Miracles Have Not Ceased

It would be close to 25 years ago that we witnessed a miracle. I have always been a believer in God and Jesus Christ, but I guess I thought back then, that maybe miracles were just something that you read about in the scriptures. Something that happened to others.

At the time we were living in the beautiful Sierra Nevada foothills, interacting daily with the stunning, lofty Ponderosa pines, the scattered oaks and the rolling green hills. Up country a short distance, the terrain became rougher, rockier and higher in elevation. While hot on summer days, up country could cool off considerably, especially at night. We received a phone call from our congregation alerting us that during a family reunion, a little girl had wondered off. This function was being held up country, at the home of the leader of our church. It was his niece, as I recall, and she was only 2. There was a lot going on, with a lot of people and children. It was a heavily wooded area and after a short while, they became very concerned. As a church group, we began fasting and praying for her safe return. Also, groups of people began searching, including local search and rescue, and helicopters.

The afternoon and evening seem to come much faster than usual and as darkness fell, concern and hopelessness grew. How would a little 2-year old fare against the temperatures in the 30’s, rugged terrain, and wild animals which were often seen? The searching continued, but there was no sign of her through the night. As everyone awoke that morning, she was on our mind and we hated to think of the anguish that our friends and their family must be going through. What started as a joyous family reunion, appeared to be ending as a terrible tragedy. But morning didn’t let us down and we soon became aware that she had been found in the early hours! What an indescribable reunion took place with her family. There were many tears of happiness shed by them, and by our community. But that is only part of the miracle.

The little girl shared her experience about a nice lady who stayed with her through the night and talked to her. There was no one around when the girl was found, but later on when looking through family pictures, the lady was identified. It was a relative, who had been deceased for many years.

In this world it can be easy to become jaded and negative as we deal with crime, illness and sadness. Life is difficult for all, at some time or another and we all face trials. The tv and newspaper inform us of tragedies, and accusations against many, that weigh on us until we feel numb. If they could report more positive stories, instead of negative, would that change the mood of our world? Surprisingly, I have heard the word “miracle” on the news at different times, so I know that it’s possible. I realize now as I’m older, that miracles do indeed happen in our time. Most of the time they are so special and have an air of reverence, that people might not share them with many. Some miracles are of a huge magnitude that they are reported. Some are so regular and even daily that we don’t broadcast them. Such as a beautiful sunrise, a person becoming healthy, or a reconnection of two sweethearts after 50 years. Or, the birth of a tiny baby.

Our daughter was expecting, which caused concern, because her other two babies had arrived early and she had to be on bedrest. This time was no different, and at 24 weeks she began having contractions. She went to the hospital, where doctors monitored her and gave her the magnesium and things helpful to stop contractions. The contractions continued and the doctor had us all in to discuss the possible complications that would come with a baby that only weight 1.5 pounds. We prepared ourselves, but at 1 minute apart, the contractions stopped. We couldn’t believe it. Our daughter went home only to be readmitted in a couple of weeks, same scenario. Once again, she got to 1 minute apart with contractions, and then they stopped. The doctors kept her in the hospital this time, hoping to keep that sweet little girl in there as long as possible. She was able to go 9 weeks longer and at 33 weeks she was born at 4 lbs 9 ounces. The NICU nurses said she’d have to stay 7 more weeks, until she would’ve been full-term. She gained quickly, and only 1 week later, at over 5 lbs, she went home. Of course, there’s a lot more to her story of kind people helping during a difficult situation and a few more miracles involved.

We’ve experienced other miracles. Like the time my husband’s appendix burst and adhered to his intestine, stopping the toxins from going elsewhere, until he could get to the hospital and have his surgery. Or the time when we had decided to move to a city and placed our house on the market. It stayed there for months, with no action whatsoever, so we took it off the market. When we prayed and decided on a different place to live, that week we were contacted by some people, who just saw the outside of the home, and made a full-price offer. Or the times we’ve been prompted to do something simple, like slow down on a road, check on a child, or call a friend, which made a huge impact.

Some people don’t believe in miracles. They like to explain them away or maybe it’s just that they don’t recognize them happening in their life. I’m grateful for the miracles that I’ve seen and that continue to happen in my life. They bring me hope and make me aware of God’s love for me.