Share your stories where you knew God was listening or present.

[Devildog]

I remember when my second child was born, and they had to put a tube down her throat to help her breath. And I prayed she would be okay.

 

I remember as they were loading her onto the helicopter to transfer her to the NICU at Children's Hospital. And I prayed she would be okay.

 

I remember spending 11 days in the NICU at the side of the bassinet as they injected drugs, ran tests. And I prayed she would be okay.

 

I remember turning off the life support machines and taking the tubes out of her mouth. And I prayed with everything I had that she would start breathing on her own and be okay.

 

I remember watching her turn blue, and the doctor pronouncing her dead. And then I felt the presence of God, stabbing me to the very core of my being.

[amerikajin]

I know it seems like I mock the existence of God, but mock I do not. I merely mock what I consider to be some of the more extreme examples of foolishness and unthinking found in organized religion.

 

I believe very much in the existence of a Creator, and I do believe there are times when the Universe has eyes. Somehow, it always seems like I get these messages when I'm about to do something really stupid or self-destructive - assuming I'm wise enough to recognize them beforehand. I think God gives us warnings, and if we're smart, we heed them; if we're not, we feel pain. Most of my f*ck ups in life were when I didn't pay attention to the warnings that I had been issued, I simply proceeded with smugness and got my ass burnt.

 

Of course, there are times when we just get the s*** end of the stick. And like Christians, I see these occasions in our lives as tests, though I don't think there's someone who's sitting up above saying it's time to see if Amerikajin can handle losing a family member to cancer today. I think God created the Universe in such a way that there are certain inevitabilities that exist in over time, and we as higher forms of life in God's Universe experience these things both individually and collectively. We all get sick. We all feel pain. We all have to say "goodbye" to people we care about. We are all born. We all live. And sooner or later, we all stop living. I don't think God's chosen our expiration date, but God has definitely decided that none of us are gettin' outta here alive. So we may as well make the most of what we have in the short time that we have here.

[ReluctantRomeo]

Originally posted by Devildog

I remember watching her turn blue, and the doctor pronouncing her dead. And then I felt the presence of God, stabbing me to the very core of my being.

 

If this is a genuine story, rather than the athiest's desire to rant on someone else's parade, then I'm really sorry DD.

 

My baby brother died this way too and we had to watch helplessly. It didn't shake my faith in a loving God, but I can understand how it might have done.

[Devildog]

Sadly, it is a true story. Big part of what lead to the end of my marriage.

[ReluctantRomeo]

Originally posted by Devildog

Sadly, it is a true story. Big part of what lead to the end of my marriage.

 

Then I'm really sorry. And sorry to have doubted you.

 

My mum still cries sometimes about this, years later.

[Israfil]

I do not beleive in God, or a higher power.

 

But sometimes, when I listen to music, I wonder.

 

Often, I think that the composer or performer must have been touched by the Divine.

[Moose]

Originally posted by Devildog

I remember when my second child was born, and they had to put a tube down her throat to help her breath. And I prayed she would be okay.

 

I remember as they were loading her onto the helicopter to transfer her to the NICU at Children's Hospital. And I prayed she would be okay.

 

I remember spending 11 days in the NICU at the side of the bassinet as they injected drugs, ran tests. And I prayed she would be okay.

 

I remember turning off the life support machines and taking the tubes out of her mouth. And I prayed with everything I had that she would start breathing on her own and be okay.

 

I remember watching her turn blue, and the doctor pronouncing her dead. And then I felt the presence of God, stabbing me to the very core of my being.

I'm sorry to hear this. We lost a baby, (before he/she was fully developed). I was pretty upest at God, and had a hard time dealing with it. Then I spoke to my Pastor, a theologian....he explained to me that when a child dies before the, "age of accountability", he/she is certainly one of God's many angels. They posses glorified bodies, going from a human infant to an angel resembling a healthy man/woman in the peek of their health. And that when we pass from this life, and if we make it into the kingdom, we will recogonize him/her. He used scripture to back this up, although I couldn't tell you where.

 

I found it all hard to swallow, and I won't no for sure if it's true or not until I get there myself. But I like to think he/she is there, helping God out anyway they can, and maybe guarding his/her mom and dad against evillllll hehe.

[tiki]

Originally posted by Devildog

I remember when my second child was born, and they had to put a tube down her throat to help her breath. And I prayed she would be okay.

 

I remember as they were loading her onto the helicopter to transfer her to the NICU at Children's Hospital. And I prayed she would be okay.

 

I remember spending 11 days in the NICU at the side of the bassinet as they injected drugs, ran tests. And I prayed she would be okay.

 

I remember turning off the life support machines and taking the tubes out of her mouth. And I prayed with everything I had that she would start breathing on her own and be okay.

 

I remember watching her turn blue, and the doctor pronouncing her dead. And then I felt the presence of God, stabbing me to the very core of my being.

 

DD....I am so sorry to hear such a story of pain. I cannot imagine in a million years what that must have felt like. And I can only imagine that I'd have some struggles too if I were put in your place. I would hope that you could pull through (religiously) after this traumatic event, but I've never been there, so I cannot - and will not judge you for your actions and choices. I hope you live in peace and I wish you nothing but the best. No matter which path you have chosen.

[Humbledog]

Originally posted by amerikajin

I know it seems like I mock the existence of God, but mock I do not. I merely mock what I consider to be some of the more extreme examples of foolishness and unthinking found in organized religion.

 

I believe very much in the existence of a Creator, and I do believe there are times when the Universe has eyes. Somehow, it always seems like I get these messages when I'm about to do something really stupid or self-destructive - assuming I'm wise enough to recognize them beforehand. I think God gives us warnings, and if we're smart, we heed them; if we're not, we feel pain. Most of my f*ck ups in life were when I didn't pay attention to the warnings that I had been issued, I simply proceeded with smugness and got my ass burnt.

 

Of course, there are times when we just get the s*** end of the stick. And like Christians, I see these occasions in our lives as tests, though I don't think there's someone who's sitting up above saying it's time to see if Amerikajin can handle losing a family member to cancer today. I think God created the Universe in such a way that there are certain inevitabilities that exist in over time, and we as higher forms of life in God's Universe experience these things both individually and collectively. We all get sick. We all feel pain. We all have to say "goodbye" to people we care about. We are all born. We all live. And sooner or later, we all stop living. I don't think God's chosen our expiration date, but God has definitely decided that none of us are gettin' outta here alive. So we may as well make the most of what we have in the short time that we have here.

 

Well put!!!!!

[Devildog]

Originally posted by Moose

I'm sorry to hear this. We lost a baby, (before he/she was fully developed). I was pretty upest at God, and had a hard time dealing with it. Then I spoke to my Pastor, a theologian....he explained to me that when a child dies before the, "age of accountability", he/she is certainly one of God's many angels. They posses glorified bodies, going from a human infant to an angel resembling a healthy man/woman in the peek of their health. And that when we pass from this life, and if we make it into the kingdom, we will recogonize him/her. He used scripture to back this up, although I couldn't tell you where.

 

I found it all hard to swallow, and I won't no for sure if it's true or not until I get there myself. But I like to think he/she is there, helping God out anyway they can, and maybe guarding his/her mom and dad against evillllll hehe.

 

My daughter was full term. Born the day before her actual due date. We had a number of ultrasounds done, including the Level 2 (3-D type). Everything looked normal and healthy. My XW had none of the health problems she had during her first pregnancy. There was never an indication of any problems. And then she was born. Pulmonary hypertension, a couple of heart defects, and her joints were loose. (Dislocated knee, hip and shoulder). The doctors never could determine what the problem was. They had no name for it. They had not seen anything like it before, and this is one of the top 3 NICUs in the world.

 

I heard from so many people telling me "it is all part of God's plan, God works in mysterious ways, trust God". And I wanted to punch every last one of them. God's plan is to take me from the heights of joy at the arrival of my second child and cast me down to a level of hell I never imagined existed? God's plan is to have a beautiful, innocent newborn know only a painfully short life of drugs and tubes and machines? To not even know the embrace of loving parents until they prepared to turn off life-support? No part of what God has planned for me was worth that price.

 

I was raised Catholic. Attended 12 years of Catholic School. And the idea that God is a loving creator who watches over all his children doesn't fit with what I have seen of him. Seems more like a sadistic, heartless creator who likes to see just how much suffering it takes to break some people.

[moimeme]

God isn't and never has been a cosmic Santa Clause there to fulfil your every wish. Had humans not intervened in the natural order, you or your wife might have died in childhood and thus never procreated at all. That you lived long enough to have children isn't God's doing. And He didn't cause your baby to die. It is a sad and awful thing that happened, but it's not God's fault. He gave us free will and we have made ourselves and the planet turn out the way we have.

 

Your daughter won't get mocked by other kids at school like every one else is. She'll never feel too fat or ugly or stupid or like boys will never like her. She won't do drugs or have her heart broken. She'll not suffer an awful disease and die painfully. She got a shortcut to heaven - a 'by'. And while it caused pain in your life, she'll never even suffer the pain of losing her own child.

 

Those of us who are here find joy in life when we can, but much of it can be painful and difficult. Your daughter has been spared all pain and difficulty. While you may dislike the timing or the manner in which it was accomplished, in the end isn't that what all parents would wish for their kids if they could bring it about - a life of no pain, no trouble, and no disease? And where she is now, she certainly is loved.

[Devildog]

Originally posted by moimeme

Your daughter has been spared all pain and difficulty. While you may dislike the timing or the manner in which it was accomplished, in the end isn't that what all parents would wish for their kids if they could bring it about - a life of no pain, no trouble, and no disease? And where she is now, she certainly is loved.

 

And spared all joy and happiness and excitement of life. Why like that? Why no warning? Why no problems until the moment of her birth? And what about me being spared those first steps, first words, those hugs and kisses?

 

Yes, she is certainly loved, just as she would have been if she was here with me now. Every dream, even every nightmare that I have had since that happened has only made me love her more and wish she was here with me. so I could hold her that much tighter.

[rble618740]

I need to preface everything I'm about to say with the first thoughts that came to my mind after reading your post - I have NEVER walked a mile in your shoes. I cannot presume to know your pain. I am so sorry for your loss. My heart aches reading about what you've gone through. I write the following, not as an attempt to change your religious viewpoint, but simply to explain one person's Christian perspective. I hope my explanation does not exacerbate your pain in any way.

 

Though I have not endured your specific pain, I can relate to the religious questions that tragedy brings. Most specifically, "If there is a God, how could he have let this happen to a child?" A child - the most innocent and sin free of creatures, seemingly punished by an omnipotent being. When viewed from this perspective, it doesn't paint a picture of a just, kind, and loving Lord. But...as hard as it is to swallow, this viewpoint makes some assumptions that are inaccurate (from my understanding - which is certainly imperfect - of Christianity).

 

I think the question presumes that God intervenes in all human circumstances. The truth is, he doesn't. My opinion is that God did not take your child's life. The follow up question then becomes, "Why did God not save this child's life?" And the answer is - unfortunately, we will all die. From the time your daughter was created, she was destined to die. Maybe biology and illness intervened, taking her life before anyone could have expected, but her death (like mine and yours) was inevitable. The grief surrounding that death, also, was inevitable. This begs the question then, "Why did God allow her to come into this world only to be here for a short while?" The answer to that, I think, is that you and your ex-wife exercised your free will and brought your daughter into this world. It's a blessing, and a curse, that God allows us free will.

 

So, my humble opinion on your circumstances, is that you decided to have a child, illness intervened and you lost that child. Your child was not delivered to you by God, but was created through the same biology that creates all human life. God did not make your child ill or take her life, genetics or some disease did. God's role in all of this is that - despite the human decisions and biological influences that have combined to cause you such pain - there is healing for your grief through him. But...only if you avail yourself of it - which he will not force you to do. God is there for us, but he is not going to change our situation according to our desires. And the fact that he doesn't, doesn't make him any less real.

 

All of this sounds good to me, as a Christian. However, if I were in your shoes, I don't know that this explanation would be good enough for me. I completely understand that and, you know what, I may feel the same way if I were in your shoes. This is the "anlaysis" under a Christian viewpoint, but it doesn't account for the emotion that must flood your mind on this issue.

 

I wish for you my friend - to find peace - no matter where you find it. To me, peace is the most elusive, but most valuable, emotion. To arrive at peace after dwelling in a state of turmoil and pain so wretched that you can barely breathe under the weight of it - that's a wonderful treasure. You are in my thoughts.

[Auz]

I believe in God, and by the same token I believe in the Devil. In the same way, I believe in a heaven, and therefore there must be a Hell. The way I see it, these two entities can not control what happens to the world - that control was lost when Man was given free will - but they can try guide and influence factors that affect us - think of two magnets trying to control a paperclip..

 

Think of those cartoons where the little devil appears on one shoulder, and the angel on the other - they can both try convince the person to do it their way, but the final decision is left up to the person.

 

A murder or a rape can be easily explained this way - and unfortunately there will be an innocent victim. Other events cant be, like the death of a child or an earthquake, but I believe they somehow still occur as a result of the influence of these 2 forces. Who knows, maybe your child's death somehow saved the lives of 2 others? Maybe that tsunami was meant to be twice as big, but God's influence kept the size down?

 

Im not trying to give excuses, or try to pretend that there was a good reason for it to happen. None of us will ever really know why something happened. But the thing I am sure about, is that God is still there beside us to help us through the very worst times. He may not have been able to prevent your child dying, but he can give you the strength to keep going, to try rebuild your life.

 

I'll admit, its easy to blame God for something bad. When I broke up with my GF I tried to figure out what on earth God was trying to do by making us break up. In the end I realised, it was her decision that broke us up - and He was there to help me get through it.

 

Do you honestly think that God would have let your child die if he could have stopped it?

 

Auz

[amerikajin]

And the idea that God is a loving creator who watches over all his children doesn't fit with what I have seen of him. Seems more like a sadistic, heartless creator who likes to see just how much suffering it takes to break some people.

 

I never did buy the "God's plan" theory, and it annoys me every bit as much as it does you. It's indicative of lazy thinking, and I'd be tempted to tell someone to get the f*ck out of my face, too. When someone starts babbling about "God's plan", it's a sign that they've borrowed ideas from other people and haven't thought much about their own opinions on spirituality. I don't like it when spirituality is reduced to cliches.

 

I can understand why you believe God doesn't exist, and perhaps I can understand why you might even think of God as evil. Is it possible that God exists, but is neither "good" nor "bad"? Maybe God just is. Maybe the law of averages just plays itself out over time. Maybe you've had a bad marriage and a tragic experience with parenthood thus far, but maybe if you give yourself more time, who knows...you might have a good marriage and other fortunes in the future. I don't know - each person is different. I won't pretend to know how it feels to have such a whole in my heart, as I've never lost a child (the closest I've come to date is my father who passed on almost 8 years ago now). But I do know one thing: you've got only so much time here. You've got to play the hand that you have. As far as we know, we only come around this way once.

[Butterfly28]

I knew God was present when I had my first seizure last Sunday. I was at a party the night before, and I was originally going to leave the party the next morning to go straight to my boyfriends house. On my way there, something told me to go home first. I had no real reason to, as I had all my stuff packed to stay over at his place. I went home...took a shower, and as I was blowdrying my hair, that's when the seizure happened and my mother found me.

 

The doctors said had I been driving at that time, it would've happened then.

 

I am lucky to be alive. I thank God for that, and any angels who sat in my lap and re-directed me home that day.

[EC]

Its so funny I read this thread today because I have not been able to stop thinking about what happened to my brother and myself this weekend.

 

I was at the beach this weekend for Fourth of July and I was really upset at my brother for saying he didnt believe in G_D and just a bunch of mean things. Which if you dont believe thats fine but dont knock me down for believing. Well yeah I was mad at him and I told him you dont believe and thats fine but I know eventually you will in your own way.

 

 

Well we were at the beach and he was skin boarding when all of a sudden he flipped the wrong way and sprained his ankle really bad. I saw him just fall and he couldn't get out. Then I looked at his ankle and it looked as if an egg was popping out of it. I was freaking out. So I carried him out of the water and layed him on the towel while my bf ran to get him some ice.

 

All of a sudden this beautiful old lady with the prettiest blue eyes came up to us. She kneeled in front of my brother and asked him what happened. He said he sprained his ankle and she asked if he wanted her to help him make it feel better.

 

He replied i have seen this in the movies and if your going to pull it into place and watch me scream then thats not going to happen. She laughed and said no and she said just lay back and breathe in and out. Then she rubbed her hands together and started praying. My brother started laughing. So I told him to shut up and relax and breathe in and out. I felt so horrible that he laughed. So then she placed her hands right over his swollen ankle and just stayed there with her eyes closed. My brother whispered to me " are you serious this lady is crazy" so I told him to shut up and lay back down. He finally did and after about five minutes he looked over white as a ghost and said " K your not going to believe this but it doesnt hurt anymore!! "

 

The lady opened her eyes and said there you are healed. You can walk and run again. You still need to get it check out with a doctor.

 

All of a sudden my brother got up and was fine. No pain, he started walking then running and he couldnt believe it. I asked her her name and she said Elaine and I thanked her and then she left. My brother followed her and asked her how she did that and why she came to help him. She said god sent her and she did that with faith. Then he thanked her again and she left. We looked for her again but she was no where in sight and her chair and towel were gone.

 

It was weird and my brother hasn't been the same since. He went to the hospital a couple hours later and they said his ankle was broken and that they didnt understand how he was walking around on it with absolutely no pain. Then they put a cast on him.

 

Its still freaking me out.

[quankanne]

I heard from so many people telling me "it is all part of God's plan, God works in mysterious ways, trust God". And I wanted to punch every last one of them. God's plan is to take me from the heights of joy at the arrival of my second child and cast me down to a level of hell I never imagined existed? God's plan is to have a beautiful, innocent newborn know only a painfully short life of drugs and tubes and machines? To not even know the embrace of loving parents until they prepared to turn off life-support? No part of what God has planned for me was worth that price.

 

devildog, I'm truly sorry to hear about the loss of your child, and the subsequent bust-up of your marriage. It's more than any one person should ever have to handle, and I can see why you're really PO'ed at God. Despite the painful circumstances that surround it, you've experienced such a great love for your little girl that many of us cannot even begin to fathom how deep a true love can run ...

 

your hurt and anger will someday abate, and when it has, this wonderful wellspring of love you've carried for your daughter will remain as strong as it was the day you first knew her. To me, that is the amazing gift of God you've been given – not all the crap you've dealt with in your loss, but the simple sense love that you've embraced when you could have deadened your heart against it to avoid the pain.

 

you are very much in my prayers as you find your way through the hurt, dd ...

quank

[quankanne]

Then he thanked her again and she left. We looked for her again but she was no where in sight and her chair and towel were gone.

 

this is sending chills down my spine, EC ... your brother's name doesn't happen to be Thomas, does it?

[Butterfly28]

as in "Disbelieving Thomas?"

[quankanne]

yep!

[EC]

No but he learned the same lesson lol

[Devildog]

Originally posted by Auz

Do you honestly think that God would have let your child die if he could have stopped it?

 

So the creator of all of this, the entire universe and all the millions of life forms that populate it, is unable to save the life of an innocent newborn baby? Faith and prayers are enough to mend a broken ankle, but just don't cut it when an innocent's life is at stake? What is the charge for that kind of miracle? Should I have offered a burnt sacrifice of Ram on an altar up on a hilltop?

 

It's funny. My entire life I have tried to be a "good" person. I help people when I can, even at my own expense. I try to be honest, and honorable, and kind, and faithful. And I watch as people who are unkind, heartless and cold succeed.

 

Losing my daughter was just the worst of what I have experienced. There is more that I have endured, more that my family and those I care about have faced.

 

Here is the question, do I continue to get up after each blow because of the strength I have been given? Or is it out of spite, my refusal to let him break me that keeps me picking myself up?

[smile95]

I really was just freaked out about that story about the ankle!

 

......In 1998, my Aunt was in a nursing home for a few yrs at that point. In Oct one night I woke up at 5am out of a dead sleep with horrible chest pains only to get a call 2 hrs later that my Aunt had a heart attack and died at 5am. Not sure how that involves God, but something woke me up...

 

My grandmother was dying of alzheimers and my loving grandfather was a mess. she was his world. My g-ma was rooming with an older woman who was also dying. The daughter of this other woman would come in and read to her mother as my grandfather would read to his wife and feed her and paint her nails.(eventho she had no idea who this nice man was). They two died on the same morning and this daughter of the other woman asked my g-pa if he needed a hug, he said yes and you know that my grandfather married this woman and has been married to her for 3 yrs now.....He would have died of lonliness and God sent him this wonderful woman who had never been married and she was 75 yrs old. THey were the answer to each others prayers. I know that God had them meet.

 

The day my grandmother died, my dad was outside painting and a butterfly would keep landing on his shoulder. COnstantly. A few hrs later he came in and got the news that his mother had passed. To this day, I am not kidding, when it is her birthday or mothers day or we visit her at the cemetary, a butterfly shows up. I think that is Gods way of saying that she is always with us.

 

I know a lot of people will call this luck or coincidence. But I feel that it was God.

[Butterfly28]

Originally posted by beth5201

 

The day my grandmother died, my dad was outside painting and a butterfly would keep landing on his shoulder. COnstantly. A few hrs later he came in and got the news that his mother had passed. To this day, I am not kidding, when it is her birthday or mothers day or we visit her at the cemetary, a butterfly shows up. I think that is Gods way of saying that she is always with us.

 

I know a lot of people will call this luck or coincidence. But I feel that it was God.

 

It is God.

 

I lost my most prized and favorite Aunt at a very young age to Alzheimers disease. She was diagnosed at 50, and died at the young age of only 57.

 

One day I caught a Monarch Butterfly for her. She was so excited. She had only been sick for a year or two. Not quite in the "major" stages just yet. She wanted to keep the butterfly, so I brought it home, and preserved it in an envelope between a book. The butterfly's wings never rotted. The insect part itself became an outer shell.

 

The day she died, I buried that butterfly with her. I went home a few days later and got a tattoo of a Monarch Butterfly on my back.

 

I see them more often now, than I ever did before. I even went as far as planting a flower in my backyard that attracts Monarch Butterflies in the spring and summer months.

 

I always knew she was with me, and now I can still see her all the time.

 

....through the butterflies.

 

So, yes....it is God.