Miracles

{Written by my Dad, James}

Saturday, 2014-03-01 

I know that there is a God in Heaven, and that He hears and answers the prayers of His children. 

Nicole is currently at about the mid-point of her first chemotherapy block; from the last few days through the next week or so is the very worst part of the block, and she received chemotherapy again today.  We had a funeral to attend and our wonderful niece, Erin, sat with Nicole for about 6 hours - Nicole loves Erin, and she is a huge support to us.  Later in the afternoon, we (me, Cathy, Rachel, Ana, Michelle, and Laura) were able to spend some time together as a family with Nicole.  She was not feeling well, but it was good for Nicole to see her sisters, and for them to see her.  Cathy (and Nicole) stayed at PCMC, and I drove home with our other daughters in the late afternoon. 

This evening, after we'd been home for about a half hour, Cathy called; Nicole was very upset and crying (I could hear Nicole wailing quite clearly over the phone).  Cathy said that she'd been going like this for over an hour, and nothing Cathy did made any difference; Nicole was inconsolable.  We knew there would be times like this, but it is still hard to witness her suffering, even though, in this case, I was only hearing it over the phone.  Nicole typically endures a significant amount of discomfort without complaint, and the hospital staff does their best to manage her pain, but in addition to that challenge, one of the steroids she is receiving can cause irritability, anxiety, confusion, anger, and psychosis, among other things. 

I thought to myself, I know that there are many, many people praying for Nicole.  They may not be praying right this instant, and they don't know about this specific challenge she's going through, but people are calling upon God and exercising great faith in Him in my daughter's behalf, and she needs the blessing of that right now. 

I also recalled that when the Savior was suffering for our sins in the Garden of Gethsemane, it is written that "he prayed more earnestly."  So it seems that even the Son of God, who walked a perfect life, and who prayed continually to His Father, could, when the circumstance demanded it, pray "more earnestly."  Luke recorded (in Luke 22:44): "And being in an agony, he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground." 

I got off the phone with Cathy and gathered my four other daughters at home with me, and we knelt down and united ourselves in prayer, and petitioned our Heavenly Father to exercise His power and give her respite from her pain, and to speak comfort to her spirit.  It was not a particularly lengthy prayer, but it was earnest. 

A few minutes later, Cathy texted, "She calmed down".  I know that there is a God in Heaven, and that He hears and answers the prayers of His children. 

Last month, I attended a fast and testimony meeting in the Hyrum 7th ward.  A young girl named Emma bore her testimony and said, "I know that God loves us, and that He cries with us."  This was before we knew Nicole had relapsed, but I gave a wholehearted "Amen" at the conclusion of her brief testimony because of things I'd witnessed during Nicole's first battle with AML and ALL. 

I do not know the meaning of all things, but I do know that God loves His children (see 1NE 11:17), and I do know that He cries with us.  And I am most grateful for His immediate response in blessing Nicole this evening. 

Miracles like this happen all of the time, and they help to strengthen me at the other times when God's response isn't what I desire, and is simply, "Be patient," instead.