What Happened?!

This morning, as I reflect on the events of the past four weeks, I am in awe. We’ve experienced God’s miraculous intervention, and I’m eager to share the story with you.

About four weeks ago, Levi starting having tummy trouble: pain every time he ate, accompanied by numerous trips to the restroom as well as nausea. Living in Africa, we are no strangers to this sort of thing. I kept him supplied with liquids and bland foods, thinking it would be over in a few days. Only the symptoms hung on, and he began to drop weight.

At the end of the third week, the doctors recommended we took him to a pediatrician in Nelspruit, South Africa. It is still a mystery how we got in to this particular doctor—just another thumbprint of God through all this.

I’ll admit I was a little concerned about how Levi would do with the 2½ -hour trip to Nelspruit. It’s not like there are rest areas along the drive! Somehow, by God’s grace, we never had to stop on the side of the road for a potty break.

The doctor decided to admit Levi to the hospital and made arrangements for tests to be run. It was Wednesday afternoon. I knew people were waking up in America; I knew people were joining the call to fast and pray for Levi. I was so thankful for the prayer covering.

The first sign of change: the last urgent trip to the bathroom for Levi was right before the doctor’s appointment. Thirty hours then passed before we were able to get a stool sample. It was such sudden and dramatic change from the 15 to 20 trips a day Levi was having. The doctor asked if I had heard of “Murphy’s Law.” I knew it wasn’t Murphy who authored this!

Levi was still experiencing pain every time he ate, though. I read the Word to him, sang songs, and also read aloud the messages people sent. How extremely encouraging that was for all of us! I also put onto index cards some of the scriptures people had sent us and stuck them on the mirror in his room.

Friday afternoon, they put him to sleep to perform a colonoscopy. The results came back normal. Levi was released from the hospital with the doctor wanting us to come back in a few days for a follow-up on Levi and the other test results. So far nothing has been found.

Saturday we went back home, and I felt compelled to encourage Levi to receive God’s healing, to reach out and claim it. His face lit up, and he said, “Yeah!” That was a huge turning point for him! He decided to go be outside with the girls. Oh, it was good to see him moving around!

Sunday morning he wanted to leave for church early with Daddy. The healthy, always-ready-early Levi was back! Ben shared Levi’s testimony at church, having him come forward along with a young man who also has experienced miraculous healing from being in a coma a month ago, to coming to church in a wheelchair, to coming to church on crutches, to yesterday walking into church unassisted. Together, we celebrated the Lord’s goodness. God’s presence was thick and powerful!

Recently, I participated in a lady’s Bible study on the book of Esther. One of the things we learned is how the Lord several times took what the enemy meant for harm and turned the table, making it into something good for His people. Since completing this study, I have begun to recognize the Lord doing it over and over again. In fact, the theme resonates throughout the Bible and as well as in our lives today. I sometimes think it must be frustrating to be the devil with so many of his evil schemes turning out to be blessings and tools for strengthening the family of God!

To all of you who prayed, thank you! If you fasted, thank you! For the emails and encouraging words, we Rodgers thank you from the bottom of our heart! God did hear, God did act, God did heal! I am so awash in awe of His goodness, I can’t help but praise Him!

Please let me say it again: THANK YOU for your prayers!

Yesterday, I read in Matthew 9 about a group taking their paraplegic friend to Jesus. “Seeing their faith, Jesus…” Jesus acted on account of the faith of the people taking their friend to Him. I feel like YOU have been those friends for Levi (and all of us), in faith taking him to Jesus in a unified effort. I love being in the body of Christ; I love being in this beautiful family of God!

So, what happened? The devil had a plan for harm. The body of Christ rallied together and brought a family member to Him, and God turned what was evil into something good. The Lord has yet again trumped the schemes of the enemy, and today we are shouting Jesus’ praise!