The Power of Prayer

Many years ago, at the young age of 24, I found the power of prayer.  It was my first pregnancy and we were all so very excited. On January 11th, 1978 the day arrived for our baby girl to come into this world.  The nursery was ready; new carpet - extra thick, Peter Rabbit curtains made by hand, stuffed animals that matched our theme, and a newly painted room. We were ready.  But, what we didn't know was that after the whole day of labor, anticipation, and waiting, our little girl would arrive with three problems with her heart.  I was never able to hold her, but got to see her several times before she was flown to a large teaching hospital for open heart surgery.  You have to remember this was 1978. I prayed for her all night long, all the next day, and through that next night. After many hours of prayer, I asked that God take care of her. Not knowing what the outcome would be, I trusted Him. She made it successfully into the surgery and even through the surgery but could not regain her breathing and passed away on the 13th, early in the morning.  At exactly the time of her passing, I sat up in bed and looked at the clock.  I felt a great peace come over me.  Then went back to sleep. 

Later that early morning, I called the hospital where she had her surgery and they informed me that she had passed and the exact time. 

Crushed, broken-hearted, and feeling like I was living a nightmare, I returned home to cry and pray inside that newly painted nursery.  Each day I would go inside, pick up the baby clothes, blankets, and toys, and pray that God would help take the pain away and help me and my family to get through this tragedy.  

It took a year and a half before I saw the answer to my prayers.  In August of 1979, after finding out a few months earlier that I was pregnant again and having a baby in early November, I was in the doctor's office for a regular checkup and he said to me, I believe I hear an echo.  He listened and listened again, then called the nurse to do an ultrasound.  Sure enough, I had not one but two babies.  God's answer to my prayers.  A miracle!

Sometimes when we are going through difficult times, we find it really hard to understand or even comprehend the pain we are going through. Having faith in God, not questioning why, but trusting in what we don't understand, and knowing God has a purpose in our lives, we make it through to the other side of our pain.  We find that even with the hurt, He has blessed us with something wonderful.  

I have never taken one minute with my sons for granted and I have always known that He blessed me with these boys, now men. 
Not only did He give me two wonderful sons who I love deeply, but the prayer helped me every day from the pain of loosing my daughter.  He carried me through it.  Just like the footsteps poem.

Prayer is powerful......   

"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer."Romans 12:12