Places Remembered, and Miracles, Too

The husband and I are home after our jaunt in Michigan for New Year's. We are glad to be here, although sad to leave the company of good friends.

Something wistful and sweet happens each time I traverse up to my friends' cottage in northern Michigan, near Traverse City. I remember the sweetness of earnest talks and shared laughter. But this year the joy and warmth were more vibrant than ever.

Jack, miraculously, survived a heart attack on Easter Sunday this year. You might remember that for awhile things did not look good...at all. He was healthy and fit, when whammo, he collapsed. And frankly our hearts were broken. But we left room in our prayers for a miracle. Oh, yes.

What you are about to read is the entire truth:

Jack fell over at home sometime around 9 am; that night, after visiting the hospital, weeping giant tears, and grabbing my Bible for comfort, I haphazardly traveled through the Psalms. And, no lie, this is what I found in Psalm 41!!

 1 Blessed is he who has regard for the weak; 
       the LORD delivers him in times of trouble.
 2 The LORD will protect him and preserve his life;
       he will bless him in the land
       and not surrender him to the desire of his foes.
 3 The LORD will sustain him on his sickbed
       and restore him from his bed of illness.


And if anyone knows Jack, you know he has regard for the weak and is one of the faithful that follows hard after Jesus, no matter what. So, against the odds, I prayed this prayer this Scripture for Jack, and I kept praying. I can't tell you how desperately.

And around Tuesday, he started showing signs of life. I mean, he was still gravely ill, but he was still in there. And by the end of the week, he was asking the pastor how other people at church were doing. And God restored him from his sickbed! Not only that, but only four measly weeks later, he walked me down the aisle at my wedding!! We had so many reasons to cry that day.

Oh, the relief and joy, after losing my dad, of having Jack by my side that day. I was dazed and amazed, remembering him lying in the hospital bed, unresponsive, and hooked up to a million tubes. But God chose to answer our bold prayers. And we know there is reason God has allowed Jack to stay with us.

And we were just so grateful this New Year's. I was so thrilled to be with friends who know me. I was just remembering how faithful God has been. I was drinking in the gladness of the ability to have deep spiritual conversations with Jack and Lahree. And wouldn't you know, the topic of heaven came up more than once. And we were reminded of everything we have to look forward to, and of how short our time on this patch of earth is.

Do me a favor in 2009: pray boldly. Keep the hope alive that God wants to respond to your prayers, even if the request seems huge. Don't back away--trust that he has good things in mind and pray as if your life depends on it. Perhaps someone's life truly does, eh?

I still believe in miracles. Do you?