WE PRAISE YOU IN THIS STORM THIS EASTER

If there ever was a test of our faith – if there was ever a test of the motives of our worship – it is when a storm rolls into our lives. Sometime God calms our storms. Sometimes he chooses to ride them with us. He rode the raging storm with my family and I that we encountered 3 years ago this Easter when my Dad got extremely sick and was in the hospital for several months, many of them in intensive care. All we could do was place our faith in God and pray for God’s will to be done. I share this story with each of you with hope that you will read it and turn to God in your time of need...

It all started on April 11, 2006 when my Dad was admitted to the local hospital with shortness of breath and severe stomach pain. By the next day, April 12, it only got worse and he was moved to a hospital in Des Moines, IA. For several months afterwards, we went throught a very emotional rollar coaster of ups and downs as the doctors tried every test, everything they could think of to find out what the illness was that attacked my Dad's body. During this same time, Dad's organs started shutting down, he was on the respirator 100% of the time, and the doctors were starting to lose hope. They started to prepare for what they truly believed was the end coming up for my father.

The reality of what could indeed happen soon occured on April 26, 2006. Here is an email I sent to co-workers explaining what was happening. These are the exact words I wrote in the deepest despair I was facing at that moment...

"I write this email at a time where everything has turned upside down on us and went 180 degrees the other way. Late yesterday afternoon, I received a call from my Mom to rush to the hospital as my Dad was bleeding heavily from his stomach and they could not get it stopped. By the time I got there, they had managed to get enough blood transfused into him so he was not losing as much.

But, we were told late tonight the seriousness of the situation. Dad is in a very dire situation right now. They are at a point where there is not much they can do. Dad is bleeding from his stomach from multiple sources caused by complications of the pneumonia that he has been fighting for over 2 weeks now in the hospital. All we can do now is pray and hope the bleeding stops or stops long enough so he can be stable enough to possibly go into emergency surgery. The only problem is that he is not stable enough at this point to go into surgery. Right now, they said he has multiple organs that are starting to shut down.

I can't begin to express all of the feelings I have right now. There is so much uncertainty and fear for what is ahead. But, at the same time, I feel peace since I know God is in control, no matter how hard it is to deal with this helpless feeling.

All I ask from all of you is continued prayer that somehow, through a miracle, the bleeding will stop. My faith and support from family/all of you is my main source of comfort at this time."

It only became more real of what may happen on April 28, 2006 when I sent this email to co-workers...

"The last 48 hours has been unbelievable. When I wrote the last e-mail, they had given us the message that Dad was very near to dying. He was bleeding profusely from his stomach and it was not stopping. We have a massive covering of prayer over my Dad and somehow, the bleeding has stopped for the moment. Praise the Lord for this window of hope!!

Yesterday morning, the doctors came to us and told us that it was time to call extended family to come, since they did not know how long Dad would be able to hold on. We called family and my wife and son came also. Yesterday was a very difficult day, as we all prayed continuously and family met with Dad. The doctor also told us in his experience, he has never seen anyone come out of such dire circumstances and really did not give us much hope. But, we also know we have a God who is in control and can do great wonders if it is his will. We have placed our trust in God and I have peace with whatever God wants to do with Dad's life. Whether that is to save him and heal him or take him home to be with Jesus. I pray very much for Dad to turn around and be able to make it through, but I know it is in God's hands. This morning, the doctor told us he was surprised that Dad made it through the night. But, we are not, since we know God is there with him and sustaining him. Dad is on 100% ventilator support which means he is not breathing on his own at the moment and most of his organs have shut down for the time being. But, his heart rate is still pretty strong and his body temperature is stable. Those are very encouraging things, but I still know how delicate the situation is. He is still right on the edge, but fighting strong.

Please pray for healing and for Dad to turn around. I know this can still happen, if God has plans for him still here on earth. My faith is still very strong and I have felt God's presence throughout this ordeal."

The doctors gave up hope and told my Mom, sister, and me that we needed to face reality that Dad was not going to make it and it was decision time to let him go. BUT, his heart was still beating strong and we knew without a doubt that if it was God's time to let him go, he would allow it to happen in His time. We said we would not let go and we stood by that decision. As each day went by from that point forward, Dad got stronger and stronger each day.

It is amazing to me how much power and peace you can get from God when you are on your knees before God praying for a miracle to happen like I did when we were told back in April 2006 that Dad was not going to make it. We surrendered the situation completely to God and trusted that he would do what was necessary according to his will. To praise God even in the midst of storms that are thrown our way is truly humbling, but God is near us during those times and he longs to hear our prayers.

My Dad did make it through and he came home on September 22, 2006 (5 months after he was first admitted). It was God's will to save Dad to use him for greater purposes that he has planned for Dad. Maybe it is to show that God can still heal today and perform miracles. My Dad is truly a miracle.

Now, I know there may be a few readng this post and you are saying to yourself, how come God didn't save my parent, relative, etc. who may have been in a similar situation as my Dad. You have every right to question why this was the case. This is normal after you hear how God saved someone's life and not someone else close to you.

With this being Easter, I do want to let you know that God has done something for YOU that is a miracle in its own right. He SAVED YOUR LIFE. He died on the cross to cleanse you of your sins and allow you to live with him forever. In my Dad's case, Dad has used his new lease on life to be a "minister of God" and tell anyone willing to listen about what God did in his life. God wants YOU to feel his presence in whatever you are facing today. It could be a job loss, death of a loved one, uncertainty for the future, anything. The world we live in now is filled with anxious, nerve-wracking moments everyday. But, please hear my words... DON'T GIVE UP!! God did not give up on my Dad 3 years ago when everyone, except my family and God, had given up hope. We were flat out told that NO ONE had ever come back from such dire situations to live. BUT, we knew that GOD was greater than what was facing my Dad and he showed his power in an almighty way. I went down on my knees and cried out to God for his intervention. I gave up all control I thought I had to Him to allow him to do his will. When you get down on your knees and lift up whatever is pressing on your heart to God, he listens and will respond in his way. All you need to do is trust in Him.

This Easter, I wanted to share this very personal story with each of you as I felt God pressed it upon my heart to do it in this way on my blog. On Easter, we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ who died on the cross and rose from the dead to GIVE US LIFE.

God wants to give you a "resurrection" of some kind to help you rise up from whatever you are facing and face the future with confidence and trust that you will make it with God's help. Please turn to God in your hour of need.

Someone once told me: "Nothing ever grows on the tops of the mountains. The real beauty that God has to offer is always found in the valleys." The valleys that we experience in life are the places where we really grow.

There was one song that my family turned to and it truly carried us through this whole ordeal with my Dad. I have posted the link to this song for you and the challenge you may be facing in your life right now.

Believe in its words: We Praise You In This Storm.