No more "normal" life...

It's sad how some people think that miracles only happen when they are in a third world country, but then they are returning to "normal" life when they get home. Maybe I'm the only one who has ever had this thought, so maybe I'm only speaking to myself. If I am just bear with me....I hope I never have a "normal" life again. Miracles are all around us. I just think we need to pray to have our eyes open to see them, to stop focusing on our needs and look to the needs of others, ABOVE our own. The beauty of a miracle is not what people see on the outside, it is the change that happens on the inside. I don't think that Jesus healed the blind, deaf, lame and sick, so that they could go around saying, "Yes! I can see/hear/walk/be healthy again". I think Jesus was changing something on the inside, making Himself known as the One to give what He knew they needed. Time and time again Jesus asked them if they had faith, or talked about how their sins were forgiven. The physical miracle they received was more of just a symbol, something they can look back to, to remember thier faith, or that their sins had been forgiven. Every memory we have has a physical reminder of some sort, so when we are talking about what God did, or even just how we felt in that moment, there is something there we recall in our minds. This might not even make sense to anyone else...maybe I just needed to write this to think it through...and maybe even some of it is wrong, but it is just what was on my head the way over to the library.

The reason it was on my head, though, was because I am experiencing this right now! Yesterday morning, I came to the library to write emails and my blog early, because apparently that's when the internet works best. I felt sorta bad that I was going to show up to the PICU late, but I just knew this would be the only time to blog. After finishing at the library, I went to the entrance of the hospital, but was still responding to a text I had received from Steven, so I sat down on a chair, I thouhgt random, but God knew that I was sitting there for a reason. About mid-way through the text, a woman from the pastoral care team came up to me, because she had recognized me from the PICU when she was praying over the patients. Her name is Athine. I really had no idea why she was wanting to just sit and talk to me, because she didn't really even seem to have anything to say, other than "What is your name?" But, I asked her about how it was, praying for Hindu patients, as in, were they receptive to prayer? She said yes, that for the most part, every person she has asked to pray for, Christian or not, have been very receptive, but some say no. I was SO excited to hear that, and since I have no formal schedule here, I just asked her if I could go around with her the next day and pray with the patients. She sounded delighted to have me go with her! I am SUPER excited about today!!! Then, as if that wasn't enough excitement, another woman came and approached me.

I think I have failed to mention this story, but now, it is the perfect time to tell it. While I was in the PICU on Tuesday, I was just watching all the children, observing, reading charts. Well, there was a little one, only 29 days old in bed 5. Her name, I came to find out, was Gladia. She was SOOOO precious! She had come in with possible convulsions and a respiratory infection. At one point in the day, she was crying, so I went over to try and console her, but the nursing student quickly came and picked her up. After that, I knew that we were allowed to pick her up, so I was determined the next time she cried to go and pick her up, because all I wanted to do was hold her! Well, about 30 minutes later, she started to cry again, so I got up, washed my hands, and picked her up! She was such a tiny blessing in my life. Her little features were so soft and beautiful. She fell fast asleep in my arms, as I rocked her back and forth (not shake, like some of the nurses do here. I think it is a cultural thing, Idk) and hummed lullabyes to her. I just wanted to hold her forever, but they had called her mom(Jikku), so when I saw her walk through the door, I placed Gladia back on the bed, and her mom came and stood beside her. I went and sat down, but then watched as her mother was almost in tears, just worn out, and God said, "Go talk to her". I went over and told her that her little girl was so precious and beautiful. She responded with, "Thank you, I just wish she was okay." From there, she felt comfortable enough with me to tell me how she has just been in and out of the hospital, with Gladia, who had bilirubin problems when she was born, then, she, herself, had come to get a cyst removed from her arm, then her little boy, Gladvin got sick, and now this...She also just briefly mentioned, "We are trying to remember that God is there to help us." So, right then, I said, "Can I pray for you?" She said that would be nice, so I just said a little prayer. It was just the cry of my heart for this little one and her family, nothing special in my mind. But, I had no idea how God had planned to work! When I opened my eyes she was crying. I went over and gave her a big hug, forgetting that in their culture, they don't really hug at all, but she was receptive. At this point, it was my time to go, so I headed out....

Now back to yesterday morning. As I was just overjoyed with getting to opportunity to pray with people around the hospital the next day, Jikku and her little son, Gladvin approached me. I quickly remembered her. She began telling me how they had gotten to move out of the PICU to the Pedi ward. Then, she just said how much my prayer meant to her, because I didn't know it, but she was at the breaking point. She said she was depressed and in a pit, but that prayer was like an annointing from God, because it gave her the strength to keep going. Her little son had just been discharged that day too. She also commented on how her husband was really depressed too, but when she got to talk to him, she realized that God had sent me to pray for her, so that she could then uplift him. WOW....amazed, I sat there...not at my simple obedience to pray, but at the complexity of how God works. He knows His children so intimately, and knew that a silly little girl like me could be used for HIS glory! She then wanted me to follow her to go see the baby. I walked in the room and she was looking SOOO much better. Jikku told me that when she had gotten to the hospital, she had not been breathing for 5 minutes and was completely blue(that means brain damage, in my head), but then when she entered the hospital, God began giving Gladia breath. Her husband(Jose) came in, and Jikku said that I was the one who had prayed for Galdia. He was so excited to meet me. Then, she told me that people had prayed for her and Gladia a lot, during her stay in the hospital, but there was something about my words that was different. It was the confidence and faith that I had when I said what I did. The other people had always just prayed, "LORD, heal this baby", but she said that I said with confidence, "LORD, I know you are holding this baby and this family, and You are Sovereign and in control". I was only speakinbg from experience! Just knowing that He was holding me, and knowing His loving nature. She gave the credit where it was COMPLETELY due, though, by saying it must not have been me talking, but God speaking through me, because it was EXACTLY what she needed to hear! All praise and Glory to the One Who sees all, knows all, and can comfort like no human can! So, anyways, we talked for a little bit longer about me being here, then I had to head to the PICU, but I was able to pray once again for this sweet family!!!

After lunch, I went back to get a picture, and she was so glad that I did, because she wanted to get my email to give me updates on Gladia and her family! What a joy and blessing to be a part of the Mighty hand of God working!!! I still sit here in awe of my Savior!!

Like I said, miracles are happening all the time, but we just have to open our eyes to see them. It does not take us being in a third world country to pray for a mother you see in distress at WalMart, or just to talk to someone standing in line next to you at the bank. Now, you might not as easily see them again (unless you live in Midland or Lubbock...hahaha!), but we should just be open to listen for the LORD to give direction. For His Name's sake, He will lead and guide us (Ps. 31:3)! It was no BIG feat for me to go and pray. From the outside, that might look very small, since I have been praying for people a lot this trip, but God knew the miracle He was setting up, and I know He is the same in America as He is here in India.

I could go on and on about the rest of our conversation after my morning shift, but this has been long enough, so I will write more of the story in my next blog! I gotta go do some praying!!!! :)