01/22/2026
Good morning, Ebenezer Family. As some of you already know, today is a day that Angi, I, and our whole family are in need of your prayers. Our granddaughter Stella Jo has been in the Pediatric CICU at Arthur Blank Children's Hospital since last Thursday. As you are aware, Stella was born with a serious heart defect, heterotaxy, and no spleen. She has no immune system and has been on a constant regimen of antibiotics since she was born. We have seen God already do the miraculous for Stella and we are calling on the Lord for Him to move once again. As I type this, we are all sitting together in the waiting room as Stella has been taken back for open heart surgery. Specifically a double ventricle repair. This surgery was expected to be done, but not until Stella was older. Her Tet spells (cyanotic episodes) of the past week have been escalating and have necessitated this surgery now. The Board of Pediatric Cardiologists here at CHOA have been meeting and studying Stella's case and feel this was the necessary next step.
Please pray with us and for us as we wait and pray for Stella, her surgical team, and her medical care team. We will remain here for the next several days to be with Lexi, Lance, Stetson, & Stella. We hope to be back home Monday. I have asked Bro. Eldridge Bowen to lead our Ebenezer Family in our time in the Word Sunday morning and he has graciously agreed. Angi and I will miss being with you all Sunday but I know you will be blessed by Bro. Eldridge as he brings a message from the Lord. We love & appreciate our Ebenezer Family more than you know. Thank you for loving us and for praying for Stella and our family today and the days to come.
Pastor Mark & Angi
P.S.
The doctors could not give us a specific time that this surgery will last but have given us a window of completion somewhere between 2:00 PM - 6:00 PM.