As many of you already know from social media, Melinda (the “Enforcer,” as many of you know her from the podcast) had a serious accident yesterday morning. She fell from a ladder, hit her head, and was unconscious, bleeding from nose and ears. Tests at UCLA showed that her skull was fractured, there was internal bleeding in three places, and pressure was building up inside her skull approaching lethal levels.

To save her life, doctors performed a three-hour surgery to remove a portion of her skull to release pressure. They warned, though, that Melinda may never be full-functioning again, and may not be able to live independently in the future. They don’t know anything for sure at this point, of course, but that’s within the range of possibilities.

Here’s what we know that they don’t: the doctors aren’t working alone. We have a great God, and we know that faithful prayer is being offered up all over the country for our dear friend, Melinda. Many people have recovered completely from trauma like this.

Here is the most recent news. Melinda’s surgery last night went well. A post-surgery MRI showed that the brain stem is okay. Damage is all on the right side, which is good news for language. She’s off coma-inducing meds, so hopefully we’ll see signs of her waking up over the next couple of days. All her other organs and functions are doing well. Of course, this is very good news at this point, and it’s clear the Lord is responding to our prayers, so keep it up.

Please pass the word on through your own social media channels, and check back here or the STR Facebook page for updates. Thank you so much for your concern and prayers for Melinda.

UPDATE 12/04

Melinda continues to be in a critical state with brain pressure in good range initially after the surgery, but now increasing. The doctors are giving her more meds to calm her and keep her brain activity quiet. No waking up soon. There may also be some broken bones due to the fall. The good news is she is initiating her own breathing more, though not breathing completely on her own yet.

A friend shared this verse with me yesterday, so appropriate for the circumstances. Let these words sink into your soul: “But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases. His mercies never come to an end. They are new every morning. Great is Your faithfulness” (Lam. 3:21–23).

We have one hope, one confidence, one refuge: “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases.” We stand on that.

UPDATE 12/06

We are now in a holding pattern as her brain rests. These next five days are crucial for the healing process. Please continue to pray, and we will post updates as they occur. Thank you so much for your prayers!