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FAMILY FAITH:
Prayers are answered differently
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By KIMBERLIE ZAKARIAN
I received the call every parent dreads while at work last week: “Your child has been hurt.” The school then told me what had happened. My son had run head-on into another child during gym class. The other child had a bloody nose. My son, not one to cry long, was hit in the forehead and would not stop crying, saying how badly it hurt and asking for his mommy.
By the time the school and I spoke, they said my son was sleeping soundly and there was no reason to come get him. I asked parental, probing questions. It turns out he had fallen asleep repeatedly before his scheduled nap time — on a bean bag chair, on the floor, then at nap. My “mommy red flag” went up.
From all I had learned about concussions and head injuries, this is not a positive sign. I had an afternoon of clients scheduled at my psychotherapy site but I made the decision any mom would make — I got in the car and went to my son immediately, calling and canceling clients while I drove.
Nothing is more important than our children. What confirmed my decision was a still small voice as I packed up my briefcase to go to my son’s school. It is a silent voice that I recognize well. It said, “Go!” And it was my Lord.
When I got to my son’s school, he looked horrible. I can best describe it as “googly eyed.” I instantly knew I had made the right decision. Thirty minutes later, we were in the pediatrician’s office. Several minutes after that, we had a diagnosis of a concussion and were sent to the hospital for a CAT Scan to determine if there was bleeding on the brain.
It was now almost three hours after his injury and the doctor, nurses and friends asked if he had vomited. I kept saying, “No” to all their inquiries. As I pulled into the hospital parking lot my son vomited five times in a row and I did not have a change of clothes for him with me. As I rushed him into the hospital we then had to endure admissions.
But once my son was getting his CAT Scan I felt a bit of peace. I continued my praying. His youngest sister had been praying as well. My mom was praying. I had texted my friends and they were praying. My little son lay still and quiet for his scan and as they pulled him out, he pointedly remarked, “Well that was boring!” To which the technician broke into laughter. By evening, my son was his jolly self and we heard back from the pediatrician that there was no bleeding on the brain. God had chosen to answer this particular prayer.
As a parent, nothing is more important than the welfare of our children. But I also know that God sometimes chooses to answer in a different way. You may remember me writing that my older brother died at the age of 10 from a head injury. We celebrated his birthday on Monday. He would have been 45 years old.
This fact always makes me aware that sometimes God chooses to answer prayer in different ways. We are simply to submit to His will. This is why parents must be eternally vigilant with the welfare of their children. They are a gift from God, on loan to us to raise in safety, physically, spiritually and emotionally. It is a huge responsibility, but one ridden with reward, and also hardship.
It is the first day of March and spring is approaching. When I think of spring, I think of new beginnings, sunshine, joy returning. This last phrase “joy returning” may seem strange. But new beginnings do often bring a returning of joy much as when one finds God for the first time. There is an inner peace and joy that ensues if you have not walked closely with him all your life.
I am thankful that our Lord is a God of new beginnings. I notice them even in my son being healthy and running and joking this week.
Only God can truly change our lives, forgive us from sin, give us true hope and answer to prayer and help us to see life in a new, healthy way. When I look at all the pain people experience, even my mother loosing her own son, I think about God’s renewing power. Today my mother still has the ability to experience joy in her life.
This is God’s power, His amazing supremacy to redeem.
The Rev. KIMBERLIE ZAKARIAN can be reached by e-mail at holyhouse9@ gmail.com or by mail at Holy House Ministries c/o the Rev. Kimberlie Zakarian, La Vie Counseling Center, 650 Sierra Madre Villa, Suite 110, Pasadena, CA 91107.
By the time the school and I spoke, they said my son was sleeping soundly and there was no reason to come get him. I asked parental, probing questions. It turns out he had fallen asleep repeatedly before his scheduled nap time — on a bean bag chair, on the floor, then at nap. My “mommy red flag” went up.
From all I had learned about concussions and head injuries, this is not a positive sign. I had an afternoon of clients scheduled at my psychotherapy site but I made the decision any mom would make — I got in the car and went to my son immediately, calling and canceling clients while I drove.
Nothing is more important than our children. What confirmed my decision was a still small voice as I packed up my briefcase to go to my son’s school. It is a silent voice that I recognize well. It said, “Go!” And it was my Lord.
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It was now almost three hours after his injury and the doctor, nurses and friends asked if he had vomited. I kept saying, “No” to all their inquiries. As I pulled into the hospital parking lot my son vomited five times in a row and I did not have a change of clothes for him with me. As I rushed him into the hospital we then had to endure admissions.
But once my son was getting his CAT Scan I felt a bit of peace. I continued my praying. His youngest sister had been praying as well. My mom was praying. I had texted my friends and they were praying. My little son lay still and quiet for his scan and as they pulled him out, he pointedly remarked, “Well that was boring!” To which the technician broke into laughter. By evening, my son was his jolly self and we heard back from the pediatrician that there was no bleeding on the brain. God had chosen to answer this particular prayer.
As a parent, nothing is more important than the welfare of our children. But I also know that God sometimes chooses to answer in a different way. You may remember me writing that my older brother died at the age of 10 from a head injury. We celebrated his birthday on Monday. He would have been 45 years old.
This fact always makes me aware that sometimes God chooses to answer prayer in different ways. We are simply to submit to His will. This is why parents must be eternally vigilant with the welfare of their children. They are a gift from God, on loan to us to raise in safety, physically, spiritually and emotionally. It is a huge responsibility, but one ridden with reward, and also hardship.
It is the first day of March and spring is approaching. When I think of spring, I think of new beginnings, sunshine, joy returning. This last phrase “joy returning” may seem strange. But new beginnings do often bring a returning of joy much as when one finds God for the first time. There is an inner peace and joy that ensues if you have not walked closely with him all your life.
I am thankful that our Lord is a God of new beginnings. I notice them even in my son being healthy and running and joking this week.
Only God can truly change our lives, forgive us from sin, give us true hope and answer to prayer and help us to see life in a new, healthy way. When I look at all the pain people experience, even my mother loosing her own son, I think about God’s renewing power. Today my mother still has the ability to experience joy in her life.
This is God’s power, His amazing supremacy to redeem.
The Rev. KIMBERLIE ZAKARIAN can be reached by e-mail at holyhouse9@ gmail.com or by mail at Holy House Ministries c/o the Rev. Kimberlie Zakarian, La Vie Counseling Center, 650 Sierra Madre Villa, Suite 110, Pasadena, CA 91107.
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