Davy has been home for 3 weeks now and we feel like we’re finally settling into some normal life rhythms (read: we’re bumbling through this parenting thing but we haven’t experienced a mental breakdown yet – well at least not a medically confirmed one – I would argue that’s a win).

As things have gotten into more of a rhythm, Chels and I have had some time to reflect on the variety of life lessons we learned during our faith stretching four and a half month stint in the NICU with our Davy girl. One of the most prominent lessons learned during our NICU stay was the power of prayer, both individually and communally.

Looking back God was faithful to answer our prayers and the prayers of our community:

• God allowed my little girl to live when statistics told us there was 50% chance she wasn’t going to make it.
• Davy’s diaphragmatic repair surgery was successful.
• God providing our “daily bread” – both financially and food provision –   through family, friends and our community.
• She didn’t have to go on ECMO after surgery.
• Her PDA closing naturally (even though that “never happens”).
• Davy getting to go home by Christmas!
• Moving from an NJ tube to a NG tube days before we left, which made it easier for us at home.
• The opportunity to share our faith in the NICU and on the blog.
• One of the NICU mom’s coming to faith during our time there.

All of those were answers to specific prayers that Chelsea, myself and our community prayed. Yes, there were also times of “unanswered prayers”, but those simply drove us deeper into God’s character and trust in His greater plan.

If anything, this experience has shown us that we can pray big things and expect big things of God because he’s a loving Father who gives good gifts to his children (Matthew 7:11) . Then, whatever answer may come we lean on the fact that his way is perfect (Psalm 18:30) and trust that “God will either give us what we ask or give us what we would have asked if we knew everything he knows.” (Dr. Tim Keller).

The great missionary William Carey, also known as “the father of modern missions”, once said, “Except great things from God. Attempt great things for God” and through prayer you and I can do just that! Prayer can empower us to dream grand visions of God doing the miraculous and prayer can also give you the strength and courage to attempt to live out the grand vision.

With Davy at our side, our precious miracle, we are praying and expecting great things from God in 2015 not because he owes it to us, but because we’ve seen him do it. I pray that this year as you stay rooted in the Bible that you would cultivate a prayer life that prays BIG things because we serve a BIG God.

Let 2015 be the year that it’s said of you, “They expected great things from God. They attempted great things for God. They accomplished great things for God”.