BRI Day 1

Another milestone for Liz... today she was moved to Baptist Rehab Institute! This is a HUGE step and now that her vitals are stable and she is breathing and eating on her own- the rehabilitation professionals can begin her on the rigorous road to recovery. We should all be SO proud of Elizabeth and thanking our Lord! He is so worthy of our praise!

Elizabeth walked again today... about 20 feet total. She is walking with a gait belt with the help of her PT and sister.  She also wanted to get dressed today... she ditched the hospital gown to wear a hot pink top and yoga pants for her workout.  I would also like to mention that her nails matched the color of her shirt. :)Around 2:30 she began the trek to Baptist Rehab. While a nurse pushed her in a wheelchair her mom and sister loaded a cart with all of her belongings. You would have thought that they had been their for months with all of the stuff that she had!  She had a much better appetite today. She is not eating much solid food, but had a smoothie, yogurt and apple juice this afternoon. She is going to need her energy so this is definitely an answered prayer!

BRI is a great place. There E will be working around the clock to rehabilitate. She will receive about 1.5 hours each of physical, speech, and occupational therapy per day. She is going to be one busy- and tired girl.  In the next few days her new physicians and therapists will fully evaluate her and will have a better idea of what structures/nerves may have damage. They are already very impressed with the progress she has made so far in such little time.

Elizabeth knows all of her family, and is making very good relations between people and events. She is speaking very well and already has many of the same mannerisms that she did before the accident. For example, her voice inflection and tone is very much the same when she says certain words or phrases.  She is also smiling.... a LOT. (Just like our old E!) She is so friendly to everyone she meets and knows all of the names of her caregivers- from doctor to nurse's aide. She makes all of them feel welcome and invited each of the folks in the "step down ICU" to her new home in rehab- so Elizabeth to be so sweet and hospitable!

E is experiencing some confusion and disorientation. We need to be in constant prayer for this area of her brain to heal and that we can have our Elizabeth back 100%.

Elizabeth will be at BRI for approximately 3-4 weeks. Her family will be with her 24 hours a day. While her room is much bigger than before, it is still a small hospital room and there are a lot of people in and out pretty much all of the time. E will be very busy during the day and will need all of the energy she can muster to get her through the next few weeks.

I am so encouraged by Elizabeth. We all should be. Even in the situation she is in, with a long road ahead of her she wears a continuous smile on her face. Today, while the nurses were transferring her from her wheelchair to her new bed, she was reciting her favorite verse in 2 Timothy- reminding herself and everyone around that we have not been created to be fearful, but to have a spirit of LOVE and a SOUND MIND. Elizabeth and her family have been/are going through the biggest storm of their life. I am so blessed to know people that are so faithful and are praying their way through this storm and always stopping to give God the glory.

PRAISE. "Thank you gracious Father for healing Elizabeth! Thank you for hearing our prayers and doing immeasurably more than we could do on our own."

PRAISE. "Thank you for the continuous progress E is making. We praise you for her being moved to rehab and thank you for what you are going to continue to do in her life."

PRAISE. "We praise you for Elizabeth and her family that are weathering this storm like Job. Even in their suffering, they are giving you praise."

PRAY. "Lord we lift up Elizabeth to you. We pray that you heal her completely in Jesus' name!"

PRAY. "We pray encouragement in Elizabeth's heart and determination in her mind." We pray for physical strength that will allow her to endure many hours of therapy a day."

PRAY. "We pray for the Parsley's that have committed to staying with their loved one around the clock. We pray encouragement for them, as well as emotional, physical, mental and spiritual strength. May they always keep their eyes on you."
Amen
******
Michelle, Bill, Billy, Rachel, and Jacob are so very grateful for the outpouring of support for Elizabeth and their family. The cards, flowers, snacks, gift cards, donations, and support that is being shown through t-shirts and bracelets is a small example of the love that God has for His people. Thank you for showering them with your love and please please do not stop praying.

Bracelets- There are now more bracelets available at Re/Max in Conway off of Skyline. There are only about 100 left!  We may be placing another order soon depending on demand.

 "I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love.  Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither fears for today or our worries about tomorrow - not even the powers of hell can separate us from God's love."

Romans 8:38 

Test=PASSED!!

Elizabeth passed her swallow test today! God is SO very good! Just as we prayed, everything worked together like it should and she was able to swallow with no problem! The feeding tube was removed and Elizabeth can now eat solid food!

Rachel left to go get her baby sis a strawberry smoothie, but Elizabeth said she wanted pizza instead. :)  I am told that she hasn't actually been hungry at all today... she has been given some pretty high calorie liquid nutrition through her feeding tube so its possible that she really was just full. We need to be in prayer that her appetite returns soon so that she has the strength to eat solid food and do her rehab.

Speaking of.... E has been cleared to move to BRI... Baptist Rehab Institute. This is a HUGE blessing. BRI is located on the same campus as "Big Baptist" but in a different building. E will move there sometime tomorrow (Thursday.) E's doctors are so impressed with her progress. They feel that she is completely ready to begin the extensive rehab process. Her family agrees and is excited about this new step.

Elizabeth walked some more today with the help of her Physical Therapist and a walker. She is proud of the things she is able to do, but is also still a little confused and down at times about what is going on. Please continue to be in prayer for E's encouragement. Pray also that her hope would remain high and her mind would clear.

E will have her own room in rehab (YAY!) Her family is committed to staying with her 24 hours a day so this helped in her getting her own room. At this time, please continue to hold off on visiting- especially while this transition is going on. Hopefully by next week, when they are more adjusted occasional visitors will be permitted. I will keep you updated.  In the meantime, please stay tuned for a link where you can start signing up to take food to the Parsley's.  Hopefully I will have that link posted tomorrow or Friday.

Please give praise to the Lord who is healing our sweet friend!
1. Praise Him for answering our prayers about the swallow test. Thank Him for continuing to heal E.
2. Moving to Rehab tomorrow
3. Giving E encouragement and hope and the same to her family
4. For the improvements E is making each day
5. For the astonishment of the doctors in response to her healing... some that we do not think know Jesus

Please continue to pray...
1. That Elizabeth would be healed wholly
2. That E would have encouragement and faith
3. That E's mind would clear and that she would not be disoriented or confused
4. Pray that E would have an appetite
5. Pray that E would have physical strength... rehab is going to be an ALL day thing, everyday. It will be long and hard
6. Pray for continued strength for this family. At least one family member at this time is committed to staying with her around the clock
7. Pray that God would receive glory
*****

Bracelets.... I miscalculated postage. All of the bracelets were returned to me today and will be re mailed first thing tomorrow morning. :) I am so very sorry for the delay. I still anticipate them arriving by the weekend, but if you have not received by the middle of next week please email me at heather.richardson@live.com  I am nervous that some could have been lost in the mail.

I am told that the Remax is out of bracelets, but they will receive about 100 late tomorrow. Stop by on Friday to get your bracelet to remind you to "Pray for Elizabeth" for $5. All proceeds will support the Parsley's cost of traveling to Little Rock, meals, etc.

Shirts... Don't forget we will be placing another order on Oct 11th.  You can prepay and order your shirt through paypal to the right of the page or contact arhale@sbcglobal.net to arrange another form of payment.

Donations... If you would like to make a donation to the Parsley family on E's behalf, you can donate through paypal to the right of this page, or contact any Simmons bank location. You may also drop off donations to Remax in Conway.

One of Elizabeth's favorite sayings....

"God is good all the time! All the time God is good!"

Walking on Sunshine!

Today was a big day... Elizabeth took 15 steps with a walker!  We are so excited for this day. I feel like it is only a matter of time before E is asking for her Jessica Simpson pumps to do her therapy in. :)

Elizabeth is still being given medication to wake her up in the morning. She is very awake and alert during the day and I'm told VERY chatty!  We need constant prayer for her memory and orientation. Those things are still off.

Tomorrow Elizabeth will have her swallow study in the afternoon.  We also need to be in prayer for COMPLETE healing, strength, neck control, motivation and courage.

A sweet lady named Kim is one of Rachel's former co-workers.  Today she brought a huge prayer blanket that she made for Elizabeth.  Many of Elizabeth's favorite verses, including some others that talk about God's plan, encouragement and healing are on the blanket.  E's favorite verse in II Timothy is in the very center.  On each side of the blanket, there are 24 ribbons... one for each year of life Elizabeth has had so far. The ribbons are different colors and one side of ribbons matches the other side of ribbons. This was done to represent that we are made in God's image.  What love and detail was put into this blanket!

PRAISE. "Praise be to God who continues to heal Elizabeth! Thank you Father for hearing and answering our prayers. Thank you for giving Elizabeth the strength to walk today. We give you Glory!"

PRAISE. "Thank you Father for Elizabeth's ability to wake, open her eyes, turn her head, have good motor skills, recognize her family, smile, laugh, and talk!"

PRAY. "Lord we lift Elizabeth up to you and pray for total and complete healing. We pray that it would be your will for her to recover 100% from this accident. We pray that her healing would only be explained as a blessing from You."

PRAY. "Father we pray for Elizabeth's mind. We pray that you would allow structures, chemicals, and mechanisms to all work together so that she can remember and comprehend properly. We pray for her orientation that she would know where she is and understand what has happened. We pray that she would not be confused and that her mind would be clear."

PRAY. "Lord we pray for the swallow test that Elizabeth will have tomorrow. We pray for the structures of her digestive system that they would be able to handle this test and pass it."

PRAY. "We pray for Elizabeth's encouragement. We pray that your love would cover her and your grace would be sufficient. We pray that when Elizabeth grows tired and weary that You would pick her up."

Amen.
*****
Can you commit to pray specifically for Elizabeth's swallow test at 1:00 pm tomorrow? Can you do this above the other time(s) day that you have already committed?  If so please leave a comment with your commitment. Think of how amazing it will be for multiple people of God to come before His throne on behalf of E.

Also, some have asked about praying over Elizabeth and her family. Since Elizabeth still can not have visitors, I would like to encourage you to still go to the hospital and pray in the chapel or at the foot of the crosses outside. Her family mentioned that this would mean a lot and even said that they would be interested in meeting you to pray together if the time is right.  If this is something that a group of you is interested in doing... maybe consistently once a week, then please email me at heather.richardson@live.com with the day of the week, time, and contact information for the person leading. 

There is power in prayer!

"Have faith in God,' Jesus answered. 'I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, "Go, throw yourself into the sea," and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins"

Mark 11:22-25

That's What Faith Can Do

CT scans look GOOD! There is not enough fluid to show concern.  Elizabeth will not have to have fluid removed and it looks as though her brain is healing properly! Eliz was having some trouble swallowing water during speech therapy today so the swallow test has been postponed to tomorrow morning or possibly later. She did eat a bite of applesauce today!

Elizabeth is healing! Her doctors were literally astounded today at her progress (ANSWERED PRAYERS!)  They really couldn't believe it when she was able to STAND up once today with assistance from her therapist for balance.  She also sat in a wheelchair for 10-15 minutes.  This is a REALLY big step in the right direction.  Thank you so much for being faithful in prayer. Don't forget to give praise to our Savior. What a mighty God we serve!

Elizabeth's memory is a little off. We need to be in prayer for her ability to be able to recall basic things. She is a little confused at times, yet other times her mind seems perfectly clear.  She is still very sleepy. This is all "medically normal" for the amount of head trauma Elizabeth has experienced... but I think we are all aware now that God is our ultimate healer and is capable of healing her completely and quickly.

Elizabeth is still to have no visitors at this time. Thank you for understanding. I am providing you with the mailing address where you can send a note of encouragement for Elizabeth and/or her family.
P.O. Box 10490
Conway, AR 

Also, stay tuned for an opportunity to provide a meal to the family. Once Elizabeth has been moved to rehab, I will post a link to a website where you can sign up to take them a meal. Now on to the real purpose for this blog:

PRAISE. "Praise be to God whom all blessings flow! Thank you Father for healing Elizabeth. Thank you for answering our prayers for the CT scan of Elizabeth's brain to show absorption of the fluid and healing of her brain!"

PRAISE. "Thank you Father for answered prayers for doctor's to not be able to explain her healing. Father we give You the Glory!"

PRAISE. "We thank you for continuing to heal Elizabeth physically and for the steps she made in rehab today- standing, sitting in a chair, and eating a bite of applesauce."

Please continue to pray that...

PRAY. Pray that Elizabeth would have continued healing. Pray that by next week's CT exam that the rest of the fluid will have been absorbed and her brain structures show additional healing.

PRAY. Pray that Elizabeth would be given the swallow test at the right time and that God would give her the ability to swallow correctly.

PRAY. Pray that Elizabeth would get rest. Pray that her body would continue to heal. Pray that God would regulate her internal schedule and that she would be able to wake and sleep without the help of medication.

PRAY. Pray that Elizabeth's mind would heal. Pray for her recall abilities. Pray for her memory. Pray her personality would come through and that our Elizabeth would return to us.

PRAY. Pray for the Parsley's and Jacob. Pray that they would be encouraged and comforted as they watch their loved one heal. Healing may be long and hard and questionable at times. Pray that they would continue to have hope in Jesus and their cups would run over with His blessings and love.

PRAY. Pray for those taking care of Elizabeth. Pray that for those that don't know Jesus that they would see her miraculous healing and the faith of Elizabeth and her family and friends.  Pray that they would want to know the same Jesus.

"I wait quietly before God, for my victory comes from Him.  Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in Him.  He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will not be shaken."

Psalm 62:1,5

I think this song is so fitting... it talks about how powerful our faith is! We have to remain faithful in God's ability to heal Elizabeth. She has had many good days in a row, but even if she doesn't progress like WE would want, or if God's will has something for Elizabeth that we do not like- we must remain faithful. We must continue to praise and trust Him.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tKwbeFf4AI

Pray some more!

Elizabeth did have her CT scan this morning, but we have not gotten the results back just yet. I have been told the they are going to attempt to do Elizabeth's swallow test today! She is apparently doing well enough to have this test done today. Please say a prayer for this test. If Elizabeth can do the swallow test, she is a step closer to moving to rehab.

PRAY. "Father we pray right now for Elizabeth. We pray that she is encouraged during the swallow test that she is going to do this afternoon. We pray that it would be your will that the mechanism's in her digestive system would work together so that she can pass the swallow test."

PRAY. "We pray for Elizabeth and the Parsley's as they anxiously await test results from the CT scan. Lord we pray your will be done in Elizabeth's life. We pray that we would all remain faithful no matter the results of this exam."

"The Lord your God is mighty to save.  He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love.  He will rejoice over you with singing."

Zephaniah 3:17

PRAYERS URGENTLY NEEDED at 7:00 MONDAY!

Today was another great day.  Actually... everyday is a great day because of the hope we have in Jesus- some days are just better than others. :) Today was one of those better days!

Elizabeth was once again given the medication to stimulate her around 9:30 am. She was awake and very alert most of the day.  Her eyes are WIDE open, and she has great eye movement. It is a bit delayed, but she can move her eyes, blink, etc.  Elizabeth has been very happy today. She is trying to laugh and smiles a LOT!  Our prayers for her encouragement are definitely being heard. She was very talkative but very worn out. The family has to be very careful with how much they stimulate her because her body and mind are still in desperate need of rest.  When people are constantly in and out... visitors combined with health care workers and family- it makes rest impossible.

As I mentioned the other day, Elizabeth has been explained that she was involved in a car accident 2 weeks ago. She mostly understands, but there is still some confusion. Picture your self waking from a REALLY deep sleep and being disoriented- not knowing where you are or how long you've been asleep. Now multiply that times 14 or more. She does sometimes ask where she is, but other times knows that she's in the hospital in Little Rock. This is just going to take some time and we must be PATIENT IN AFFLICTION until her mind is able to sort through the details.

Your Elizabeth "laugh for the day" involves her asking for her workout video to be played in her room. Evidently she is getting very restless having been in a hospital bed for 2 weeks and is ready to get back to working out. Rachel convinced her that it may be a little early to do the workout video and encouraged her to do "Brazilian Butt Lifts (BBL)" instead. (This exercise involves her pulling her feet up under her and pushing up through her legs to life her rear end in the air.) Elizabeth agreed and told Rachel to count how many she did. (Rachel said she was able to pull her legs up on her own and was actually able to do a couple VERY slowly.)  I am encouraged (and giggly) about this. Encouraged because not only does she have a Traumatic Brain Injury, but I can't imagine the muscle tone she has lost for sleeping for 2 weeks! I giggle because only Elizabeth would be worried about her exercise routine after being in a coma for 10 days.  Next thing we know when she is able to eat solid food she will make the food service workers use her Weight Watchers counter to prepare her food! (Elizabeth and her sister are lifetime members, FYI)

On a much more serious note, Elizabeth will be having a CT scan first thing tomorrow morning. I am encouraging EVERYONE- whether or not you've committed to being a Prayer Warrior- to set an alarm for 7 AM to PRAY for this exam's results. We need to pray that the fluid on Elizabeth's brain has been absorbed and that healing is occurring. We should also pray that no new concerns arise.

Please continue to be in prayer for these things:
1. Complete healing for Elizabeth. Healing that would be unexplainable by professionals taking care of her and only explained as an act of God.
2. No new issues arise... infections, delayed bleeding, seizures, etc.
3. Elizabeth's orientation. Where she is, time of day/night, past vs present events
4. Elizabeth's encouragement and encouragement and hope for her family.
5. Pray that her health care professionals would be knowledgeable in their fields and that the Lord would give them wisdom to do all medically possible for Elizabeth
6. That the fluid on Elizabeth's brain would have been absorbed by the time the CT scan is done tomorrow morning. Pray that that her brain will show healing and that no delayed bleeding or any issues have occurred.
6. Pray that God would receive Glory from this accident and that people would come to know the Lord as a result

PRAISE our Father in Heaven for the blessings we have been given! Praise Him for answering our prayers!
1. Elizabeth's encouragement and happiness
2. The progress Elizabeth has made- waking, smiling, alertness, talking, eye control, improved head control, memory, recognition skills, and motor skills
3. Elizabeth's personality shining thorough ever so slightly- her sweet spirit, humor etc.
3. Encouragement of her family and their renewed hope
4. All of those praying for Elizabeth and her family- many of which do not know her or her family personally
5. Praise our Father for healing Elizabeth!
***********
Please NO visitors to see Elizabeth. While she is awake, she still can not be overstimulated. Please understand that while it is comforting to see her since she is awake and alive- we must do what is best for her. The family is welcoming visitors, but when you arrive you need to go to the 6th floor waiting area. Please do NOT go to Elizabeth's room. If the Parsley's are not in the waiting room, then sign in at the nurse's station.

Please continue to keep her in your prayers and ask other's you know to do so. There is a long road of rehab ahead for Elizabeth. We must be diligent in prayer that she will be whole again.

Prayer bracelets have been mailed to those who committed to pray. If you do not receive yours by the weekend and you followed the steps to become a Prayer Warrior in last week's blog- THEN email me at heather.richardson@live.com  It is never too late to sign up to be a Prayer Warrior, just please post a comment so we know how many have committed. I cannot guarantee you a free bracelet, but anyone can purchase one, beginning tomorrow for $5 at REMAX in Conway. 

Also, many have asked about paying for their "free" bracelet. The easiest thing for you to do is to donate $5 (or more) using the "Donate" button on the right side of the page. You will need to set up an account with PayPal and use a checking routing number, debit, or credit card to make a donation. This is much safer than you mailing your check to me. Also, you may contact any Simmons Bank location to make a donation into the fund setup for Elizabeth Parsley. If they need the checking account number, you may email arhale@ymail.com for more information.

T-shirts can still be ordered, we will place a new order on October 11th. Email arhale@ymail.com for ANY tshirt questions.

Most importantly, PRAY PRAY PRAY. Please remember to pray for Elizabeth at 7 am Monday morning regarding her CT scan. Please pray boldly and persistently!

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

 (John 16:33)

Oh Happy Day!

Today the doctor's gave Elizabeth some medication to stimulate her and she was awake for 5 hours!! She was sitting up in her bed... EYES OPEN communicating to her family.

Are you amazed by God's works? His miracles? The answers to our prayers? I am not surprised... I know that we serve a BIG God, one that could heal Elizabeth instantly with one swift breath. But, the last 2 weeks have tested my faith has been tested like never before.  It has also been STRENGTHENED. I pray for each of you that you are leaning on God's promises to get you through this situation and others you may be facing. I know that the Parsley family is. Their faith has been shaken to the core- but our Father has not left them once. Not only that but He is hearing and answering the prayers of His children once again! We must give Him praise!

I've been told that Elizabeth talked a lot today. Sometimes she would just babble things that weren't understandable to her family, but often she is very clear and says some serious- and also some very funny things!  Being the weekend, Elizabeth has "weekend doctors" that are different than her normal rotation of doctors. Today a doctor that they had never seen before came in to see her. They all greeted him and Jacob got up to shake his hand and introduced himself. The doctor left a few moments later and Elizabeth said to everyone in the room, "Jacob is such a suck- up."  They all rolled with laughter!  I love that while our God is serious and Holy, I believe He also has a sense of humor. I am  thanking Him for these precious humorous moments that is providing some comic relief to this aching family.

Today, since Elizabeth was more alert, they told her more in detail about the accident 2 weeks ago. They have been telling her that there was an accident, but we feel that she fully comprehended today the seriousness.  I think it is so descriptive of her character that she was more concerned with her friends, Becca and Courtney that were in the accident with her. It is so Elizabeth to be thinking of others first.  Elizabeth didn't get upset, she just kind of took it all in. We know she understands that she is sick and recovering from a very bad injury. We MUST pray wholeheartedly for her encouragement to get through this.

Today was a great day. We have much to be praising our Lord for! This next week and each day will bring new challenges so we must continue to pray without ceasing.  As one friend of Elizabeth's put it this week, "Prayer Warriors- Man Your Positions!"  We also have much to petition before our Father today.

PRAISE: "Praise be to God who has heard our prayers and answered once again! Thank you Father for Elizabeth waking and being cohering and alert today!"

PRAISE. "Lord we thank you that are healing Elizabeth. We thank you for the faith that you have tested and instilled within us."

PRAISE. "Father we praise you for the relief you are providing to this family and the ones that love Elizabeth. We praise you for knowing the exact time that each of these 'healing moments' will take place and for inserting them at just the perfect time. We thank you for the moments of laughter that this family can have with their loved one."

PRAISE. "Precious Father THANK YOU for sparing the life of Elizabeth. Thank you for becoming her personal savior before this accident. Thank you for the peace that we had when we thought we might lose Elizabeth that she would be eternally with you.  Thank you for using Elizabeth to show your love to a lost a dying world."

And for the prayers...

PRAY. "Lord we pray that Elizabeth would be able to wake up on her own without medication. We pray that she would also get the correct amount of sleep for her body to heal completely."

PRAY. "We pray for the swallow test that Elizabeth will be having next week. We pray that she would be able to pass this test so that the feeding tube can be removed completely.  We pray for the CT scan they will do on Monday. We pray it shows progress and healing. We pray that the excess fluid had been absorbed completely!"

PRAY. "We pray that Elizabeth would be encouraged! We pray that she would know of the hope she has in You and we pray that she would know that all that is medically possible will be done to make her better. We pray without ceasing that hope would live inside of her and that the Holy Spirit would comfort her and hold her. We pray she would not be afraid and know that the Lord is with her always!"

PRAY. "We pray, in JESUS' NAME, that you would heal Elizabeth. We pray that physically, mentally, and emotionally she is restored completely. We pray that her spiritual health would be even healthier than before."
AMEN.

I know I have used this verse before... but I think it is very fitting for the hope we have today. See if you can memorize it and pray that we would be these things as we continue to pray for and cheer on Elizabeth!

"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer."

 Romans 12:12

A Good Ending to the Day

Elizabeth really improved as the day went on.  When I posted this morning, Elizabeth was not as responsive as she has been. It could be due to the fact that she didn't sleep as well last night- were not sure. It's also possible that Elizabeth is discouraged.  She did make a comment to OT that "[therapy] is taking too long. It's too hard." Either way, by afternoon, Elizabeth was having a better day. Physical Therapy came in to work with her and I'm proud to announce that her head control was significantly better! She's still sitting up with the help of her therapists, but her improved head control is truly an answered prayer!

Elizabeth also ate some ice chips today. This is a great step in the right direction.  Her speech path was asking Elizabeth some questions.... mostly yes and no. She asked Elizabeth if she had a dog and she responded "yes." The therapist asked what kind of dog, and she said "a Maltese." We know that Elizabeth has been responding to her family about some things, but we're very excited that she is responding to multiple questions in a row and even being responsive with more than yes and no.

I wanted to share a couple of stories with you tonight. One involves another one of the sweet nurses that is taking care of Elizabeth. Rachel asked the nursing aide if she would mind running to the gift shop on her break and getting her some tweezers. Rachel told her she would give her money and told her to get a coke for herself.  Before the nurse could get to Rachel to get the money, she came back with the tweezers and a beautiful bracelet for Elizabeth that said "strength." It was so touching to Rachel and her family and we can't wait to share this sweet story with Elizabeth soon!

When Jacob got ready to leave the hospital for a bit tonight, he told Elizabeth he was going to leave and he wanted her to give him a kiss. Rachel, being the silly big sister said "Yeah! Give him a big wet kiss, Elizabeth.  Elizabeth stuck out her tongue as hard as she could and they all laughed so hard.  This was funny because this is typically Elizabeth humor and because Speech Path tried to get her to stick her tongue out all day and she wouldn't... but she'll do just about anything for Rachel and Jacob.

We've got some things to PRAISE God for today:

PRAISE.  "Thank you Lord for hearing our prayers. Thank you that Elizabeth was more responsive later in the day today and for instilling hope to this family once again. Praise be to YOU Father for answering our prayer for Elizabeth to have more head control!"

PRAISE. "Thank you for allowing Elizabeth's personality to shine through ever so slightly. Thank you for her contagious smile and for the sweet spirit that she has even when she is sick. Thank you for the relief that has been brought to her family. Thank you that they are able to laugh and smile for their beautiful daughter, sister, and girlfriend."

PRAISE. "You are a Holy and Faithful God! Thank you for providing Elizabeth with excellent care and for sweet nurses that have gone the extra mile for Elizabeth and her family."

PRAY. "Lord we pray you would heal Elizabeth physically and mentally. We pray that her personality, memory, consciousness, and brain function would return. We pray that her motor skills would be restored. We pray for her muscle tone and body processes that they would continue to improve."

PRAY. "Father we pray that Elizabeth would be encouraged. Let those around her be mindful that she can hear everything that they are saying and may they fill her room with only sweet words of love and encouragement. Father hold Elizabeth close to your heart and may she be comforted by your presence."

PRAY. "We pray that the fluid on Elizabeth's brain would be absorbed. We pray that the bruises would heal."

PRAY. "We pray for the swallow test and CT Scan that Elizabeth would have next week. We pray that her body would be prepared and able to perform these tests."

PRAY. "Father we lift up Michelle, Bill, Billy, Rachel, and Jacob. Give them comfort. May You give them strength when they are weak."
AMEN.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18
"Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."

Prayer Needed!

Elizabeth is not responding to any of the commands that her therapists are giving her this morning.  We think she may be becoming discouraged and just shutting down. Please pray for Elizabeth right now. Pray for healing and progress, but pray for encouragement and comfort from the Holy Spirit.

PRAY. "Father we lift Elizabeth to you this morning. Please give her the strength to wake up and do her rehab. Lord let her be responsive to the commands that therapists are giving her. Lord we pray this morning that Elizabeth would be encouraged. May she be determined and able!"

"The LORD your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with his love, He will rejoice over you with singing." Zephaniah 3:17

"That's Rachel."

Today Elizabeth started her first official day of rehabilitation.  The OT's and PT's both spent time with her mostly having her sit up in her bed.  They have her dangling her legs over the side and have put some light pressure on her legs.  While she is sitting up well, Elizabeth has very weak head control, so she must be stabilized by her therapist. She can't sit up for too long belong her sweet little head is just all over the place right now.

A family member has stayed at the hospital every night since the accident.  Last night Jacob stayed with her and she did wake up a few times during the night. Sometimes she just mumbled different things, but at least once she asked about the boots on her legs (the ones that keep her from getting blood clots by vibrating her legs at all times.)  Today she asked for Jacob by name when he wasn't in the room. When therapy was working with her, they asked Elizabeth who was sitting beside her and she said, "that's Rachel."

Again our God is faithful and continues to provide healing for Elizabeth and comfort to her family. Praise God that Elizabeth recognized her sister today! Can you imagine the rejoicing going on inside of Elizabeth's sister and best friend when she called her by name and recognized her?

Elizabeth has a feeding tube that gives her nutrition through a tube down her nose and into her stomach. Next week Elizabeth will have a swallow test that will show if she has the ability to swallow her food.  If she isn't able to pass this by next week, they will most likely install a "button" that will feed her through a tube that goes through her abdomen and into her stomach. You better believe that will be one of our prayer requests over the next several days that she passes this test! Even if she doesn't pass this time they will continue to give her the test on a weekly basis until she can do so- but we will have great faith that she will pass the first time!

Elizabeth's pain was also lower today. When they asked her if her head was hurting, she said "not really." She still continues to sleep most of the day and has few brief moments of wakefulness. I am told that while she may not be completely alert or very talkative, she smiles often.

Elizabeth thankfully did not develop an infection anywhere even though she ran fever yesterday. I am also told that there is apparently some excess spinal fluid on her brain as a result of the accident. We need to pray that this fluid is absorbed and that hear brain is healing.

The rehabilitation doctor, Dr. G, will see her tomorrow. She will give a better assessment of Elizabeth's progress and start to form a plan about what their next steps will be as far as rehab goes. We most definitely need to be in prayer for that. Over the next few days, we are going to pray for these specific things:

PRAY. Pray that God might do a miraculous work in Elizabeth's life once again and that she would be completely healed! Pray that it would be unexplainable by doctors that she would heal so quickly and wholly.  Pray that Elizabeth would be restored to the same Elizabeth mentally and physically and that spiritually she would be even more on fire for God.

PRAY. Pray that Elizabeth would wake up. Pray that her eyes would open and that she would stay awake and coherent. Pray that she would be alert but not agitated.

PRAY. Pray that Elizabeth would continue to progress.  Pray that every day she would move closer to being whole again. Pray that she would regain muscle tone and control all over her body, but especially in her head and neck so that she would be able to hold up her head on her own.

PRAY. Pray for the doctor visit from Dr. G tomorrow. Pray that she would have prayerfully considered different treatments for Elizabeth and that she would put together the best plan possible to heal her quickly.

PRAY. Pray for the swallow test happening sometime next week. Pray that Elizabeth's body would be strong enough and coherent enough to pass this study so that treatment and rehab can move forward.

PRAY. Pray for the fluid and bruising on Elizabeth's brain. Pray that this fluid would be absorbed and that her brain is healing. Pray for the scans that will be done on a weekly basis from now on to show this healing.

PRAY. Pray that Elizabeth would be encouraged. We're convinced that Elizabeth can hear and process information. She is making great effort to wake up, talk, smile and sit up. She needs to be hopeful and encouraged also. Pray that she would be. Pray that the Holy Spirit would come over her and give her comfort and peace when she is afraid. Pray that someone would be present and encouraging when she is feeling lonely. Pray that our sweet girl would not be in pain.

PRAY. Pray for Bill, Michelle, Billy, Rachel, and Jacob. They are exhausted.  They are at the hospital from around 7 am until 9 pm at night most days. They are also taking turns staying the night at the hospital on a couch in a waiting room or in a small chair in Elizabeth's room. Jacob is working during the day and Rachel will start a new job in a couple of weeks. They wait anxiously for their loved one to be awake, and right now only get a few minutes of wakefulness here and there. Pray for their physical strength, mental stability, and spiritual alertness. Pray they would never take their eyes of Jesus.

PRAISE. Praise our sweet, kind and gracious Father for the life of Elizabeth. Praise be to Him that saved Elizabeth's soul and her physical life!

PRAISE: Give thanks to God that Elizabeth knows her loved ones. Thank Him for her smile.

PRAISE. Thank the Lord for protecting this family. Thank Him for the support system in place to help this family through the darkest valley they have ever walked through.

II Corinthians 12:9

"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."

T-shirt and bracelet information.

 Bracelets will be available for purchase for $5 at the Remax location in Conway. Be sure and purchase one when you pick up your shirt!  Remax of Conway (located by Waffle House in Conway) is your go to place for bracelets! Even if you got one free for your commitment as a Prayer Warrior for Elizabeth, consider purchasing a few more for family and friends. All proceeds will go to support the Parsley family as Elizabeth recovers. They will be available there Monday September 27th! The bracelets are light blue in color and say "Prayers for Elizabeth" and "II Timothy 1:7."

The first round of shirts will be in this Friday.  Below is a list of everyone who ordered in time for the first order-- PLEASE look over this list and make sure your shirt is being delivered to the right location. If it's not please email Alex Hale at arhale@sbcglobal.net as soon as possible so we can get you switched. Also, if you're under the ship list and you know of someone who can pick up your shirt please let us know. If you're not on this list don't worry! Your shirt will be ordered in the next round, on October 11th and will be available the following Monday.

LOCATION—LITTLE ROCK--- (If your in the LR area-- someone will contact you about picking up your shirt or they will deliver it to you)

Kristen Kobe

Whiteny Chancellor

Allyson Sample

Stephanie Carter

Autumn Tolliver

Caroline Fow

Lauren Rodebush

Tara Wittenburg

Sarah Denman

Jessica Gobin

Lindsey Keaster

Katie Cox 

Nicki Rickman

Sarah Harris

BENTON/BRYANT-- (contact Paige Covington at acovington@uams.edu to get your shirt)
Nicki Hall

Jennifer Shook

MAUMELLE-- (contact Tasha Cozens at tashalowe04@yahoo.com to get your shirt)

John Jones

Derek Horton

Brandy Gramling
Tyler Williams

CONWAY- (Pick up for Conway, Greenbrier, Vilonia and surrounding towns will be in Conway at ReMax located at 1125 Skyline Drive. You can pick up between 5:30pm -7:30pm on Monday, September 27th and Tuesday, September 28th-- If you can't pick up at either one of these times, please e-mail Britney McRae at b_mcrae_05@yahoo.com

Kristen Foster

Kimberly Owens

Darren Harris

Janet Criswell (Laurie Horton)

Janet Lloyd

Julie Storie

Lance Heer

Lindsey Smith

Kara Campbell

Kyle McDaniel

Steve Boone

Rachel Lepper

Jan Barrow

Joanna Rankin

Sarah Smith

Kristin Lybarger
Sarah Lum

Suzanne May

Brynn Shuckman

Amanda Adams

Ana Martinez

Kristi Ruhman

Stacey Pierce

Michaela Thomas

Teilla Bradley 

Donna Martin

Robert Johnson

Julie Duke

Vickie Bench

Gordon Thomas

Katherine Tooke

Raymond Clark

Courtney Sullins

Sheena Gum

Sarah Unwer
Kyndle Steinmetz

Megan Margis

Suzanne Smith

Sherrye Craig

Mary Moody

RaeLynn Calloway

Tiffany Vo

Joy McRae

Becca Johnson (Sarah Johnson)

Britney McRae
Kara Puryear (B Mac)

Cassie Jo (B Mac)

Chloe McNeil

Beth Yockey

Alicia Clafin

Brittany Lewis

Linda Roster White

Haley Morgan

Brittany Paul

Nichole Jones

Keeli Warford

Kathy Payne

 Ragen Fiddler

HOT SPRINGS (contact Paige Covington at acovington@uams.edu to get your shirt)

Spencer Wilson

Joe Wilson

FAYETTEVILLE (contact Heather Fite at heather.richardson@live.com for pick-up or delivery) 

Rachel Burns

Brittany Dixon

Kristine Stewart

Casey Hale
Sarah Penny

Kim Pope

Maggie Perea

These people we are planning to ship the shirt to-- Please e-mail us at arhale@sbcglobal.net if you have a way to get the shirt other than in the mail.   

Winter Yielding 

Sherry Lavine

 Lee Walker 

Sherry Bell 

Kathryn Hodo  

Angela Setliff 

Allison Riels 

Justin Collins 

Seth Alexander 

Kathleen Miller  

******************

The second order for shirts will be ordered on October 11th.  If you are not on this list and have paid, your shirt will be ordered on that day and should be available by Monday October 18th. 

After paying for the shirts- we have as a group given about $2,500 to this family. I know they will be appreciative, but I can't imagine their faces when people all over the state are wearing shirts saying that they are supporting Elizabeth and praying for her daily!! The bracelets have not yet been figured it but will add to this total.

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!

**If someone sees your shirt and wants one, send them to the blog and encourage them to preorder through paypay by Sunday, October 10th at midnight. For bracelets- they need to go to REMAX in Conway!

I will post a picture of the shirt as soon as I figure out how to do so :) They are dark gray in color with light blue writing and are front and back. Elizabeth's favorite verse, II Timothy 1:7 is printed on the back.

Rehab

I am so amazed at the People of God who have committed to prayer! Ive been out most of the day and was just now able to check back to see the almost 200 commitments in a 10 hour period! I cannot explain to you the joy that Elizabeth's mother, Michelle had when she heard this astonishing number! Please take your commitment seriously. Set an alarm for the time that you committed to pray for. You can post your commitment to become a Prayer Warrior until Thursday evening to receive your free bracelet. But please know that it's never too late to commit to praying for her and God's healing.

Today Elizabeth began rehab. The therapists began their evaluations today and had her sit up in her bed for about 30 minutes. The rehab doctor reminded the family that Elizabeth does have a serious brain injury and that rehab can be long and difficult. We are excited about this progress today and expect that rehab should be aggressive. Elizabeth continued to have moments of wakefulness where she seems to know the voices of her family. She doesn't have a lot of head control, but can turn her head when someone walks into the room.

I also want to share a sweet story of a precious angel that has been sent to this family.  One of Eliz's nurses from ICU that has been taking care of her since day one had a day off today. Instead of staying at home or doing something with her family, she took her afternoon to come to Elizabeth's new room in the hospital and give her a bath.  It took most of the afternoon and I hear Elizabeth just smiled as her hair was being washed. (If you know Elizabeth, you know the girl has got some seriously beautiful THICK hair!)  I just think this friend was so sweet to give of her unpaid time to pamper our precious friend. It also made me think of how sweet Elizabeth is. Elizabeth spent many of her nights in college taking care of her grandmother including bathing her. How sweet that someone would return the favor and be glad to do so.

Elizabeth did run a little bit of a fever today. There were some concerns of infection somewhere, but at this time those concerns remain low.  We need to pray diligently that Elizabeth continues to make progress every day and that she remains calm and does not become agitated while she continues to wake.  We need to continuously pray that Elizabeth's mind that will be restored and that her sweet sweet spirit returns to us soon.

Her mother has also asked me to ask all of you to pray for the family of Jake Pruett.  The Pruett's and Parsley's met over the last several days in the ICU at Baptist Hospital. Jake had been there since September first following a motorcycle accident.  Jake passed away yesterday evening.  Jake was married in July of this year. He is from Vilonia AR.  He is survived by his wife, one brother, and his mother and father. Jake worked as an RN at Arkansas Heart Hospital and Conway Regional. Just this afternoon, when Elizabeth's mother was having a "sad moment," Jake's mother offered her words of encouragement and love.  I am told that his brother, Sage prayed with Elizabeth's family also. What suffering they must be going through at this time- and to think that they would be comforting others!  Their families need our prayers right now also.

PRAISE. "Thank you Father that Elizabeth is with us. Thank you for sparing her life. We praise you for her progress today and every day. We thank you for being faithful and for instilling faith in us."

PRAISE: "Thank you for Misty, the sweet angel that has given time to Elizabeth out of the goodness of her heart and her love for you. We thank you for those that have committed to pray for Elizabeth. Praise be to God who has laid it on the hearts of so many to pray for Elizabeth and her family.

PRAISE: "We give you praise Lord for keeping Elizabeth healthy and for her vitals being strong. We lift your name on high for keeping away infection and other things that could set back her treatment.

PRAY. "We pray in Jesus' name that you heal Elizabeth! We pray that her mind would be whole again and that You would hold her in the palm of your hand!

PRAY: "We pray that as Elizabeth begins rehab tomorrow that her body would be responsive. We pray that her eyes would continue to open and that Elizabeth would wake up! We pray that she would remain calm and not become agitated or upset. We pray she would continue to make progress every day and that infection would stay away."

PRAY: "We pray for the family of Jake Pruett. Many of us do not know him, but we thank you for his life and for the friendship that you have given to these two families. We may not understand these tragedies, but please help them to have peace knowing that the same God that was on His throne before these accidents is still on His throne today! We pray peace for this family that has lost a loved one. A young wife that has lost her new husband, a mother and father that have lost their child, a brother that his lost his sibling, and so many friends that are hurting. We pray your comfort and peace be with them."

Amen.

Prayer Warriors for Elizabeth

While yesterday was a day of rejoicing, we still must understand how sick this sweet girl still is.  Two weeks ago, Elizabeth was showing homes to clients, going out to eat with friends, running with her sister, and going on dates with her boyfriend. Her lives and theirs were turned upside down in an instant. Today she lies in a hospital bed where she has been for almost 2 weeks in intensive care.  For the first few days, she fought to survive. Now she struggles to open her eyes, talk or even wake up.   I do not write this to bring you down today, but only to remind you how critical the situation is. We are so thankful for your prayers. We know that God has heard and answered our prayers over the last 10 days.  We beg you to please PLEASE do not stop praying- that in Jesus' name, Elizabeth would be healed completely!

I am going to challenge you today. The Bible says "If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer." (Matthew 21:22)  I believe this verse. I have seen it work this week. Hundreds, and possibly thousands of people have heard about Elizabeth and prayed for her life and her healing. Our prayers have been answered and we must continue to pray. I would like for you to commit today to be a "Prayer Warrior" for Elizabeth. Prayer Warriors are those whom make a commitment in their life to pray for something non stop until the prayer has been answered. Anyone- whether they know Elizabeth or not can commit to being a Prayer Warrior for Elizabeth. 

If you can commit to this (and please don't unless you can seriously can!)- please leave a comment in the section below with your name, city and state, and a time of day that you will set aside to pray for her DAILY. I will make the first comment so you will have an example. Then, if you will email me at heather.richardson@live.com with your mailing address, I will mail you a free "Prayers for Elizabeth" bracelet. You do not pay anything- it is a small gift for your priceless commitment.

**Remember- you must leave a comment- I will check to make sure you have left a comment before I mail your bracelet. Only one bracelet per comment. :)  I have 500 bracelets- I would love nothing more than to give 500 away for free.  That is how sincere we are about coveting your prayers.

Even if you don't commit to pray for her daily at a certain time, please lift these requests to our Father as you read through this blog:

PRAISE. Thank God for hearing our prayers. Thank Him for the work He has done in Elizabeth's life before this accident and what He is going to continue to do.

PRAISE. Thank God for the positive outlook that the doctor's gave for her healing. Praise Him for being the Ultimate Healer!

PRAY. Ask the Lord to heal Elizabeth whole. Ask Him to open her eyes, and that her eyes will be responsive to tests and that they will be able to focus. Pray that she would see the faces of her loved ones and recognize them.

PRAY. Pray that Elizabeth would wake up. Pray that she would be alert and conscious.

PRAY. Pray for Elizabeth's family as they continue to be with their precious daughter, sister, and girlfriend. Pray that God would give them peace, comfort and patience.

***
As I stated yesterday, Elizabeth has been moved to a different area of the hospital- but she remains in intensive care. At this time, FAMILY ONLY is allowed to see her. We will let you know when more visitors are allowed.  You will find the Parsley's at the waiting room on the 6th floor, and if they are not there you can leave a note at the nurse's station. Please do not just walk into Elizabeth's room.

Thank you so much. Don't forget to leave a comment if you are going to commit to being a Prayer Warrior!

God Speaking

"This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it."

Psalm 118:24

What a great day it has been! Elizabeth's doctor, Dr. "R" came by to speak with her family earlier today.  He let them know that while her MRI scans did show some delayed bleeding, he believes these spots to be benign. Meaning, they are not of worry, they should heal completely!  Our Precious Father has again heard our prayer, and the doctor gave them this hopeful news: "Elizabeth has every hope of recovering fully from this traumatic brain injury."   He also gave them this realistic news: "...we still do not know the specifics of when she will wake up, or when she will regain certain functions. There is no guarantee that she will be the same person that she was before this wreck. There is still a very long road to recovery and the process will most likely take weeks and months.

Elizabeth was also moved to a different area of the hospital today. She is STILL in intensive care, but this is more of a "step down" area of the hospital. Here she will still be monitored at all times, but her family is able to stay with her more throughout the day. This is definitely a blessing since her family was limited to the time that they could visit her.  Elizabeth is considered stable. At this point we are no longer worried about her leaving us on this earth. (PRAISE GOD.) Her vitals have been very strong for several days and this is one reason she was able to leave the main ICU. Her bruises are healed, her scars are fading, I've been told she looks like a sleeping Elizabeth!  At this point, until she is 100% whole again- our prayer must be for God to heal her mind. We must pray that everything be restored like it was before this accident.

Many have asked about visiting Elizabeth and her family. I would encourage you to continue to do so, but please be mindful that Elizabeth is recovering from a very bad rollover car accident and a brain injury. She is very sick. She is allowed visitors, but it really needs to be mostly her family at this time. If Elizabeth becomes overstimulated, she becomes excited and her heart rate rises. If it gets too out of control, they have to sedate her- we definitely do not want that. If you visit her, you must not stimulate her. Please do not touch her, talk to her, push on her etc unless the family asks you to do so. In reality, it is probably best to wait to ask to see Elizabeth for a couple of more weeks when she is (prayerfully) more progressed in her recovery.  The family, on the other hand, definitely needs to know you are thinking of them. Feel free to visit them, write them a note (their mailing address can be found a few posts back) or write them a kind message on this blog. This situation is not even close to being over- we must continue to pray- without ceasing- for Elizabeth.

PRAISE. "Praise be to God for Dr. R. Thank you Father that Elizabeth has the best neurosurgeon around taking care of her. Thank you for the work You are doing through him. Thank you for answering our prayer for his delivery of a hopeful, but realistic message today."

PRAISE. "Thank you for healing Elizabeth! We praise you that the spots found on her brain were not serious enough to warrant surgery or a message of sorrow for this family. We thank you for saving Elizabeth's life a week and half ago and for giving us more time with her. "

PRAISE. "We thank you for comforting this family. We lift your name on high for the peace and joy that they have today! Thank you for their faith in You and may it be a testimony to others that may be desperate for hope."

PRAY. "We pray without ceasing that you would heal Elizabeth's mind. We pray that you would make all of the right parts and processes connect so that she would regain function."

PRAY. "We pray that Elizabeth's condition would remain stabilized. We pray that the body processes and function she has would not digress and only progress.  We pray that she would be able to rest and recover peacefully in her new location at the hospital and that the constant surrounding of her family would be healthy and healing."

PRAY. "Father pour out your blessings on Elizabeth and her family. May your love surround them and your grace cover them."

PRAY."Give us patience, Father. Give us, Elizabeth, and her family patience for the long road that lies ahead. May we never forget that you have heard the cries of your children and answered our prayers! May we have stronger faith than we did a week and a half ago and may our faith be even stronger a year from now."

A sweet friend sent me this video today.... I pray it will bless your heart and remind you how God is speaking to us through this tragedy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZI2gOBvBHk

Baby Steps

Hopefully today will be the day that the doctor comes. I love the way someone put it yesterday in the comments, "we are not waiting on the physician, we are waiting on God!" This has proved very difficult for some of us, but we must continue to be patient and rejoice in the blessings that God has given us.

This morning, Jacob has been reading to Elizabeth out of a devotional book. He was reciting to her part of the passage, and asked her to repeat back to him the portion that said, "I am." Well- she did it. In an audible voice, Elizabeth comprehended what Jacob asked her to do, processed the words in her mind, and repeated back to him this phrase!  She also moved from her back to her side on her own to better face Jacob. PRAISE GOD for these reminders of His grace and love. Thank you Lord!

We must continue to constantly lift Elizabeth and her family in prayer.  Isaiah 40:28 says "He will not grow tired or weary." Our Father loves to hear his children pray to Him- he doesn't get tired of us praying for the same things, so we shouldn't either!

PRAISE. Thank God for the continued miracles He is doing in Elizabeth's body. Thank Him for healing her bruises and scars. Thank Him that Elizabeth continues to breathe on her own, is beginning to open her eyes, is moving her body, rolling to her side, recognizing the voices of her family and loved ones, talking and SMILING! Thank Him for answering these prayers and our prayers to cover her family with love and mercy.

PRAY. Pray that Elizabeth would have continued progress. Pray for her to open her eyes and for them to be able to focus and respond like they should. Pray that the injuries to her brain would heal and that she would regain complete consciousness.

PRAY. Pray for Michelle, Bill, Billy, Rachel, and Jacob. Pray that they would be faithful and patient. Pray that they would rejoice in the life of their loved one. Pray that they would be hopeful. Pray for their physical, emotional, and spiritual well being. Pray that God would have mercy on them.

PRAY. Pray for those who don't know the Jesus that Elizabeth and her family know. Pray that people that might just be reading this blog for updates would realize the healing power of Jesus and would desire to know Him personally. Pray that they would realize that lives can be changed in an instant, and that we are never guaranteed another day. Pray that they would come to know Him today!

****
We are overwhelmed with the response for people wanting to support this family by wearing a tshirt that reminds everyone that sees it to pray for this precious child. Many of you have also given donations. We will be giving your monetary support to the family as early as this weekend. Thank you thank you thank you for your support.

The first t-shirt order was placed yesterday morning. If you prepaid for your shirt before 8 am on Monday morning your order will be ready in the first batch that we will hopefully have by this weekend. PLEASE KNOW that you can absolutely still order shirts! We needed at least 100 to place the first order and will place another order in the next week.  If you have any questions regarding the tshirts or have problems with PayPal, please contact Alex Hale at arhale@ymail.com.  Look for a post later today or tomorrow about instructions on how to pick up your shirt.

"The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning." Lamentations 3:22-23

Faithful Momma

I just spoke to Elizabeth's mother, Michelle. She would like to thank, with the most sincerity, everyone that is reading this blog and praying for her baby girl.  She said that her and her family can literally feel the prayers over them and have been comforted by our Holy Spirit! 

Elizabeth's doctor did not come today. There was apparently some sort of emergency and the family did not hear from him at all. There have been other doctor's in and out, but the doctor that has taken care of Elizabeth since the beginning and is most in control of her care will be the one to meet with their family and update them on Elizabeth's situation.  They will surely meet with him tomorrow. For now we need to continue to pray!

We also have reason to rejoice! Elizabeth made even more progress today! This morning when Elizabeth's nurse went in to check on her, she said "Good morning, Elizabeth." Elizabeth replied back, "hey."
Later, Michelle told Elizabeth how she loved her and how she was never going to leave her. Elizabeth replied back, "I love you." Mind you- this is in an audible voice! (very low but audible!) When her daddy walked in and they told Elizabeth he was there she turned her head all the way to the side where she heard him come in. PRAISE GOD!!! As if things couldn't be more encouraging, tonight one of Elizabeth's closest friends sat by her bedside with Michelle. This sweet friend made a funny comment to Elizabeth and Elizabeth lifted the corners of her mouth ever so slightly and smiled! This is huge progress.  Tiny to us.... but HUGE to a family that has had 2 hard days with little sign of life from their loved one.  Our Father who is having mercy on this family knew just what they needed today and He provided.

Tonight, Michelle shared with me an entry from Elizabeth's prayer journal from January 3, 2009. She is going to email me the exact entry, but it went a little like this:

 [Father, I hope I honor you with all of my life.

 I want to follow after you always...

I'll do whatever it takes to be faithful to you.]

Elizabeth is not perfect, but she strives daily to follow after Him. I believe that others can see this in her life and maybe that can be of encouragement to those who don't understand the faith of Elizabeth or her family.  Michelle mentioned tonight, "If one person is closer to God or goes to Heaven as a result of finding God through this, then it will have been worth it."  What an amazing testimony... and what a faithful momma!

PRAISE.  "Jesus we praise your name for Elizabeth's continued healing! We thank you for comforting this family and providing just the right amount of hope that they needed today.  We thank you for their testimony and for their desire for people to know you and be close to you."

PRAY. "Lord we pray for the doctors and nurses taking care of Elizabeth. We pray they do all that is medically possible for them to do to make her better. We pray that they can only explain her miraculous progress and healing by the Power of God."

PRAY. "We pray for the conversations that the doctors have with this family. We pray that they are truthful and realistic, but also provide hope."

PRAY. "Father we pray for Elizabeth. We lift her to you. We pray without ceasing that you would heal her body and make her whole again. We pray for the injury to her brain to heal. We pray for function to return. We pray her eyes would open and she would see the faces of her loved ones."

I still think this verse is appropriate for this post.... dwell on it when you become anxious, lack joy, or need faith.

"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer."  Romans 12:12

Waiting

The doctor has not yet met with the family today regarding the MRI results from yesterday. I do not have any updates for you at this time on Elizabeth's condition. Please know as soon as I hear from them I will post immediately.

For now, I would like to share with you a verse that a fellow believer has shared with me:

"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer."  Romans 12:12

First, we must be joyful each day in the hope that we have in knowing Christ and knowing that He is the ultimate healer.

Second, we have to be patient in affliction.  Wow! This is hard to do, but we must be patient in this time of suffering.  To be patient means knowing and trusting that it is God who is in control.  He was in control before the accident.  He was in control as the accident occurred. He's still in control today as Elizabeth recovers...patient in affliction. 

Finally, be faithful in prayer.  Pray without ceasing- be persistent.  God calls us to be persistent in our prayers

PRAY. "Father, we pray specifically right now for those taking care of Elizabeth. We pray as they interpret the results from yesterday's exam that they can evaluate how to best take care of Elizabeth. We pray for the manor in which they speak to the family tonight or tomorrow that they would speak honestly, but with love. We lift up the Parsley family- please protect the hearts and minds of Michelle, Bill, Rachel, Billy, and Jacob. We pray that they would have hope today in You."

Birthday Prayers

Today was another hard day.  The MRI results are revealing injury to Elizabeth's brain. The things that showed up on today's exam have not been visible previously. Elizabeth's neurosurgeon will be reviewing the results tonight or in the morning and will be meeting with the family to discuss the results in more detail.

Elizabeth is still breathing on her own and seems to recognize her family. Jacob went to hug her today and she lifted her hand to his face. He told her it was him and to scratch his chin and she did. Elizabeth has indicated she is in pain so the meds have been adjusted accordingly. This could explain why she has been less responsive the last couple of days.

Please be in constant prayer. Lift up prayers to the Lord throughout your day for Elizabeth and her family. Print her picture and hang it on your mirror to remind you to pray for her desperate situation.  Please continue to pray for this family. It has been the worst week of their lives and today was definitely the hardest day yet. We must continue to lift them in prayer and provide encouragement so that they do not lose hope. Many of you have ordered t-shirts. What an awesome way to show your support for this family and I know their spirits will be lifted when they see them! Remember we will be placing the order tomorrow so please order via PayPal by tonight at midnight. Your prayers are critical at this time.

PRAY. Pray that Elizabeth would be held in the palm of our Father's hand. Pray that He would comfort her and shield her from pain and suffering.

PRAY. Pray for the time the doctor will spend reading the latest exams. Pray that he would be knowledgeable and know how to best take care of our Elizabeth.

PRAY. Pray for the meeting that the family will have with Elizabeth's doctors tomorrow. Pray that God will prepare their hearts. Pray that God would give an immediate peace to this family. Pray that Bill, Michelle, Billy, Rachel and Jacob would lean on their faith and not their understanding. Pray that they would love and support each other.

PRAY. Pray that Elizabeth would have a miraculous healing! Pray that it would be unexplainable by doctors. Pray that Elizabeth would wake up and that her mind would be completely restored.  Pray that God would be glorified and that her testimony would strengthen the faith of all who know her and that people would know of the abundant grace of our Savior.

Psalm 66 talks about how God answers prayer. We must never fail to worship and give Him praise. He is our Rock and our Salvation!

PRAISE. Praise God for hearing our prayers. Praise Him for being all knowing and Holy. Praise Him for giving us Elizabeth 24 years ago and for the life she has lived and will continue to live.  Praise Him for the army of believers that are lifting their requests to Him nonstop.

There are many stories of healing in the Bible. My favorite is in Luke 18 vs 35-43. It tells about a blind man that sat along the roadside crying out for Jesus to heal him. Those around the blind man told him to be quiet, but the blind mind continued to cry out to his Savior to have mercy on him. Jesus stopped and said to the man: "Receive your sight; your faith has healed you."  Immediately the man received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God.  When all of the people saw it they also praised God.

We have had our prayers answered this week and must continue to give God glory and praise! He has rewarded our faith and will must continue to cry out to Him for hope!