Day 34 of #40Days - Prayer Request

I called my mom this morning and learned that my brother in law was injured earlier this morning.  Details are sketchy right now, but it sounds like he may have fallen and hit his head.  Last report I heard was he is in the emergency room and can't move his legs.

Johnny is a good man who takes care of his family and works hard to provide for them.  A serious injury could disrupt his ability to do that.  Additionally, it would be hard on everyone around him.

I am asking you to pray for him right now.

Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so God can heal you. When a believing person prays, great things happen.

  James 5:16

Pray with me:

Dear Lord, you know what Johnny needs right now.  We ask that you touch him immediately with healing mercy.  We ask for complete recovery.  This is not something that people can accomplish.  But you can do it by simply saying so.  Thank you.  Amen.

The picture of Johnny above was the day he out-fished all of us.  One to nothing.

God bless,

Dadofmykids

This is post # 34 of Forty Days.  Learn more here.

Day 2 of #40Days - Some people will get a miracle.

"You have five kids?"  He asked.

"Well, actually six.  There's one in the girls' restroom."

"I have a daughter about the same age as that one," pointing to Tilley.

I began to feel a little creepy.  Maybe he wanted money or something.  But I was wrong.  We ended up talking for several minutes with kids buzzing around us.  Good thing the posters were nearby to keep some of them occupied.

He told me about his daughter, Ellen, who had been involved in a car crash.  Ellen was admitted to Children's Hospital for her injuries.  She was hurt pretty badly, with loss of motor skills and possible brain injury.  We talked about God and what He might be saying to Ellen's dad through this tragedy.

We had never met her, but we couldn't get this little girl and her family off our minds.  We wanted to offer her some love and prayers.  Jill and I went to visit Ellen in the hospital.  She was at physical therapy, but her aunt insisted on taking us to see her.  She was not having a good day when we looked in on the PT session.  So we didn't interrupt.  We left the hospital without ever meeting Ellen.

She reminded me so much of my niece, Falon.  Falon had been hit by a car at the age of three.  The accident caused damage to her head and neck.  She wore a halo for a long time.  Life became a battle for Falon.  She ended it with a handful of pills.

Some time went by.  Maybe a year.  I don't know.

Then there was a service call at an elementary school in Kingston.  I got to the school and located the fax machine in the office, just in time for "Please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance."  After the pledge, the announcer read off the day's birthdays with instructions for the students to report to the office for birthday gifts.  As the names were called and I returned my focus to the fax machine.  Then I heard Ellen's name.

How many girls could there be with that name?


Will she be in a wheel chair?  Or maybe on crutches?

As the birthday kids filed into the office, I kept a curious eye on them.  Then Ellen came walking through the office.  Smiling and almost skipping.  Perfectly normal and healthy.  I was so excited, I blurted out, "Do y'all know who that is?!  Do you know what happened to her?!"

I was able to pull aside one of the office staff who said she indeed was aware of Ellen's previous condition.  She told me how the teachers, staff and students of the school had prayed for Ellen.  And God answered by healing her.

I still don't know why God heals some people but not others.  He healed my Jilly in an instant, after years of praying.  Some people say you need faith.  Well, I have faith, but that doesn't guarantee everybody I pray for will get a miracle.

But some people will get a miracle.

God Bless,
Dadofmykids.

PS.  This is post # 2 of 40.  Learn more here.

Who is it? Tell me who it is.

Daniel was at work when he heard there were cops at our house. He rushed home. When he got there, he knew someone had died. He simply said, "Who is it? Tell me who it is."

I said, "Georgia".

The next four kids, by age, had spent the night with my mother-in-law. When they got home, I had to tell them, too. "I have some very bad news about Georgia," I said. "She went to sleep and didn't wake up. I tried to wake her, but she's gone. Her little spirit is in Heaven with Jesus now."

This scene from March 10-11, 2006, replayed in my head while I was driving to work today. I didn't ask for it, expect it, or even want it. But there it was. Emotion and everything.

I have worried that I had become too numb to feel that anymore. But I am grateful to know that my heart is still tender enough.

It is sad, I know. But, the story doesn't end there. My life didn't end with Georgia's life. I survived. We survived. You will survive.

The Hope of Eternal Life in Jesus Christ, and my beautiful wife and eight remaining children kept me going. Time has allowed the wound to heal. I am scarred.

Life is full of change. Good and bad. Be encouraged. You will heal in time.