praying for matthew

i don't know him. this boy i have been praying for. but i don't have to know him. 

i know his mom and that is enough.

i know her smile and imagine his must be the same. i know her heart and know his can't be that far off. and i know her strength and imagine he must have some of that in him too.

i know some of his friends in this small town we live in. i've heard the good stories. seen the nice posts. read the great memories.

i keep updated on his status. his lupus struggles. his ICU visits. 

and i pray for him. because i'm a mom and that's what moms do. 

we pray. we hope. we dream.

not just for our children but for our friend's children. for our neighbor's children. for the children we see and all the ones we never see.

and we never give up. 

and so we pass the word. and start prayer chains. and keep hoping, keep believing, keep praying that God will hear these mother's prayers, see these mother's tears, and know these mother's hearts. 

and heal this boy.

oh matthew, i don't know you but i don't have to know you. because i look at my two boys and i see you in them. and i see everything i want you to become.

so stay strong. 

and keep the faith.

and know that you are not alone.

because we are praying for you.

we are all praying for you.

always.

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"But He was pierced for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed." Isaiah 53:5