It takes way too long for me to figure some things out, and I am not just talking about Algebra, teenage boys, or all the new features on my iPhone. I was reminded this morning of a miracle that God preformed in our family, but I was so busy and shortsighted that I missed the miracle for years.
This morning, I was reading in the book of Acts. In chapter 12, Peter is in jail and is fastened with 2 chains between 2 soldiers. There were additional guards outside his cell. In the middle of the night, an angel appeared before him, and told him to get up as the chains fell off his wrists. Following the angel’s directions, Peter put on his coat and followed the angel out of the cell. The next part of the story spoke so gracefully to my heart:
“So Peter left the cell, following the angel. But all the time he thought it was a vision. He didn’t realize it was actually happening. They passed the first and second guard posts and came to the Iron Gate leading to the city, and this opened for them all by itself. So they passed through and started walking down the street, and then the angel suddenly left him. Peter finally came to his senses. “It’s really true!” he said. “The Lord has sent his angel and saved me.” Acts 12:9-11 (NLT)
When Peter came to his senses, he went and found all the people who had been praying for him. They were stunned to see Him and amazed at his testimony of the miracle that had just happened in his life.
When Pat and I brought Mary Moore back to the states in the 2001, she was in bad shape. We followed the advice of our pediatrician and took her to UT in order to find out what might be wrong with her. After a few days of tests and scans, the doctors came up with a diagnosis. They showed us pictures of her brain and results of her tests. Her future was bleak. We were told that she would have behavioral issues and poor motor skills. We were warned of the possibility of organ malfunction and epilepsy. We were told that she would lack imagination and have a difficult time making friends and that her life expectancy would be significantly shorter.
I don’t remember much after that. We prayed and prayed and we were surrounded by dozens of loved ones who prayed with us and for her. This was a time of great sorrow and anxiety followed by an imperative attitude of perseverance. The future was too overwhelming to grasp, so we adopted a mindset of “One day at a time”.
The “one-day at a time” days turned into months and then years and we began to watch Mary Moore grow and develop. She hit the milestone markers that girls her age were supposed to hit, but like Peter, Catherine “didn’t realize what was actually happening”, and also like Peter, I finally came to my senses.
Today, Mary Moore is a 13 year old gymnast whos motor skills are exceptional (the child can do 10 back hand springs in a row!). Her organs are healthy. Her imagination is vivid. She has sweet friends and made a 94 on her last Algebra test. She is more than fine… She is a miracle. God did a huge healing thing in her life and in all of ours. His plan was so radical and unexpected that we found it hard to believe, but when we look at those old medical records and then look at her today, we have to give God the glory.
When Peter realized what God had done for him, He praised the Lord and then found the people who had been praying for him. He couldn’t wait to share the good news.
How cool is it that we get to do that too? Today, I have the extraordinary blessing of sharing with all of you how personally precious God has been to heal Mary Moore and set her free from the debilitating chains that bound her.
I am sad that for years, I was too limited in my thinking that I missed the miracle, but I am rejoicing today. God is at work. He is working in you, for you and around you. Please take some time to reflect on the urgent prayers of your past and ruminate over what God has done. Please be purposeful in joining with your friends and neighbors who are praying for miracles. God hears your prayers and He really does still preform miracles.
Thank you for all your prayers and for celebrating with me how good our God is. So many of you have “miracle testimonies” too. Please share them. God answers our prayers and it is such a blessing to give Him the glory. Don’t be too busy that you miss your miracle.
Wow Catherine, this is my new favorite post. I remember that season so well when we thought there was little hope for Mary’s future. It is hard to believe it even happened looking at her now.
Thanks you for remember this “Ebenezer!” What a sacred moment in our lives as a family and what a hallmark of God’s faithfulness and grace to us.
#blessed
PLN
We are in a particularly challenging season in the life of my family. We have been asking the Lord to remember us (act on our behalf). It’s always sweet when we get to hear the praises of our reimplement who have seen this miraculous God work in our day. Thanks for sharing!
Lauren Kelly
*praises of other followers
Lauren, Thank you. I will be praying. Thank you for sharing so that others can be part of the group lifting you up and asking for your miracle.
What a beautiful post! All too often we forget the miracles in our life, thanks for the reminder!
Thank you, Maggie. :)
Thanks very much for the beautiful example of his great faithfulness!
Hi Catherine. I’ve read many of your posts. Thank you for your sincerity and depth in seeking God’s beauty and light in the midst of the darkness and ugliness of our lives. We are praying for a similar story for our son, Solomon. The brain scans are very distressing, the language is stuck, and the seizures seem imminent. I am encouraged by John 9 when Jesus says that the man was born blind in order that the glory of God may be demonstrated in his life. God has been already working a miracle in our lives through the adoption of our beautiful son; through the adoption God has drawn my husband and myself back into the family, “rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of light, the kingdom of the Son whom he loves, in whom we find redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” (1 Cor 1:13) You can see our story at http://www.movingworks.org/project/raised/. I know you and Patrick from growing up at second. I am encouraged to see God’s work in your life and in this city. We have just moved back to Memphis to be a small part of the work He is doing here.