Look What The Lord Has Done!
Last Saturday I was struggling, trying to understand why so many things were going wrong. My mother was facing surgery on her ankle, which she broke in three places. Mentally she was deteriorating to the point that people were labeling it dementia. My husband, David, had been in a motorcycle accident the Sunday before. He had a broken wrist, wrapped in a splint, and a very sore shoulder, which a doctor at the hospital had said was pulled apart a bit. He also had some cracked vertebrae in his lower back and a very sore hip.
Within a short period of time of the accident, a hundred or more people were praying for us. The word went out on Facebook, and soon at least three churches were praying, as well as a prayer group in Cyprus where some missionary friends of ours were ministering. Christian brothers and sisters stepped in to provide doctor’s appointment rides and a couple of meals. Just knowing that the body of Christ was moving into action due to our situation was really encouraging.
David couldn’t do much of anything for himself and had a swollen ankle which had not been detected during his three day stay in the hospital. So that Saturday, off we went to the Emergency Room, and after several hours, we left with a temporary boot cast on his broken ankle. This boot had to be removed and put back on for sleeping, dressing, showering, etc., and due to my husband’s pain level, I had to help him with all of those things. I had just experienced over a month of very difficult situations at work due to being short staffed, and I was not getting enough sleep. I felt stressed and discouraged, but knew that I needed to keep praising and trusting God.
Ever since reading Ruth Heflin’s Glory: Experiencing the Atmosphere of Heaven
The next day was difficult though. I had to work due to the situation at my job, but left early to join my brother at the hospital. My mother had come through fine, but mentally she was not in a good state. I stopped at home and made dinner for my husband and took care of his needs, and then spent four hours at the hospital. I was exhausted. But the Scripture, “The Lord is my Strength,” came to me over and over. In fact, that Scripture had kept popping into my head every day since the day of the motorcycle accident. Every time I felt too tired to push myself further, I would repeat it to myself and take time to give the Lord praise and thanksgiving.
Each day my strength was renewed for the tasks which I faced. My mother went back to the nursing home. My husband and I were getting certain things down to a routine in order to get him ready in the morning before I left for work. Most days I worked, came home to cook and care for him, went to the nursing home, and then returned. People kept reassuring me that they were praying for us. Those prayers were keeping us going!
A physical therapist and and occupational therapist were coming to the house to help David learn to get up and down, walk a bit, and exercise. When I would return from work, I’d help him, but I was concerned that he was not eating. He said he felt sick to his stomach. I wondered if he was dehydrated. A friend suggested that I get him some nutritional shakes, which I did. On Thursday he finally started eating small meals. That was truly an answer to prayer, for I knew his body needed nutrition in order to heal.
During the almost two weeks since his accident, I regularly praised God and bound the power of the enemy who was attacking us. At one point I banged my toe really hard and it swelled up and turned purple. I felt like the enemy was fighting hard, but I knew that God is greater and would turn what was meant for evil into good. For God is faithful!
On Friday everything changed. My toe didn’t hurt and was almost back to normal size and color. That was a little thing – but a sign that God was at work. That morning the physical therapist worked with David and even took him outside to walk. She said at the end of the visit that she was discharging him from home care because he was doing so well! That afternoon two friends from church stopped by to take him to the orthopedic doctor. There was no way I could get away from work, so that was a great blessing, and was just one more way that God was showing His special care for us.
The doctor had x-rays taken. He removed the splint from David’s wrist, saying he could find no sign of a break! That was a miracle! He put a solid cast on his ankle, and the technician fit it with a sandal that enables him to walk on it. When he and I were home that evening, we realized that his shoulder and hip no longer hurt! That was another miracle! David is now moving around doing things for himself that I had to help him with just two days ago.
When I visited my mom last night and this afternoon, she was not nearly as confused as she has been for weeks. She was able to converse and understand me. We called my brothers and had her talk on the phone with them – something she had not been able to do for awhile.
Today as I’ve been continually praising and thanking God for His miracles, the song that we sang in the ’90’s, “Look What the Lord Has Done,” has been running through my head. I started singing it out loud. (Here’s a Youtube video of the song for you to enjoy!)
As I was bringing in groceries from the car tonight, some neighbors saw me and asked how David is doing. I shared the miracles and told them that he and I, as well as many of our friends, are strong believers in God’s power to heal. As they were getting in their car, she said, “Will you two pray for my healing?” I said, “I’d love to! We’ll get together soon and pray for you.”
Wow! See how God turned the enemy’s attack into something good? I’ve never had an opportunity to share Jesus with this neighbor before. But healing miracles have opened the door. Please pray for her that she will be healed and will have a longing to know the Lord who loves her so much!
Are you going through a hard time? Praise, sing, dance, and realize that God is your Strength! You will soon be saying (or singing), “Look what the Lord has done!”
Enjoy, “Dance With Me.”
