Anastasha is yet-to-be born, yet she has already blessed many of us who have been following the lessons she is teaching her parents and siblings. Here’s the latest update from her daddy, family physician Craig DeLisi:
Dearest ones.
This week, some local friends will be having a prayer time for Tonya and I in honor of Anastasha. This is in leui of a baby shower, since we obviously don’t need diapers and onesies. But what we do need is for the Body of Christ to lift our weary arms.
Even though most of you who are reading this live hundreds of miles away, would you consider joining us by praying for us during that time as well? You are our most loved “family,” both by blood and through Christ.
Tonya will be 34 weeks gestation this week. Contractions are picking up quite a bit already. Last night she was having them every 3-5 minutes for a while. While this is “normal” for her pregnacies, we really aren’t ready for Anastasha to come yet, neither emotionally nor practically speaking.
In the last email that I sent out, I mentioned that we felt like we are at the end of a marathon and don’t have the strength to make it to the finish line. One of my friends, John Wall, told me that in the only marathon that he ever ran, he almost quit at mile 23 (of 26). He walked the final few miles … with one exception. When people in the crowd in those final few miles were cheering him on (his name was on the back of his shirt), he would find strength to run again.
Much like John, we are in desparate need to be “cheered” to the finish line by the Body of Christ. You are those who have loved us and supported us most in our lives and especially now.
So would you please join those who will be praying for us here and the great “company of Heaven” to help us press on and RUN the race to the end, and do it in a way that brings the Lord tremendous glory.
We feel the gravity of the coming moments and days and don’t want to “waste” this opportunity to praise Him and advance His kingdom during them.
We know that it is not your “cheering” will carry us to and beyond the finish line, but it is the love of our faithful Abba that will. But we value the prayers of the saints and have numerous times in our lives experienced the increased grace that the Lord imparts because of them.
Specifically, you can pray:
We love you and bless you all.
Craig and Tonya
Here’s the entire series of amazing stories: