Able Archive

When my son, Emmit, was three months old, I noticed that he was having spasms. When he was five months old, he was also delayed compared to other babies his age. I took him to a neurologist who did all kinds of tests. A few days later, we got the call that said he was having seizures and he was diagnosed with infantile spasms. We were told that this diagnosis is something kids can outgrow or it can turn into other things.

Our hearts dropped, but we had peace in the Lord. After another few days, we were having a prayer revival and we asked for prayer over Emmit. After he was prayed for, my husband and I instantly had peace. The Lord spoke to both of us and told us that He was going to heal him!

As the months and years went by, his seizures gradually worsened—ten to one hundred seizures a day depending on the day or week. We started him on medication but the side effects were horrible. The Lord spoke to me again and said, “Why would you give medication to a boy that is healed?” We stopped the seizure medication and later found out that the type of seizures he has are medication resistant.

They did more testing and he was diagnosed with Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome, or LGS, a rare and severe form of epilepsy associated with several types of seizures. By the time he was three years old, he could feed himself and crawl, but that was about all he could do by himself. He is now seven.

I believe the Lord is going to heal Emmit just as He told me. I’m only waiting for that amazing day. Through all this, I’ve had ups and downs, struggling to trust in the Lord from day to day. However, in the last year I have come to see this as a blessing. A blessing? As I thought about how this could be a blessing, the Lord showed me: We have more strength than we ever realized; we are more grateful for everyday things; my faith and trust have grown; we know how much people love and care for us; we have a closer relationship with the Lord; we are more of a witness because our trial is so open for others to see; and we have more compassion for the hardships of others. My wise pastor’s wife once told me to be careful not to get consumed by my own hardships and think I have it worse than others. Everyone goes through things in life; mine are just more visible. It’s easy to think that others have it so much easier, but we can’t see everything.

Thank the Lord every day for your blessings, even if they’re hard to see!

Written by: Rachel Schettler. They attend Abundant Life Tabernacle in Worthington, Minnesota. She is a stay-at-home mom of four amazing boys.

In the early stages, even the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s did not alter my dad’s habit of praying three times daily. Without fail, Tuesday was still his set fast day. He loved church, and during every service he worshiped with his whole heart. Many times, I sat quietly on the stairs, listening as he prayed, “God, I’ve got memory trouble. But no matter what I forget, don’t ever let me forget You. Keep me in Your will every hour of the day.”

At age 56, he could no longer perform his job. He walked miles a day collecting bottles and cans for recycling to fill the hours. On the day he cashed them in, he told Mother, “You can have these spots (nickels and dimes), but these spots (quarters) are for the work of the Lord!” Each time he retrieved the old coffee can from its hiding place in the attic, the smile on his face was immeasurable, knowing he was able to give unto the Lord.

Eventually, the effects of Alzheimer’s disease accelerated, and his beloved walks were taken away. We watched as he picked up his Bible in frustration saying, “I don’t know the wording!” He had suddenly forgotten how to read! We purchased the Bible on CD, and with tear-filled eyes we watched him lean back in his recliner with the biggest grin you’ve ever seen. At times, you would see tears running down his cheeks as he listened to the precious words he lived for, whether he understood them or not. Alzheimer’s could not take away his love for God. He suffered for nearly fourteen years. He did not recognize any of his children; yet whenever his pastor entered the room, Dad smiled and reached for him. Daddy recognized him as the man of God. The Lord honored his prayers!

His body was emaciated; for two years the only thing he could move was his head. Standing at his bedside, I told him the angels were coming to take him home. He glanced at the ceiling. I said, “Daddy, are you trying to tell me they are already here?” Again, he looked at the ceiling. I desperately needed to know he understood, and I asked explicitly, “If they are here, Dad, show me where they are.” Immediately, he turned his head and neck several directions all over the room. He closed his eyes and slipped into a coma. Moments before he took his final breath, he opened his eyes. Suddenly, looking above my mother’s head, a man who had not moved a muscle in two years sat upright in the bed and reached his arms up toward the ceiling! The complete awe on his face and the wonder that came from his lips was undeniable! His face was illuminated at whatever it was he saw as he took his final breath and slipped away—not unto death,  but unto life everlasting!

Alzheimer’s took away many things, but it could not remove his desire to give, the respect he had for his pastor, or his hunger for the Word. Daddy did not forget the Lord—nor did the Lord forget my Daddy! God is faithful to the very end.

Written by: JoAnn McIlvain. She attends Lighthouse Christian Center in Milford, Delaware, where she resides with her husband, Dennis. She enjoys teaching and writing and has published the book, Drops in My Bucket. She feels passionate about spreading the gospel and telling of the miracles God has performed in their lives. In her spare time, she loves scrapbooking and spending time with her family.