Seeing God in the ICU
Seeing God in the ICU
“When you come looking for me, you’ll find me…” Jeremiah 29:13 (Message)
During our days in the ICU waiting room, Mom and I would sit by the coffee machine (which only had hot water for tea…no coffee) the spot with only two chairs. A larger family congregated around the corner and a few others scattered throughout the area.
One day, I came out from sitting with Dad and Mom was talking to a lady. Nothing unusual for her, unlike her introvert daughter, she talks to everyone. Yet, this God-orchestrated encounter, had been initiated by a sweet and precious two-year-old.
This little one ran around the corner, from her big family, and laid her head in Mom’s lap as she was crying. A woman came to get her and apologized for the child’s intrusion, as she introduced herself as Linda. Mom said, “It is no problem. She knew I needed a hug.”
Mom and Linda talked briefly. She asked if she could pray with Mom. This sweet, Jesus-loving woman, whose own father lay in a coma in ICU ministered and loved on my Mom. At this moment, neither Linda nor I knew what God planned through our encounter…all in the ICU waiting room.
Linda shared that her focus was on ministering to her family; they knew her father was dying, they just did not know when. As Linda recalls, “Dawn, you looked at me and asked but who takes care of you? And then you asked if you could pray for me.”
After I finished praying, Linda told me it was just what she needed at that exact moment. However, Linda didn’t know that praying with her is what I needed too. I called Brian and told him God showed me He could flow through me…even in the lCU waiting room.
Yet, Linda’s story with my family does not end in the ICU waiting room. Linda came to see Mom at the hospital this week (yes, we are back, but that is another story for another day). While visiting with us in Mom’s hospital room, Linda shared with me, “Your prayer over me that day (in the ICU waiting room) it was the shift in my response to what was happening! I was able to exhale, breathe deeply, keep praying, but not feel I was carrying the majority of the weight of the situation. The shift gave me permission to feel what I was feeling in real time. I was no longer shoving my feelings down to deal with later.”
God used a little one to connect some of His children in the ICU waiting room and I am grateful.
Dear Lord, as we continue to prepare our hearts for Christmas may we look for you in all of the situations of our lives. You are there in the good, hard, stressful, and even in the ICU waiting room. In Jesus name, Amen.
Written by Dawn Whitmore
“When you come looking for me, you’ll find me…” Jeremiah 29:13 (Message)
During our days in the ICU waiting room, Mom and I would sit by the coffee machine (which only had hot water for tea…no coffee) the spot with only two chairs. A larger family congregated around the corner and a few others scattered throughout the area.
One day, I came out from sitting with Dad and Mom was talking to a lady. Nothing unusual for her, unlike her introvert daughter, she talks to everyone. Yet, this God-orchestrated encounter, had been initiated by a sweet and precious two-year-old.
This little one ran around the corner, from her big family, and laid her head in Mom’s lap as she was crying. A woman came to get her and apologized for the child’s intrusion, as she introduced herself as Linda. Mom said, “It is no problem. She knew I needed a hug.”
Mom and Linda talked briefly. She asked if she could pray with Mom. This sweet, Jesus-loving woman, whose own father lay in a coma in ICU ministered and loved on my Mom. At this moment, neither Linda nor I knew what God planned through our encounter…all in the ICU waiting room.
Linda shared that her focus was on ministering to her family; they knew her father was dying, they just did not know when. As Linda recalls, “Dawn, you looked at me and asked but who takes care of you? And then you asked if you could pray for me.”
After I finished praying, Linda told me it was just what she needed at that exact moment. However, Linda didn’t know that praying with her is what I needed too. I called Brian and told him God showed me He could flow through me…even in the lCU waiting room.
Yet, Linda’s story with my family does not end in the ICU waiting room. Linda came to see Mom at the hospital this week (yes, we are back, but that is another story for another day). While visiting with us in Mom’s hospital room, Linda shared with me, “Your prayer over me that day (in the ICU waiting room) it was the shift in my response to what was happening! I was able to exhale, breathe deeply, keep praying, but not feel I was carrying the majority of the weight of the situation. The shift gave me permission to feel what I was feeling in real time. I was no longer shoving my feelings down to deal with later.”
God used a little one to connect some of His children in the ICU waiting room and I am grateful.
Dear Lord, as we continue to prepare our hearts for Christmas may we look for you in all of the situations of our lives. You are there in the good, hard, stressful, and even in the ICU waiting room. In Jesus name, Amen.
Written by Dawn Whitmore
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