Thriving in the Barren Place: When God Meets You in the NICU with Paula Romang

Send me a text and let me know your thoughts!What happens when the Christian life you imagined doesn't match the reality you're living? When the prayers aren't answered the way you hoped? When suffering becomes your daily companion?Paula Romang thought that if she just did all the things and checked all the boxes, God would deliver her version of the wonderful Christian life on a silver platter.Good Christians don't suffer.What she found out was that lie wasn't true.Paula Romang shares her raw, beautiful, heartbreaking journey of raising twin boys—one healthy, one with severe special needs and a terminal seizure disorder.Paula discovered that God doesn't promise an easy road—but He promises to never leave us on it.Isaiah 43:2 "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze."Paula Romang's website0:26 Paula's Beauty for Ashes Story Begins0:36 The Infertility Journey & IVF Process1:38 Pregnancy Complications Begin2:16 Matthew's Struggles Become Clear3:16 Emergency Delivery Decision3:37 The Twins Are Born4:37 Paula's Christian Foundation5:29 Faith Forced Into Action6:18 Living with Heart & Apnea Monitors7:21 The Exhausting Feeding Schedule8:21 Shattered Expectations8:51 "Good Christians Don't Suffer" - The Lie9:31 Learning We Are Not in Control11:00 Crisis of Faith & Wrestling with God11:52 The Truth About Quiet Times12:31 The Day She Turned Off the TV13:34 Truth Pouring Into Her World14:23 Christians DO Suffer - Biblical Truth15:12 The Growing Disparity Between the Boys16:05 Diagnosis: Developmental Delay16:54 Matthew's First Seizure at 18 Months17:25 The Ambulance in the Driveway18:26 "I Will Never Leave You"19:32 Moses & the Tent of Meeting20:24 Learning to Trust at New Levels20:42 Walking the Rope Bridge of Faith22:13 The Barren Place - Book Title Origin23:13 Christianity is Relationship, Not Religion24:18 Finding a God Who is Tender & Terrifying25:20 Getting as Close to God as Possible25:50 Matthew's Special Needs Journey Continues26:21 Lennox Gastaut Diagnosis27:19 First Near-Death Experience at Age 1028:10 The Feeding Tube & Hospice Decision28:47 Matthew Wants to Be Home29:02 Singing Him Home with Hymns29:17 Everything Paula Wanted for Matthew29:28 We Grieve with Hope29:39 Advice for Special Needs Parents30:37 Scripture is Where You'll Find Help31:17 Final Encouragement32:00 How to Connect with PaulaMusic from #Uppbeathttps://uppbeat.io/t/monument-music/the-beyondLicense code: PLMOP0FDXHN2NOJG https://uppbeat.io/t/tobias-voigt/hope-and-wonderLicense code: XXAPHVLRL1JYTHLDWelcome to Just Talkin' About Jesus.I'm Jan Johnson, a seasoned believer who loves relationships and, you know, just talkin' about Jesus.Here you will find testimonies of those who God has changed through his grace.Stories of feeling unworthy because of being sex trafficked, or of radical redemption of a woman who grew up with abuse, neglect, abandonment and drugs. A story of an abortion survivor. This and more. Lean in now. Consider subscribing to this podcast, YouTube and Substack- all with the same name: Just Talkin' About Jesus!https://www.youtube.com/@JustTalkinAboutJesushttps://jan-johnson.com/https://justtalkingaboutjesus.com/https://janjohnsonauthor.substack.com/https://www.youtube.com/@JustTalkinAboutJesusThanks for listening!If you have a story to tell, check out the form on my website- justtalkingaboutjesus.com.I'd love to connect with you!No, really.... hit me up!