BIG FAITH

On September 12, Elizabeth and 2 of her best friends were involved in a car accident. Elizabeth was med flighted to Baptist Hospital in Little Rock and suffered from a traumatic brain injury. She was in a medically induced coma for 3 days. She could not breathe on her own until the breathing tube was finally removed after 5 days.  On the 4th day, her beautiful eyes finally opened, but she remained in and out of consciousness for about 11 days. 18 days after the accident Elizabeth was moved to Baptist Rehab Institute.  After spending 29 days at BRI, and a grand total of 47 days in the hospital Elizabeth will finally be going home THIS FRIDAY!!!

Some would say that Elizabeth. Becca, and Courtney should not have lived through the accident. The car rolled approximately 4 times and was completely unrecognizable. God chose to spare the lives of these three friends. Their lives on this earth were not complete and His plan called for them to remain here with us for a while longer. They all three have had obstacles to overcome but are giving God the glory through this tragic circumstance.

Elizabeth is making continued progress each and every day. Her caregivers are literally astounded at the rate that she is healing. Just today Elizabeth had a late therapy session because she wanted to run outside! Did you hear me??? I said RUN. Now, she is not quite the runner she was before, but I have BIG FAITH that she will get there. Elizabeth cooked spaghetti for her family and hospital friends this week and served them all.  She is encouraged, happy, and while she has loved her therapists and doctors at BRI, this sweet girl is ready to go home.

While the last 2 months have been trying and Elizabeth and her family are changed forever, they are so grateful to God for His mercies and blessings. Only God could and can continue to heal Elizabeth. When doctors warned the family that she might not make it, when she might not wake up, when she might not recover... they turned to God. The first words that Elizabeth said when waking were reciting a Bible verse. Please be encouraged by the faith of Elizabeth and her family. Please know that they are not putting limitations on God and they have BIG FAITH that He can restore her mind and body to what it was before the accident. Hope is necessary to make it through situations like these. It is impossible to have hope without faith. Having faith is more than believing in God. Faith is TRUSTING GOD with your life.  I would say that BIG FAITH is a step above trusting Him. It is removing any limitations from God and truly believing that nothing is impossible for God!

Please understand that no matter what situation you are in at this moment, God can rescue you.  God rescued Elizabeth for the first time when she was 9 years old. She realized she was a sinner and that her sins kept her from entering a perfect Heaven.  She admitted her sins to God, and asked Him to rescue her from a life without Him.  He instantly entered into her life.  Elizabeth still makes mistakes because of her human nature, but her commitment was to live for Christ each day.  I believe that Elizabeth had BIG FAITH before this accident. Her life and her accident have encouraged me to have BIG FAITH.  There have been comments and emails about other lives that have been changed... some having faith for the very first time, and others that have known God personally for years and have now been challenged with deepening their faith. I pray that her story has and will continue to impact the lives of others and ultimately that God would receive glory. 

Elizabeth's family will be meeting with her treatment team tomorrow (Wednesday.) They will have a final meeting discussing details of her discharge from the hospital, and their recommendations for treatment once she is home. Please be in prayer for this meeting and the process of moving Elizabeth back to her parent's house in Conway.

Please celebrate with me in giving glory to God for saving her life and for her leaving the hospital. While there is still a long road ahead, we are over another major obstacle. Glory be to God!

PRAISE. "Thank you Father for healing Elizabeth.  Thank you for hearing our prayers and the testimony of Elizabeth's life."

PRAISE. "We praise you that Elizabeth is well enough to go home!  Thank you for healing her at a speed that has blown the medical world away."

PRAISE. "We thank You for the hope that Elizabeth and her family have in You. We thank you for never leaving them and placing so many wonderful people in their lives to love and support them."

PRAY. "We pray for complete and total healing for Elizabeth. We pray that her heart would be hopeful and encouraged always."

PRAY. "We pray for the meeting that the Parsley's and the treatment team will have tomorrow. We pray that they would seek You and that you would give them knowledge about what is best for Elizabeth. We pray that you would bless these individuals that have taken such great care of Elizabeth and her family."

PRAY. "Lord we pray for the transition of Elizabeth leaving the hospital and moving into her parent's home. We pray the transition is smooth and that Elizabeth feels at home and that her healing continues while she is constantly surrounded by those that love her."

PRAY. "We pray for those without faith. We pray that they would understand that YOU are the ONLY one that can rescue them and that they would ask You to do so. We pray that as believers we would have BIG FAITH and that we would know that NOTHING is impossible for You."

"For nothing is impossible with God."

Luke 1:37

I love this song by Chris Tomlin. When I think of E going home it is what comes to mind.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EduKNYVBKH8

Trust in the Lord

God continues to hear and answer our prayers! Elizabeth's MRI did not reveal any thing of concern about the numbness on the left side of her body. In fact, the doctor says that Elizabeth's brain scan shows healing from the MRI she had just a week and a half ago. He cannot explain this and said that it is definitely not normal to show healing that soon between scans. God is healing Elizabeth at an unexplainable speed! May He receive glory and honor!

Just as we have prayed, the miraculous healing that Elizabeth is experiencing can only be explained as a miracle from our God. He is so good.

It is estimated that Elizabeth may go home a week from today but that is not for certain. While we are all excited that she will be back in Conway, I ask you to remember that Elizabeth is still very sick and that she will have spent nearly 2 months in the hospital. She and her family will need a lot of time to adjust to this transition. 

Elizabeth and her family covet your continued prayers. While Elizabeth is improving at a miraculous rate, she still has obstacles to overcome. Her therapy will be hard and strenuous and it will take time for her life to return to the way it was 2 months ago. Please lift her and her family up in your prayers as they prepare to make this transition.

PRAISE. "Awesome Father, we praise you! We thank you for healing Elizabeth. We give you all of the glory for her healing and that it can only be explained by your mercy."

PRAISE. "Thank you Lord for E's encouragement and that of her family. Thank you for their pure hearts and the example they have set. Bless them in their time of tragedy and may their faith grow deeper and stronger."

PRAISE. "We praise you for those that have met you for the first time as a result of this tragedy and for faith that has been strengthened for so many.  Thank you for those who do not yet know You, may they realize Your love and give their lives to You."

PRAY. "We pray that You would heal Elizabeth. We pray that You would hold her in the palm of your hand and heal every hurt.  We pray that You would be near her always and that she would not afraid or sad. We pray that her faith would grow stronger and that her life, before and after this accident would bring you glory."

PRAY. "We pray for the tingling and numbness that E is still experiencing on the left side of her body. We pray that You would heal her of this.  We pray that you would connect all the right parts in her brain that would enable her personality, inferential thinking, balance, memory and other processes to perform normally."

PRAY. "We pray for Bill, Michelle,Billy, Aimee, Brandon, Rachel, and Jacob. We pray for this precious family as they prepare for the transition for Elizabeth to leave the hospital. We pray that they would continue to seek your will as they make decisions about her care. We pray that You would fill them up physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. "
 Amen.

"But those who trust in the LORD will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint."

Isaiah 40:31

MRI Scan

Elizabeth will be having an MRI tonight. She is having numbness on the left side of her body. Please be in prayer for this exam that it would reveal what is causing this and that the doctors would know just how to treat E. 

Pray that God continues to heal our sweet girl. She is making progress each day and is working very hard. E still has a long way to go and we must be faithful in prayers for her constant encouragement and that of her family.

The Time is Now!

Elizabeth's family met with her treatment team on Wednesday. The doctors are truly amazed at the progress she had made in just over 4 weeks. Considering she was asleep for the first 2 weeks it is truly an act of God.  One of her therapists described her healing at "warp speed."  We must remember that injuries take TIME to heal and that Elizabeth is still very sick.  It is still unknown how long it will take for her to be back to her old self, but her caregivers are hopeful that she has every possibility to heal completely.

 Elizabeth has made wonderful progress in the areas of her physical rehabilitation, strength and endurance, cognition, and her personality returning. (PRAISE!) We must be in constant prayer for her higher cognitive functioning, balance, and short term memory. At this time, her short term memory is thought to be her biggest obstacle to overcome.

Our prayer is that Elizabeth would be able to remain at Baptist Rehab Institute for a couple more weeks. Elizabeth and her family are so thankful for the wonderful care that they have received at BRI. Her therapists are wonderful at what they do and are equally as wonderful at encouraging Elizabeth and her family. I am told that Elizabeth has been extremely encouraged and her hope remains high for God to deliver her from this storm. Praise be to God who has heard our prayer to hold this sweet girl in the palm of His hand. He has never left her side!

After E is discharged from the hospital, she will go home to Conway to her parent's home. She is excited about going home and details are being worked out now for her therapy to continue either at home or locally in an
outpatient setting.  Please be in prayer for the decisions that E and her family will make and that E will have access to the best care that is available.

Update on Becca: Becca had a wound vac put on this week that should facilitate quicker healing for the wound on her leg that was surgically created to clean out the infection.  The antibiotics have been working and the infection has cleared up! Becca is hoping to return home to Batesville this weekend (she has been recovering at her parent's house in Jonesboro) and go back to teaching her kiddos on Monday.  Thank you for praying for Becca!

We have much to be thankful for. Our God is greater and is the Ultimate Healer. He is Elizabeth's heavenly Father and loves her and each of us so very much. Please give Him glory today and continue to lift this precious angel up in prayer.

PRAISE. "Precious Father we praise for you healing Elizabeth. We praise You for being the Ultimate Healer and that you are in complete control of this situation."

PRAISE. "Lord we thank you for keeping Elizabeth close to Your heart. We thank you that she is encouraged and hopeful. We thank you that she is getting stronger and that her endurance is improving."

PRAISE. "Thank you Lord for saving Elizabeth. Thank you for rescuing her physically 5 weeks ago, but spiritually when she was a child. Thank you for the promise that she will live with You eternally one day."

PRAISE. "We praise you for holding the Parsley family, Jacob and their family and friends in your arms.  Some ask why- but they never have. We thank you for this family that has had their faith rattled to the core, but has sought after You every step of the way.  Thank You for comforting them by fellow believers and complete strangers at just the right time."

PRAY. "We pray for Elizabeth. We pray that Your will would be done in her life. We pray that You would heal her completely."

PRAY. "We pray for Elizabeth's balance, her higher cognitive function, and her short term memory."

PRAY. We pray for the Parsley's and the decisions that they will need to make about her care. We pray that they would seek Your will and that You would make clear to them what is best for Elizabeth. We pray that You would give them strength and encouragement. We pray that you would reign down your blessings on this family!"

PRAY. "We pray that You would receive Glory. We pray that unbelievers would realize Your love and Your desire for them to believe that You sent Your Son to die on the cross for us. We pray that they would realize that we are all sinners and without accepting Your free gift- we cannot enter Heaven. We pray for anyone who doesnt remember a specific time in their lives where they have asked forgiveness for their sins and accepted You as their Lord and Savior.  We pray that they would do so immeadiately. May they realize how short life truly is and that the time is NOW."
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I know that I have shared both this verse and this song.... but God has laid it on my heart to share with you again today. The last time I shared this verse and song- we were still uncertain that Elizabeth would come off of her ventilator and out of ICU. Look where the Lord has brough her 4 weeks later. God is good... all the time.

"For I know the plans I have for you," says the Lord.  "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope."

Jeremiah 29:11

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlA5IDnpGhc

final t-shirt order

Here is the list of folks that we have just placed a t-shirt order for. Please make sure that you see your name on this list if you have paid for a shirt and not received it! If you do not see your name or have ANY other questions about shirts then please contact Alex at arhale@sbcglobal.net ASAP! This is the final order.


Conway:
Kristen Foster
Becca Johnson
Britney McRae
Quin Brumfield
Jan Barrow
Morgan Hopkins
Mark Bailey
Clint Bailey
Vickie Crutchfield
Austin Clowers
Shari Adams
Shawn Graham
Janet Llyod
Taylor Hall
Natalie Smith
Beckye Ezell
Lance Heer
John Woodward
Kathy Payne
Adrienne Davis
Ragen Fiddler
Jackie Moon
Courtney Bishop
Caroline Nipper
Maddie Scarbrough
Lacre Acre
Megan Estes
Hilary Smith
Mary Richmond
Marissa Powell
Amanda Jocz


Fayetteville:
Kristin Shehorn
Heather Fite
Casey Hale
Kim Pope
Brittany Dearien Adam Fite


Little Rock:
Holly Vance
Lauren Rodebush
Brittany Moss
Patricia Vance
Jessica Gobin
Tasha Lowe


Benton/Bryant/Hot Springs:
Meredith Wilson- Hot Springs
Lindsey Kindy- Benton
Jennifer Davidon (Caroline)


Other:
Beth Vines

Carrianne Pitsch
Eloise Brown
Brittany Watson (Alex) 
Lisa Hogue
Kassy Whitener
Terry Owens
Glenda Smith
Ruth Hill
Kathleen Miller
Kelli Pierce (Britney)

Seek His Face Always

Elizabeth's treatment team will be meeting with her family tomorrow (Wednesday.) In this meeting her doctors and therapists will communicate to E's family what obstacles they feel that she will have to overcome. They will also discuss their treatment plans and the length of time that E will remain at BRI. Right now, it is expected that she will remain there 2 more weeks and then she will go home to her parent's house in Conway.  The treatment team did meet last Wednesday, but the family was not included in the meeting. Many of the tests that were done last week are being redone this week and she has show progress just in one week.  We need to be in prayer for this meeting and the news that will be delivered to the family.

Elizabeth has made so much progress! She is now walking almost entirely on her own! She is able to walk around her room by herself and walked to the cafeteria yesterday while her mom and therapists remained close by.  She is dressing herself, and wore makeup for the first time yesterday in a month.  Her morale is definitely higher and our prayers are being heard for her heart to be filled with the Spirit of God.  Her attention span is also much better that it has been. These are all wonderful advancements and means that her brain is continuing to heal.  She knows her family and friends and even people she hasn't seen in a long time. She knows all of the names of the people taking care of her. E is having some issues with her memory and at times has trouble remembering events from the past.

Elizabeth's family says that her sweet spirit is very much present. She cares so much about every one around her (family, friends, her nursing staff etc). Even though she is sick, she is still concerned about those around her and their well being.  Her heart is on fire for God. She wants to spend the day learning and reciting scripture and for her family members to read to her from the Bible. What an answered prayer!

While E's encouragement is up, she is requesting no visitors at this time. She is very tired still and feels uncomfortable at times when there are many visitors. The hospital is growing to be tiresome and possibly once she gets home visitors will be welcomed. Please understand and be respectful of this request.

Please remember your commitment to pray for Elizabeth and her family. It has been 1 month and 2 days since the accident. It is the desire of our Heavenly Father for us to cry out to Him to heal our friend. We must pray without ceasing!

PRAISE. Praise God for His continued healing of Elizabeth.
PRAISE. Praise Him for her increased awareness and for her sweet spirit being present.
PRAISE. Praise Him for being evident in her life and for giving her hope and encouragement.
PRAY. Pray for her continued healing. Pray that the mechanisms in her brain would work together once again and that her memory, attention, personality, and all of the other functions would be healed.
PRAY. Pray for the doctors that therapists taking care of E. Pray for expertise in their fields and that God would work through them.
PRAY. Pray for the meeting happening tomorrow with the treatment team and Elizabeth's family. Pray that God would prepare their hearts for whatever He has in store for E. Pray that the news that is delivered is positive and hopeful.
PRAY. Pray for Bil, Michelle, Billy, Rachel, Brandon, and Jacob. Pray that they would never lose hope and that God would have a special plan for their lives as well. Pray that they would always keep their eyes on Jesus.

"Look to the LORD and His strength; seek His face always."

Psalm 105:4

More Tests

Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy. In that day you will no longer ask Me anything. I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in My name...Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.

John 16:22-24

Elizabeth is undergoing some more testing today. I will hopefully have a more detailed update this evening- but please PLEASE be in prayer.

PRAY. Pray that God would be present! Pray that HE would enable Elizabeth to perform on these tests and that the people taking care of E would be astonished at her progress. Pray that God would receive glory!

PRAY. Pray that the tests would reveal how her caregivers can best take care of her and that those in charge of her care would have knowledge to best treat her.

PRAY. Pray for Elizabeth's hope and encouragement. Pray that the God of the universe would wrap His arms around her and she would never feel alone.

PRAY. Pray for the Parsley's. Pray that they would be encouraged and that they would keep their eyes on Jesus. Pray for Rachel as she started a new job today and will be spending time away from her baby sister and very best friend.

PRAISE. Praise God for Elizabeth and her testimony. Praise Him for hearing our prayers and healing our friend.

PRAISE. Praise Him who knows just what is wrong with Elizabeth. How awesome is our God who is the ultimate healer. He is still on His throne!!

Lord of the universe. We praise You today. We thank You for being in control of our lives and in Elizabeth's.  We pray without ceasing that You would heal Elizabeth. We pray that the same God that made a blind man see and the lame to walk would be present in Elizabeth' life. We pray that the God of Jacob and Issac would come to her rescue! Father we plead with You that You would heal her mind. We pray that the same God that raised Lazarus from the dead would allow all of the mechanisms in her brain to work together and that she would be the same Elizabeth that she was one month ago. Lord we pray that the tests that Elizabeth is undergoing now would enable those taking care of her to do all that is medically possible for her. We pray that you would miraculously heal her today and that You would receive glory. We pray without ceasing in Jesus' name that she would be healed!
Amen

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THANK YOU for those of you who have signed up to take meals to the Parsleys! I am amazed at all of the love that this family has received. The food has been a big help and they are so very thankful! There are a few dates still left if you would like to take some food. Visit takethemameal.com, last name "parsley", password "pars". 

T-SHIRTS: THE FINAL TSHIRT ORDER WILL BE PLACED TOMORROW MORNING, TUESDAY OCTOBER 12. If you have already purchased a shirt and have not received, it will be ordered tomorrow and we will hopefully have ready to distribute by the middle of next week.  If you would still like to order a shirt, you will need to purchase through PayPal to the right of this screen. You will first select your size, then you will hit "purchase". If you do not have a PayPal account, you will need to do that next- it will prompt you. It only takes a minute. You will need to order by midnight tonight!  Please email arhale@ymail.com if you have ANY questions about tshirts or need assistance ordering.

Better than a Hallelujah Song

Elizabeth's treatment team met on Wednesday. Their main concern at this time is her cognition. There are some issues with her balance as well- but her cognitive function, ie personality, perception, memory etc is the top worry. She has been having additional ongoing testing regarding that yesterday and today. Please spend some extra time in prayer that this area of Elizabeth's brain would heal completely and that she will be the same girl that we all knew and loved 1 month ago.

Elizabeth has been very discouraged. Wednesday night she was very upset and is growing weary of the therapy and the hospital. She wants to be normal and understands that she is sick. Please be in prayer for her encouragement and hope.  Take time to drop her a card in the mail or post something here in the comments section. The family has just started to have some time to read each of the comments and they have received such a blessing from your encouraging words.

On a positive note, Elizabeth has been walking on a treadmill this week, with supports. On Wednesday she walked about 11 minutes with a small break in the middle! We are so proud of our girl! She seems to be progressing very well with skills like walking and this is still a very good sign that her brain is continuing to heal. One day this week while she was standing up with her therapist, she began singing "Standing on the Promises of God." Elizabeth is still praising our Father despite the terrible storm she is going through right now. We can all learn from her faith.

Elizabeth's best friend Becca arrived home yesterday from the hospital... on her 24th birthday! (I think it is really neat that these 3 best friends celebrate birthdays within a month of each other! Courtney's birthday was September 12, the day of the accident. E's was one week later.)  Becca is recovering at her parent's house in Jonesboro. She will be out for a while while her leg heals and they are certain that the infection has been taken care of. When Elizabeth was told that Becca was going to have to have surgery on her leg, she told Rachel that she wanted to give Becca her leg! It's just like that sweet girl to be thinking of others. And just like her to do ANYTHING for Becca or Courtney!

I love the song by Amy Grant, "Better than a Hallelujah Song." I have posted the link for you to listen but here is what sticks out to me that I pray we remember...

We pour out our miseries,

God just hears a melody.

Beautiful the mess we are,

the honest cries of breaking hearts...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0nMvvoXa9Yk

God LOVES to hear our cries. He has been faithful to hear us and answer. A month has passed and we are all ready for Elizabeth to be whole again, but God is going to heal her in His time! We must continue to pray and have faith!

PRAISE. Becca's healing and that she is home recovering.

PRAISE. Elizabeth's healing and progress that she has made in therapy.

PRAY. Elizabeth's continued healing- her cognitive function and mental abilities would return.

PRAY. Elizabeth would continue to progress in therapy and would be doing more on her own.

PRAY. For E's encouragement and hope. Pray that God would fill her with love and that He would never leave her side. Pray that she wouldn't be sad and that she would be motivated.

PRAY. Pray that in Jesus' name Elizabeth would be healed!

PRAY. Pray that we would not grow weary in crying out to our Father. He is capable of healing Elizabeth and wants to bear our burden and heartache.

"Do not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand."

 Isaiah 41:10

Do Not Worry About Tomorrow

I got a brief update from Jacob today. The eye doctor did come today and said that the "cloudiness" in Elizabeth's eyes and occasional difficulty seeing is due to the medication that she is on. It is nothing to worry about. (PRAISE.)

Jacob did mention that Elizabeth is getting stronger every day but growing frustrated and weary. We must continue to pray for her strength and encouragement!

Becca is doing much better today. Her fever finally broke and she did walk some and sit in a chair today. She is on a very high dose of antibiotics which have some side effects but seem to be taking care of the problem. The cultures should be back tomorrow and Becca's specialist will decide if she can go home and what medications she will be on that will specifically target the infection she had. 

PRAISE. "Lord we thank you for Elizabeth's healing. We praise you for hearing our prayers and allowing her to remain on earth with us. We thank you for her continued healing."

PRAISE. "We thank you Father that Elizabeth's eyes are ok. We pray that she can eventually wake and sleep on her own and can be taken off the medications helping her with these functions."

PRAISE. "Thank you for Becca's healing. Thank you for clearing her of this infection and for her pain subsiding."

PRAY. "Lord please heal Elizabeth in Your name! We pray that her motor and cognitive function would return 100%."

PRAY. "God we pray for Elizabeth's encouragement. We pray that You would be near her every moment and that You would bless her heart. Give her motivation and determination. Give her physical strength to do her exercises. Give her the mental and emotional stability that she needs to get through each day, one day at a time. Lord when she grows tired, fill her up."

PRAY. "We pray that the doctors and therapists taking care of Elizabeth will deliver a message of truth and hope tomorrow. We pray that you give them wisdom and knowledge in their fields to devise the best plan possible for Elizabeth. We pray that no matter what plan is given, we know and understand that YOU are the ultimate Healer and Physician and are capable of healing Elizabeth in an instant."

PRAY. "We lift up Becca and pray that she continues to heal and can soon be released from the hospital. Lord we pray that the infection would stay away and that this can be the last of her concern with this injury."

PRAY. "Lord let us not grow weary of praying for our friends. Let us dwell on You and rejoice in your mercies."
Amen.

"So don't worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today's trouble is enough for today."

Matthew 6:24

Take Them A Meal

Our sweet girl began her 4th week of hospital stay yesterday. She will almost have been there a month in just a few days!  Elizabeth has made much progress, and we praise God that she is alive! She still has a very long way to go to get back to the person she was before this wreck.

Elizabeth must have maximum assistance for everything that she does. At this time, she must have full assistance to shower, get dressed, brush her teeth, go to the bathroom, eat and to stand.  She does about 20% of the "work." Her aides and nurses help her with these things and her sweet sister Rachel has not left her side for an instant. She is having some trouble with her left side- her left arm moves much slower and she is not using it as much.  She understands that she was in an accident and that she is "sick."  She asks her family multiple times a day if she is going to be ok and if she will ever be normal again.

We should rejoice in the progress she has made... because there has been an unbelievable amount of healing! We must also remember our commitments to pray for this sweet angel until she is 100% again. Her life is far from the life she had 3 weeks ago and her family's life has been drastically impacted as well. Please do not let your prayers cease.

Elizabeth makes a little progress every day (PRAISE!) Her balance and walking continues to improve. She is able to unbuckle the "seat belt" on her wheelchair (huge!)

There is some concern about E's vision. Rachel noticed some "cloudy" spots in her eyes over the weekend and told the physician. They only appear at certain times and E does report difficulty seeing sometimes. An eye doctor will see her tomorrow to check this out.  We must pray that her vision is ok and whatever is causing this is treatable.

Elizabeth is very busy during the day with therapy. She is extremely tired and worn out from a combination of her brain healing and the rigorous exercises they have her doing. Imagine running several miles in a day then trying to visit with people for several hours. Its that exhausting or more for her.  If close friends and family do visit, please be very conscious of the amount of time you spend. E has made comments that she is uncomfortable when people just look at her and stay for long amounts of time. She also " hear a gnat peeing on a cotton ball" so please know that she hears and likely comprehends everything that you might say. Everything that is said in her room, even if not directly to her should be 100% positive. She is having trouble filtering some of the things that she says. If she says something off the wall- just go with it and be encouraging in your response. If you do visit and do not get to see Elizabeth, please understand. This time is still very critical and she must get her rest.

Becca- As of this morning B was recovering very well. She is exhausted since she did not sleep well last night. The cultures done on the tissue removed her leg should be back tomorrow or Wednesday. While her doctor feels confident that he got everything, he is bringing in a Infection Control Specialist to double check her. Please continue to keep Becca in your prayers, she will likely be in the hospital in Jonesboro for the rest of the week.

You got some details.... now dont you dare leave this page without praying and praising! There are also some important announcements below:

PRAISE. Thank Him for healing Elizabeth and Becca.
PRAISE. Praise Him for the miracle that all 3 girls are alive.
PRAISE. Praise God for the progress that Elizabeth continues to make each day.
PRAISE. Praise God for the positive report from Becca's doctor that she should be ok.

PRAY. Pray that God would continue to heal Elizabeth. Pray that her motor skills would improve and that she would re-learn how to do things on her own again. Pray that her mind would heal and that her cognitive function would return.
PRAY. Pray that her left side would improve.
PRAY. Pray for Elizabeth's vision. Pray for the doctor that will evaluate her eyes tomorrow. Pray that whatever is going on can be taken care of.
PRAY. Pray for Becca as she continues to heal. Let her leg heal completely and may she not have any other issues with pain or infection.
PRAY. Pray for encouragement for Elizabeth. Pray for physical, mental, emotional and spiritual strength.
PRAY. Pray for Bill, Michelle, Billy, Brandon, Rachel and Jacob. Pray that they would be encouraged and loved on. Pray that they would never lose hope and that Jesus never leaves their side.

We also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. Romans 5:3-5

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MEALS: If you want another way to show your support for this family here's another way! You can go to this link http://www.takethemameal.com/meals.php?t=LHMX4684 and sign up to take a meal to the Parsley's.  All of the directions and details are listed on this page. If you have trouble with the link, go to "takethemameal.com" the last name is "Parsley" and the password is "pars".  I have made slots available for people to take meals Mon, Tues, and Thurs beginning next week for the next month. Depending on where E is in treatment and the response for this is at that time, we may extend it.

SHIRTS: Many of you have paid and not picked up your shirts. If you are in Conway, please go by ReMax on Skyline between 9 and 6 pm. If you cannot pick up in this time, please call Jan at 501-514-1733 to arrange a special pick up time. If you live somewhere else and need your shirt, please contact the person that was assigned to you or Alex at arhale@ymail.com.  Some of you have asked for a picture of the shirt... I have not been successfull in uploading. You can email Alex and she will email you back with the picture.

BRACELETS: There are a few bracelets available at Remax. If you go and they are out you can leave your name and number and we will call you if we order more.

Wait, Wait, Wait on the Lord

Today marks three weeks since 3 friends were in a terrible car wreck. Three weeks and one day ago they were talking, laughing, walking around, working, planning trips and their futures. Life can change so very quickly- in the blink of an eye literally.


Please know and understand the verse in James 4:14 that says

"Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away."

 I have heard this verse a hundred times, but it has become so real to me within the last 3 weeks.  While the lives of Courtney, Becca, and Elizabeth were spared- their earthly lives and ours will eventually end. Hopefully you have made a decision already about where you will spend eternity. It is the most important decision  you will ever make! There have already been folks to make these decisions as a result of this accident. People have realized that they did not have the assurance that Elizabeth does and wanted to know FOR SURE that if they were in an accident that they would live forever with Jesus.  If you have any doubt whatsoever- please email me at heather.richardson@live.com, I would love to tell you what Elizabeth and I believe that the Bible says.


Since our lives are but a vapor, we must maximize what time we do have on this earth. Please do not waste time... invest in the lives of others. Find an organization that loves people and wants to meet their needs and get involved. Pray and look for people that are hurting or going through a tough time. Reach out to them however you can. It could change their life and yours.


Right now, some of you might be like me. I am waiting, sometimes VERY impatiently for Elizabeth (and now Becca also) to be whole again. I am hoping with much anticipation that she will jump out of that bed tomorrow on her own and that her mind will be like nothing happened 3 weeks ago. I am at times upset that plans that we had made for weekends and girls trips will be rescheduled or even cancelled. But then I come across verses like these...

"In the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me...I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD...Wait on the LORD; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the LORD!"

Psalm 27:5,13-14

This verse is so powerful. Just dwell on it for a bit.... He will hide us and protect us. If we wait on Him, He will give us strength and courage! We must pray for patience. We must be patient.

PRAISE.  "Father we praise you today for the lives of Becca, Courtney, and Elizabeth.  We praise you for saving their physical life, and for providing a way for them to live eternally with you forever!"

PRAISE. "We praise you for the progress that Elizabeth has made. We thank you for the strength that she has in You. We praise you for healing her!"

PRAISE. "We praise you for Becca and her testimony. Thank you for protecting her today during surgery and that she is recovering."

PRAISE. "We praise You Father for being the Ultimate Healer, Lord of Lords, and King of Kings. We thank you for sending your Son to take on the sins of the world that we might live eternally with you forever if we call on Your name, ask forgiveness for our sins, and ask You to reign in our life."

PRAISE. "We praise You for bringing us closer to You through this tragedy. We praise you for bringing believers together in prayer."

PRAY. "Lord we pray that You would heal Elizabeth. We pray that her healing would only be explained by a miracle of Heaven. We pray that You would receive glory."

PRAY. "We lift Becca up to You and pray that she would recover fully from this surgery. We pray that the infection would be taken care of and that her body would heal. We also pray peace and comfort for her mind and encouragement for her."

PRAY. "Lord we pray that Elizabeth's mind would heal. We pray that her memory would improve and that her cognitive skills would return. We pray that she would be able to comprehend what is going on around her and that she would be herself again."

PRAY. "We pray for the extensive therapy that E is getting everyday. We pray for her physical strength that she would be able to do her excercises and for her mental strength that she would be able to endure it. We pray for her emotional and spirtual strength and that You would never leave her side."

PRAY. "We pray for those who dont know you. We pray that personal relationships with You might be established as a result of this tragedy."

PRAY. "We pray for patience. We pray that we would wait on YOU, Father. Lord your timing is perfect and You have been in control this entire time- before, during, and after this accident. We pray that we would know and take comfort that You are still on Your throne."

Amen.

Prayers for Becca

I know that this blog has been created for Elizabeth, but Becca one of Elizabeth's closest friends and one of the girls involved in the same accident E was in needs our prayers today.

Becca had a lot of bruising on her left leg as result of the accident. A large, and I mean LARGE hematoma developed on the back of her upper leg (I would estimate it as the size of a grapefruit.)  Doctor's have been closely monitoring it, and said that it would go down on it's own. The last couple of days Becca has not felt well at all and this morning woke up with a high fever. She was in more pain than usual and her mother took her to the emergency room. The doctors there decided that Becca needed emergency surgery to drain the hematoma in her leg especially since an infection was found and thought to be spreading.

At around 10 am Becca was prepped for surgery. The procedure took a couple of hours. Two tubes were inserted into her leg to drain the rest of the fluid. The surgeon did find infected tissue and believes he was able to get it all out. Becca is on a very high dose of antibiotics to kill any infection that may have spread. She will remain in the hospital at least for the night. It will be a couple of days before tests will be back indicating that the infection has been taken care of so it is possible that should could remain at NEA Baptist in Jonesboro until then.  Please keep Becca in your prayers.  She was on her way to see Elizabeth in Little Rock today.

PRAY. "Lord we lift up Becca. We pray that you would heal her body from this surgery and the infection would be eliminated."

PRAY. "Father we pray that Becca would be healed and that she would feel better very soon. We pray that she would be encouraged and filled with your spirit."

PRAISE. "We praise you for guiding the surgeon through her procedure and that everything went as planned."

PRAISE. "Thank you for Becca's life. Thank you for saving her physical life 3 weeks ago today after the car accident but thank you most of all for saving her for eternity with You several years ago."

Bella Comes to Visit

Elizabeth LOVES her dog, Bella.  Our friend Tyler tells the funniest story about one of her first experiences with E:

 We were in college living in the dorm our freshman year and a few of us were going to dinner. Elizabeth had been on the phone, and all of a sudden started hysterically crying. She was really upset for several minutes and the other girls and I just looked at each other wondering what could have happened that made her so upset... 'maybe someone died,' 'maybe her boyfriend broke up with her,' were just some of the things that ran through our minds.  When Elizabeth finally hung up the phone, we asked her what had happened. She cried out "I miss Bella!"

I was a little confused since Bella, Elizabeth's 5 pound Maltese, lived literally across town at Elizabeth's parent's house. She was seriously upset about not seeing the dog in a few days!

****

In Elizabeth's new temporary home at Baptist Rehab Institute she is able to go outside during the day. There is a great prayer garden with a waterfall and pets are allowed there. Yesterday (Friday) Bella came to visit Elizabeth. She just laid in her lap while Elizabeth squeeled with excitement over her dog.  She enjoyed it so very much and apparently talked about it all day. She can't wait for Bella to come for another visit... I have a feeling it won't be long!

Elizabeth, Bella, and her sweet niece, Teegin

E has done well the last 2 days. All of her therapists have been impressed with her progress. She is walking with maximum assistance. She did 3 laps today around the gym and did take a break in between each one. She got faster with each lap which is great. Her balance is also improving at a much faster rate than her PT initially thought that she would.

She is eating very well. She is on a "teen" diet so is enjoying a lot of pizza and burgers! Her speech therapist is happy with the way E is talking and the amount of words and sentences she is using. She understands that she was in an accident and that she is sick, but still gets very confused and has some unusual thoughts at times. 

This coming Wednesday, all of E's doctors and therapists will be meeting to talk about their initial evaluations and develpoing their treatment plan for her. At that time they will be able to give Elizabeth's family a better idea of the injury to E's brain based on her function level. We will also know more about how much time she will spending at BRI.  We need to be in deep prayer the next few days. We need to pray that her caregivers will do a throrough job evaluating her and will have knowledge to put together the best treatment plan that is possible. Of course no matter what the outcome of the meeting is on Wednesday- we need to pray that we would all have faith that God is the ultimate healer and that He can enable Elizabeth to overcome all of this.

PRAISE.  For God's healing. That she is alive and with us today.

PRAISE. For her progress so far.

PRAISE. For E's encouragement and happiness. Simple pleasures like her dog making a visit that lifts her spirits.

PRAY. Pray for total and complete healing for Elizabeth. Pray that her mind would heal and that she would be our Elizabeth that we knew before this accident.

PRAY. Pray that she would regain function and that she would be able to walk, dress, eat, etc on her own.

PRAY. Pray for physical strength for E to do her therapy. Also pray for mental, emotional and spiritual strength.

PRAY. PRay for her doctors, nurses, and therapists that are taking care of her. Pray that they would be knowlegeable in their fields and that they would know how to properly diagnose and treat E.

PRAY. Pray for the Parsleys... that they would have hope, physical, emotional, mental and spiritual strength.

"And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him."

Hebrews 11:6