SpiritualFamily

How to Experience Miracles-Part Two

How to experience miracles-part two? This is a part two of the Miraculous Saving Grace of God to my dad. Our joy of knowing that dad is still alive has turned into a lot of questions. Asking God what was His purpose for allowing dad to still be living in that condition? Why not just let him die instead, when dad would just end up living like that? Watching how my dad suffered mentally, I later could not help and wished that God had just gone ahead and took my dad away. I was being honest with my heart to God, dad would have been better off and his family would have been at peace and all those around him.

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God knows our hearts, we can talk to Him anytime and He takes care of us.

A heart to heart talk with God

    My heart aches for my father. I love my dad very much, but the struggles he has to go through in his mind and his family did bring a lot of fear. And so many questions in my mind, and honestly some hate was developed toward my dad later on. There were times when my family was terrorized by my own father when he became violent. We could not sleep peacefully. We were afraid that he was going to try to kill us all. The fear was growing in everyone’s hearts. Sometimes we had to run away, and hide from dad’s presence. Dad turned into an alcoholic. He would literally get drunk until he could not get up anymore. He wanted to die, but he was afraid to take his own life. No one dared to try to take his life from him either.

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I was literally in fear and traumatized every time dad would get violent as well as the rest of the family members.

Family terrorized by my own father

    After a few years, I finally had enough! I was thirteen years old. I could not stay at home anymore. I wanted to get out of that hell! I left home and went to another island to work and study during the night. That was my way out. After a year without any form of communication with my family, I decided to go back home to visit them. When I got home, I found my mother lying on the floor, so skinny, and very sick. No one in the family was really taking care of her. I could not go back to school until I knew for sure that mother was well, and could take care of herself again. I took care of my mother for several months. And when she got better I went back to school, but not at the same place.

Dad continued to be an alcoholic and violent every now and then until one day he had a stroke. He not only had one stroke but twice at different times. The first time it happened, mom and all the family thought that dad had died, because he lost his pulse for several hours. Being on top of the mountain where it was so remote and no money, the family could not just take dad to the hospital. The family prayed for him, but several hours later still had no pulse.

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God definitely was in control of dad’s heart.

Another miracle-from death to life again

    Early the next morning all of a sudden dad started breathing again. It was a miracle! In a natural human comprehension it was impossible! But knowing the Word of God, we know that nothing is impossible for God. There is no question that God was allowing my father to continue living for a reason and purpose. Dad got better and continued to live his life. He never stopped drinking and would still get violent every once in a while. He kept being like this for a few more years.

    I finally graduated high school and later studied in Bible College to become a minister. I was going to become a nurse, but God called me to do something else instead. While in Bible College, I began to pray harder for my father. I had been praying for him for quite some time already. I was convinced to pray harder for him. Every time I would go to visit them, I always tried to present the Word of God to him, but it would only turn into an argument with dad. I kept praying for my dad to be changed and get saved. Four years had passed praying intensely for my father. I was losing hope, and though God was not hearing my prayer. I even asked Him a few times if He would even save my dad.

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Only God has the final word. Keep trusting Him in any circumstances.

God is not done yet!

    I eventually graduated from Bible College and got married. My husband brought me to America, and a few years later we visited my family in the Philippines several times. On one of the trips we took to the Philippines visiting my family, my husband had noticed that my father was acting funny, his head was twitching. It did not take long for my husband to recognize the symptoms, that my father was getting ready to have a stroke. We asked my dad if we could take him to the hospital so he could get treated, but he refused.

    My husband and I decided that we would go ahead and make arrangements to bring dad to the hospital anyway. We went to the city and talked to our doctor friends. As soon as we arrived in the city though, one of my aunts called us, and told us that they had to bring dad down the mountain. They had to put him in an ambulance and be admitted to the hospital, because he just had another stroke. Dad was later admitted to a bigger hospital in the city. Dad was in the emergency room. There were many patients waiting ahead of him to be treated. There was a long line. It was a government managed hospital. Everyone had to wait for their turns. We were very anxious, because some of the people ahead were dying and still not being treated for their illness. My husband called our doctor friends at another hospital to see if they could take my dad in if we transfer him there. There was no problem for them, they were ready.

    When we went back to the emergency room the doctors were already tending my dad, and started treating him. We mentioned about transferring him to another hospital, but the doctors refused as they were suspecting dad of having meningitis, a contagious disease. So they kept him there and prescribed so many medications to be given to my dad. We bought the medicines outside the hospital. The family had to buy the medicines outside and bring it inside the hospital to be given to the patient. Many of the medicines needed were not available inside the hospital. The sad thing about it is that, if the family could not afford to buy the medicines for their patient, the patient might eventually die, waiting for the treatment.

    Back and forth we kept buying the medicines needed for my dad. Finally the doctors got him somewhat regulated, and was transferred to another room with other patients, but half of his body was paralyzed. It was not a good facility, but the doctors were treating him right. Dad could not speak or eat. All he did was look at us when we came to see him. After a few days being in the hospital, one day we talked to dad about his heart, his soul, and told him about God. We told him that despite everything that had happened we still loved him and forgave him for all the terror we had to face with him. We told him most especially that God still loves him.

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The turning point on dad’s life, giving his heart to the LORD JESUS.

A heart to heart talk with dad

    We presented to him the plan of salvation. We asked him if he was ready to give his life to the Lord Jesus and surrender to Him. And even though he could not speak, we asked him to nod his head if he understood what we were saying to him, and he did. We asked him to ask God’s forgiveness in his heart and mind, and to invite the Lord Jesus to come into his heart. We held his hands, and had him repeat the prayer of salvation in his heart. He closed his eyes and tears started flowing. When I finished leading him with the prayer, I asked him if he had accepted the Lord Jesus in his heart and he nodded his head, yes! We were very happy with the important decision dad made. We kept praying for his healing after that, and after seven days dad was able to speak again and move all parts of his body.

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The Light of the world has come into dad’s heart!

Another miracle-dad is a changed man!

    Dad was released after a few days, and we took him home, and this time he is a changed man. He did not drink again and his behavior has gotten better also. He is not violent anymore like he was before the last stroke. Although he would still have panic attacks every now and then, he is better now by taking his medication. The function of his brain is not the same anymore. He still feels miserable about himself, but his trust and dependence is so much in the Lord Jesus now. He prays with the family and even prays by himself.

    He is grateful for the many chances that God has allowed him to continue to live, and see his family. God had been patient with him, but at the same time, God had shown us His power to change lives, despite all the resistance and all the rejections. I have seen so many miracles happen in my own family. There are no reasons for me to ever doubt God again. He hears my prayers, because He did before, and I know He does every time I pray. He just knows best and has His own perfect timing in answering us, and showing results to our prayers.

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There is power in prayer, God listen to us.

The power of prayer-never underestimate

    God also sent my husband to be an instrument, a vessel that God uses to meet the family needs and to pour out His blessings. My husband has a heart like a diamond, so precious in the eyes of God. His willingness to help others especially to those who are desperate is what God uses to accomplish His many plans. Through my husband’s willingness to help, others got to know God’s offer of salvation for them. 

    You see, God has been patient with my father. And as a result, it also shaped my character to be patient in every circumstance in life. It took a long time, almost five years of praying for my father to get saved. Yes there were times when I really got impatient, and even questioned God if He ever heard my prayers. What can be learned from my father’s story?

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God’s love is unconditional that He even sent His Son Jesus to demonstrate His great love for us.

Unconditional love

    First, God’s love is unconditional. He loves us just the way we are. He loves us despite our rebellious ways. He loves us despite our constant rejection to His will, and plan, and His offer of eternal life through the Lord Jesus. He demonstrated His own love for us that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. All we need is to have faith, and know how much God really loves us. When we have faith, God opens our spiritual eyes to see His most precious, unconditional love for us.

    Second, He is patient with us. Yes, very patient, not wanting anyone to perish, but for everyone to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). God will be patient with us until our last breathe here on earth. All He wants for each one of us is to come to Him, and have a personal relationship with Him, like a father and son or daughter. God always makes a way for us to get to know Him. It is us who always find a way to go our own way until we stumble and fall. Yet, God is always patient and loving and accepts us back to Him when we repent.

“It does not mean that God is slow in answering our prayers, but He works things out for us according to His plan and purpose”.

    Third, it shows us the power of God working in our lives. God’s power is manifested when we put our complete trust and dependence in Him. The miracles God performed in the lives of my family, from my mother, sister, father and my brother and even to me are so amazing. There is no way that all of those miracles could have happened without the hands of God working through all those situations. It was all impossible on our own strength alone, but God showed us that with Him, nothing is impossible as He promised (Luke 1:37).

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God’s plan for us is good, we just need to trust Him.

God’s plan for us

    So what problems are you dealing with right now? Does it look hopeless to you? Do you think it is impossible to fix or solve? Well, I encourage you to turn all of that over to God, and allow Him to work through your situation. Trust Him, and be patient with His plans for you, and your situation. God is great! He is looking out for us and wants to give us a future. “For I know the plans I have for you”, declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29:11).

Photo of Arlene Allison

Arlene Allison

I am an ordained minister who is doing missionary work for over 15 years now. I was born in one of the island in the Philippines called Cebu. Growing up in a poor condition, I managed to overcome the hurdles of life with a positive attitude, grateful for everything and most of all by the grace of God. I have always challenge myself to do better with my life at a young age and pursue my dreams and ambitions in life by working hard and never complains about the hardships I went through. I have become successful in so many ways that I want to share my life's journey and how I can help you improve your life and reach your goals to a height of success. You can't imagine now how much you can really do if you just have a positive outlook of life and have the attitude of being grateful in every circumstance.

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