love letters to my girls. (continued from here)
girl meets boy.
Daddy and mommy met through a series of unexpected events, yet perfectly orchestrated by our loving Heavenly Father.
It was summer 1992. Mommy was involved with the youth group of Jersey Baptist Church and dating a young fellow named Aaron. During this particular summer, the youth of Jersey and the youth of New Life came together on a weekly basis for a vacation bible school of sorts called RIOT (Radical Impact on Teens). It was at a RIOT gathering that I met Eric. Eric and Aaron had become friends though various activities between the two churches, but this was my first time meeting Eric. Eric and Aaron would often share prayer requests with each other and sing praises for answered prayers.
I remember one gathering in particular. Eric was very distraught and out of character. When asked what was wrong he just said pray. Pray for Doug.
June 1992.
I-70E/Livingston Avenue Curve.
Driving home from a tennis outing traffic came to a screeching halt. Not unusual for the time of day at the Livingston curve. Out of nowhere, a businessman not familiar with the area came barreling around the curve.
BAM!
At 50mph an oversized SUV slammed square into the back of Doug’s vehicle.
Airbags deployed.
Steering column ripped away, bent and contorted…practically kissing the driver’s side window.
External injuries—none.
Days later….
Unexpected internal injuries are displaying their symptoms. After urinating pure blood, Doug is admitted to Mt. Carmel East hospital. During his stay, his lungs collapse causing the doctors to place him on a respirator. Due to agitation and trying to remove tubes and such, he was placed in a medically induced coma for 10 days.
Days and nights were filled with visitors. Friends. Family. Church members. Pastors. All praying. Praying for the impossible—according to medical standards.
His health condition continued to decline. Doctors gave him a 5% chance of living and told his parents to begin making arrangements for his funeral.
Back at RIOT…
I prayed. Prayed and prayed. Begged God for His mercy on this young man. RIOT ended for the summer and I lost contact with Eric. Aaron and I quit dating. Months went by and I still didn’t know the outcome…until mid-October. I was in attendance at a New Life youth activity outside playing volleyball. Then, out of nowhere, Eric comes over to me with a friend and says “I’d like you to meet somebody…this is my friend, Doug.”
Whoa!
Wait a minute. The one we prayed for? The one who wasn’t supposed to live through another night back in June?
Yep, that’s Him.
God had plans for this young man, and it wasn’t until years later that he figured them out.
Life Lesson to Learn:
Believe in the impossible.
Always believe in the power of prayer.
And KNOW that God has bigger plans in store for YOU!
God uses unexpected circumstances & situations to help guide you, to make you fall to your knees in total surrender, to reveal His plan and purpose for your life and to shed light on the path He intended for you to follow.
In the midst of the unexpected, you may not feel that God “knows” what He is allowing in your life. You may not know exactly how the unexpected plays into your life as a whole. But, know that God is in control gently guiding you on His path. This unexpected situation was a wake-up call to daddy. God’s way of getting daddy back in focus and firm reminder to him to keep His eyes on the Lord and away from worldly things. Because God has bigger plans for daddy that He has yet to reveal…
(to be continued....)
girl meets boy.
Daddy and mommy met through a series of unexpected events, yet perfectly orchestrated by our loving Heavenly Father.
It was summer 1992. Mommy was involved with the youth group of Jersey Baptist Church and dating a young fellow named Aaron. During this particular summer, the youth of Jersey and the youth of New Life came together on a weekly basis for a vacation bible school of sorts called RIOT (Radical Impact on Teens). It was at a RIOT gathering that I met Eric. Eric and Aaron had become friends though various activities between the two churches, but this was my first time meeting Eric. Eric and Aaron would often share prayer requests with each other and sing praises for answered prayers.
I remember one gathering in particular. Eric was very distraught and out of character. When asked what was wrong he just said pray. Pray for Doug.
June 1992.
I-70E/Livingston Avenue Curve.
Driving home from a tennis outing traffic came to a screeching halt. Not unusual for the time of day at the Livingston curve. Out of nowhere, a businessman not familiar with the area came barreling around the curve.
BAM!
At 50mph an oversized SUV slammed square into the back of Doug’s vehicle.
Airbags deployed.
Steering column ripped away, bent and contorted…practically kissing the driver’s side window.
External injuries—none.
Days later….
Unexpected internal injuries are displaying their symptoms. After urinating pure blood, Doug is admitted to Mt. Carmel East hospital. During his stay, his lungs collapse causing the doctors to place him on a respirator. Due to agitation and trying to remove tubes and such, he was placed in a medically induced coma for 10 days.
Days and nights were filled with visitors. Friends. Family. Church members. Pastors. All praying. Praying for the impossible—according to medical standards.
His health condition continued to decline. Doctors gave him a 5% chance of living and told his parents to begin making arrangements for his funeral.
Back at RIOT…
I prayed. Prayed and prayed. Begged God for His mercy on this young man. RIOT ended for the summer and I lost contact with Eric. Aaron and I quit dating. Months went by and I still didn’t know the outcome…until mid-October. I was in attendance at a New Life youth activity outside playing volleyball. Then, out of nowhere, Eric comes over to me with a friend and says “I’d like you to meet somebody…this is my friend, Doug.”
Whoa!
Wait a minute. The one we prayed for? The one who wasn’t supposed to live through another night back in June?
Yep, that’s Him.
God had plans for this young man, and it wasn’t until years later that he figured them out.
Life Lesson to Learn:
Believe in the impossible.
Always believe in the power of prayer.
And KNOW that God has bigger plans in store for YOU!
God uses unexpected circumstances & situations to help guide you, to make you fall to your knees in total surrender, to reveal His plan and purpose for your life and to shed light on the path He intended for you to follow.
In the midst of the unexpected, you may not feel that God “knows” what He is allowing in your life. You may not know exactly how the unexpected plays into your life as a whole. But, know that God is in control gently guiding you on His path. This unexpected situation was a wake-up call to daddy. God’s way of getting daddy back in focus and firm reminder to him to keep His eyes on the Lord and away from worldly things. Because God has bigger plans for daddy that He has yet to reveal…
(to be continued....)
I Love that story every time I hear it, It is a constant reminder that there is a God and he Loves and Knows each and every one of us. He is our Savior!
ReplyDeleteI am loving reading these entries. Keep 'em coming! And wow - what an awesome testimony of God's grace!!!!!
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