Entrusting Liam to the Lord
Our 10-day-old will have open heart surgery tomorrow.
104 days ago we learned that our son (then in utero) has a serious heart defect that requires open heart surgery soon after birth.
9 days ago we saw our baby boy’s face for the first time. He’s beautiful. I know you can only see half, but I promise the other half (and all the hair!) is just as cute.
7 days ago Liam went into cardiac arrest. They performed CPR for 12 minutes before his heart began beating on its own again. I wrote about that horror here.
2 days ago we learned that Liam has a genetic disorder called 22q Deletion Syndrome (or DiGeorge Syndrome), which is the cause of his heart defect. We knew there was a 50% chance he’d have this, and that if he did, there could be other significant problems with his health that develop. But that’s not today’s trouble.
Today’s trouble—more specifically, tomorrow’s trouble—is that Liam’s first open heart surgery begins in about 18 hours. We’ve been told it will take most of the day, since his heart has anatomical features besides the major defect that are a bit tricky to navigate. We are grateful that the Chief of Cardiovascular Surgery will be operating on our boy. And more than that, the sovereign God who loves us will be ruling over every thought and decision of the seasoned surgeon. Liam is in capable hands on multiple levels of reality.
Talitha and I step into tomorrow with our own weak hearts. We are tired. The Lord is sustaining us, but the days are long and heavy. Tomorrow will be the longest and heaviest yet. I am not sure whether it helps or hurts that we already know what it feels like to have a doctor tell us that our baby died (for 12 minutes). I don’t know whether it helps or hurts that we already know it’s like to see Liam hooked up to a ventilator and a web of wires and tubes. I don’t know if it helps or hurts to already see his body weakening and showing signs that he needs this surgery now. These experiences may prepare us better for tomorrow, or they may make the whole thing harder. I pray for the former.
We don’t know what tomorrow will bring. But the Lord does. Like all of our days, every horrible and wonderful detail of February 28, 2025 has already been written in his book (Ps 139:16). There’s a comfort in knowing that the events of tomorrow are already a settled matter.
And like all of our moments, the Lord will be with us (Matt 28:20). He will be a very present help to us—strength to us and protection for us—in this trouble (Ps 46:1). I deeply desire that we will not only know these truths but will actually be comforted by them. Would you pray that for us as well? We want to know and feel that the Lord is good. We want to know and feel that he is with us.
We understand that people want to show their love for us in this trial in some tangible way. Right now the tangible opportunities are limited. DoorDash/food gift cards are a huge blessing (you can give them on our Meal Train page or just input my email: moorematt89@gmail.com), as our daily life is chaotic. Talitha and I are rarely in the same room. One of us is normally at the hospital with Liam while the other is at home with Elizabeth, our 19-month old (who is too young to visit the cardiovascular ICU).
Beyond that, there really isn’t much anyone can do besides pray. And I hope you guys don’t view that as a small thing. If our omnipotent God chooses to wield his power in response to the requests of his people—and he does—what could be more practical than prayer?
Here are a some specific things we’d love for you to pray for:
A successful surgery that is free of complications.
A smooth and quick and full recovery (if all goes well, we expect another 2-4 weeks in the ICU).
That Talitha and I would believe God’s truth more fully and feel his presence in powerful ways.
That God would help us to love others well even as we are burdened and tired.
That God would use this trial to draw others to Jesus.
That God would help us to continue to settle into a new role at a new church. As of this month I am the Executive Pastor (Candidate) at Vertical Church St. Paul. Talitha and I both are very glad to be here in this season.
Thank you for helping us to bear our burdens by lifting our needs to the God will supply them all (Phil 4:19).
Praying so fervently over your precious boy and family today. Thank you for vulnerably sharing your journey. We are with you.
Praying for your family!