Childlike Faith in Jesus
The other night I was watching the movie trailer for Heaven is for Real on YouTube with my daughter. After watching it a couple of times, she said “I can’t wait to meet Jesus! I wish I could meet him now!” She often tells me that she can’t wait to get to Heaven so she can see our dog Jake again. What a beautiful heart!
Oh to have childlike faith! To know without a doubt that someone exists that you cannot see!
I didn’t grow up in a religious family. My parents didn’t attend church. During my elementary school years, my grandparents would pick up my sister and me to take us with them. I don’t remember being on fire for Jesus in those years. But, when I was around 9 years old a tragic event on Christmas Eve changed my belief forever.
My mom met Jesus.
She had experienced a grand maul seizure. She spent a few days in the hospital while they ran scans and figured out what caused it. They discovered that she had an A/V malformation in her brain and it required emergency brain surgery.
She decided she wanted to get a second opinion and was allowed to go home from the hospital. After getting confirmation that the surgery was required, Mom scheduled it for a couple of weeks out. She said she wanted the extra time to be with her family “just in case” she didn’t survive the surgery. She also didn’t want me and my sister to associate Christmas with the death of our mother.
To talk to my mom today, you would never know she went through such an ordeal. She had a stroke in the recovery room. She appears to be fully recovered on the outside. She is mostly recovered on the inside. She has seizures every now and then, but years usually pass between events.
My mom is a walking miracle!
It was not an easy recovery for her and it was not quick, either. It took years. But, mom was strong and determined. I was in third grade and my mom was doing first grade writing worksheets. It was weird from my point of view. I remember mom learning how to read and write again. Simple things were hard for her. We laugh about some of the incidents now, but she was really struggling.
Some months after mom had been in therapy, learning how to do just about everything again, she recalled an experience she had while in the hospital. In fact, she had this experience while on the operating table.
The surgeon was busy operating on mom’s brain. Mom remembers floating above the operating table, looking down at her earthly body as the surgeons frantically worked to revive her. Then she was floating above the waiting room. She saw me, my sister and my dad, as well as other family members.
Suddenly, she was in Heaven. She was walking with Jesus.
I remember her telling me the story when I was young. She said she didn’t remember Jesus’ face, but there was no mistake that it was him. Mom says she felt the most incredible peace. She was fully restored with no injuries or scars. Her head was no longer shaved, like it had been as she lay on the operating table.
They were walking along talking when Jesus stopped. Jesus asked her if she wanted to stay.
My mom said she remembers actually holding her finger up in Jesus’ face like you do when you are telling someone to wait a minute. She told Jesus, “Yes, but hold on. First, I want to tell my kids that everything is OK. Mommy is OK.”
Can you believe that? My mom told Jesus to hold on!
Mom says that immediately after this, she was back in the operating room. She said she felt this amazing suction like feeling as her spirit re-entered her body.
She confirmed with her surgeon that they had in fact lost her at one point in the surgery. They worked frantically to get her back. She was clinically dead for several minutes.
Not long ago, I asked my mom about her experience. I wanted to make sure that what I remember was accurate since it has been so long since it happened. She had this to add, “Over the years, I have talked to about five people who had near death experiences, and we all had one thing in common. Anger. It took me about 2 years to get over the fact that I had made it to heaven and chose to come back. I thought it was the wrong choice, BUT Jesus knew better. Choosing to come back allowed me to see my daughters grow into beautiful women. It allowed me to know my grandchildren. It was the right choice. I thank God every day for the extra time I have been allowed to have on this earth.”
Not everybody gets a second chance at living. Mom’s experience sealed the deal for me 30 years ago. I do not fear death.
Heaven is for real! Angels are real! Jesus is real! God is real!
Have you had a similar experience or experienced a miracle? I am writing a book filled with stories of hope, childlike faith, and unwavering reliance on God to provide. Do you have a story to tell? I would love to hear about it! If you don’t mind sharing your story with me, you just might find yourself in my book! I cannot guarantee that I will choose your story, but the more stories I have to choose from, the better the book will be. Will you help me share HOPE with the world?
Please email your story to admin@empoweredcreativitycoach.com. Please include your full name, city, state, and a simple sentence saying that you give me permission to use your story in my book or blog.
I can’t wait to hear the many stories of God’s miracles!
My mission is to encourage women to trust in themselves in life and in business. With love and faith I lead women business owners to find freedom in their God-given identity so they can live out their purpose with confidence. By helping you set expectations that lead to action, your dreams become a reality!
Stephanie Ferrara
Coach, Speaker, Freedom Fighter
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