange College. I love you Beej!

Heather

 
At 10:27 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Lauren: Just to let you know that we have put BJ out on the Harvester First Baptist Church of Harvester MO prayer list. Sonja and I are former members of Northside in Indianapolis. We were there for 5 years from 1990-1995. We remember you from that time. Our thoughts, love and prayers are with you.
Paul & Sonja Kiser
pwkiser@yahoo.com

 
At 10:45 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Still praying for a healing. But after reading his entry, I am challenged now! Thanks for sharing it with us! God Bless you all!

--Southern Indiana Hoosier!

 
At 11:01 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Friends at University of North Carolina are praying!

 
At 11:06 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

My prayers go out to BJ and all of his family. I know God will heal him through prayers and he will soon be back spreading the word of God.
Carol
Nashville, TN

 
At 11:21 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

To God be the glory for the things He has done. We at House Of God Church are praying for BJ's healing and for strength for the Higgins family. We believe God is able to do all things (except fail). My family went through a tough ordeal as well. As a testament of God's power, I will briefly share it with you. My father, who is also my pastor, suffered a heart attack; and with very weak kidney and heart the chances of him surviving the quintuple bypass surgery were very slim. We then found out that he had suffered a stroke on the operating table. However, man's extremity is God's opportunity!! He is alive and well and is still preaching God's truth. If it had not been for the prayers of God's people there is no way our family would have survived this traumatic experience. My prayer for you all is that you will be strengthed beyond measure and that God would deliver BJ from this situation. And when its all over, said and done, God will get the Glory!!!

GOD BLESS & KEEP YOU IN JESUS NAME:

Justin Williams
Neighbor of Wes Cate

 
At 12:22 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Was so glad 2 read that B J is improving,WILL PRAY for him and all of family,GOD BLESS EACH AND EVERY 1 OF YOU, VIOLA HOPKINS.OKLA

 
At 12:32 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

hello amazing family! i am here on your computer in the hospital about to leave in less than an hour. i just wanted you guys to know that i have been reading all the updates and praying and spreading the word like everyone else and will continue to do so even if i do or don't say much here. i never know what to say and it always bugs me when people in an attempt to show their care and empathy say stupid stuff out of their own self-determined and justified obligation. i suppose there's no way around it. and if everyone said nothing that wouldn't be good either. i dunno, i usually think too much. i guess i just don't feel like much i say has much weight at all, i don't know if there's anything i can say or do that will change or help anything. so when i don't have anything to say i don't say anything as opposed to filling the awkward silences with contrived cheese or cliche catch phrases. my real thoughts i feel sound too down and something that "you don't need to hear right now," so what i would fill the silence with sounds redundant, retarded and like false optimism or something. the depth of what i feel for you guys--the hurt, the desire to take it away for you, the anger that bad things happen to amazingly good people, etc--is so much deeper than any words i could say or write. though i feel like i haven't done much here, the silent support of being here in person, distracting you even if for only a small moment, the hugs at the end of the day, that is all i know to do to show you the depth of my empathy and love and support. so i hope my feeble actions have spoken accurately and appropriately as we tamper with the shortcomings of spoken language. perhaps i'll swallow my fear of sounding offensively cliche and say something again but if i don't you know why. uncle brent, aunt deanna, lauren, whitney, bj: you guys are amazing and beautiful and an inspiration. i love you more than words can say and wish there was more i could do.

- david

 
At 12:45 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

BJ,
You are such a great encouragement.
I am praying for you my friend. My church and Bible study group are praying also.
There is none like our God!

Philip.

 
At 1:39 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I just wanted you all to know that in my prayer time yesterday I re read all the posts and compiled the different states and places that were praying for BJ>
Alaska,N. Africa, Kenya, Australia,Alabama,Arizona,Bolivia,California, Canada,Colorado, Florida,Germany,Georgia,Indiana,Iowa,Kansas, Kentucky,Latvia, Louisiana,Mississippi,Missouri,Minnesota,Michigan,Maryland, Massachusetts, New york,New Mexico,Nebraska,New Hampshire,Oklahoma,Ohio, Oregon Ontario,Peru,Phillipines,Pennsylvania,Singapore,S. Carolina,Texas,Tennessee,Utah,Virginia,Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin. This is as of today Aug.29th. For whatever reason. May we give God the glory... we love you, Marlene

 
At 8:21 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Greetings from Down Under, no not Australia, NZ the real downunder! Hi Pray for BJ I was surfing blogs (as you do) looking for daily prayer information when I came across your site. While this post wasn't an exact match I enjoyed reading your posts. Thanks for the read, I'll visit again some time. take care.

 

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