Miracles Are Still For Today

Nothing causes more boldness than when we are faced with an absolute tragedy. My husband said "What if God were only as big as our prayers?". I feel like we go in cycles when it comes to prayer, at least I do. Like most things, we have good bouts and bad bouts. What I long to do though is pray bold prayers continuously. Not just when faced with some sort of desperate need. Bold prayers that show just how big my God is. Bold prayers that intercede. Bold prayers that causes faith to rise up that'll move mountains.

Here's what I know: God is able. God is the same God today as He was yesterday. God is the God of the old and the new testament. Healing wasn't just for yesterday. Miracles are not a thing of the past.

Miracles are for today and God doesn't keep track. It's not like "oh, well, God did this in my life so now I can't ask Him for that". We can ask God for anything. As a matter of fact, He longs for us to just ask Him for whatever we need. We cannot compare God to an earthly authority. God is bigger than that. He will do for us what we cannot do for ourselves over, and over, and over again.

All glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think Ephesians 3:20

On December 3, 2009 my precious little brother, whom I love to infinity and beyond, was in a terrible car accident with 3 of his best friends the first snow storm of that year. We were living in MN at the time. When I got the phone call I immediately felt desperate beyond all else. 

I was beyond distraught, scared completely out of my mind. We were out that night at a Staff Christmas Party and had a babysitter at home. I checked my voice mail thinking it was in regard to our kids. 

My dad's voice was on the other end and I will never forget it: "Honey, you need to call me right away, Andy has been in an accident, he is being taken in an ambulance, he's not breathing on his own." 

Talk about pleading with God.

I sat in the Maggiano's bathroom stall just sick to my stomach, crying, gathering the troops by texting every person imaginable calling on my prayer warriors to just intercede.

I walked out to more bad news.

Jeremy had gotten a hold of my dad, It's not looking good. Andy has bleeding on his brain, he is in surgery.

We headed home trying to figure out the best way to get me to Milwaukee. "Please God don't take him." "Please God don't take him." "God, please. Please." "God we need a miracle." "Touch Andy in the name of Jesus." "Please, please, please, please." I pleaded.

ruptured spleen (removed), brain bleeding and swelling, fractured pelvis, holes in lungs, punctured from broken ribs, lacerated liver, uncontrollable fevers.

Andy made it through the night.  

His friends did not. "Oh Lord, hold & comfort their families"

I left the next morning, Dec 4. Headed to Milwaukee, desperate to see my brother. Scared out of my mind that I'd get a call on my way that he didn't make it. I was alone with my thoughts, fears, and God. God who kept me calm.

I fiercely jet into that hospital like no other, my parents and siblings were altogether. 

I went in to see my baby brother, Andy.

This was the first day of a boldness I, by no choice, had to possess. There was no way around it. I need my brother. I might just die without him. I was so desperate. We all were. So distraught. Yet so strong in the Lord. We had to be. My family, though scared out of our minds, had to lean on what ounce of faith we could muster up.

Every phone call received held the fear that on the other end was news of death.

Every moment was a walk on eggshells.

The doctors were looking to see whom Andy's organs would go to. Outlook: Impossible. Unspoken, but seemingly obvious prognosis: He won't make it. By every science imaginable my brother shouldn't have been even hanging by the thread of life that he clung to. 

Day 2 that I was in Milwaukee I stood over my brother praying, reading scripture, singing songs of healing, and all of a sudden  had a peace come over me like I have never experienced before. 

I knew then and there, my brother was going to live. God was going to do a miracle. 

I remember walking out to the ICU waiting room and telling everyone, Andy is going to be fine. And we all spoke that same prognosis. God's prognosis. We had to have faith that could move this mountain.

Every obstacle we turned over to the Lord. God was with us every step of the way. When we'd take a baby step forward then a gigantic leap back, God was there.  His love, peace, strength, & healing encompassed our every being. There were so many bumps along the way. 

5 weeks I spent in Milwaukee. 5 emotionally exhausting weeks. If Andy made it, we didn't know if he'd ever talk or walk. His brain injury was so severe. 

Andy is alive today. He is restored. He's a brilliant human being. His intelligence was restored. He walks and talks. 

Andy and me at his HS graduation June 2010

Andy and I summer of 2011

I know that not all of our bold prayers have the outcome we desire or hope for. I know We are blessed to have our Andy. I know not every bold prayer ends with a miracle. I don't know why or that we will know the answer to that on this side of heaven. Nor do I understand everything. But, I do know, miracles are for today. Andy isn't a survivor by chance. He is a survivor because of bold prayers. He had thousands over the nation praying for his healing. We witnessed miracles upon miracles first hand as we read scripture over Him and believed God is the God of the impossible. 

Matthew 5:34 "Your FAITH has healed you!" 

I know what it's like to have only my faith. I know what it's like to plead out of desperation. I know what it's like to see someone so close to death. 

I know what it's like to have to be bold with our prayers even if we don't feel it!

I know the importance of speaking positively about a gloomy situation when all else looks dim. Faith. Faith heals because I have witnessed it and experienced it.