^{Support Registry Update}

August 28th update

In support of
Eliana Rivera

This is not a typical update. This is from the early hours this morning and we have received more updates, but I debated whether I should share and Shar thought so. This one is more for those Christians who have struggled through suffering and somehow watched God answer prayer even in the midst of their unbelief. There is some language though TBH, it’s still tame for what I felt and originally wrote. 🤷🏽‍♂️

Friday, August 28, 2026, approximately 1:00 a.m.

The last couple of nights Eliana has been restless because she’s been more awake, as I’ve updated you guys.

I was sitting next to her tonight, holding her hand. In that raspy, shaky voice of hers, a voice that’s still barely audible, she said something to me. I couldn’t understand her at first. I was trying to figure out what she was mouthing.

Then she said:

“I peed.”

I said, “You peed?”

She started nodding her head yes.

She must have seen the look on my face because I was obviously surprised and probably looked like I didn’t believe her. And this poor girl, with this little scowl on her face, almost begging me to believe her, said:

“I swear.”

I said, “Oh baby, you don’t have to swear. I believe you.”

Except apparently I didn’t.

She was 100 percent confident that she had peed, and there I was, doubting Thomas. Maybe she’s confusing pee with poop again. Maybe she just thinks she peed.

The nurses came in to change her and I told them, “She said she peed.”

Even the nurse was initially kind of like, okay, maybe. She started undoing the diaper and seemed to think it was probably poop.

Then she looked.

“Oh no. It’s pee.”

And I still didn’t believe it.

I’m sitting there thinking, Is it fake pee? Is it made up pee? What the hell is this?

All I could think was that it had to be something else. It had to be something bad. It couldn’t actually be the thing we’ve been praying for.

Then they measured it.

295 milliliters.

I don’t even really understand what 295 milliliters means. I just know everybody in that room seemed to think it was a lot.

And it’s real.

Absolutely real.

Sam is standing over there with his hands raised in the air like the Toronto Blue Jays just won the fu$&?!g World Series.

And I promise you, I still couldn’t believe it.

My daughter peed.

I have no words.

And now I’m outside Children’s Hospital Colorado, walking around the grounds in the middle of the night with the Colorado night air hitting my face, trying to process what just happened.

The last time I walked around this hospital like this, I was begging for her life.

And tonight I feel this extreme joy. Unspeakable joy.

God, why are You so merciful?

Why are You so good to me?

There is nothing in my life that makes me deserving of this. Nothing. Zero. I cannot look at myself and find some reason that God should have answered me this way. I’m reminded that Eliana essentially means, my God has answered.

I am not worthy of this.

And maybe that is part of why I am still in shock.

I prayed. I pleaded with God. I believed He could do things that seemed impossible. But then when I actually begin to see answers to those prayers, I almost can’t believe it.

Are You serious?

That really happened?

You really did that?

I asked You for the impossible. I believed You could do the impossible. And now I’m standing here almost shocked that You actually did what I believed You could do.

I don’t have words for the mercy of God right now. I don’t have words big enough for it.

And there is something else I don’t want to lose.

Throughout all of this, I have struggled to reconcile what I believe about God, His sovereignty, His omniscience, His goodness, with what I have watched happen to my daughter. If all of those things are true, then why this? Why her? Why would He allow this to happen?

But I’ve never doubted His goodness. I’ve never doubted my belief in Him.

If anything, I’ve been drawn nearer to Him in my desperation.

I’ve questioned Him. I’ve pleaded with Him. And I’ve told Him very explicitly and very clearly:

I am not qualified for this.

I know as Christians we aren’t promised a life without suffering. I know suffering is inevitable. I get it. The book of Job makes that clear. First Peter makes that clear.

But this felt like so much more than I could handle.

And yet here I am, right in the middle of it.

I feel like He knows I can’t bear this. He knows I can’t take this.

And yet here I am.

And somehow, so is He.

There were moments when I couldn’t feel Him. There were moments when I begged Him to make Himself known to me. There were moments of anguish and terror and anger and numbness.

But I never wanted to stiff arm Him.

I wanted Him.

And maybe that is what I’m beginning to understand out here tonight.

There have been so many people who have loved us extraordinarily well. People have prayed with us, cried with us, sat beside us, carried us, encouraged us, and refused to let us suffer alone. The church has been amazing.

And that’s exactly what the church is supposed to be.

But the church isn’t the head of the church.

Christ is.

There is something in us that another human being simply cannot satisfy because another human being was never meant to satisfy it.

We were made for God.

We were made to know Him. To be with Him. To commune with Him.

And maybe that’s why, when everything else gets stripped away and I am brought into a place like this, I don’t ultimately want an explanation. I don’t even primarily want someone to make me feel better.

I want Him.

That’s all I want.

I want to be with my King. I want to be with my Creator. I want to talk to Him. Plead with Him. Cry to Him. Thank Him. Sit silently before Him when I have absolutely nothing left to say.

Not because communion with God is some coping mechanism that makes suffering easier.

Because communion with God is what I was made for.

And tonight I’m outside Children’s Hospital Colorado. It’s now roughly two o’clock in the morning. The grounds are quiet. The Colorado night air is hitting my face.

I’m walking by myself.

But I’m with Him.

And right now, there is nowhere else I want to be.

There is no one else I want to be with.

I just want Him.

Laura Eitel
13 days ago

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Comments

Jody Witmer 13 days ago

Amen

Dale Thompson 13 days ago

Nothing to say, but HALLELUJAH! And AMEN!

Anita Manning 13 days ago

Praise the LORD!! Praise the LORD!! We continue to pray healing for Eliana and for your family from St. Augustine, FL.

Nicole Ulrich 13 days ago

Won’t he do it!!! Amen! This precious soul has such a testimony and it’s an honor to be praying along side this group of warriors!

Cherryl MacFawn 13 days ago

Praise God! He’s not finished yet!! Continued prayer for complete health!!

Michelle Thompson 13 days ago

This is wonderful news!!! Praise God!!!

Lizzobiz 13 days ago

This is so amazing! I appreciate your honesty and transparency through all this. The power of God is so present in this awful situation. I call these beautiful tragedies. God calls it just another miracle. ❤️🙏

Sarah Weston 13 days ago

295ml! That is amazing! 🙌 Her little body is beating this thing! Keep pushing Eliana!💓

Kathleen Eitel 13 days ago

Thank you ABBA!

Jennifer McClure 13 days ago

In the medical field we love that she peed 295mls. Keep fighting girl.

Karen Brady 13 days ago

Even in the darkest moments, God is always there. Praise Him for his goodness and mercy. Hallelujah for pee!!

Vlucero26 13 days ago

Giving Praise! 🙌🏼 Great update. Continued prayers for Eliana and your family.

Amy McNan 13 days ago

WOW! My daughter prayed specifically that God would fix Eliana's kidneys. That she would pee in the morning. I suggested right away. She said, "No, the morning is good." It was technically the morning!! Praise the Lord!!! My husband is an ER nurse and he said, "That's GOOD" when I read out how much she peed. Thank you for sharing. So glad the church is stepping up as designed. We remain in prayer and look forward to the updates.

Denise VanEssen 13 days ago

Praising God and crying over here reading your post!!! God has heard your prayers and graciously answered our prayers! Continuing to pray for complete healing for Eliana! Denise VanEssen (Jenn Duncan’s mom)

Rachael Hansen 13 days ago

Hallelujah Amen! Thank you Jesus!

Kathryn Chovanes 13 days ago

Amazing! What a wonderful update! Go girl, go!!!

Severine Stegner 13 days ago

I’m overwhelmed by God’s kindness and the beauty and authenticity of your faith through it all. I’ve never been so happy to hear someone I have never met peed. 😭🙏🎉🙌💗 Praise Jesus for His mercy & faithfulness!

Severine Stegner 13 days ago

Katie Larson 13 days ago

She is our answered prayer in so many ways!! The Larsons are cheering and praying with you!

Karlin.mclaughlin 13 days ago

Hallelujah!!!!!! We are rooting for you girl!! Love from the McLaughlin’s 💗💗💗

Kathleen Eitel 13 days ago

Thank you, Father. Praise your name!

L W 13 days ago

We made a little thing for Eliana (and the rest of you!) https://photos.app.goo.gl/CeD6gCEeazgZMdNu8

L W 13 days ago

P.S. We shouldn't put too much stock in numbers as to suggest mystical connections in scripture, but I do think sometimes God reaches us with specific creativity. Job 29:5- when the Almighty was yet with me, when my children were all around me, Psalm 29:1-5 Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings,[a] ascribe to the Lord glory and strength. 2 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness.[b] 3 The voice of the Lord is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the Lord, over many waters. 4 The voice of the Lord is powerful; the voice of the Lord is full of majesty. 5 The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars; the Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon.

Jessica Bernier 13 days ago

I hear Eliana likes Forrest Frank so — “God is good.All the time. If He ain’t, then you’re lying.” It’s true, God is good!! Love this update!

Shannon Wisne 12 days ago

Jesus thank you!!!!!!

Rob.grillo123 12 days ago

Praise God,my Lord and Savior

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