do I believe in miracles? oh, yeah...her name is Mercie

Do I believe in healing and miracles? Oh, yes. In fact, I have a little miracle asleep in my bed at this very minute. A precious, amazing miracle in the form a 3 year old granddaughter named Mercie.

Last Saturday, as I was visiting my daughter and her 4 children, I noticed that Mercie's neck looked swollen. I began to look closer at it and couldn't believe how big the lymph nodes on either side of her neck were. Like, really big. When she turned her head sideways you could see them protruding. I don't have to tell you that at that very moment my heart dropped to the bottom of my stomach and I felt a cold chill go over me. Trying not to alarm Megan, I asked her if she had noticed it and she said that she was just now seeing it. I asked her some questions about how Mercie was feeling and told her that she definitely needed to go to the doctor first thing Monday morning. I left there that evening with a very ominous feeling and something in my spirit said, 'Beth, your world is about to be turned upside down'.  I spent that evening in a state of denial and tried very hard to put it out of my mind, but couldn't. I didn't sleep much that night at all. I spent the night praying for Mercie.

The next morning, Megan and her family came to our church for the start of our revival services. During the worship service, I was holding Mercie in my arms and praying for God's healing upon my precious little granddaughter. Our worship was being led by 'The Crusaders' and as they were singing  The Revelation Song, I was crying out to my God asking for His Healing Hand to rest upon Mercie at that very moment. As I held her and she had her head laying on my shoulder, I began to feel the most incredible surge of power flooding through me and into that baby. I could feel His mighty healing begin to take over her little body and the tears just began to cascade down my face. The feeling was so overpowering and so overwhelming I can barely describe it. But I knew at that very minute a miracle had taken place.

Early Monday morning, I called to check on Mercie and Megan said that her neck was the same. She called and made Mercie a doctors appointment for that morning and I met her in town so I could be with her. The doctor was very concerned at the size of her lymph nodes and couldn't find anything to rationalize it. No fever. No swelling anywhere else. No ear infection. No throat infection. Nothing. He sent her to the hospital for some blood work and my mind went into overdrive and I almost let the devil get a victory there.

As I was keeping the other kids at the park, Megan took Mercie to the hospital. The Lord and I were having an intense conversation while I was trying to entertain my other grandchildren. I was telling Him that I knew He healed her, so why hadn't the swelling gone down? He was telling me that it was about faith, not about visible results. It was about believing without seeing. Did I trust him or not?

After several hours of waiting on results, the blood work came back normal. The doctor prescribed a strong antibiotic and said he wanted to see her back the next Monday. 

Tuesday morning brought no changes. But still I was wrestling with what I knew to be truth and what I could see with my eyes. Revival services that night were awesome and such a powerful Word was spoken. I kept clinging to what I knew to be true but still struggling with no change in the swelling.

Wednesday morning came and I spent several hours in my study pouring my heart out to my precious Lord and digging into the Word for some revelation. I needed a word from Him. I needed some affirmation of what I knew to be true. I finally got in my car and headed out to Megan's house. On the way, the Lord was telling me that I needed to accept Mercie's healing regardless of what any outward appearance showed. Regardless of any other indications, I needed to trust Him. I began to praise Him for healing her. I began to pour out blessings and thanksgiving to Him. I was driving and crying and praising all at once! Just as I was finally at the point where I knew without a shadow of a doubt that my God had healed my granddaughter, I pulled up in Megan's driveway. I looked at my phone to check the time and somehow still had face book pulled up from earlier. One of my friends had posted this picture and when I saw it, I just lost it. 

The 3 words that are highlighted are Blessings, Healing, Mercies. This was not a coincidence. This was orchestrated by God at just the right time. It was affirmation of what I knew to be true and it was my sweet Savior saying,  'She is healed. Rest in my promise, Beth'. 

I had the most overwhelming and astounding sense of His presence at that very moment. It was all I could do not to shout it from the top of my lungs. I may never know what God healed my little Mercie from, but I do know that He healed her. Completely. He has a mighty calling on her life and I will do whatever I can to ensure that she is a girl after God's heart from here on out. 

"Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh;

is there anything too hard for me?"

(Jeremiah 32:27)

Indeed, there is nothing too hard for my God. And each time I hold my little Mercie-girl close, I will gaze into her little eyes and see my Father's image shining forth from within. And I will raise my eyes toward heaven and declare, 'that's HIM!'