Empowered by Love to gather, strengthen and mobilize
There have been many seasons of life that I have gone through: death of a parent when I was a child, death of a sibling, 21 years alone raising two children, alcoholism. The focus of my story, however, will be on my Son, Aaron, whose medical diagnosis is left hemi-paresis with cerebral palsy, hydrocephalus, and legal blindness.
At 1:06 on June 29th in the year 1984, my call went out to the Lord. I gave birth to a child who made no sound and who shook terribly. By 7 or 8 oclock that night I knew why he was hemorrhaging in the brain. At 1:00 in the morning I was finally allowed to hold my son for only half an hour as Childrens Hospital was on the way to get him. My prayers of distress started, Lord, dont let him die. Let me see him again, please!!!
During the next 24 years, I honestly believed I lived in the valley; that mountaintop experience wasnt in reach. In those years, I saw Aaron through 25 surgeries, lost my closest friend (my brother) Stephen to a heart attack, was divorced due to my husband being a non-believer and him not accepting Aaron. I raised my two young children alone and I stayed alone for 21 years. When Aaron was 10 years old, he asked me to help him kill himself!
Were there times I wanted to blame God? Honestly .yes, but I needed my Father and you dont go blaming the ones you need! I asked God over and over, Is this what you want for my lifeto make serious decisions regarding Aaron with no to talk it over with? My daughter would come home from school only to find me at the hospital again. She would have to stay with my mom not knowing when she would see me or her brother again. I asked the Lord time and time again, Why? I read the book of Job over and over looking for the strength that Job had. I cried, I yelled, and I even gave Dad (God) the silent treatment.
BUT I held onto my faith believing that if I kept knocking the door would open, if I kept asking I would receive. I know now that I had a plan and God laughed. I had a time table and God laughed. His plan and His time were perfect, always is.Aaron now lives with a foster family and is thriving. My daughter, Sarah, reaches out and does community service where ever she can and I am now married to the Christian man of my dreams.
I CALLED ON HIM IN MY DISTRESS AND HE ANSWERED ME!!! Psalm 120:1
Empowered by Love to gather, strengthen and motivate