Faith or perseverance? OR Faith that perseveres!

[Ninny]

I want to share something that you may not believe!

Years ago my brother's wife had , I think it was cervical cancer she was healed of it and they went on with their lives. They have 5 children, all grown now, but when their son was a baby he contracted meningitis and nearly died. We spent months in prayer for him, and he got better. He's doing very well though even though he has some crippling effects left over he functions perfectly in society. He has a family of his own now.

My brother and his family built their house themselves from the ground up, nice house, too! Well a few years after their house was finished someone in their town  claimed that his family owned that land and tried to take it away from them! After a few more years that was resolved and they got to keep their house! Oh this isn't the end of the story! 

A few more years passed and my brother called and said they'd been in a car accident! Not just a fender bender! It was a strange deal for them. They passed by a car on fire they were going to stop and offer help, but they heard the sirens and knew help was on the way, plus a cop was there, too. They traveled about a half mile when they saw a fire truck coming toward them, but the driver was going too fast and lost control and his tanker separated from the truck and was headed straight for them! (I am not making this stuff up!) the tanker rolled over the top of my brother's little Chevy Love pickup truck!

I won't go into the injuries they sustained because the rest of the story is too incredible!
The firetruck overturned trapping the firefighter inside. He was screaming for help. my brother realized he could not get out so he jumped up on the truck and got the guy out through the window, seconds after they got away from the truck it exploded and burst into flames!! The fireman had broken his arm that's why he couldn't get out! I mean, Hollywood couldn't come up with a better plot! Ha! Do you think they said "Wow! if we had stopped to help we could have missed the accident"? NO! My sister-in-law said, "If we had stopped to help the people with the burning car the fireman would have died in the accident. That's why God put us in the accident!"

My brothers wife was pretty seriously injured, but not life-threatening. The county would not settle with them or help with their medical expenses because it was a volunteer fire department!
They eventually did buy them a used truck to replace their vehicle which was totaled!

In everything I have just told you my brother and his wife never once blamed God they just kept on with their lives! I almost hesitate to tell more of their story in fear of you all thinking it's all a lie! 

More years have gone by now and my brother is in pretty bad health. His wife has had another bout of cancer this time in her throat (she never smoked). She had a really bad experience with radiation and chemo, but all the cancer was gone! In the mean time they were both laid off their jobs! She worked for Levi Strauss Co. and he worked for a bus manufacturer! My brother is no longer able to work because of his health so he did odd jobs for people to earn money. Through all of this  they are still serving and praising God! his wife is no longer able to work either because all the cancer treatment left her too weak to do much.

There is so much more to their story, but it would take two days to tell it all! They serve in their community they belong to a little country church and they go non-stop in everything they do. My brother said "Well we don't know how much time God is going to give us so we have to keep going until he says Stop!" They are not the kind of people who act all pious and everything, they are simple, they live simply and they are satisfied with whatever God see fit to put before them! If ever they are needed they are instant with prayers and encouragement.  I have never heard them say well that guy's going to Hell, for sure! Maybe someday I will finish their story the whole thing is amazing!
What a testimony to the goodness of God! What a testimony of faith! I wish you could meet them you'd be encouraged!

My whole reason for writing this is to tell you not to think that God is against you! If God be for us WHO can be against us? When all seems lost keep calling out to God because He is there!
In all things give thanks!
Kathy

[aqrinc]

Kathy,

Thank you for sharing that very wonderful testimony, truth is most times stranger than fiction. We must
be ready as God calls to learn the lessons in whatever state or condition we are. To God and Our Lord
And Saviour Jesus Christ Be The Glory.

Psalms 46:1:
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

Psalms 121:1:
I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence comes my help.

Psalms 121:2:
My help comes from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.

george.

[Marlene]

Kathy, What amazing story. Makes one think before they would complain. My life has been some sweet and some not so sweet. But, he always gives us no more then we can handle I believe.

I would love to hear the rest of the story sometime.

In His Love,
Marlene

[hammerandnails]

Dear Kathy,

Thank you for sharing.

Wow!!! I'm speechless!!!

I believe I needed that story just about NOW!!

What a testimony of faithfulness, humility, courage and love!!

Thank you again, and keep us updated about your brother's family.

Grace and Peace,
Ariel

[Ninny]

Hi again,
Thought I'd tell you a little more about my brother's amazing life! Just a little this time. About 4 years ago their daughter had a baby and a few days after the baby was born my niece became very sick and was hospitalized with a mysterious illness. She was dying and no one knew why! they tested for all the things you might think of and found nothing.

My sister-in-law told me, "the same God that healed me and our baby son is the same God that is going to heal our daughter! The same God never ever has let us down and never will!"  They had her in a medically induced coma trying to keep her alive til they could solve the mystery. We prayed for her for at least 3 weeks! I kept saying that someone, somewhere knew what this was, and prayed for God to send the right doctors in to her.  They knew she had blood clots in her lungs, that's all they knew. Well, at long last they discovered the answer, She had a condition called Protein C Deficiency! I had never heard of that! It causes your blood to clot abnormally to put it simply. they put her on medication and after awhile she was up and about! She had a few rough weeks after that, but is fine now and she and her husband even had another baby with no complications what ever! God is so good how can anyone deny it?

Well this is a good place to stop!  I did want to say that God doesn't give signs and wonders for the believers, but for the unbelievers. I wonder how many people know that God is awesome and he is a loving father by the testimony that he has given my brother's family!
It is hard to complain when you look around and see God's hand at work even when everything looks hopeless and lost!  I hope this helps someone.
With hope!
Kathy