I remember getting into the passenger seat of one of the EMT’s
cars. The radio was on so without a thought I reached over and turned the radio
off and started praying again. The EMT
finally got in the driver’s seat. I know
we spoke but I can’t recall what the conversation was about. It was like my whole being remained in a
state of prayer and faith. I kept
telling my mind, will and emotions, "I know God. He is good." I could feel those words
shutting down any fear or doubt that started to rise.
Josh, our oldest son, went over to a friend’s house and Nate
went back to our house, got our car and a pair of shoes for me since I was still barefott, and drove to the hospital. I ended up praying in the EMT's car the entire time
as we drove to the hospital. I could tell the EMT was uncomfortable. He understood the gravity of the situation. What can he say?
When we got
to the hospital, I was ushered into a small waiting room. I was there by myself and I began to
pray. As I prayed, I shook from the
inside… my body was quaking. I didn’t
cry or break down at the hospital but I felt this confidence that was deep in
me battling with the emotions that wanted to swallow me whole. As I kept praying the confidence was just
there, inside of me, strengthening my resolve, keeping me centered on the Lord
and enveloping me with a supernatural faith that I could not muster in the
natural.
Nate, his family and my mom came into the room. I still hadn’t seen Elisha. I asked Nate how my baby was doing. He told me Elisha had a bad injury to his
head and had a compound fracture on his left leg but all of his other organs
were stable. I know there are parents
out there wondering why I didn’t go back to see Elisha and I believe it was because the Lord was building my faith up, equipping me for what we were dealing with before I saw it with my eyes. I trusted Nate, the doctors and
the Lord to take care of our little man.
The police chaplain came into the room with a serious look
on his face. At that point, I wanted
people to have the same assurance I had.
I didn’t want anyone to feel like they had to placate me with whatever
universal jargon they are supposed to say to someone who is facing that kind of
crisis. So when the chaplain asked me
how I was doing, I started with how I believed in a miracle-working,
powerful, loving God, who I knew had His hand on Elisha’s life since before he
was born. I told the chaplain how I have
prayed God’s Word over my children since they were in my womb. No matter what the doctor’s said or how I
felt I told the chaplain I knew God was going to do something big in Elisha. The chaplain was actually amazing. Whatever preconceived idea I had about what
he would say, well, I was wrong. The
chaplain completely affirmed my faith and began to pray for our family and
Elisha with the same faith my husband and I were standing in.
A nurse with a tender smile came into the room and said, “You
are going to want to see Elisha before he gets on the helicopter.” They were going to fly Elisha to the hospital
at UVA because he was stable. At that
point, I agreed. I ran out to the
helipad. It was dark and hazy from drizzle.
It was almost movie-like with the
weather the way it was. I saw the pilot,
nurses, EMTs and a stretcher with my little baby boy laying on it, completely
still. His head and neck were secure
with a neck brace and he had big straps wrapped around him holding him to the
stretcher. I had wished those straps
could have been my arms, holding my baby, soothing away the pain in his little
body. I stepped closer to the stretcher and
I could see Elisha’s sweet little face.
It should have been difficult to see him clearly because there wasn’t a
lot of light but my tunnel vision kicked in again. I couldn’t hear anyone else around me, I just
looked at Elisha. I could see his sweet
little nose, the dimple in his chin, his precious eyes were shut, he had dried
blood on the right side of his face but he looked peaceful. I didn't know where to touch him without hurting him. I decided to lay my hand on his shoulder and told him,
“Baby, you are going to be ok. I love
you! Jesus is with you and He loves you
so much!” I kissed his cheek and walked
away.
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