On Thursday of this past week, I received a joyous text message from Cheryl Barlow. Cheryl – a longtime member of BPC – has been spending a lot of time at the hospital over the past month because her son, Jackson, was in a horrific motorcycle accident. After several weeks in the ICU and multiple surgeries, Jackson was transferred to the Rehab Hospital, where he began physical and occupational therapy.
On Thursday, Jackson was discharged from the hospital and was able to go home. Thanks be to God!
When I spoke with Cheryl, she said that Jackson was napping in a real bed and that he is able to walk, unassisted, for short distances, can safely transfer in and out of the shower, and can go up and down stairs confidently. He will still have in-home PT and OT for months as he recovers – continuing to help him heal.
Cheryl told me that Jackson’s doctors don’t often use the word “miraculous,” but they have been using that word a lot in Jackson’s case. To be clear, Jackson still has a long way to go in his recovery, but things could have been far – far, far, far – worse.
I admit that I am sometimes hesitant to use the word “miracle” even though I know we are surrounded by miracles – small and great – every moment of our lives. Our very existence is a miracle. But I am mindful of when people will pray for a miracle, and they don’t get the miracle they long for. There is also the question of why some people recover, and others do not. It’s not that God loves or cares for any one person any less than another person. It’s just that injuries and illnesses are different from person to person and that there is a whole lot of mystery that we just can’t explain – even though we might try.
For me, I would like to hope that it is enough to simply be thankful for the moments in which God’s grace can be seen – whether there is a miraculous healing or not. In Jackson’s case, I am so thankful for the moments of grace seen thus far in his amazing recovery, and I hope and pray for more and more grace in the coming days, weeks, months, and years. I hope that his recovery – whether we call it a miracle or not – is a blessing to him and the world.
I invite you to say a prayer of thanksgiving for Jackson and a prayer of hope and healing for him, too – along with continuing to pray for all who are in need of God’s wholeness and healing.
See you in church!
Grace and Peace,
John
Prepare for Worship
This Week: “A House, United (Do Not Lose Heart)”
- Read Psalm 138
- Read Psalm 130
- Read Mark 3:20-35
- Read 2 Corinthians 4:13-5:1
- Read or sing Hymn # 3 – “Womb of Life and Source of Being”