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Update On Josiah: December 31st

December 31, 2010 in family, Josiah's accident, kids with 6 Comments


Update on Josiah as of Friday, December 31 at 4 PM:

We have had a nice relaxing day for the most part.  Well, I should say everyone but Josiah.  He woke up to physical therapy at 8AM, which is the earliest he has had to be up and around for any of his sessions.  He did a great job with everything today, and is now resting in our room with us for the rest of the day.  He does not have any therapy until Sunday at 12:30 PM, so he just gets to hang out with us!

Here are some highlights from the day:

  • Since we found out that we have until Sunday afternoon until another therapy session, we will all get to go to church together for the first time in over a month. We are certainly looking forward to that!
  • Josiah pretty much flew through his physical therapy today.  He is recovering so quickly. There are still hurdles to cross, but overall, he is in such a good place physically.
  • We were fortunate enough to get a room at The Inn, which is connected to the hospital where Josiah is staying.  It is bigger than any hotel room I have ever stayed in!
  • So far, Josiah has walked everywhere with us today; even down to the cafeteria!  He will likely lose his wheelchair in the next day or so.
  • He had opportunity to play with his new game system last night.  He loves it, and I love seeing him interact as he plays!  He sounds just like my Josiah!
  • His doctor pretty much said today he would be going home some time next week. This is great news for us, but also makes us a bit nervous

Here are a few things to remember in prayer for Josiah and the family:

  • Pray for his return home.  Pray for his safety at home as he continues to gain his independence.  Pray that he is able to get the care that is needed when it comes to therapy.  One of my big concerns is that they are just going to cut him loose, and he is no where ready for that. Please pray that we get good news about his outpatient care this week!
  • Pray for safety as the family will be traveling back Sunday.
  • Pray for the nerves on the right side of his face.  We want to see movement in them!  He will likely still have a trip to U of M sometime in the next couple of weeks to meet with the specialist.
  • Pray for us as we strive to communicate God’s love to those around us through word and deed.  Pray that we can help people realize that they matter to God and to us.

Psalm 90:16-17 “Do wonderful things for us, your servants, and show your mighty power to our children. Our Lord and our God, treat us with kindness and let all go well for us. Please let all go well!”

Update On Josiah: December 30th

December 30, 2010 in family, Josiah's accident, kids with 2 Comments

Here is an update on Josiah as of 7:00 PM on Thursday, December 30th:

I want to stop for a moment and once again just thank everyone for their thoughts, prayers, notes of encouragement and even gifts during this time.  The outpouring of love shed on us has been a comfort and encouragement each day.  There will never be words to express our gratitude, and certainly no way that we can repay all of you for the energy and time spent in prayer for us.  Thank you!

Today brought another round of highly active therapy for Josiah.  The difficulty of his sessions has really increased, especially his physical therapy where it is a solid, non-stop exercise and brisk walking.  He has responded well to all of it, both physically and with his attitude.  He just keeps pushing on!

Here are some highlights from the day:

  • He was told yesterday that he could now walk with parental supervision, and today, his physical therapist told him he was going to take his wheelchair away very soon!  That made Josiah a bit nervous (and I would have to admit, it did me as well).  But it is exciting to know that he is that much closer to going home.
  • He has gained about 4 pounds in that last two weeks! I knew his appetite was good!
  • Jennifer and the kids arrived safely this afternoon! We are glad to be able to spend the weekend with them again.
  • Josiah also had several family members come up to see him also.  It is really nice having the family up, and Josiah loved having visitors!
  • Football! Josiah and I have looked forward to having some bowl games to watch during the day!  Our weekend will be filled with football and family.  We are also hoping to get out and catch a church service here in the area this Sunday!

We would ask for you to pray for the following specific things with us:

  • Continue to pray for the right side of his face as it heals.  We are asking God to heal Josiah completely without any surgery if that would be His will.  I believe God will do this!
  • Our next team meeting is next Tuesday. This is where we meet with the entire team of doctors and therapists that are working with him to get updates progress reports.  We will also get a better idea of the length of stay they are thinking about.
  • Please pray for his release date.  The hospital is getting pressure from Medicaid for a release date.  I certainly want to get home but I want it to be at the right time for Josiah and his recovery.
  • Pray for the light of God’s love and grace to shine through us here.  We are part of HIS story as it intersects with the stories of people up here that are experiencing hurt, sorrow, joy and victory.

Phil. 1:6 “Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

Update On Josiah: December 29th

December 29, 2010 in family, Josiah's accident, kids with 3 Comments

Here is an update on Josiah as of Wednesday, December 29th at 3:30 PM:

Josiah continued making great strides in his recovery today.  His first therapist kicked his booty for the entire session with a non-stop barrage of exercises.  Josiah responded to each one with a great spirit and just tore it up today!  He us amazing everyone up here!

Here are some other highlights from the day:

  • Every area of therapy has been kicked up a notch for him.  Between physical, occupational and speech (thinking) they are each getting more difficult.  He has responded with intensity and strength to meet the challenge!  I am proud of him!
  • His eyes are almost totally cleared up now.  His right eye has been the worse looking of the two, and he has almost no redness in it at all now.  He is looking good!
  • His handwriting has impressed even him.  He did not think he was doing very well until his therapist showed him what his handwriting looked like when he first got here.  Needless to say, there is huge improvement.  He is writing cursive now with his left hand and it looks fantastic (better than mine on my best day!).
  • At then end of his first physical therapy session today, his therapist told us that he was now cleared to walk with parental supervision, so, as long as we are around, no more wheelchair for him!

There are still some very specific things to remember in prayer if you would:

  • Remember to pray for the right side of his face. No news this week as of yet about his trip to U of M next week, but that is still potentially going to happen.  Pray that we see signs of movement on that right side yet this week!
  • Pray for Jen and the kids as they travel back up here tomorrow.  We will spend the weekend together again, and Josiah and I are very excited about that!
  • Pray for wisdom as we plan out our work schedules starting next week.  Both of our employers are being very accommodating, and for that we are so thankful!  It will be hard for me to leave him after being with him this entire month, but financially I need to get back to earning a living!
  • Pray for the words to say to friends we have met up here that will let them know that they matter to God and to us.  We want to be an encouragement to everyone we meet!

Jer. 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Update On Josiah: December 28th (With Video!)

December 28, 2010 in family, Josiah's accident, kids with 15 Comments

Here is an update on Josiah as of Tuesday, December 28 at 7:45 PM:

As you can see from the video on this post (watch it above), Josiah has had a very big day!  He started out with physical therapy, and they took it up a notch with him and were pushing him to do things he had not previously done.  Today is the first day that Josiah has walked on his own!  I could not help but shed tears of joy as I watched him.  Rehearsing the last month up to this point, and seeing the great progress he has made makes me fall to me knees in worship of my God Who is the Great Healer! The healing taking place in Josiah’s life is for HIS glory and renown!  He is responsible for it!

Here are some highlights from the day:

  • The kid has amazed me by the way he has responded to his therapists.  He never complains or says he cannot do something.  He just says, “ok” and does it.  He has had an amazing attitude towards the therapy.
  • They nearly had him running today!  They also had him doing push-ups, getting up and down off the floor, and standing to do most the tasks that he would normally stand for.  I believe the prayers offered on his behalf are directly responsible for his attitude and his healing.
  • He is also killing his speech (thinking) therapy.  Today he has made huge strides and is even scoring some tests off the charts for his age! We thank God for this!
  • Just when I thought he could not get any funnier, today he took his wit to a new level.  He keeps the entire therapy staff in stitches literally all day long!
  • We are already looking forward to having the family together again this weekend.  We have spent some time talking about how nice it will be to be together again at home.  Not to put the cart before the horse, but we are hoping that day will be sooner than expected!

If you would, please remember these specific requests as you pray for Josiah and the family:

  • Pray for wisdom to work out the schedule for Jennifer and I next week, as I will need to get back to work.  I have been blessed to be off and with Josiah for the last month.  Again, I so appreciate the gift of vacation time that Best Buy employees gave me to do this.
  • Continue to pray for the right side of Josiah’s face.  I am praying and believing that it will come back on its own without the need for surgery.  The doctors are still hopeful that it will come back on its own.  He may still need to take a trip to U of M next week some time for another consultation.
  • Pray for Jennifer and the kids as they travel again this weekend to come up and be with us.  Also, continue to pray for Jennifer as she watches over the kids.
  • Pray for continued patience for Josiah, Jennifer and me.  It is great to see such rapid improvements in Josiah, but those improvements also could potentially bring desires for Josiah to do things that he should not be doing yet, like walking without supervision.  He will want to be more independent as time progresses, but he still needs supervision, which can be frustrating to him.  His improvement will also bring a desire for all of us to get him home as soon as possible, but he is in the place he needs to be for this rapid pace to continue.  We do not want to take him home one second sooner than they believe is good for him.

Romans 8:31 “What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?”

Update On Josiah: December 27th

December 27, 2010 in family, Josiah's accident, kids with 4 Comments

Update on Josiah as of Monday, December 27th at 4:00 PM:

Today was a bittersweet day for Josiah (and me too, really).  He woke up with what seems extra strength today on the left side of his body, which is awesome, but he also had to get back to his weekday schedule for rehab and say good-bye to the family.  The last several days have been so nice to have everyone together again.  Jordan and Daniel left Grand Rapids around 7:15 AM to head back to Wichita and Jennifer left with the kids to go back home around 1:00 PM.  We only have a few days apart.  The plans are for Jennifer and the kids to come back up this next weekend again.  Josiah and I are already counting down the hours!

Here are some highlights of the day:

  • Josiah really seems strong on the left side today!  I do not mean his normal waking up with a little more strength.  I mean like a doubling of strength overnight!  His walking is excellent today and he was actually writing with very neat and legible handwriting with his left hand.  A HUGE improvement from last week!
  • If you have ever seen someone with a traumatic brain injury, then you know what I mean when I say that they have a glazed look in their eyes.  Josiah’s “glaze” seems to be almost gone today!    I have no other way to describe it than to say that I can “see” my son again through his eyes.  I am so thankful for this.
  • His “modesty” has come back as well.  Not that he liked having nurses shower and dress him before, but I just do not think he cared because of how he felt.  Today, he pretty much refuses to let anyone help him shower other than me. In fact, this morning he said, “Dad, she is an older lady.  I mow lawns for older ladies, they do not help me shower!”  Funny kid!
  • He is learning to recognize when he is about to reach his limit as far as stimulation goes.  He lets us know when something is too loud or there is too much going on.  This is all great progress for him!

There are a few specific things that we would like for you to pray for with us:

  • Pray for movement on the right side of his face.  I still believe that God is going to heal the nerves on that side of his face.
  • Pray for that strength in the left side to continue to increase as quickly as it is.  I am amazed every day when I see what he is doing compared to last week.
  • Pray for his focus to continue to improve.  He has make remarkable progress in this areas as well over the last two weeks.
  • Pray for us this week as we try to figure out our schedules for work.  I will need to get back to work next week sometime.  Both of our employers have been very understanding, considerate and generous during this time.
  • Pray that we will remember this quote that I read on a friends twitter feed this morning: “Every person you meet today has infinite worth. Each one an image-bearer of God. Each one loved so much that Jesus gave his life for them.”  We want to be used by God to help people here know that they matter to God.

This is what we believe and hold to for Josiah:

Romans 9:17 “…I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.”

Whose fault is it?

December 27, 2010 in faith, God's will, Josiah's accident, sovereignty, suffering with 1 Comment

There are so many things that go through your mind when you face circumstances in your life that are tragic. As I have read through the Scriptures I see that even Jesus’ disciples first thoughts when confronted with someone in a tragic situation was to ask, “whose fault is this,” or “why?”  I am not one who believes that asking “why” offends God or makes Him mad. I think it is normal and really I believe God even expects us to ask questions when we find ourselves in those tragic circumstances.

Jesus and the disciples ran in to a blind man in John 9:1-5.  He had been blind since birth, and as mentioned, the first thoughts of the disciples were to be able to have a reason, to understand why this horrible situation existed.  After all, if something bad happens, someone has to be at fault, right?  So they immediately thought that either the man who was blind, or his parents had sinned.  Some how, they had been so bad that God decided he would punish them by giving them a blind son. Their view of God was that of some powerful and demanding overlord that would punish you physically if you did something bad.  How awful to have those first thoughts of a loving and gracious God. Certainly God could do that if he pleased.  Certainly God has every right to punish those who sin.  But that is not how God works.

Jesus replied to the disciples request to place blame with another view of the situation.  He says in John 9:3

“Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.”

It was not a matter of sin on anyone’s behalf.  It was a matter of God wanting to do something that people would look at the situation and say, “Only God could have done that, it had to be a God thing.” When you think about it, how awesome is it to be someone that God chooses for His works to be displayed?

As we look at our circumstances with our son Josiah, we certainly would say that we wish we never had to face this.  I think as parents this is a normal thought, to remove pain for our kids. It is not our choosing; it is not easy. You never want to see your child hurting, even to the point of struggling to breath. Though we would take this from him if we could, we would also would stand here and say “this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.”  We believe Josiah is alive and will make a full recovery so that God will be lifted up and those that look at Josiah will only be able to say, “Only God could have done this.”

It is God that sends the rain that allows the harvest.  It is God that brings winter that turns to spring.  God is sovereign.  He is in control.  That does not change in the good or the bad of life.  We hold to that as we look at the works of God displayed in our family.

Update On Josiah: December 26th

December 26, 2010 in family, Josiah's accident, kids with 0 Comments

Here is an update on Josiah as of Sunday, December 26th at 9:00 PM:

We had quite a day with the boy today!  I think we wore him out a bit though as he was asking to go back to the hospital and go to bed by about 5PM tonight!

Here are some highlights from the day:

  • Since it is a Sunday, the schedule of therapy is just a tad lighter for him.  He enjoys the extra time to rest and visit with people.  He did very well in his session though.  His walking is becoming stronger each day.  I believe by the end of the week he may be able to walk on his own, with supervision of course!
  • After his therapy sessions, his girlfriend and some her family stopped by on their way to ski vacation to see him.  He loved being able to see her and her brother who happens to be one of his best friends.  Thanks for coming guys!
  • After his visit, we took him out on the town again.  We went to Best Buy and then to Olive Garden to spend gift cards that we all had gotten.  It was so nice getting to be with the family the last few days!
  • I have loved seeing Josiah interact with his niece.  Really, he has enjoyed all of his family being here, and is pretty emotional already that everyone is leaving tomorrow. He just wants us all to be together all the time, again.  I can’t blame him.  I look forward to the day we get to bring him home!

Here are some specific requests you can remember for us as a family:

  • Pray that he remains strong physically and emotionally.  I am praying that his strength is renewed each day as he works hard to recover.
  • Pray that we see movement in the right side of his face this week.  I believe that his facial nerves will come back on their own and that there will be no need for surgery.
  • Pray that his recovery continues to astound the doctors, nurses and therapists that are working with him.  It is a testament to God’s power and strength in Josiah’s life that Josiah is making such progress!
  • Pray that the families that are affected by their own tragedy will understand that we are a part of God’s story, and that the tragedy that has come to us is for His glory and to make Him known.
  • Pray that we can leave a mark of God’s love and grace on the lives of the people we intersect each day.

Romans 8:38-39 “ For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Update On Josiah: December 25th

December 25, 2010 in family, Josiah's accident, kids with 4 Comments

Here is an update on Josiah as of Saturday, December 25th at 6:30 PM

This has certainly been an unusual Christmas day for us.  I have never spent Christmas day in a hotel. I know many people that do this as part of their tradition, but I prefer to be home for the day. Certainly the circumstances for us around this holiday season are out of the ordinary, and we are just glad to all be together. It has been good for Josiah and me to have them all here.

Here are some highlights from the day:

  • Josiah actually slept in the hotel room with us last night.  We ordered in pizza and opened a few gifts.  The kids received a PS3 for Christmas and Josiah and his siblings have enjoyed playing it.  It is good therapy for Josiah!
  • He slept in a regular bed last night and slept all night long… and then some!
  • Josiah also got to meet his niece for the first time today.  Jordan, Daniel and Mady arrived around 4 PM. Gotta love that grandkid… oh, and my daughter and son in law too!
  • Overall, the day has been very enjoyable, and Josiah as responded very well to all that was going on.  He has to go back to Mary Free Bed at 8:00 PM tonight, and then he is back to work tomorrow morning.
  • We have received so many cards and emails over the last several days.  Again, we just want to thank you for remembering us at this time.  We ask for your continued prayers as Josiah heals.  He has come a long way, but he has a long road yet, and I do believe the prayers are a big part of his healing.

Here are some specific things you can remember in prayer for Josiah and the family:

  • Pray for Jen and the kids as well as Jordan, Daniel and Mady as they all travel back home Monday morning.
  • Pray that we can work things out over the next week for me to return to work after the beginning of the year.  I cannot believe that is has already been 24 days since his accident!  I am so thankful that I have had this time to be with him.  My co-workers that donated the time for me will never know how much I appreciate their sacrifice.
  • Pray that we see a great increase in strength on his left side this week.  Also that we might see improvement on the right side of his face.
  • Please pray that we will have the opportunity to touch people around us with the love of Jesus so that they know that they matter to Him and to us.

John 9:3 “…but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.”

Merry Christmas From The Petermanns (Also known as our Christmas Card to you!)

December 25, 2010 in family, God's will, holidays with 4 Comments

What a year this has been for the Petermann family. I can say that we have never had a year like it, but I would not trade it for anything.  I believe God is in control of all things, and this year is a year of preparation for us as we seek His leading for the future.

We started out the year becoming unemployed.  I have never faced that situation before, and certainly never thought I would being in the ministry.  We decided to pack up and move the family up to Indiana/Michigan (where we are from) until we found a place to serve. It was not long after we moved up here that knew we were going to stay so that Josiah could graduate without having to go to yet another high school.  We believe that family comes first, and this was an important thing for Josiah.

Through and old friend, Jennifer found a job cleaning apartments.  She actually had that job before we ever left Wichita (another act of God’s providing for us).  At the beginning of March I was able to get a part time job at Best Buy as a Computer Sales associate, which quickly turned into full time and then I was able to move into a management position as the Geek Squad manager.  This is not what I thought I would be doing, that is for sure!  But God provided for us at just the right times in all of this.  I am thankful to have a job!

During this time, we have been blessed to be a part of Granger Community Church.  This is a wonderful church family with a strong focus on letting people know that they matter to God and helping them take their next steps towards Jesus.  We have had the opportunity to serve in the church and to get to know a bunch of great people!

This year also brought our first grand daughter!  Madysen Harlee Mains was born at 7:38 PM on November 16th.  She weighed 8lbs 3oz and was 21 inches long.  She is a beautiful girl!  And yes, I am quite a bit biased!

We have had so many blessing this year.  God has provided for us in such wonderful ways that it is unmistakable that it is Him that is working.  It is easy to say all of that when things are going great. This year has also had its moments of fear, grief and uncertainty.

One of the most godly men that I have known passed away on June 2nd.  My grandfather had a huge influence in my life. I am so glad that I was able to be here for the last months of his life. He was a man that was always positive and talked about Jesus with whoever he met.  He is greatly missed.

December 1st brought one of the most difficult things we have ever faced.  My oldest son Josiah was in a terrible car accident on his way home from work.  He slid through an intersection and was struck by a semi on the passenger side. At first, we did not know if he would even survive.  But each day brought news of great hope for us that he would recover.  I believe that Josiah is our Christmas miracle this year!  After spending 11 days at Memorial Hospital in South Bend, Josiah was moved to Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital in Grand Rapids, MI.  He has now been here a week and a half and I am amazed each day at the progress that he makes.  Again, all I can say is that God has had His hand of favor on my Son, for which I am grateful.  My heart cries out with Mary as she praised God:

“And Mary said: “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant… for the Mighty One has done great things for me—holy is his name.”

He still has quite a road to go, but his prognosis is complete recovery!  Our God is greater!

We have anticipated the new year as the time we would get back into full time ministry, and we may still see that.  We now anticipate it just to see what God will do.  We are excited to see what He will do in Josiah’s life as he heals.  God is a God that works from the future back, and I am confident that God has this path for us for great reasons.

For now, we take each day as it comes.  Each day of life is precious, and normally taken for granted.  Family and friends are so important, and the time we get to spend with them is a gift from God. During this holiday, soak it all in.  Enjoy the people in your life. Remember that God has ordained each of your days to make a difference in the lives of these people.

We pray that you have a Merry Christmas, and a Christ centered New year!  Live it on purpose!

We love you all,

The Petermanns

Update On Josiah: December 24th

December 24, 2010 in family, Josiah's accident, kids with 3 Comments

Here is an update on Josiah as of Friday, December 24th at 2:15 PM.

After I posted the update for yesterday we got another visit from the doctor that is looking at Josiah’s nerve condition on the right side of his face.  They had a specialist look at the films, and as of now, the specialist does not feel there is a need to rush in to surgery for …him.  That does not mean he will not have to have it, just not real soon.  In fact, they want him to take a trip to Ann Arbor so the specialist there can look at it closer.  That may happen the week after next.

Here are some highlights of the day:

  • I stayed in the hotel with the girls last night, so I missed his first couple of sessions, but as I walked in he was up and walking with a therapist and his cane.  He said he was feeling very strong.  His attitude is very good as well.  The kid just keeps pushing on.
  • There was a Christmas party on the floor for lunch today with Santa and Mrs. Claus, great food, and presents for all the kids. I am not sure how it is funded, but they treat the kids VERY good up here as they spoil them with gifts.  Each family is here with their children.  They all have a story.  A story of what brings them here and the story that God is writing in their lives.  Both stories intersect, and God has a plan for each family.
  • After Josiah finishes his therapy sessions today we get to take him out until 8 PM on Saturday evening.  He will stay with us tonight at the hotel and enjoy his siblings as we open gifts.  He will also get to see his niece for the first time tomorrow!
  • We got to take him to Best Buy last night.  He enjoyed his visit out and did great in the car ride.

Here are some things to remember as you pray for Josiah and the family:

  • Pray for Jordan, Daniel and Mady as they travel here.  They will leave this evening and arrive some time tomorrow.
  • Pray for Josiah as he leaves the hospital for a night out.  Pray that he remains calm and has a great nights rest.
  • Continue to pray for his left arm and leg as his strength increases.  He is doing very well!
  • Also, continue to pray that we have the opportunity to speak into the lives of the people that are up here.  We want to show Christ to them, and help them to see that they matter to God.

Philippians 1:12 “Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters,t that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel.”

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