Dear Friends,
“This is what the LORD says, he who made the earth, the LORD who formed it and established it—the LORD is his name: ‘Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.’ Jeremiah 33:2-3 (NIV)
Bonnie became concerned when her sister Patti failed to respond to a series of phone calls and text messages. “It’s not like Patti to not respond,” she said to me. “I think something is wrong.”
“Give her another try,” I suggested. “Maybe she has been tied up at work.”
Instead of dialing the number for Patti’s cell phone, Bonnie dialed the home phone. After a couple of rings, Patti’s daughter Erin answered. “How are you doing?” Bonnie asked.
“I’m fine, but Mom isn’t. She’s had a couple of mini strokes and she is at the hospital for therapy today.”
Bonnie and Erin talked for about 45 minutes. Bonnie asked Erin to keep her in the loop. My grandson and his friend Shane had spent the night with us, so Bonnie asked the boys to join us as we prayed for Patti.
I had to drive the boys to meet up with our daughter-in-law in Huntington Beach. Bonnie had a hair appointment. I had made it about a mile from the house when Bonnie called to tell me that Shane had forgotten his Xbox. After returning to pick up the game, we once again headed for the beach. I was making the turn onto the 55 freeway when
Bonnie called again. “Patti has had a stroke and has been taken to the emergency room.”
We discussed the options and decided we should immediately drive to Utah to be by Patti’s side. I would drop the boys and get home as quickly as possible. Bonnie called to cancel her hair appointment (asking the receptionist to pray for Patti). She called Marcia, one of the volunteers at chapel to tell her we would miss our Saturday chapel services (and asked her to pray for Patti).
I arrived home about 45 minutes later, threw some clothes in a suitcase … and figuring we’d be in Utah for a while, loaded my golf clubs in the trunk of the car. When we got in the car, we paused to pray for God’s protection as we traveled.
We had to drop some materials for the chapel service at the assisted living. On the way there, Bonnie asked me to do something about the clubs rattling in the trunk, so I dropped her off at the entrance and parked where I could repack the trunk. Bonnie walked in and found one of our friends who always seems to be in the wrong place at the right time (to give a hug and to pray with her).
As I was rearranging things in the trunk, I heard Bonnie’s phone ring. Strange — because Bonnie almost never leaves her phone in the car. I wanted to finish my task, but concerned it might be Erin with an update, I raced to answer before it went to a message.
“Hello. Is this Erin?”
“No. It’s Patti; I am home”
I got a quick update as I jogged to get to Bonnie. When I gave her the phone she learned that Patti had been in therapy when she fainted. They took her to the emergency room fearing she had a stroke. Subsequent tests showed her blood pressure was severely elevated, but there was no sign of a stroke.
Was this a miracle or simply a miscommunication? Bonnie texted Svetlana, her hairdresser, to explain what had happened. She wrote, It’s either a miracle or the weirdest medical kerfuffle ever!“ To which, Svetlana responded, “It’s God; He is working miracles all the time.”
And what about the delays and coincidences that stopped us before we drove halfway to Utah. Could that have been God’s response to our prayer for protection as we traveled?
We take this “adventure” as just another reason to trust the words in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (ESV): Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
Pray without ceasing … not sometimes, not occasionally, not when you feel like it, or as a last resort … WITHOUT CEASING!
Blessings,
Your Friends in Christ
Because He Loves Us Press 