| Having faith in God is something we feel we have, but never know how much faith until it is tested. We are not prepared
for this test, and when it comes, it is such a comfort to feel
God is really with us! In September 1997, my Mom, who is a more than vital and active lady of 85 years, decided to have
a yard sale. Well, this activity is not my favorite due to the
fact that I think I had one too many of them and realize the
work it takes! But, WE had one anyway! After weeks of preparation for this event and weather delay, the day arrived. Mom seemed to be short of breath about this time, but the show goes on. All went well and late afternoon the skies clouded, so I asked Mom to fix us a cold drink thinking that I could quickly pull items in the garage in case it rained. As I was doing this, a truck parked at the end of the driveway and a very pleasant looking young man in his early thirties got out. I told him we were closing but to look around and I continued working. He immediately set to work helping me move things. He never said a word and I'm a chatterbox therefore never noticed his silence.
Before I knew it, we cleared the driveway. Mom came outside and told him how nice he was to help and please help himself to anything he would like in the sale. He turned to go without even considering wanting something and I asked him for his name and to thank him and tell him how much help he had been. He did give us his name and continued walking. Mom and I were standing in the driveway commenting about the goodness in people and the young man and his truck just were not there. We just looked at each other, and into the cul-de-sac, the direction he had to take, and there was nothing. We then realized the only words he spoke was his name. We firmly believe he was an Angel sent to help us!
Mom's health continued to decline all fall. Constant visits and calls to the doctor brought no relief. Test after test confirmed nothing. In January, I was out of town to be with my daughter during her surgery, Mom called and asked me to come home, she wasn't doing well. I left that day, she was felling better when I arrived but I took her to the emergency room a couple of days later. They put her on two kinds of oxygen. One doctor suspected lung cancer and ordered a procedure, then told me he did not think Mom would survive the test! She did very well. The test confirmed his diagnosis, an ugly, aggressive type, and gave her 3 to 6 months! The doctors showed us a spot on one very cloudy lung that had traveled to the other lung which was almost as cloudy. Mom had told everyone, if it is cancer , she would not take chemo-therapy. An oncologist was called and she agreed to try one session. They gave it to her that night. She progressively got worse and I believe the doctors and some nurses gave up on her! As scared as I was for Mom and that she might leave my brother and I, I turned it over to God but never gave up putting all my strength into her getting well. I truly felt she would get well. We were all so positive throughout her hospital stay, but it was suggested that we let her go! They even tried to discuss hospice care. I told them this was not necessary. I felt that if God wanted me to do this, I would feel it. I did not feel that this was her time to go, not for a second, neither did my brother. One night I had an urgent feeling to call my cousin Benny, in another state who has a strong belief in God and who I had not contacted for two years. I did and he told me that he was waiting for something all day and this was it! We prayed together, for Mom, and we were to call him from the hospital the next day. The next day, Mom was feeling better and we called my cousin. He told us that he felt God was with us and that the cancer was gone but we needed to concentrate on her heart. All of her previous heart tests confirmed a strong heart. He told us to place our hands on her chest and pray very hard for God to help her, which we did. As we did this we felt heat in our hands and Mom felt heat in her chest. The Praise goes to God. The doctors that day ordered fluid removed from her heart," two Coke cans full" was reported! Mom continued to improve and an x-ray in February showed to us all very clear lungs, and the technician, Mom nor I could see the spot!!!! The doctor says its still there but I have FAITH in GOD, only He knows when He wants her! She continued the chemo-therapy and never once got sick as we hear people do so often. That was almost 4 months ago and she is at home, living by herself and driving her car! She gets a little tired sometimes but each day I see her getting stronger! Two weeks age we went for her appointment with the oncologist and he jokingly said "What are you doing here? Nothing wrong with you ". He also said that word has gotten around about her recovery and he is seeing more and more olderpatients! Another x-ray two weeks ago continued to show clear lungs, and again, I could not see the spot that was originally pointed out to us! Ibelieve in Miracles, I certainly have seen this one! All praises go to God and please trust in your Faith in Him. It does work!
Diane Shortridge Reed
Music-"Faith" by Pat Jolly
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