The spirit of faith is often revealed through our words. When we have nothing else to hold on to, when our hands feel empty and our hearts feel tired, faith becomes the anchor we cling to. It is the quiet decision to keep believing when the report changes, when the waiting continues, and when disappointment tries to steal the peace God has already given.

Tonight, we received some discouraging news about our little Sydney. She continues to have some breathing complications, and shortly after her 5:00 p.m. feeding, our little princess had another breathing episode that required stimulation. Because of that, there is a possibility she may have to spend another week in the NICU.

That was not the news we wanted to hear.

Right now, we have to wait until morning for the doctors to review all the numbers and let us know what they recommend. Waiting is hard enough, but waiting with your child’s health hanging in the balance is a different kind of hard. It stretches your faith. It exposes your fears. It brings all the “what ifs” to the surface.

Initially, I felt a spirit of anxiousness come over me. My heart sank. My mind started racing. I began thinking about what another week might look like, what it would mean for Sydney, what it would mean for our family, and how much longer we might have to keep walking this road.

But then I began to look back.

I thought about how far the Lord has already brought us. I thought about every prayer He has answered, every moment He has sustained us, every nurse He has placed in our path, every doctor He has used, every breath Sydney has taken, and every day He has carried us through. The more I looked at His faithfulness behind us, the more I knew He would not forsake us now.

God did not bring us this far to abandon us.

So tonight, we are praying for wisdom and discernment. We are praying that the doctors will have clarity. We are praying there will be no confusion, no uncertainty, and no doubt about the decision that needs to be made. We are praying that Sydney’s lungs will continue to strengthen and that every breath she takes will become steadier, healthier, and stronger.

Even with this disappointing news, I am choosing to praise God for where He has brought us.

That does not mean I am not tired. That does not mean I am not disappointed. That does not mean I do not wish we were bringing her home right now. It simply means I refuse to let disappointment have the final word. I refuse to let fear become louder than faith. I refuse to forget all the ways God has already shown Himself faithful.

It is a tough place to be, because we want Sydney home as soon as possible, but we also do not want her home before she is ready. As much as our hearts ache to have her with us, we want what is best for her. We want her healthy. We want her strong. We want her ready. We want God’s timing, even when His timing requires more patience than we feel like we have.

If I did not have complete faith in God and His plans for my family, I know this news would be much harder to handle. But faith does not remove every emotion. Faith does not mean we never cry. Faith does not mean we never feel overwhelmed. Faith means that even when our emotions are real, God’s promises are more real. Faith means we can feel the weight of the moment and still choose to trust the One who holds tomorrow.

In spite of this difficult news, I am choosing to offer God a sacrifice of praise with thanksgiving.

A sacrifice of praise is not praise that comes easily. It is not praise we offer only when everything is going the way we hoped. It is praise offered through tears. It is praise offered when the answer has not come yet. It is praise offered while we are still waiting for the doctor’s report. It is praise offered when our hearts are heavy, but our faith still says, “God, You are good.”

When we choose praise instead of complaint, we make room for God to do amazing things in us. Complaining magnifies the problem, but praise magnifies the Provider. Complaining keeps our eyes fixed on what is wrong, but praise lifts our eyes to the One who is still working. Complaining drains us, but praise strengthens us. Complaining reminds us of what we lack, but praise reminds us of who God is.

I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that God is working for my good and for the good of my family. I may not understand every delay. I may not like every setback. I may not be able to explain why some things happen the way they do. But I know God is faithful. I know He is present. I know He is good. And I know He is working in ways I cannot yet see.

If I have learned one thing during this chapter of my life, it is this: we should always find a reason to give thanks, because there is always a reason, no matter what we are walking through.

Over the last two weeks, I have walked into the hospital seven times a day. I have seen many heartbreaking things. I have seen families hurting. I have seen fear on people’s faces. I have seen exhaustion, uncertainty, and pain. I have also seen strength, compassion, kindness, and courage. I have watched nurses care for babies with tenderness. I have watched parents keep showing up even when they are worn down. I have watched people fight for hope when everything around them feels fragile.

And honestly, without God working in our lives and in our midst, I do not know how any of us would make it.

This season has also reminded me that someone is always walking through something. Someone is always facing a battle we may know nothing about. Someone is always carrying a burden heavier than we realize. And sometimes, when we look around, we are reminded that even in our pain, there are still blessings to count. At the very least, we can thank God that we are not alone. We can thank Him for another day. We can thank Him for every breath. We can thank Him for people praying. We can thank Him for medical care. We can thank Him for His presence in the middle of the storm.

I love the saying, “Complain and you’ll remain, but praise and you’ll be raised.”

Complaining gets us nowhere fast. It keeps us stuck in frustration, fear, and discouragement. But faith in God assures us that we will arrive where He wants us to be, when He wants us to get there. Praise does not always change the situation immediately, but it changes our posture in the situation. It reminds our hearts that God is still on the throne. It reminds our minds that this story is still in His hands.

So tonight, I am trusting God with whatever the doctors say in the morning. I am believing Him for the complete restoration of Sydney’s lungs. I am praying that every breathing episode comes to an end, that her body continues to mature and strengthen, and that there will be a clear and undeniable improvement.

I am praying that Sydney will be filled with the Spirit of God from an early age. I am praying that as soon as she is able to understand, she will know that the Lord is the reason she is alive. She will know that before she could ever speak His name, people were already praying over her in His name. She will know that before she ever took a step, God was already ordering her steps. She will know that before she could remember this season, God was already writing a testimony through her life.

It is pretty amazing when you think about it, getting to know and meet the One who saved your life.

One day, I believe Sydney will hear this story. She will hear how God carried her. She will hear how people prayed. She will hear how fear tried to creep in, but faith kept rising. She will hear how her little life pointed people back to the goodness, mercy, and power of God.

For now, we keep praying. We keep believing. We keep thanking God. We keep showing up. We keep trusting that the same God who brought us this far will carry us the rest of the way.

Please keep us in your prayers. We are believing that very soon, we will have some great news to share.

Until then, we will praise Him in the waiting, trust Him in the uncertainty, and hold tightly to the truth that our little Sydney is in the hands of a faithful God.