Some of you may have heard this story. Some of you lived through this story with me. I’ve shared it with friends; it’s been included as a testimony in a mentor’s book, but this is the first time it’s appeared on my own blog.

I share it now with you, my readers, on the other side of heartache to tell you, God is faithful and able. Always.

In 2012, we welcomed our third child into the family: a beautiful boy, with a mop of dark hair and ever observant eyes.

But what very few people knew was the battle – both spiritual and physical – we had been facing for months.

Minutes into our first ultrasound, the technician pointed something out. Something for which I was unprepared. Our baby had two club feet, a condition I’d heard of but didn’t understand. The technician explained that the bones in our baby’s feet were growing inward, curled at the ankles toward each other.

The devil immediately started playing on my mind. Information was tossed around about specialist sonograms and at what point the baby would be able to walk after treatments.

But I couldn’t focus on anything except not crying – which is a task in and of itself for a pregnant woman.

As soon as the appointment ended, I rushed to the bathroom to take control of my emotions. I was helpless to fix my baby, but with God, ALL things are possible.

I literally got on my knees on the bathroom floor, sobbing and crying out to a God who is bigger than club feet. He and He alone could fix this.

From that day forward, my husband and I declared daily that our baby would have strong and straight ankles and feet.

At our specialist ultrasound months later, everything appeared the same. And it could have shaken my faith to believe for healing. It almost did. But the following Sunday, basking in worship, I heard God speak to me. “Don’t give up on me.” He said, “I am still strong. I am still bigger than club feet. Continue to believe for this healing.” Letting the tears freely fall, I made the determination to never give up. God had been so faithful to us in every area of our lives, why would I give up now?

Every day, I believed God would heal my baby. And yet, Lucas was born with two club feet.

I could have lost faith. I could have let it break me. But it didn’t. God proved Himself faithful every day.

He sent us to the perfect pediatric orthopedic specialist who explained the typical treatments for club feet. Treatments that started at $12,000. Of course, our boy was worth every penny.

But God showed up again. The very specialist we met with (out of all six specialists at the hospital) was the one who had connections at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital – a children’s hospital that gives treatment at completely NO CHARGE! Their main requirement is a referral from a pediatrician.

An application and referral process that usually takes over a week – which would have been too late for best results – took no time at all. The specialist we met with called the referral in while we were still in his exam room, and the nurse scheduled us an appointment for two days later.

It turned out the children’s hospital also offered a second option for treatment that was less intrusive on Lucas. Physical therapy using splints and exercises. My job was far more intensive, but we felt peace about the physical therapy option. We continued to confess daily that he had strong and straight ankles and feet. Every night as we prayed over him, we would declare that “he runs and doesn’t grow weary, he walks and he doesn’t faint.”

The doctors became concerned, though, about other areas of his health. They proceeded to add three more diagnoses on Lucas: failure to thrive, low muscle tone and developmental delays.

It felt like blow after blow. But I refused to give up on God. After all, what’s the alternative? I couldn’t quit. I couldn’t give up on my son. I couldn’t stop taking care of my older two children. There was no other alternative. Faith. Belief. Strength. And when my strength failed me, God’s strength lifted me up.

The grace of God literally kept me going in those days. Two years of therapy that could have been exhausting, turned into precious one-on-one time between me and my third born. God provided every ounce of grace our family needed to make it through the process.

People would ask me how I was doing it, and my honest answer was always, “I don’t know.” I look back, and it still doesn’t make sense. It’s like God lifted me up and carried me. He gave me rest. He gave me strength. He lifted my head.

And He will do the same for you. Nothing is too big for our God. No disappointment is a surprise to Him.

Those days gave me a bond with my third born (who later became our middle child) that most moms don’t have the opportunity to foster. My time giving him physical therapy three times a day, every day, gave us one-on-one time that is usually only developed with the first born. But God gave me the perspective I needed to appreciate every moment.

Don’t get me wrong, it was one of the hardest thing I’ve ever done. It was emotional. It was scary. But I knew God had me and Lucas in His hands.

I remember when the orthopedic surgeon told me, “You’ve made it!” I could have cried, cheered and laughed all at the same time.

Last week, I wrote about how we often forget to celebrate where we’ve been. Oh how quickly I forget how God carried me, how He gave me the strength I needed. I forget to lean on Him in my every day moments. When Lucas is loudly running through the house, I can easily get caught up in the chaos instead of the miracle.

But today seemed like the right day to remind myself (and remind you) of God’s faithfulness. Today is Lucas’ birthday. He is the second fastest runner on his t-ball teams and runs everywhere he goes! He makes it up and down the stairs. He kicks soccer balls through the house. All things they said could be difficult for him to do.

Our house is filled with the pitter patter of Lucas’ little feet—his strong and straight ankles and feet. What a beautiful sound it is.

 

• Click here to find out more about Texas Scottish Rite Hospital or to donate to their wonderful mission.
• Interested in the book where Lucas’ testimony was briefly featured? You can order Pep Talk here.

 

Did this blog post impact you? Share it with a friend:

Follow me:
Share: