A Mother’s Answered Prayers

I welcome author Shanna Groves as a guest blogger for this post. Check out Shanna’s own blog at LipreadingMom.com

One of the things I love about Rebecca is her steadfast faith. As we shared a table at a coffee shop and discussed her editing my first book four years ago, Rebecca offered a fundamental truth I will never forget.

“I am convinced,” she said, “that the Scriptures are true. We WILL see goodness in the land of the living.”

Yet how could you have such faith? Her only child had been diagnosed with a brain tumor, nearly died and, at the time, was struggling to find his way. How could Rebecca have the faith that her son would not only recover from cancer, but that he would find joy in his journey?

At home, I sat at the table with my two oldest children—at the time, ages 4 and 8—and asked them for ways to help Rebecca and her son.

“We could write them a letter,” my little girl said.

“I can give them money from our piggy banks,” said my older son.

A week later, we got a kind letter in the mail from Rebecca and her son. They even enclosed his high school photo.

Rebecca and I continued to meet over hot tea and coffee to discuss her editing and help in marketing my books. At the end of each meeting, we prayed for one another. She knew I had hearing loss, so she always prayed with her eyes open, just like I did so I could lip read her.

At one of those table meetings, I asked her how her son was doing.

“His health is good,” she said. “The doctor gave him a clean bill of health at his last check-up.”

I could sense, from the troubled look in her eyes, that there was more to the story.

“The medical care is expensive,” she revealed. Rebecca had been laid off from her job, and making ends meet was tough. Even with insurance coverage, the hospital bills were mounting.

I went back home and mapped out a plan with my kids. We came up with plans for a benefit carnival event to help raise money for these medical expenses.

On a hot day in August, a crowd of authors, vendors, kids, and friends gathered at a church and enjoyed a day of entertainment, art, music, food, and shopping. A deaf pantomime performed pro bono and brought Rebecca’s son onto the stage to honor him in front of the crowd.

As I glanced over at Rebecca—my friend with the steadfast faith—I saw a woman enraptured in this celebration of her son, her only child. He had found joy at a carnival, an answer to his mother’s prayers.

Rebecca’s faith has inspired me to not give up hope in finding the answers to prayers.