So Many Answered Prayers…

Fifty years ago found my brother and me growing up in a less than desireable home environment.  Our parents were struggling  with a multitude of problems brought on by alcohol abuse.  I think back to those times, and I know that scores of prayers must’ve been sent up on behalf of my parents, my brother, and me.  I also know that many of those prayers were answered.  We both grew up to be healthy, happy individuals with no desire to partake in alcohol.  Our parents even  took a six-year hiatus from drinking, and got their lives somewhat in order, not an easy task since they’d  lost nearly everything that they owned.

I remember back to the late sixties, when my parents were sober and doing good, I was halfway through school, and  my brother was happily married.  Unfortunately the Vietnam War was going on.  Like so many others during that time, my brother was drafted to go and fight in the war.  He served his time in the army and got sent to Vietnam, but returned safely and unharmed to his loving wife…more answered prayers!

By the late eighties my parents health had declined rapidly.  The years of alcohol abuse and prescription medication abuse finally took its toll.  They were in their late 50’s at the time.  I was 35 years old, happily married, and had three children aged 3, 6, and 9.  Suddenly I found myself being forced to deal with both of my parents being hospitalized– for four long months. 

My father was in ICU for over 2 months and wasn’t expected to live.  When he beat the odds and survived, he had to go through rehab.  My mother had a complete mental breakdown, and was in the mental ward the entire 4 months.  The hospital was a 125 mile round trip drive from my house.   I can honestly say those were the most difficult and trying months of my entire life.  I had to try to be everything to everyone and there were times when I didn’t know how much more I could endure…then I would pick myself up and go again.  I know that many, many prayers went up for me, my family, and my parents during those months, and they were answered. 

I believe because of those answered prayers, I never had an accident or any car trouble on those many trips driving alone to the hospital–once I drove home in the middle of the night after being up for two days and nights.  Usually,  I managed to drive to and from the hospital, visit both parents, and still be home when the children arrived home from school.  My parents survived, but were forced to enter a nursing home facility at the end of four months.  It was not what they preferred, but for the first time in my life, I didn’t have to worry about them.  I knew they’d be taken care of, and wouldn’t have access to things that weren’t good for their health.  So many answered prayers…

Ten years later, both of my parents were deceased, two of our children had graduated from high school, and the last one was just three years away from graduation.  Life was fairly calm…just before the next storm when I discovered that I had two masses on my ovary.  I wasn’t overly concerned–at first.  That was before I had a CA 125 test that came back elevated(possible indicator of cancer).  Suddenly my life was turned upside down again, as I faced my own mortality.  Many prayers went up again…and once again God heard and answered.  The test was wrong!  My ovarian masses weren’t cancer, but were by-products of a massive case of endometriosis.  Not only were the masses not malignant, but the hysterectomy cured many of the health issues that I’d suffered from for several years!  God answers prayers!

Flash forward six more years…our daughter had been married for 5 years, and  desperately wanted to be a mother.  After a year of trying, Brandy finally became pregnant–just before a scheduled appointment to a fertility specialist!  The pregnancy wasn’t an easy one though.  It was nine long months of ups and downs, tears and prayers, bed rest and hospitalizations.  Almost anything that could go wrong, did go wrong–and it was like that for the entire pregnancy and delivery!  Despite all of the ups and downs, trials and tribulations, God answered our prayers when little Madison Elizabeth was born healthy.

 I’m so grateful for all of those answered prayers–and for the ones who prayed those prayers.  In the midst of all of the mentioned situations, I always felt God’s strength and presence.  Although I didn’t know how each situation would turn out, I had faith that God would see us though, and He did. 

The theme of this week’s blog hop is “Answered Prayers”.  Join us with an uplifting story of a time in your life when prayers were answered.  Just click on the link below to join in or to read other stories in this blog hop.  Thanks so much for stopping by…

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