TITLE: Whose Prayers Were Answered? By Angela Posey-Arnold 08/31/07 |
SEND A PRIVATE COMMENT
SEND ARTICLE TO A FRIEND |
Whose Prayers Were Answered?
By Angela Posey-Arnold
“This baby is going to be just fine. While I was praying the Lord gave me a clear message that she is going to be just fine.” Grandmother believed every word she was saying and never doubted.
Grandmother spent a lot of time in studying the Bible and in prayer. Worry about the future of her newest grandbaby was not something that she wasted time on. She believed that the baby would be fine.
Doctors said the baby had Congenital Hip Dysplasia, she would always walk with a limp, she would never be normal. She may not even be able to walk at all. She would never be able to have children, and one leg was 3 inches shorter than the other. She would have to wear a built up shoe for the rest of her life. Those were the facts.
God said, “She will be fine”
This is a story consisting of five distinct miracles in the life of one person.
The first miracle was the grace of God in giving this special needs child to a family of believers in Jesus Christ and the power of prayer.
At two weeks of age the second miracle this baby received was that her mother was an RN. Her nurses training led her to notice early on that the baby’s legs were uneven. The diagnosis and treatment came shortly after. Congenital Hip Dysplasia. One hip socket had not formed correctly and the outlook was grim for this baby’s future ability to walk.
In 1960 the treatment for this birth defect was a body cast. The baby was put into a body cast with her legs in a horizontal position. Special care needs such as a stroller, a high chair and a rocking chair with no arms all were met by family and friends. But more than her material needs, this family and church friends prayed. Parents, grandparents, aunt and uncles and church family were all praying. Praying and believing for a miracle that this baby would be ok.
Her mother says that she was a very happy baby most of the time. The cast didn’t seem to bother her, she didn’t know any different. Every three months the cast had to be changed. Everyday her family and her church were praying for her.
When other kids would come to play they would take toys out of her reach. She couldn’t get them back, so she would wait until the kid that took the toy got close enough, and she would bite the fire out of them. Her mother said it was hard to spank her for biting because that was her only defense. When she would bite her brother, he never would bite her back like he was told. He just tried to get her toys back for her before she bit somebody.
She learned to crawl by pulling herself and that heavy cast along with her arms. And giggled and laughed when her Daddy would pick her up and bounce her in the air using the cast to hold her up. One day, the cast split, right down the middle.
It was almost time for the cast to be changed so the Doctor decided to take it off and put a new one on. Each time the cast was changed she had to be put to sleep. While the cast was off Dr. Meyer x-rayed the hip to see if any progress was being made. Usually, he just went ahead and put another cast on for another 3 months. But this time it was different.
“Look”, Dr. Meyer said, “I don’t understand it and I don’t have an explanation for it. Two months ago one of her legs was 3 inches shorter than the other, but today, they are even. Her legs are the same length”. Third miracle!
Dr. Meyer took the mother in and showed her. They measured both legs several times in disbelief. The baby’s legs were skinny and weak but they were the same length!
The cast came off and everyone was rejoicing because of the answered prayer. Everyone except the baby. When she woke up without the cast she started crying, constantly, night and day for weeks. For the first time in her blessed little life she wasn’t such a happy baby. She had lost her security. Babies don’t understand when they have been the recipient of a miracle. She had lost something that tucked in her nicely.
She was fitted into a brace for a while to make sure that the hip did not slip back and that her legs would get stronger. By the time she was ready to go to kindergarten, there was no evidence of a disability. From this time until she was 16 years old she had to see Dr. Meyer every month for x-rays and to be fitted with corrective shoes. Not built up shoes, just supportive shoes.
Each time she visited Dr. Meyer he called her his “miracle baby”. Even when she was 16 years old she was still his “miracle baby”. He never took any credit for her healing. He knew Who had healed her.
That baby was me, Angela Posey-Arnold. I can remember Dr. Meyer calling in the orthopedic medical students and having them watch me walk down a long hall. I could hear him telling them, “see she doesn’t even limp.”
I am now 47 years old. I still do not walk with a limp and my legs are even. I have led a very blessed and normal life. I got to do all the things the other kids did, except jump. I wasn’t supposed to jump. My childhood was wonderful and completely normal. I grew up to receive 2 college degrees. I hold a BS in nursing and had a 19 year career as an RN. Now, my life’s work is writing and playing the piano.
Angels have followed me all the days of my life. Jesus has been with me all of the days of my life.
I was blessed to be a Director of Nursing in a long term care facility for 7 years of my nursing career. Sometimes this required long hours but I loved the job.
Fourth miracle:
On a particular day in January of 2001, I was running later than usual on my commute to work. The day before, I had worked 16 hours and I almost took the day off because I was so late getting home the night before. But I really needed to attend an important meeting at 10 am.
I had recently sold my 1997 Mustang in order to get a bigger car with a smoother ride. I borrowed a car from my Daddy until I could get another one. I was driving what I lovingly referred to as, “the land barge”, a 1989 Mercury Grand Marquis, built like a tank.
Driving to work, a day just like any other day, I stopped at a red light at a busy intersection. I remember thinking that I should pull up to the driver beside me and tell him that his hubcap was about to fall off. Then I proceeded to apply my lipstick.
The next thing I remember is hearing a loud noise and looking to the left. I saw a huge truck on its side sliding toward me at a phenomenal rate of speed. Sparks flying I knew that it was going to hit me and it did.
I only had time to say, “Lord that is going to hit me!” I grabbed the steering wheel as tight as I could. It happened so fast.
I never lost consciousness. I do not remember feeling the actual impact. Jesus and His mighty angels got in between me and that truck. Jesus and His angels were faster than the truck.
I do not recall being knocked 275 feet into a gas station parking lot. I don’t remember being airborne. I do remember something else though. I remember an incredible feeling of awesome peace and love like I have never experienced before. I had a glimpse of heaven. The hedge of protection came between me and that huge truck.
My car was crumpled into a heap of metal and I was trapped inside. But inside the car were angels. I saw them and I felt them. They were there immediately, and I remember saying to them to go ahead and take me if it was time. I had no fear of going with them. I wanted to go with them. Nothing else mattered.
I did not hear any audible voices but I knew somehow that I was not going to die, not yet. Somehow they told me that. Jesus was there. He did not speak but I felt His arms around me. Even after the paramedics put me into the ambulance, the angels were still with me, I knew they were there and that was all that mattered. The knowledge of their presence was overwhelming.
At the hospital I could hear all the nurses and doctors talking and scrambling while they worked with me. I knew that I was critical and that I was loosing blood. I could feel myself slipping away. I knew that the angels were there just in case. They never left my side.
By the time I was evaluated in the emergency room the pain was almost unbearable. I had internal injuries. Again, I saw the light of the angels, small tiny brilliant lights circling around above me. Even through the pain I smiled and felt comforted by their presence. I talked to them, this time asking for them to take me because the pain was so intense. The things of this earth were “strangely dim”.
The next thing I remember is seeing my husband and my parents. Then I started to cry. Doctors were rushing me to surgery. A surgical nurse leaned down and called my name, “Angela, in a minute you will be asleep and you are going to be fine.” Then she started praying for me so quietly and sweetly in my ear as the anesthesia took effect.
I woke up in the ICU and recovery began. The first thing I told my mother was about the angels. I have been telling anyone who will listen ever since.
My life will never be the same. I strive to never forget the feeling I had that day. I almost left this world, and in the process I was given a great gift from God. He offered to me the blessed assurance of His presence and His awesome power and love. I never want to forget this small glimpse of heaven.
The wreck didn’t hurt my hip. Fifth Miracle.
I don’t know whose prayers God answered for me. I don’t know what would have happened if I had been born to a family of non-believers. But, the first miracle was that I wasn’t. By the grace of God I was born to a family that believed in the power of prayer. For that I thank God. For my miracles, that I did nothing to deserve, I thank God. All by the grace of God alone and the answer to prayers of a family of ‘whosoevers’.
Oh, and I don’t bite people anymore.
Pray in faith believing. Miracles happen everyday!
Angela Posey-Arnold
www.angelaposeyarnold.com
[email protected]
1272 County Road 296
Hillsboro, Alabama 35643
256-974-2807
WHOSE PRAYERS WERE ANSWERED?
5 distinct miracles in the life of one person are described in this story. Proof positive that God answers prayers and sometimes He does so with incredible miracles that cannot be explained any other way. This is the story of one person whose life has been blessed from the very beginning. A story of a family who prayed and believed that God would keep His promises and the evidence of answered prayer. The grace of God is evident in the stories of 5 distinct miracles.
The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.