Ok, first, a little background: Matt and Kari are due to have a baby boy in October. They have a son in high school named Jeff and lots of family who are all very excited to welcome this little blessing into this world. Last week, Matt and Kari received a report from their physician that the baby has been diagnosed with Autosomal Recessive Polycystic Kidney Disease or ARPKD. This is the same disease that took the life of their five-month-old daughter Natalie almost nine years ago. With the disease, the baby's kidneys are forming fluid filled cysts that are taking up room in the kidneys and damaging the tissue in the kidneys, causing them not to function properly. Additionally, when the kidneys do not function properly, it causes a loss in amniotic fluid, which isn't good for the baby and causes Kari discomfort as well. The diagnosis is serious and needless to say, we are very concerned. Kari and Matt are headed to St. Louis for what will be the beginning of routine testing to take place throughout the remainder of Kari's pregnancy.

Ok, on to bigger and better. A diagnosis is just that....a diagnosis. We know that God is bigger and that He can do all things....things that defy everything we know to be medically true.....even a diagnosis like this. This said, we are praying and BELIEVING in a miracle. We know in our hearts that the Lord seeks to draw us closer to Him and that His plans for our lives are to prosper us, so we know we can trust in His will for our lives. Please join us in praying and believing in the miracle we know we will see. We are committing ourselves to prayer and fasting for this cause and invite you to do the same. We know your prayers will be heard along with ours and that we can expect to see great things happen. We are praying life to the kidneys and death to the cysts, for Kari's body to produce more amniotic fluid, and for peace for Matt, Kari, and Jeff. Matt and Kari and the family will update this site often with news on the baby's progress, updates on their progress as they deal in the situation, and specific ways that we can pray and support this family.

Thanks and God Bless!