This is why I trust God - no matter what.

this is long - it has to be, because God is in the details

Listen along here:  https://www.pastorwoman.net/podcast/episode/1c4a9970/this-is-why-i-...

This morning at the gym, my friend, Val said, 'hey, I liked what you wrote... it is just so much. I wonder why you do it -- it must take you a long time...?'

The other day, someone turned and looked at me and said, 'do you ever doubt?'

My answer to both of these questions goes back to the same event - something that happened 25 years ago this week. And while some of you know this story, readers who have joined us in the last year and a half have no idea. But, it is the reason I do what I do ... why I write, why my heart breaks and I am moved to pray boldly for people, even strangers, and it is the reason I do not doubt God.

In late Summer, 2000, our family of six moved from the San Francisco Bay Area to Southern California. We were settling into our new San Clemente neighborhood nicely, which was no small feat with Matthew­ a senior, Amy­ a junior in high school, Dylan­ 5 years old and in kindergarten, and Danny, two years old. Just six weeks into our new life, Danny came walking into our room on a Monday morning ­­limping  ­which was kinda' odd because it came out of nowhere. A little later, he was reluctant to walk, so I took him to a doctor. 

After being reassured by a highly-respected pediatrician that there was nothing wrong with my boy (except for a mild ear infection that he treated with Zithromax), I returned home. The next day, Danny was swollen around his eyes, and still limping. Our family does not have allergies, but given a new area, and construction being done on our house, I waited.  Three days later, I returned to the same physician, who once again assured me there was nothing wrong with my little son. 'Look, I'm not an over ­reactor,' I said, 'he is my youngest of four children. . . but something isn't right here. . .' The doctor patted me on the back and told me my son was just fine; no testing, no bloodwork. huh.... 

A couple days later, I took him upstairs to give him a bath, and as I pulled his little black Nike sweatpants down, his legs were very swollen, but worse, ­­his diaper was drenched with dark­ red (sorry) blood.  I'm no rocket scientist, but I knew we were in big trouble—kidney trouble. After a call to the same pediatrician, he told me to take Danny to Children's Hospital Orange County (CHOC) immediately; and to pack a bag because we were going to be there a while. 

In the ensuing hours, we learned that Danny was very sick. The next day we found out that his kidneys had failed, his blood pressure, sodium, potassium, cholesterol, and kidney levels (B.U.N.-blood urea nitrogen and creatinine) were off the charts, and the specialists could not figure out the cause. 

Three days later, I left the hospital for an hour to go see Amy's varsity volleyball game, (the other kids needed attention, too). At the game, a saintly lady approached me and said, 'Honey, I know your son is very sick, and well, I want to pray with you, and ask God to do a miracle.' I looked at her and said from my broken­ hearted, sleep-­deprived state, 'yes, okay, please pray.' She did. I'll never forget that lady; I'll never forget that encounter. In all of my growing up years as a Christian,  no one had ever told me I could ask God for miracles . . . until this lady. 

After five days in the hospital, we were sent home with a sick little guy and no answers. Danny was continuing to lose blood, but the 'experts' just sent us home with blood pressure meds, steroids, hopes and prayers 

The first of the following week, we took Danny for more blood work ­­and then got the call, 'take him to CHOC Orange ­­Intensive Care Unit­­ he has lost so much blood, he is in dangerous territory.' With IVs in both arms and legs, Danny was prepped for a needle biopsy to get kidney tissue to be analyzed for diagnosis and treatment. The day dragged on while we waited for the nurse to take us to the O.R. for the procedure; instead, a team of six hematologists came and surrounded our bed. They had found a bleeding disorder, (Von Willebrand's Disease), and if a needle biopsy was performed, Danny would likely bleed to death on the table. What?! He was just playing with his pal, Cameron, his new next-­door neighbor, (also two years old), trying to ride a skateboard to keep up with his brothers, and now, a bleeding disorder? Kidney failure?! It was the first time I realized that his life was literally ebbing away, and maybe we wouldn't take him home ­­at all. 

I remember holding Danny through the night, my  Bible ­­balanced on the bedrail as I looked up scripture to stand on. I never doubted that God was in control. I never doubted that his heart toward us was good, ­­but dog­gone-­it, I was going to hold him to his word . . . that the effective prayer of a righteous 

person avails much!! "Oh, God, come and save my baby!" I prayed and pleaded.

Well, MANY people were praying, and God was listening. The next morning, Danny was taken into surgery, and a piece of the kidney was extracted for analysis. We had our first miracle--­­the doctor said, 'this is unusual, but the bleeding disorder does not present'­­ meaning it was not there; the von Willebrand Disease was removed from our plate of trials. Then, the second miracle--­­he lost only a 1/2 teaspoon of blood; shocking, since the concern was that he would 'bleed out' on the operating table.

The day after surgery, we were once again sent home--­­no diagnosis, prognosis, etc., with the best we could hope for being a transplant. The kidney tissue was sent out for extensive testing, and four days later, the answers finally came. Danny did indeed have a kidney disorder--­­no, three disorders! Our Israeli­-trained nephrologist said, 'well, this case has been most unusual from the start.' He had an infection that had gone to his kidneys (post­ infectious nephritis),  an allergic reaction to the Zithromax , and A.T.N. (Acute Tubular Necrosis--­­4 in 10,000 people). But, listen to what she said next:...All three were REVERSIBLE, would leave NO LASTING DAMAGE, and would require NO FURTHER TREATMENT.

"What?!" I cried, "Dr. Ben­Nezzer, I would like to think God has done a miracle!" Silence. 

And then she said, "I would say you are 100 percent correct." 

The next day, I took Danny back to  CHOC to see Dr. B­-E; the first thing she said was, "Did you tell your praying friends that God has done a miracle?" Oh, of course, I had, and I did, over and over again... just like now. When we tell of the miracles of God, it encourages others and stokes our own faith as we remember!

In the school of miracles, another thing I learned: miracles aren't necessarily immediate. It would be another few months before all of Danny's symptoms were gone, but at a six-­month check, he got a clean bill of health. Praise God!

Today, he is 27 years old, an investment banker in Boston, and a Muay Thai coach by night; on October 18, he has a fight outside of Boston - I will be there. [see picture below]

Friend, I want to tell you that your trust in God is well placed too.  No matter what, God is good; no matter what, God is trustworthy; no matter what, God is with us.  

The verses I stood on, taking God at his Word were these:

The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.1

and

 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.2

Whatever miracle you need, turn to God, place your trust in him as he will hear your prayers and begin to work. He alone has the answers you seek.

Because he is trustworthy

Because he is the Miracle Worker,

Listen! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6wxwXn5gDU&list=RDm6wxwXn5gDU&a...

Christine  

PastorWoman.net

1 - James 5.16

2 - Hebrews 4.16