Miracles

Modern Day Miracles

Allow me to tell you about a real miracle that happened in my family. I always made the wrong assumption about miracles. I knew that God still performed miracles in today’s modern age, but I also “assumed” that He only did so in poverty stricken, third world countries that one might only witness or hear about from missionaries that traveled afar. Well, God has had to give me a reality check and I am so happy to share it with you now.

My Father had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and at the time, we all embraced the fact that this would be the path that he would have to walk down before he passed away. My husband and myself, took it upon ourselves to not place my Dad into a nursing home and decided that we would sell our home and buy one that could accommodate for having hospice care and making his last days as comfortable and memorable, as possible. When the time came, my Dad was already in hospice care and he had a nurse come regularly every week. I watched my Dad forget who I was (including my children) and knowing that his memory of myself and the kids might not return, was devastating. I went through many emotions and cried many tears.

My cousin came over to visit my Dad, while I was there and brought a Pastor over. She and her husband asked me if they could pray for my Dad’s healing. I had to laugh! Do I remind anyone of Sarah in the Bible? Well, I did laugh and I told the Pastor how I found his gesture sweet, but I accepted that this was my Dad’s “end.” I told him that it was even pointless from God’s perspective because my Dad was not a young’in, he was 87 at the time. Nevertheless, the Pastor asked again and I said, “of course you could pray, I don’t mind.” Then he told me to believe because God was going to perform a miracle . At that point, I did start thinking, “have I possibly welcomed someone into my parents’ home that might be a weird fanatic that isn’t truly a believer in God?” We bowed our heads and all prayed over my Dad. Unfortunately, for myself, I did not believe or have any faith whatsoever that this prayer would be answered. I was relying on logic and the physical, but not focusing on the spiritual supernatural power of God.

As the time got closer to placing my parents’ home for sale, the hospice contacted me and left a message that a social worker would be having to have me sign to dismiss my Dad from hospice care. I immediately called her and with a very confused reaction asked, “what are you talking about?” “What do you mean you have to discharge him from hospice?” She met with me at my parents’ home and said these very words…”I don’t know how to say this, but your Father is getting better.” I looked at her and said, “possible regression, this happens with Alzheimers, it’s normal. But it does not mean that he should be discharged! We need this help!” The nurse that was caring for my Dad was there and told me, “this is a miracle!” “In all my twenty five years of nursing, I have never witnessed this, but your Dad is healed!” “I have been with him from the beginning and patients have never gotten better.”

At this point, I was under severe stress because we had our own house on the market, were about to move my Dad out to stay with my sister and place my parents’ home on the market. I had a three year old and an 18 month old and was working full time. I had so much on my plate, but was still very coherent. I truly began to think, “has everyone began taking a ‘crazy pill’ or something?” I asked to speak to the head physician because I would not sign unless I had someone of higher authority in the medical realm to verify this conclusion. The lead physician concluded that my Dad was “fine” and did not need any further services. I was aghast. I had no choice, but to sign the discharge papers and concluded that people were going nutts all around me.

Because I had been going through so much, I had completely forgotten about that prayer. Until one day…the Lord reminded me (amongst the madness of that time). I struggled with the Holy Spirit too and said to myself, “no, I really don’t think you (God) would have performed a miracle for my Dad like this, he’s too old!” Well, from there I scheduled an appointment with his Neurologist and had new scans of his brain taken. I had to have physical proof to take back to the hospice and prove to them, that my Dad truly needed services again.

Well, the day came for the results. We went to the Neurologists office and he was holding one scan in each hand. He simply starred at them and was silent, to the point where I had to interject and say…”sooo?” “What does the scan show, Doctor?” He looked up and smiled at me and said, “your Father’s brain scan is normal. This is the previous brain scan that shows the former deterioration of his brain from (he said the year) and this is the one from this month. There is no evidence of deterioration. A small flame of belief lit up in my heart, at this point. I asked the Neurologist, “could there be a mix-up with brain scans or something else?” He answered, “I already considered that, but there is no mistake, we could take another, but you will have to check with your insurance carrier because it might not be covered for a second one, if that’s what you choose to do.” I looked at him and asked him, “how do you explain this Doctor?” He said, “this is A-typical. I have never seen this in my entire medical career, actually.” I asked him, “Doctor, do you believe in miracles?” He answered, “I believe in science, not in God. But right now science has no logical explanation for me.” He paused, placed his hand out and said to me, “Mrs. Page, I don’t believe I’ll be seeing you again, congratulations.” The Doctor shook my hand and my Dad’s and I asked, “one last thing Doctor, can we get this diagnosis reversed, medically so that it is not affecting all areas of his life (power of attorney, etc.)?” The Doctor replied, “no, the only way to reverse this diagnosis is by autopsy and your Father would obviously have to be deceased for that, first.” He smiled, closed his door and we started to walk to my car.

I had been so busy with things that I failed to recognize that my Dad had remembered me and my kids again. He had been staying at my sister’s until we could close on our new home and move him in with us. At this point, I was ecstatic and believed in my heart that God had truly healed my Dad. My Dad went from being on 16 medications, oxygen, a hospice bed and a wheelchair to walking with no cane, only one medication and no oxygen. My Dad is now 91 and has 20/20 vision after having cataract surgery, even I don’t have 20/20 vision! I was born when my Dad was 50 years old, my Mom is younger than my Dad, but God has granted all of us the power of His healing hands as a testimony. I had not shared this before because there were many that did not believe and it was discouraging, but it reminded me of the reaction people gave the blind man in the Bible in John 9:1-41.

This is to encourage you. Believe that God still performs miracles! Praise God when He does! Tell everyone about it because in the end, it is giving God all the glory! But do not be discouraged when you do not get the miracle you prayed for. I do not want anyone to get the wrong impression of God. He does not always heal, but when He does, His purpose is accomplished through it. Sometimes physical healing is not a part of His plan for that person. God knows what we need and how to deal with each of His children, just as we parents do, with our own children. We do not handle every situation the same with each individual child. God is the same. But please feel free to comment and please share any stories of miracles you have witnessed or experienced first hand, to give God the glory. God bless you.