Shoes on Earth

“Mommy, when can I wear my pointe shoes? I dreamt about them last night.” Kiara greets me this morning with her dreams of the future which have become the dreams of her long night.

People are wondering if Richard and I would still trust God if we had lost her and our suffering had not been relieved. They forget that her suffering is still present. Life on earth will always have more suffering than life in heaven. But she has chosen to wake up and bear it. And she chooses to do it with her God.

Many of you who prayed that first week received Word from heaven regarding the promises of God for Kiara. Many were sent through to us, but at the time we were unable to discern between people’s wishful thinking and true Words from God. We joked that we were able to receive only direct calls from heaven at that time.

But two months before the accident Kiara also received what we call ‘a prophetic word’. Friends from Qatar, who knew very little about our children, felt God talking to them about Kiara. Their words did not change our lives at the time, but we recorded them, and we’re so glad we did.

Nicole spoke of ballet shoes (having no idea that Kiara danced). She spoke of God promising Kiara many pairs of shoes. She spoke of the suffering that sometimes comes with ballet pointe shoes, but of the promises of many shoes in the future being worth it. She clarified, “I don’t just mean spiritually, or metaphorically. I mean God is promising you many actual shoes.”

Kevin spoke of Kiara’s shyness. He said he understood that she preferred to serve in the background. ”But don’t be surprised when you feel God gently pushing you into the limelight in this next season.”

He spoke of her intelligence, of her unusual genius to understand things. “But I get a sense that God is also going to ‘switch on’ your intelligence in the next year.” Not sure what that meant, he added, “Maybe it will be accelerated?”

Suffering... many shoes. Limelight. Intelligence. A word two months earlier, that reappeared as we watched her sleep. We prayed into that Word in that first week. We prayed that God would make it come true. We prayed that Kiara would need hundreds of ballet shoes as she wore hers out each month. That she would need wedding shoes and running shoes and beach slops and slippers.

For just as rain and snow fall from heaven and do not return without watering the earth, making it bud and sprout, and providing seed to sow and food to eat, so My Word that proceeds from My mouth will not return to me void, but it will accomplish what I please, and it will achieve what I sent it to do.

Isaiah 55:10-11

On Saturday, Kiara received her first pair of new shoes since the accident - sandals from her big sister for Christmas. Yesterday she wore them for the first time, and we walked outside in the sun. Today she dreams of ballet shoes, and she tries some adage for the first time.

She‘s a bit wobbly and weak, but I show the neurosurgeon and he bursts out laughing. “That would be impressive even if she hadn’t had an accident!”

He’s talking of considering a stint at home or at the rehab in possibly a week! He’s talking of an ‘early’ replacement surgery. (At 6 weeks). He’s having to think ahead as she’s progressing so fast. As always with the unknowns of medicine, nothing is promised as there are so many variables. But he’s happy and hopeful and so are we.

Suffering... many shoes. Limelight. Intelligence. She and we take the good with the bad, and we pray, “Do it, Lord, as you have promised.”

To the Faithful, the Pray-ers, our beloved People of the World:

Please pray for increase in concentration and focus

For intelligence to be ‘switched on’ and accelerated

For protection from injury and infection

For the abdomen wound to heal without pain

For her mouth to be able to fully open

For the specialists to advise well whether home-based care or neural rehab would be preferable in these weeks before the next op