After deciding to admit him and just watch him --- The Dr. came in and said we had to make a decision --- the chest xray had come back abnormal (but not a normal abnormal), he wanted the radiologist to reread it in the hospital, but they wouldn't be in for 6 hours or more. He was wanting to start IV antibiotics but wasn't exactly sure we should because we didn't have any concrete answers and they couldn't figure out what was wrong.
What we DID know is that Garth's vital signs weren't right nor was this high fever. And as he said we had a choice (Garth was way out of it at this point - so my choice basically).....
"You need to understand if we DON'T start antibiotics, we can NEVER get back these 6 hours of waiting to see"
Pretty scary statement by the doctor that he repeated to me several times. The choice was made to start antibiotics immediately and 2 different big guns. At this point, he was on hourly monitoring of vitals. I began to realize how sick he really was.
Our small group has been doing a very challenging study called Circle Maker and the idea is to draw a circle around your need and pray specifically for it, while waiting expectantly for God to work. And waiting does not mean sitting and doing nothing. Waiting means preparing. Preparing takes work. I realized I needed to put this learning into action and God placed this challenge in our path. This is where rubber meets the road when you are working on an area of your life.
I formed a small group of people on a text group. I began to send updates WITH a specific prayer request of urgent needs. Just one at a time. Here's part of my list
- Vitals to be stabilized - we were on an hourly monitoring - later on we were able to spread that out.
- Prayer for answers on the chest xray - it was then confirmed that the xray abnormality was due to lack of a deep breath -- but I knew then that that misreading was a miracle -- because we could not wait the amount of time to get him on antibiotics, he didn't have that much time.
- Fever to be resolved -- this I asked for multiple times as it would be gone, but then would return with a vengance of pain and chills. Eventually it resolved. Persistent prayer.
- Blood Glucose was 148 - at 150 because of his condition, they would need to administer insulin. Immediately asked for prayer just for this - next reading was also 148 and again asked for prayer - next reading was 90.
I know that God doesn't always immediately answer and I know that there are a lot of times He doesn't answer in healing - but gives the ultimate healing. But by praying specifically for things, I wanted this difficulty and hardship to be His story (history). I wanted God to be glorified through it and that his getting better had everything to do with God answering prayer.
My challenge to you is to pray specific -- wait expectantly -- God WILL reveal Himself to you if you ask. Recently I've been praying Ephesians 3:20 in my circumstances. Asking God to do abundantly more as well as Revelations 3:7 to shut the door or open it by His power alone.
What can I pray with you and for you in your life? Let's be specific. Let's drill down and make an impact. Your prayers or lack of prayer has eternal consequences.
