Miracle Mentality

I no longer ask for prayers over social media and here’s why.

Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit. Proverbs 18:21.

On September 18, 2021, one of the most important people in my life – my father, at 89 years old – went home to be with the Lord. That’s the ending to what felt like a very long story. Let’s back up to the beginning. There was a pandemic, I don’t need to get into much of that, we all were there. Due to my father having advanced dementia, many medical decisions were made by my mom and I. During this time, I prayed very hard and received clear answers from the Lord on how to proceed. We never kept my father home from any event, never stopped him from seeing anyone he wished to see, and we simply continued to live our lives over those two years with faith in divine protection from the Lord. This brings us to the end of August 2021. Covid ramped back up and both of my parents became positive. My father’s symptoms included a fever and a slight change in his oxygen levels. When I could not get his fever to subside, I felt in my spirit that a battle was ahead of me. I began to pray and seek direction. My flesh was starting to creep up and my first response was to call my Pastor. She quickly brought me back into fight mode and I went to the ER with my dad. Once in the ER, his oxygen quickly was stable and the fever immediately started to subside once on fluids. After conversations with nurses and doctors, their decision was to keep him in the hospital for further treatment. In addition to their spiel, they told me that I would most likely not see my father again. Being alone in that ER room, with my father fighting for his life, I was standing in the biggest gap I’ve ever been in. My flesh was rapidly trying to take over and I was overcome with emotions. I wanted to sit on the floor and cry (in fact I did) – then I stood up, called my Pastor again to pray, as I was too weak in my flesh to even think, I hugged and kissed my dad and said “I’ll see you soon”. I walked out of that hospital, wiping my tears, and ready for the battle of my life.

My father was in the hospital for 4 days. All of which the nurses continued to tell me that he would most likely not make it out of there, despite him being taken off oxygen after 24 hours. After much debacle of fighting with the hospital, I finally brought my dad home to my house where I was prepared to do all I could to take care of him. The next day, my mom went into the hospital with covid-pneumonia. It felt like I was in a bad dream or a really sad movie. In reality, my whole life prepared me for this moment. I helped my mom care-take for both my grandma and dad, I was no stranger to hospitals, doctors, nurses, and caring for someone who required around-the-clock care. More importantly, my faith was built up for this moment. I was exhausted when it came time for bed and my mom was still not in her room at the hospital. I was home with my dad and praying while I was trying to stay awake until my mom was settled. I called her for another update and she told me “You’re not going to believe this, a nurse just came on shift- who is a Christian; he prayed with me and for me and said he will stay with me until I get into my room.” Wow. You can’t tell me God didn’t send people to work over time for me and my family.

Up to this point, there were very few people who knew what was going on in my life and the reason was Proverbs 18:21. I was in the battle between life and death. I could not afford a single breath of anything but faith, victory, and praise. My tag line that came out of this trial was “I don’t want sympathy, I need victory”. I could not afford for someone to feel sorry for me, to speak defeat, or literally anything but miracle mentality. It is SO important who is in your room, who is praying for you and over you when you are believing for a miracle. I was upheld by the prayers of those whom I chose to entrust my prayers with; I would have crumbled into my bed and never saw the light of day if it weren’t for those who prayed around the clock for me and my family, and relied fully on the strength and peace of the Lord to keep me going.

The ending to this testimony is yet again God showing up and showing off His abundant blessings and faithfulness in my life. My ongoing prayers for my parents and grandmother have been that they will pass away after a long, well-lived life, pain-free, at home, with us right there next to them. That’s everyone’s goal right? God answered that prayer with my grandma and He was faithful again to do it with my father. My dad was with me and my family, cleared of Covid and amazed his medical team for the recovery he made. God promised me protection over my parents and His word never returns void.  My dad was tired before this and he was certainly tired after, he was ready to be in glory with our Father. I felt an overwhelming peace and shift in my prayers. I wanted my dad healed and whole, whether that was a miracle on earth or full restoration and wholeness in Heaven. The next day, with my mom (she literally got home from the hospital the day before), my son, my daughter and myself by his bed, he met Jesus.

You might have read all of this and said “but Shaila.. your dad still passed away, how is that a testimony?”. You would be correct, my dad did leave this earth, but he left it healed, pain-free, and home with his loved ones. He left it after 89 years of a full life that was full of answered prayers. My dad gave his heart to the Lord and accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior, so I know without a shadow of a doubt I will see him again. A friend of the family and pastor told me this “everyone in the bible that Jesus healed.. still died.” Think about that for a second. Even when we receive healing, for anything, our earthly body will still pass away. This earth is not eternal and it is not our home – Praise the Lord!

Not once did God leave me or forsake me. Not in my doubt, in my flesh, or in my questioning. Philippians 4:4-8 was a passage I stood on from the moment my feet hit the floor in the morning until I fell asleep. The Holy Spirit took over the areas where I felt weak and surrendered to God. His grace brought me through a trial that I never would have been able to face alone. I give Him all the praise and all the glory. There is a golden strand of God’s faithfulness and goodness throughout my whole life, this is just one testimony of many. This was by far my biggest trial that has become my favorite testimony.