Prayers for Eden--10.23.09

10/23/09

Dear Family & Friends,

Suzy and I covet your prayers for Eden right now. As most of you know, Eden began twirling her hair mid-September and is doing it so often that she has started losing it in above her ears on both sides. It has increased during the past week, so last week we saw a Richland Hills CoC counselor who felt she was definitely experiencing some sort of emotional anxiety. He referred us to a psychologist/play therapist in Flower Mound to do a more thorough assessment. Eden saw her for an hour Tuesday and then Suzy and I met with her for 90 minutes yesterday.

The play therapist, Dr. Trotter, and Eden had a good session in which Eden quickly opened up and shared some things through her play with different toys that were helpful for Dr. Trotter’s initial assessment. Both the Richland Hills counselor and Dr. Trotter agree that there is nothing physical (e.g. autism, etc.) that seems to be delaying Eden’s development or causing her anxiety/hair twirling behavior. They also agree that Eden has a lot of anxiety and that she doesn’t know how to express it verbally given her level of development at this young age. They explain that Eden is expressing/communicating anxiety by twirling her hair (and, unfortunately, having hair fall out in the process). Suzy and I think that Eden also is a bit less socially interactive and has less of an appetite at times. She’s herself in some situations but isn’t consistently the vibrant, bouncy Eden that we know her to be.

Dr. Trotter would like to provide therapy for Eden once a week for ~15 weeks (a standard regimen of visits for interpreting and addressing the needs of a child with this level of anxiety). She may involve each/all of our family members in the therapy process over the next 15 weeks. She also gave us some basic understandings of how to respond to her twirling and how to help soothe Eden’s anxiety for which we were very thankful. We want to do anything possible to help Eden and get her through this, of course, so it was nice to get some initial tips and how-tos to guide us in caring for Eden.

Duane and Debbie Jenks (Duane is a Missions Minister who we know fairly well at Richland Hills CoC) came and prayed over our home two nights ago and, upon hearing about the former (apparently) Buddhist occupants of our house coupled with Eden’s anxious/hair twirling behavior (which coincided with the time we moved into our home) they directed many of their prayers toward the possibility that something from the spiritual realm is oppressing Eden/our family/our home. This is an especially disturbing thought to us, of course, but we’re just wanting to address the problem from whatever angles seem wise and needed. Needless to say, we’re thankful for the Jenks’ prayers, insights, and compassion for our family. They are obviously people of deep passion for the Lord, and we have forged a new friendship with them simply through their visit to our home.

Suzy and I will meet again with David Gililland, the RHCC counselor, on Monday. By then he will have conferred with Dr. Trotter so he can his most informed suggestion for a future course of therapy for Eden. Richland Hills is graciously offering to pay for whatever portion of the counseling we cannot afford. [Thank you, Father!]

I shared this whole scenario with Sam and Phil at the office last night and then with Bob and Mark (all coworkers of mine) each separately today. We’re getting wonderful support and prayers all around us for which we are truly thankful. These guys are “our only real TX family” at this point, so we cherish their friendship. I regret not sharing this information sooner with you, our blood & spiritual family, but it’s been both a busy time and a difficult situation to know how to describe or get our own understanding of. We’re still in the initial stages of learning about all that is going on for Eden, but it’s certainly time to ask you to join us in prayer.

Thank you for your prayers, however long this season may last. We pray it will end soon and we ask you to join us in praying for Eden’s sense of security, peace, and for her little 4-yr-old heart to fully understand God’s protection, love and power to help her at all times. We’ve claimed Joshua 1 (“Be bold and courageous and do not be afraid; the Lord is with you wherever you go…”) as our family’s verse for right now. Since Eden’s understanding and trust in God is almost fully wrapped up in how she perceives Suzy and me and our relationship with God, please pray that Suzy and I will be the best possible examples of God’s safety, comfort, protection and peace for her.

With our whole family’s love,
Lanny, Suzy & girls