SS 3 “Seeing Double”

In the last chapter, I shared about my brother, Damian, who is still living today after being healed from an incurable form of Leukemia. Shortly afterward, I heard that Damian and his middle (saved) son heard of a Promise Keepers rally and invited both his other two sons to attend it with them. During the rally, both of my nephews felt called to walk down—almost before they called them down (I heard)— after seeing the amazing transformations of their dad and brother!

With Damian and three nephews now Christians, I thought it was only natural that my sister-in-law, Esther, would be saved next. I was wrong. Due to her strong devotion to her Catholic upbringing (my family, as you know from Chapter 1, were raised Catholic, and Damian even went to Notre Dame). Yet, Esther felt all of this would be betraying her faith. Having been there myself, I knew how she felt, and any more cajoling or coaxing and certainly confronting her would cause Esther to dig in her heels even stronger to remain "Catholic." What's beautiful is that "nothing," and that also means "no one" is impossible when God steps in as He says here, "With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible" (Matthew 19:26). And before moving on, I don't believe it matters what church you belong to—as long as you have a relationship with the Lord, as your Savior.

Again, I knew I needed to say nothing to her, and when Damian (a new, on-fire Christian) and I would speak on the phone, I’d encourage him to simply love her in an "understanding way." I am not sure how much he refrained from prodding her or if he tried to convince her of her need for a Savior; nevertheless, I did watch how my loving Husband moved on her behalf! Not surprisingly, He used a crisis.

While traveling, I was surprised to keep finding myself flying through LAX, "Los Angeles Airport," close to where Damian and Esther lived in Orange County, California. Sometimes, there were only a few hours between flights, but I’d love it when both would let me know that they'd love to meet my plane, even if it was just to have dinner in an airport restaurant.

This happened soon after Esther was diagnosed with a brain tumor. We heard that it was an extremely delicate surgery, and so we all prayed it would be successfully removed, and in doing so, the doctor would not hit the optic nerve as feared could happen. Well, he did hit the nerve. As warned, Esther came out of surgery "seeing double." She was also told upfront that should this happen, it would NEVER improve. The double vision would be permanent.

Double vision meant that Esther couldn’t walk unaided. She would ultimately lean and fall over or walk off to the left of where she wanted to go. So when she walked any distance (outside her home), she needed Damian’s arm to help guide her.

Yet, this was part of His plan. When we met up, each time at the airport, Esther would ask me to pray before our meal. I knew that He was up to something because, being Catholic, we always said “Grace,” a memorized prayer, not like the way I prayed when I simply spoke to the Lord and/or God. And, of course, I always prayed specifically for the Lord to heal her double vision. One day, after I'd passed through and had prayed for her, she called me to say it wasn't her imagination as her doctor, family, and friends said—she was sure she was seeing better! 

So again, a month later, while traveling through LAX, we met for dinner, and she asked that I pray. Again, a few days later, I got a call that she was sure she was seeing even better! Which, as I said, the doctors said would be impossible. "But He said, 'The things that are impossible with people are possible WITH GOD'" (Luke 18:27).

Shortly after, early one morning during my alone time with the Lord, I thought to ask Him about her healing. That’s when He said, “Once she sees ME as the only way to heaven, not relying on her ‘works’ Esther believes she has to earn because of what she has learned from being of the Catholic faith, she will be completely healed.” Wow, it made so much sense, and I became convinced she would be completely healed. I became even more excited to watch Him finish what I knew He had begun and fully understood why He allowed her to have a brain tumor only shortly after recovering from breast cancer and double mastectomy.

After this conversation with the Lord, I surprisingly stopped flying through LAX, and I honestly don’t remember how long it was before I got the phone call I'd been excitedly believing I would hear. Esther was actually driving a car again!! She said she was fully healed of her double vision—leaving the doctors baffled and one claiming it had to be a miracle—there was no other explanation for it!

Though Esther never came right out and made any profound statement like Damian or my nephews had about becoming a believer, she stopped attending mass and began attending the Christian church with her husband, Damian, and was so changed that there was no need for me or anyone to ask. I’ve since visited them, and she speaks of the Lord as readily and often as I do. Soon after she came to know Him personally and knew He was the ONE and the only way to reach heaven (even here on earth), I heard her own daughter-in-law, my nephew's wife, was also saved, who I know was also raised Catholic. The same goes for all three of her daughters-in-law. All became Christians, but only after and so quickly after, the matriarch of their family came to know Him! Soon after, I heard that all Esther's siblings are now on-fire believers, and every one of them is raising their children to know and experience Him and His miraculous ways!

Remember, again, what God says, “Believe and you will be saved, you and your entire household.’” (Acts 16:31). And, “Ye are our epistles written in our hearts, known and read of all men.”

“You are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by all people.” (2 Corinthians 3:2).

*Again, this means "witnessing" isn't an excuse for confrontation. Instead, it means your life is an epistle or an open book everyone reads. Everyone "witnesses" how you live your life. I hope and pray it is the Abundant Life you are living!!

Epistles in Greek is Epistello, which means to send one a message and write instructions. Our lives should be sending a message to know how to live in peace and joy, “smiling at the future” because of who we are living with today and Who we will be spending our future with!

My family has witnessed my life and how He’s written it so beautifully. Lots of valleys along with mountaintop experiences because that's life. True, there's no question that I have been asked to go through many different "various trials" (find out more by reading A Wise Woman, Chapter 10 "Various Trials") because that's what most Believers are called to do. Yet, I am able to remain at peace due to His love and having Him as my forever Friend. What about you?

As I also said, I have never confronted anyone (family, friend, or stranger) but have had a front-row seat to watch Him save while I stood next to Him in awe! So again, I urge you to stop worrying or trying to get your family “saved” and get excited— BELIEVE this promise is for your family!

“Believe and you will be saved, you and your entire household.’” (Acts 16:31).

And remember, it’s nothing WE do but what He has done!!

“Do not fear! Stand by and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today..." (Exodus 14:13).

You need not fight in this battle; station yourselves, stand and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf . . . Do not fear or be dismayed . . . the Lord is with you” (2 Chronicles 20:17).

FINALLY, remember you do NOT need to get anyone to participate in some set "ritual" or "recipe" to be saved. Read how He said, "Look to Me and be Saved " and "Turn to Me and be saved" (Isaiah 45: 22).