HE IS IN CONTROL

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HE IS IN CONTROL

I want to thank all the nurses, doctors, family, and friends who helped us get through all of this and hopefully the following will help each of you in some way:

From the time Ashley and I found out we were having a child, it just seemed like an idea to me. I mean I cognitively knew it but nothing really changed for 9 months other than elbows and knees in my back and a lot of nights slept on the couch.

Then Monday, June 2nd hit…Ashley was at school and called at about 10:30 am to tell me she thought her water had broken. I went and got her and off to the hospital we went. Text messages and phone calls were being made and all the general chaos of a little one coming started. Haley Elizabeth was born at 4:35 pm and from that moment forward our world has changed. She weighed 6 lbs 7 oz and was 19″ long. We had family and friends visit and the pictures started. Little did we know things were really about to change…

On Wednesday, June 4th at about 4:30 am, Ashley woke up saying that Haley was spitting up blood. I got over to her little glass crib just in time to see her spit up more and tell Ashley to go get a nurse. I picked her up and knew something was really wrong. She was lethargic and thus got a sternum rub which brought on some crying but that was at least a good sign. The last thing we saw was the nurse putting her back in the crib and rolling her out of the room as Haley continued to spit up blood. The nurses called for the emergency room surgeon and there was a general panic on the floor. Ashley and I called our moms and asked them to come up to the hospital. At about 5:30 am, Children’s Hospital brought Haley into our hospital room and she was hooked up to a bunch of different machines. They told us that they were going to transport her to Children’s and once we got discharged, then we would be able to go to Children’s ourselves.

The decision was made: my mom and I would go to Children’s and wait for Ashley to get discharged. Once at Children’s, things got REAL very fast! The nurse told me that they thought it could be a twisted bowel and they were doing an x-ray to confirm their suspicions. They said if it was twisted then my two day old daughter would need a surgery and would have issues the rest of her life. The x-ray came back with good and bad news. The good news was that it wasn’t a twisted bowel but they found a mass on her stomach. They did blood work and stated that they found an infection in her system and were treating it. They were doing more tests and wouldn’t allow me to see her.

Ashley was discharged and at about 10:00 am (4 ½ hours later), we were able to see our little girl. What we saw shocked us….Haley had a tube down her throat, a central line in her umbilical cord, an IV in her foot, and was hooked up to numerous monitors. She was stable but not out of the woods by any means. The doctors told us that she spit up 10cc’s and filled 4 diapers full of blood.

At that very moment (seeing Haley like that), I felt something I knew but never fully understood: a father’s love. I would have done anything to make Haley better no matter the cost. I felt completely helpless and got mad. I started to ask God why he was taking my little girl from me. Children’s hospital doesn’t allow visitors in the NICU during their shift change so we decided it was time to go home. Going home was the hardest thing I have ever done.

Once I finally fell asleep, God spoke to me (or maybe I finally listened) and it changed everything. God told me that she was HIS first and that HE brought her into this world. He made me realized that there are two types of people: those that say they have faith in HIM and those that show it. I was humbled……my perspective had changed. That night I had a dream that they took the tube out of her throat….

The next day we went in with a different attitude…God had this. We began talking with the nurses and they said she wasn’t spitting up any blood and was doing a little better. They told us that on Thursday (June 5) they would do a CT scan to figure out what was going on. They thought she may have a double stomach and again it would result in a surgery.

Fast forward through a lot of tears and time in the waiting room to June 6…..the day God showed his power

The doctor came in and had a dumbfounded look on his face. He looked at the computer 3 or 4 times and asked the nurse to look at it too. They couldn’t find anything on her stomach. The mass was GONE! And if God wasn’t doing enough, they did another blood test and the infection was GONE! They took the tube out and let her eat. For the first time since June 2 Ashley was able to feed Haley. June 6 was a good day….

Saturday, June 7
God starts showing off…The nurse was able to take the central line out of her umbilical cord and for the first time since Wednesday we held our little fighter.

Sunday, June 8
Due to Haley’s progress (God’s grace), she was taken off her Bili—Lite for the jaundice, was scheduled to be off the IV, and they started throwing around the “going home” phrase.

Monday, June 9
No more IV. Haley was completely on her own and doing great. Haley was eating and doing all the things a baby should be doing.

Tuesday, June 10
We got to take our little girl home! What a relief! I’ve never driven so slow in my entire life and for those of you who know me that’s an accomplishment. I had a pastor’s wife tell me that I would drive slowly and I didn’t believe her, this is me saying you were right!


I skip through a lot of stuff between the 7th-10th because it’s a lot of family stuff that is not meant to be included. God showed me several things during this storm and I hope it helps someone else with whatever you are dealing with in life:


1. He is in control of everything and wants us to rely on Him
2. I don’t know how He gave His son for me but I am grateful. There is absolutely no way I would give up Haley for anyone…
3. God still speaks to us; sometimes us not listening is the issue
4. The difference between saying you have faith and showing it is huge!

 

Officer Chris Hutton

Knoxville Police Department (TN)

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Put On The Whole Armor

As a police officer we are called to do a certain job. We are called to serve and protect as well as fight. Just like the Christian is called to fight the good fight of faith, we are called to fight the every day evils around us. In Ephesians 6, we are told to put on the whole armor of God. This is to both protect us from the devil and to help us fight the evil. Every day, we are fighting the evil that is out there in the world. Ephesians 6:13 says, “Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Just as the Christian is called to put on the armor of God, the police officer has armor to both protect and to help fight. This verse tells us to withstand and stand in the evil day. As officers, we must stand and fight instead of running away. When evil situations arise, we are to run to the situation and fight rather than to run the other direction.  We are given many tools to both protect us and help us fight. Ephesians 6:14 states “ Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth… “(This is our belt that we wear every day.) We as officers must be truthful. The Bible says that the truth will set you free. We need to find out the truth when dealing with a situation. … “Having put on the breastplate of righteousness…” This is very important. If we are not a righteous person with good morals, then we will not be able to do our job well. It takes a moral person to deal with the situations that police officers come across. If we are not righteous, then we will not be protected mentally. We must keep our morals in check and do the right thing even when no one is looking or when we want to take matters into our own hands. Verse 15 states, “and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel.” Just like we need to be prepared to tell the gospel as Christians, we need to have our feet protected as officers. Our boots are another important aspect of the job. Working long days in all sorts of terrain make our feet tired and heavy. If we do not have the proper footwear we will not be able to do our job properly. We need boots that will protect us from the elements, disease, and anything else that may come about in our daily duties. Most importantly, verse 16 states, “above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.” One of the most important things we need as Christians is faith. Faith will get you through a hard time when there seems to be no hope. Faith is what we believe in but do not see. As a police officer our vest is very important to protect us. There are many evil people out in the world who wish to do us harm. If we are not wearing our vest, we will not be able to be protected against the wicked ones. Our vest will keep us safe from bullets, from bodily injury in fights, vehicle accidents, and many other things. Just like we need faith every day of our life to protect us each and every day, we need to wear our vest each and every day. Even though we may not see the danger, we know that it is out there. Verse 17 states, “and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.” The helmet of salvation is what we go back to when we are doubting. When we are doubting something in our life, we go back to what we know we believe in.  This is our training. When we are not sure what to do in a situation or are unsure of what to do, we go back to our training. What we learn can be both lifesaving and important. We must be sure of our training just like we are sure of our salvation. The Christian should share their salvation with others just like the police officer should share with their fellow officers the necessary training that is both helpful and necessary to do the job.

The sword of the Spirit is our weapons. As a Christian, we use the Bible to be our weapon both in offense and in defense. As a police officer we have many tools/weapons on our belts that we use to both defend against the wicked and to bring down the wicked. There are many who will try to do both the public and the officers wrong. Our weapons are there for us to use. The Christian should know their Bible so that they will know how to use it. Train with it often. The police officer should know their weapons and how to use them and train with them often. If we do not know how to use our gun properly, then we will not only fail in our jobs, but the repercussions will be severe. If we do not know how to properly use our gun, then we will not be able to defend ourselves or others.

Lastly, there is communication. Verses 18-20 state, “praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints-and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

Christians have the communication of prayer. We can go to God at any time, anywhere, and speak to Him and He will answer us. If we have a problem, He will hear us and come to our rescue.  As a police officer one of the most important things that we have is our radio. We can call on it at anytime and help will come. We can call for help or answer the call for help. It is something we carry with us daily. Just as Christians carry this tool of communication, so do we. We are able to call on God to help us out of a situation or ask guidance on what to do.

God has given all of us these things so that we may speak boldly and proclaim the Gospel. As police officers, we must speak boldly and give direction and tell the truth. We are ambassadors of the law as well as the city, county, state, or whatever agency we work for. We should be a good example of what our department or agency is.  

Stay safe out there and remember that we have these things on our tool belt that we can use at any time.  

 

Officer Joe Odom

Knox County School Security

Knoxville, TN

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BE THE ANSWER

TITLE: BE THE ANSWER

BY: CHAPLAIN LARRY FLANNARY

Be wise “prioritize” (part 1a )

Deuteronomy 32:29 O that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end!

Champions…trust God while others ask for answers.  They step forward while everyone else prays for volunteers.

***Be the Answer***

Walking down a city street in the dead of winter, a young minister passed a small boy—homeless and skinny, his clothing threadbare. He stood for a moment and watched as the boy huddled over a street gate, trying to absorb the heat from the subway tunnel below. “God!” the minister exclaimed in his frustration at the sight of the shivering child. “Why do You allow this? Why don’t You do something? Don’t You care?” He heard the Lord’s voice say to his spirit, “I do care, and I have done something about it. I created you and sent you here.” Don’t question the problem or why it’s there. Question what you might do to bring about an answer!

Be the Answer – If You Have It, Work It!

Your faithfulness in handling what God has given to you will determine your success.

Being the Answer means that you make a commitment to take your gifts that have been given by God and employ those gifts in the opportunities that He will bring your way.

PARABLE OF THE TALENTS 

Matthew 25:14-29 For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.  (15)  And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.  (16)  Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. (17)  And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two.  (18)  But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord’s money.  (19)  After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.  (20)  And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.  (21)  His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.  (22)  He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them.  (23)  His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.  (24)  Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:  (25)  And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.  (26)  His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:  (27)  Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. (28)  Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.  (29)  For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.

This is one of the classic parables of Jesus that illustrates a timeless truth. The picture He paints with His words illustrates the dynamic reality that God has given talents to each of us.

He equips us for our lives—here and there. The utilization of His gifts blesses us here, and rewards us there.

In discussing the issue of gifts, there is a question that will arise periodically and ultimately: What did you do with the gifts of God?

The interesting thing that I have discovered is that often God will use the situations of life to ask us this question over and over again.

Will God allow the circumstance of my life to question me about if and how I am using His gifts?  YES!

The demand of life is going to force us to reach for every gift God gives. God allows for this demand to exist to align us properly to our destiny.

It is quite evident that often our pain comes as a result of not having walked in the gifts of God.

What are your priorities?  

What are you doing with the gifts, talents and abilities that God has given you? 

(To Be Continued….)

 

CHAPLAIN LARRY FLANNARY

KNOX COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE

KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE

 

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Effects On The Family

Being raised by a police officer carries a lofty price tag that includes some blessings and burdens for a child.  My dad, a retired policeman who went from patrolman to undercover narcotic agent to detective leaves many memories. Not knowing any differently, this life isn’t for everyone, nor for every family.
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We All Bleed Blue

John 15:13 “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends”

This past week I had the opportunity to attend Police Week in Washington, DC. This was my first time at the event and our company was blessed to be a vendor at “Tent City.” The experience has forever changed me and it will not be forgotten. I was so amazed as I got to witness police officers and their families from all over the world flock the streets of DC.
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Iron Sharpens Iron

Have you ever been embarrassed to find out another cop you work with is a Christian too?  You might have thought, “Have I used any ‘choice words’ around him?” or “Does he remember how I acted when we went out that night after training?”

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The THIN BLUE LINE

In the book of Numbers 15:38-41 it states:  Speak unto the children of Israel, and bid them that they make them fringes in the borders of their garments throughout their generations, and that they put upon the fringe of the borders a ribband of blue: (39) And it shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye may look upon it, and remember all the commandments of the LORD, and do them; and that ye seek not after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to go a whoring: (40) That ye may remember, and do all my commandments, and be holy unto your God. >>>>>>Read More

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Welcome to “Police with a Purpose”

In Matthew, the Bible says that “For many are called but few are chosen. ” At a young age, I knew God placed a call on me to serve my country and community; but at that time I did not know exactly in what capacity I would be serving. I contemplated the military, firefighting and even the medical profession, but something down deep inside me wanted to wear the badge and fight crime.
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