Miracle Stories

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Your Choice!
© 2008

by

Stephen A. Peterson


Bella Spencer, 27, was one of the youngest medical doctors to complete medical school and internship as a cardiovascular surgeon in the history of a prestigious university. She was finally ready to launch what would be a promising career. That is, until on a hot June afternoon traveling east on an Oklahoma State highway she was hit by a pick up truck traveling on the wrong of the road. The impact caused her vehicle to flip over four times before coming to rest in a gully. Her injuries were so severe she had to be flown by helicopter to an Oklahoma City hospital for immediate surgery. The eighteen hour surgery left Dr. Spencer paralyzed from the waist down and severe fractures to her right hand—her dominant hand. What promised to be a brilliant medical career was abruptly over so she thought.

At first Dr. Spencer contemplated suicide. She just did not want to live this way. For medicine was her life. It was what she worshipped medicine was what she believed in above all things.

Dr. Spencer was about to demand to be euthanized when she met Herman Becker, a nurse doing his rounds on the unit. “Good morning, Dr. Spencer! How are you doing?”

“It is not a good morning! Leave me alone! Get away I tell you!” she screamed.

“Okay, when you feel a little better, I’ll return.”

“Don’t waste your time! Can you get the administrator of this hospital or the chief of medicine? I have a special request I want to die. I can’t go on living like this!” she screamed at the top of her voice.

“Okay, doctor. I’ll do as you request. But why? You still have your mind. I’m also told that you are a very intelligent person. God can use it for something other than medicine. Maybe God may be able to use you for medicine. Who knows what God wants of you?”

“Don’t talk to me about God! There is no God! Get me who I asked for NOW!”

“Sure. But God still loves you,” as the nurse walked away.

Within forty minutes, nurse Becker came back with the hospital administrator. “I’m sorry Dr. Spencer. We cannot euthanize you. It is against the law in Oklahoma to practice any form of euthanasia,” said the administrator then left Dr. Spencer’s presence.

“Dr. Spencer,” said nurse Becker.

“Oh, shut up! I told you. I don’t want to hear about God. I don’t believe God exists. God is just human imagination gone wild, I tell you! If there is a God why did He take away my hands, my profession, my livelihood! Answer me! Why!”

“I don’t have an answer personally. To get an answer you’ll have to ask God. He’ll tell you. That is, if you’ll let Him.”

“Oh, just leave me, nurse! Be useful!” Dr. Spencer said in a low tone of voice.

“Very well, Dr. Spencer. But I will be back. God loves you.”

That evening after she took her pain medication, Dr. Spencer fell into a deep sleep.

“Bella Spencer!” a voice said.

The voice received no response.

“Bella Spencer!” the voice stated but a little louder.

“Who is this?”

“I am He whom you have denied. I am the God of the universe and for all times!”

“Well, whatever you are, I do not believe God exists. I believe in science. Science is open-minded. Science seeks a better life for humankind and the environment around humanity. The very idea of God is just humanity’s imagination because people did not know what is known today.”

“Dr. Spencer,” responded the Lord. “Whatever knowledge you have was granted you by Me. You are perfectly made by Me. You are also loved unconditionally by Me.”

“So God, or whatever or whoever you are, why did you cause me to be injured so badly that I cannot practice and may never practice medicine?”

“Hold on, Dr. Spencer,” responded God. “Did you not say to everyone you meet that I do not exist? You cannot have it both ways. When you rolled over in your car, you failed to wear you seatbelt. You could have avoided your injuries if you did so. You had enough time to avoid your injuries if you did so. You had enough time to avoid that head on collision but you were so tired from your partying that you did not react as quickly as you could have. Beside I do not do evil to My children. And in your case you failed to do those things to avoid your injuries. What has occurred is your failure to take the precautions within your control, Dr. Spencer.”

Now you are about to make another more serious mistake among the many you have already made. That is, to deny Me and to take your life. You have much work to do, Dr. Bella Spencer! It is your choice!” And with that, God left.

Dr. Spencer awoke not certain as to what she experienced. However, she was shaken. “It’s these darn meds and that nurse who put that notion of God in my head! Idiot!”

After weeks of hospitalization, Dr. Spencer was released. What to do with her life remained a question. Then while waiting to have a van to be designed especially for her to drive, she met Don Wolf, a Catholic priest, waiting to have a flat tire repaired.

“Ah, what a beautiful day! God certainly knew what he was doing!”

“There is no God! God is just an imagination,” returned Dr. Spencer in a low tone of voice as she softly began to cry. “Everywhere I’ve gone since my accident there is something about God—billboards, newspapers, television, radio, people. Why?”

“Maybe I can explain. I’m Don Wolf, a priest. I believe God is knocking at the door of your heart. I just heard you deny God but know God is real. Now the question for you is will you answer the knock or will you continue to deny the existence and reality of God. Here’s my card. Call me and we’ll talk. Okay?”

“Don’t hold your breath,” responded the still defiant and angry doctor.

“Well, here is my card anyway. I am convinced you will come to realize that God is. You are just not ready yet. God will wait for you. But when you come around, call me! Have a blessed day!”

“Don’t hold your breath,” retorted Dr. Spencer.

“Your vehicle is ready!” shouted the mechanic across the building. “If you wish, I can show you how to get around in it and all the features.”

“No, I’m okay. I’ll be fine. Thank you,” as she drove away from the auto garage. Within minutes, Dr. Spencer faced a woman in rags standing in the road waving her free hand with what appeared to be a child in her other arm. Dr. Spencer filled with compassion stopped in front of desperate looking woman.

“Please, help me!” cried the woman. “Something is wrong with my son! He needs help! Please, lady!”

“I can’t help you, go away!”

“I prayed and God told me that the first vehicle I saw would be someone who would help me. Here is my son. Help him, please!”

“Bring him in.” Dr. Spencer examined the child. “Lady this child has pneumonia with an elevated fever. He needs to go to a hospital immediately. I’ll drive you and your child to the near one.” As the three entered the emergency room, Dr. Spencer was met with a blinding light. The woman, once in rags, was transformed into the most beautiful woman Dr. Spencer had ever seen clothed in clothing so radiant she had to cover her eyes. The child she carried sat upright in her right arm as equally radiant now with a smile on his face.

The woman spoke, “This is the Lord Your God, Dr. Spencer, whom you have denied. This is the day of your salvation. For your love and compassion, you are given the fullness of His glory. You will practice medicine not for your glory but for His.”

Terrified Dr. Spencer asked, “What will you have me to do? I am a handicapped. I can’t practice medicine.”

“Yes, you can and you will. Your wheelchair will attract many children and mothers and your compassion will heal many. Go, first to Father Don Wolf. He will show you way!”

With that, the woman and her child vanished before her eyes. At that moment, Dr. Spencer cold heart was changed to a belief in God. She immediately drove her van to Father Don Wolf’s office. Father Wolf informed Dr. Spencer that rather than practice medicine as a surgeon she would a doctor for young children and their mothers. Dr. Spencer accepted her calling. Within a matter of months, Dr. Spencer became a well known and respected doctor of children and mothers—from her wheelchair.

Slowly doors began to open and finally Dr. Spencer became a pioneer in children’s medicine as well as an ambassador for the God she once rejected. Many souls and lives were saved by Dr. Spencer. Though in a wheelchair, she was happy because she learned truth and life—not as she once saw it but in a new more lively way!

Has God closed a door for you? Instead of wasting time and energy crying and feeling sorry for yourself, let your hands trace and feeling the length of the wall until they find another door. It is there! Open, go in and let God grant you the happiness and joy that you will find as you go through and do His will!

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