by Shayla Asselin
And he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.
Luke 18:27
Last week, I got to meet a miracle! It would be hard for me to explain the miracle any better than his mom, my cousin, so with her permission, I’m going to share what she wrote on social media.
"Liam Michael Mingledorff
7lbs 4oz ; 19 in.
If you have a few moments, let me tell you about the goodness and greatness of my God.
Two weeks ago, on January 18th, we were given news that would forever change our lives. After a perfect 36 weeks of pregnancy some abnormal skeletal measurements appeared on an ultrasound and we were referred to a specialist for a second opinion. What was supposed to be a simple follow-up suddenly turned into a consultation with the doctor telling us that not only was the first scan correct, but additional findings confirmed a diagnosis with a lethal prognosis. Basically, due to size and development issues involving his chest, our time with Liam would consist of only minutes and in the best case scenario, maybe a few hours. Within a week we found ourselves sitting down with a team of Palliative care and Neonatal specialists to come up with a plan to make Liam’s short time on Earth as comfortable as possible. To say it felt like a nightmare is an understatement. These meetings were followed by another high def ultrasound that only confirmed that there had been no change in the prognosis and Liam’s measurements were consistent.
In the days after receiving the diagnosis and leading up to the scheduled C-section we grieved, we cried until there were no tears, and we prayed with our family and church. As our story spread, so did the number of people joining us in prayer. Did we demand a miraculous healing from God? No. Did we give up hope and assume God could not and would not move? No. By the grace of our Lord, we were given the strength to reach a place where we could pray for God’s will regardless of the result. Our heart’s desire was for our baby to live and we made this known to the Lord, but we also knew that according to Scripture, regardless if our sweet baby lived or died, God’s will is always good and has a redemptive purpose. Specific passages that got us through those days included Romans 8:28 and especially 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 which promised that this light momentary affliction was preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond comprehension. In our weakness His strength was made perfect.
Thursday, January 27th, we walked into the hospital with our hearts as prepared as possible and our minds resting on the Lord. Once things began it did not take long for us and the entire team of specialists in the delivery room to see that the Lord was doing something miraculous. I will never forget that first angry cry I heard as the surgeon held Liam up. We were all shocked and the room started to get really busy really quickly as this mad, red, robust and screaming little man made his opinions known. He had a little struggle but quickly became stable and within 18 hours of being born, the doctors told us we needed to re-evaluate our plans and begin normal newborn treatments. One thing changed after another and the next thing we knew, he was off of the supplemental air and already nursing. Test after test was passed including blood labs, heart echo, brain MRI, sleep studies, full body skeletal scans, neuro exams and repeated glucose readings. For all practical purposes the only “abnormal” thing was some slightly shorter arm and leg measurements and a slightly larger head measurement. Otherwise, Liam was perfectly healthy and never had full oxygen or even an IV.
Yes, we will get more answers when genetic testing comes back and yes, we may run into some obstacles in the future but for now he is our perfect little miracle who gets to come home TODAY. He has surprised us, baffled the doctors, and amazed every other nurse and specialist who has worked on his case. God has gotten all the glory as Liam’s story has spread across the hospital because there is no man, medicine or machine that can take credit for the breath of life in his lungs.
- Bradley and Reba”
Isn’t God awesome? My entire family has been celebrating the miracle of baby Liam for the past week. Psalm 9:1, "I will praise thee, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvellous works." has been my heart's song. What seemed like an impossible situation was met with the God of possibility. I’ve prayed many times over the last week that God would keep the moment I met a miracle fresh in my mind for as long as I live.
I'll be honest, over the past two years, my family has suffered devastating losses. We prayed for the miracle of healing on earth, but God had different plans. I’m sure I’m not the only one who could testify that sometimes the miracle is simply having the strength through Him to survive the storm. But no matter what you’re believing God for today, I pray that the miracle of baby Liam has encouraged you to keep hope alive. He is still a Miracle Worker. Don't lose hope. If He doesn't deliver you from the storm, He will walk with you through the storm. He is making a way for you, even now.
Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. - Isaiah 41:10
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