04.25.14

You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You. - Isaiah 26:3 NKJV.

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. - Philippians 4:6-7 NKJV.

Early in my ministry while I was at a children’s camp with a large group of kids I found myself in the middle of a nightmare. It was the last night of the camp with a special feature of groups of children hiding out with a sponsor while other sponsors attempted to find them. The last group to be found would be the winner. I was not a fan of this, but the children did enjoy it. Some of our children hid in a small room and it triggered a seizure in a girl named Meagan. She had never had a seizure before, but she had one then. Camp leaders quickly located me and since the camp is in an isolated area about 17 miles to the closest hospital it was determined to send her in my vehicle along with a nurse. 

During the entire trip, Meagan kept having seizures and I kept thinking the entire time that she might die before we made it to the hospital. I had seen others have seizures in the past and what Meagan was going through seemed far worse. I had thoughts going through my mind that she could die. I could imagine having to call her parents and trying to tell them that their daughter had died at a children’s camp. Even after we arrived at the hospital it was an hour or more before we were finally told that Meagan was going to be okay. Of course, by then I had already been in contact with the child’s parents and they were on their way to the hospital.

It is easy to talk about the peace of God and how we can pray and have God’s peace. It is another thing altogether to actually experience it. The entire trip from the camp to the hospital I was praying for God’s help. God did help us. He kept Meagan from dying and the last I heard she has grown up and is married. God also gave me peace in the midst of a nightmare, an assurance that He was with us. God brought healing to Meagan, held me together, and protected us while we were on our way to the hospital. As far as I know, Meagan had never had a seizure before, and she has not had one since that night.

It doesn’t matter what you are going through or how bad it is, God can help. No matter how bad a nightmare it may be, if we will put our focus on our God if we will seek His help; He will give us peace. He will hold us together, even though we may feel like we are falling apart. In the midst of a nightmare, God can give us peace which “surpasses all understanding.”