Please God, not our children

This testimony was a great reminder of God's power proved real in a very personal storm. I looked over at my husband and watched the tears fall from his face. I knew he was connecting with God through the storyteller, Sam Roberts.

It helps to hear how God is faithful in the lives of other believers, we find a safe community there and it reminds us of how faithful God has been in our stories. My heart went back to a significant two week period of our married past. We had received some updated information regarding a new medical test that was available regarding the type of cancer that ravaged his body 17 years prior. By God's grace he had survived but now it could be more accurately determined if it could have been passed on to our two children.

This news wrecked us as we believed that my husband was healed and had already buried the pangs from those pain-filled days.

By all the indications on his records, there was evidence that, yes indeed, he had a genetic cancer. That meant that our two children needed to be tested. The test results would reveal a 50/50 chance of having the cancer-causing gene. If positive, then it was sure they would be carriers of the same cancer that their dad had and also the next generation of kids would have to be tested also at the age of 10.

When you get news like this, well...honestly, my heart just sank. It was like the hands of time were turning in tailspin speed to 17 years ago. "This can't be starting all over again." It hit me like a whole new cancer diagnosis spurring me to an emotional hurricane. We had dealt with treatment after treatment, so many ill-feeling days when we would put on our best face and foot forward, and God definitely proved His faithfulness in that storm-filled cancer season of our marriage.

"God, we've already been in that storm once....not again."

"Don't touch my kids....please God not our children"...let those emotions take a turn around your heart...

Needless to say, there were a lot of tear-filled-fearful moments. I only did one thing...through the blurry moments, I sent a text all my Throne warriors asking them to pray.

We begged the mercy of God. I believed God for the miracle that was hiding in this news.

The first step was getting the genetic test for my husband, to make sure that it was indeed the type of genetic cancer that could be passed on down the family heritage. The test was expensive, $1200, but thank goodness for insurance. We braced ourselves for the worst case scenario. We then told our children the potential outcome. They were shaken, I was floored again.

...."please God ...not our children"....

As I was floored, others went to the floor for us. God heard plenty about our family needing a miracle. We believed, we cried, we prayed and hit repeat. We waited for two weeks upon God for the miracle. I will say those were the some of the excruciating two weeks of our lives. I kept thinking about the blood test and praying for negative results. But God taught me that I was going to love Him anyway. "God, we need a miracle here, but even if you do not, I will love you anyway. Please...God not our children."

Those are hard words to lay before an Almighty God, when the results of His will would land your family with a potential life threatening diagnosis. All I had were some very weak words to pray when you can't control the outcome. Each time I prayed, I prayed the miracle, promises, and appealed to the character of God.

In the consistency of prayer I was reminded of God's faithfulness and the blessings that our family has sustained over the years. Strength came in praise-praying consistently.

When we were faithless God was still faithful. We praised Him in our storm.

The two-week-waiting period was up and the results were in. The nurse called and ....the answer was...negative. The blood test came back negative!!!! There was much rejoicing in the Keith camp. Go God....high fives everyone!!

Now I know for certain that I would not have been as happy if we had gotten a positive test back, but even if God did not...we were going to love Him anyway. I will be honest with you. A negative results times two would have would have been two hard pills to swallow. But as his obedient daughter, I am reminded of all the storms He HAS gotten us through and knew that even the results were positive, that we would survive and dare I even....say it out loud...... thrive on God's faithfulness.

When we have no faith, God sustains us with reminders of His faithfulness.

God even opened the door to give witness to His faithfulness. The next time we saw the nurse, we related the prayers that were said on our family's behalf. We had never discussed faith issues with her before. She said "It's good to have God on your side." Yes, true, but even better ....I replied, "It's GOOD to be on God's side."

When the storms of life, suck the life right out of you, your family and it absolutely floors you, ask the God who loves you beyond measure for a miracle from the floor of your heart. Wait, watch, believe and witness the faithfulness of God and His wonder working power.

When we need to grow in our faith, He reminds us of His faithfulness.

What are you praying for that you believe in God for?