Daniel 3:24-25
“Weren’t there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?…  Look!  I see four men walking around in the fire… and the fourth looks like the son of the gods.”

NOTE:  This post is in response to a young mom who contacted me to ask about my daughter.  Her son was recently diagnosed with the same autoimmune disease my daughter has battled for 11 years. 

My advice to her and you if you’re walking through a fiery trial, is that two of the greatest things you do are:

1. Fervently pray over your situation.
2. Ask for eyes to see His Presence in the midst of your fiery ordeal. 

When you do, the journey may be dark, but you’ll experience God unlike you EVER before.  He promises to be with us in trials – even when it doesn’t feel like it…

When my daughter, Caroline was two years old, she was diagnosed with a rare auto-immune disorder called juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM).   A mouth full, this is a rare skin and muscle disease.  It presents itself looking like eczema, but it’s not.  JDM gradually weakens the major muscle systems in the body until you can barely walk, swallow or breathe.  

Six months following this diagnosis,  her body was still not responding to the medications.  It was at the six month visit that I entered the fire.  It was at this visit I heard the words no parent wants to hear: “We’re not sure if Caroline will make it unless we do something drastic.”

Immediately a knot formed in my throat and I felt paralyzed with fear.  Millions of things go through your mind when something happens with your child:   

• You tend to blame yourself.  
• You wonder if you ate or drank something during pregnancy that could have caused it. 
• You wonder if in your cluelessness in parenting, if something happened that could have prevented it.  

Suddenly you find yourself spiraling into a sea of despair and hopelessness.  You’re not even sure what to do next.  Getting out of the bed even seems difficult. 

In addition to her daily regimen of drugs, but Caroline would also begin receiving weekly shots of a strong chemotherapy drug that I was supposed to administer.  She would also be admitted monthly to the Duke Children’s Hospital for infusions lasting six hours or more each visit.  

I walked around in a fog for days.  

Then God led me to call  my friend and neighbor, Suzi.  Unlike me, Suzi was able to think clearly and was not paralyzed by the trauma of the situation.  She knew the greatest thing needed – maybe even more than the increased therapy, was prayer.  And not just “cross my heart, hope it goes well” prayer, we needed fervent, on our face, storming the gates of heaven kind of prayer.  (Which I knew NOTHING  about at the time.  I do now.)

She immediately responded by calling a prayer meeting in her home.  She invited anyone who was willing to come for prayer.  

With our faces in the carpet, we cried out to the Mighty Deliverer. We asked for healing.  We asked for His help.  We prayed Scripture.  But equally importantly, we prayed for His Presence in the situation.  Side note:  We did this for 12 months, prior to EVERY Duke appointment.

As a result, I watched God undertake for me in ways that could have only been Him.  He would open my eyes to see His Presence every time I was at Duke Hospital.  I would “see Him” in the fire with me:

• When Caroline had to have multiple viles of blood drawn, the person drawing the blood would get it on the first prick instead of having to insert the needle multiple times.
• The nurses assigned to us seemed to be hand-picked – just for us.
• I would marvel at Caroline’s uncommon courage – especially when I felt weak.
• He would enable my three year old to stay calm and perfectly still for six straight hours as she was hooked to monitors and an IV.
• Jesus would even help me find a parking place on those hard days.  This may sound small and trivial – but it was huge!

I could go on!  These examples scratch the surface.  I “saw Jesus” in one of the most scary trials I’ve ever encountered.  Within six months, Caroline was responding favorably to this new regimen!  He was answering our prayers both big and small.

Quite frankly, she’s doing so well now, that it’s easy to forget she has this disease.  Eleven years later, Caroline’s disease is in remission!  Talk about answered prayer!

But the daily medications and the weekly drama of taking methatrexate are continual reminders that we’re still in this.  (The disease has morphed into rheumatoid arthritis). We also continue to have quarterly visits to Duke and because this disease is provoked by the sun and ultraviolet rays, we apply sunscreen to her arms and hands even during the winter months.  Having moisturizer that has a good SPF is a must year round.  

Without a doubt, prayer has more to do with Caroline’s wellness than her meds.  Yes, I give God praise for advanced medicine.  But sometimes advanced medicine is not enough.  Prayer – fervent prayer is what’s needed even more.  

If you find yourself placed in a fiery trial, look for His Presence.  He’ll be there with you, just was He was with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.    You just have to have eyes “to see.” You’ll see Him in the mundane doing miraculous things only He can do!   When you “see Him,” turn your despair into praise and gratitude!  And then look for an opportunity to tell others of His reality in your fiery trial!.

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