DO YOU BELIEVE IN MIRACLES?
I am a MIRACLE. The God of the universe has touched my life in
ways that can only be counted as miraculous. But the fact that I am
made in His image, He loves me and He saved a wretch like me - that’s the biggest miracle of all.
I want to share with you my personal MIRACLE testimony to bring
glory to my Heavenly Father and inspire you to see the Hand of
God in your life as well. I want you to know that YOU are a MIRACLE!
“Do not pray for easy lives, pray to be stronger
men. Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers,
pray for powers equal to your tasks. Then the
doing of your work shall be no miracle but YOU
shall be a miracle.” -Bishop Phillips Brooks
THE ACCIDENT (December 26, 2022)
It was a beautiful but brutally cold day. I was excited that my family was coming
up to celebrate Christmas together and I was heading to the store to pick up the
mounds of groceries I needed. My husband got called in early to work so I figured
I should get my errands done early too. I grabbed the letters that needed to go in
the mailbox and starter the drive to the end of our driveway. As I was driving, I noticed a work van parked in the middle of the main road, just sitting there. While wondering what he
was doing, I parked in front of the mailboxes and got out to go around my van and
drop the letters in the box. Coming back around, the work van was starting to
slowly back up towards me. I figured he was going to ask me a question so rather
than get back in my van, I stood beside it. As he continued to back up I realized
that his trajectory was angled toward me rather than beside me. I began to wave
and yell but apparently he didn’t see or hear me and just kept coming back. When his van made contact with my body, I was yelling and banging on the windows, but the van
just kept on rolling. I was crushed between the two vans and rolled down
the entire side of the van and dropped on the ground behind my vehicle.
FIRST MIRACLE
I hadn't been pinned between the vehicles. It would’ve been the END OF MY STORY.
I heard and felt the bones breaking and knew it was bad. Laying on the ground, all I could do was scream in pain and cry out to Jesus. I had to tell the man to call for help and to turn off my van and get me my phone. I called my husband to tell him I’d been hurt and he immediately came to the scene. I was being loaded into the ambulance just as he was arriving. First stop, the local hospital for evaluation. I was then transferred to the larger hospital an hour away for surgery and care. X-rays revealed that my pelvis was broken in
half in the back and crushed in the front. My right leg was dangling with nothing
to hold it in the socket.
SECOND MIRACLE
I had no other injuries besides the pelvis.
The surgeon informed my husband that surgery would take approximately 4 ½
hours if everything went well. The plan was to place a metal rod through the back and 2 screws with a stabilizer bar across the front.
THIRD MIRACLE
The surgery went so well that it only took 2 ½ hours!
When the surgeon went to push the pelvis apart, all the bones fell exactly into place and the stabilizer was successfully attached.
ANOTHER MIRACLE
The surgeon found that I had a “birth defect” in my pelvic bone.
Apparently my lower lumbar tried to fuse with my pelvic bone when I was forming in my mother’s womb and that made it thicker. The very thing he complained about that was making it hard for him to get the screw through, was what would give a greater bone mass that would make my pelvis heal stronger in the long run. How’s that for evidence for an all-knowing God? He knew 50 years later I would need that strength and support.
"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations." Jeremiah 1:5
The Recovery
I spent 3 more days in the hospital before I was transferred to a rehab center near
my home for further care. On New Year’s Day, my family came to the rehab
center to see me and celebrate a little Christmas. To keep friends and family up
to date with my progress, I would occasionally post a picture or word on
Facebook. I tried to keep my posts encouraging rather than focusing on pain or
struggle. Each day felt like a miracle as I pushed myself to get stronger and reach milestones of recovery.
By January 16, I was able to get up, transfer to a wheelchair and walk with a walker. I continued to work hard and with lots of answers to prayers, was able to go home.
On February 8, I checked out of the rehab center for the last time. That was the best feeling I had in a very long time. Two days later the stabilizer bar was removed and I could slowly begin to start expanding my movement capabilities. I was able to quit using addictive pain
medicine almost immediately upon returning home and only needed
over-the-counter pain medication. I continued with in-home rehab visits and online. I got a
membership to the YMCA to try some of the equipment and swimming pool. I
was told by my surgeon that it would take 8 months to a year for full recovery but
that it was possible that it could take up to 3 years or maybe never have a full
recovery.
ANOTHER MIRACLE
By May, just 5 months after the accident, I was walking without aid.
With the warm summer weather, I was quite content to just get on the walking
trail and even try out a little biking. To date, I am almost 100% healed. I still deal
with numbness and discomfort in my right foot from the nerve damage but I trust
that one day will also be healed.
SOCIAL MEDIA UPDATES
Even though my posts were generally uplifting and positive, I was going through a
lot emotionally. Every day had its own struggles but it was the Presence of God
that kept me going. Reading His Word, standing on the promises, praying and listening to worship music all gave me strength and lifted my spirit. It was very
hard to be completely dependent on others for everything. There were many
times during the nights, between the pain and discomfort and not being able to
move positions on my own, that I would just cry to the nurse. I knew I needed to
shift position but I didn’t know how to be moved in a way that would allow me to
have sleep. I hated calling on the nurse for help and then not being able to
express what I even needed. I’m thankful to them for being so patient with me
and doing their best with my emotional mess. Once I progressed enough on my
mobility, I got the clearance to leave the rehab center with my husband on his
days off. He would take me home to spend the day and then bring me back to
the center in the evening. That was the best and worst emotional roller coaster. I
felt such peace being in my home and then I would cry every time I had to go
back to the center. It has taken years to not have a strange heavy, sinking feeling
just driving past the rehab center. It is strange how the emotional stress can hide
inside and we aren’t even aware of it. A year after the accident, I was walking with
my shopping cart back to my vehicle and a vehicle started to back up when I was
directly behind it. It triggered a panic attack that I had to sit in my vehicle and
pray and breathe through. It surprised me that those emotions were still there.
I’m so thankful that there is no wound that my Jesus can’t heal.
“In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried out to my God; He heard my voice from His temple, and my cry came before Him, even to His ears.” Psalm 18:6
God HEARD me. He heard ME. Flashback to the moment I found my
first life verse. I realized He wasn’t just “up there” in the heavens. He
was down here with me. The God of the universe heard this teenage girl’s cries! I was overwhelmed by His loving Presence. I repented of my
sins and rebellion and asked Him to help me. I didn’t know where to go
from there but I knew I couldn’t go back. I wish I could say I was
dramatically changed but it was only the beginning of my journey. One
of many course corrections and “aha” moments that will forever shape
me. This same God that visited me in my bedroom at 17 is the same
Jesus who visited me in a hospital room at 50. He never changes.
Never forsakes. Always loves.
THE WHY
I never asked God why this happened to me. I only asked that it could
somehow be used for His Glory or it would’ve never been worth the
pain. It was almost a year later that it was revealed to me through the
mouth of a prophet on another continent that I have never met. She posted a vision and word from the Lord that He had given her and it spoke to me. It read in part:
A WORD TO THE WEARY KINGDOM BUILDERS
"Building has felt so hard and at times the ground seemed as if it would never break through…but I had to harden you to difficulty…I had to put STEEL RODS IN YOUR BACKS to keep you standing and sharp STAKES IN YOUR FEET so you could dig your heels in deeper when the enemy came to steal your inheritance…so that when My Glory falls in the days ahead My Glory will find a resting place that has the capacity to carry the weight of My Glory that will invade the nations…do not be discouraged…for I have chosen my Nehemiahs for this hour and they shall build according to My plumb-line and they shall become a habitation for My Glory!”
So that was well worth the wait! I don’t pretend to understand everything fully
but I trust that all will be revealed as He wills. I trust my future to my God who
loves me. I hope to live in such a way that I honor Him and all that He has done
for me.
A POST AFTER A FEW WEEKS BEING HOME
What’s Next?
You and I were created for more!
I heard someone say, “if you think following Jesus is boring, you’re doing it wrong.”
Let us sail out and step into all that God has for us. Following Jesus is a mighty adventure
filled with excitement & awe, difficulties & danger. There is a glorious ending to my story, your story. Live it to the fullest - do what you were made for…
Pull up the anchor
Lift the sails
Catch the Wind (of Holy Spirit)!
This was my first painting I did during recovery. I call it “The Invitation."
It feels like the Lord is inviting me home.
Someday I’ll walk through the doors and onto the shores of Heaven - but not just
yet…
WILL YOU FOLLOW JESUS TOO?
Say this prayer:
Jesus, I admit that I am a sinner in need of a saviour.
I believe that you are the Son of God, that you came to Earth
as fully human and fully God, lived a sinless life and died
on the cross taking the punishment for my sins.
I believe you rose from the dead on the third day and are seated
with God the Father.
I ask you to come into my life, change my heart, save me from my sins and make me new.
Be Lord of my life. Amen.
Next steps:
Find & attend a church that teaches the full Bible
Read the Bible daily (I suggest starting with John)
Pray (talk to Jesus)
THANK YOU
THANK YOU to my Mom (and Dad), who sacrificed over a month of her
life to live with us so that I could recover at home.
THANK YOU to my husband for always making me feel loved and never a burden as you
selflessly took care of me.
THANK YOU to my Aunt & Uncle who took our pups in for a month while I was in rehab.
THANK YOU to all those who lifted me up in prayer through this time in my life, I thank you. Your prayers were heard. Your prayers made a difference.
THANK YOU to all who sent cards/messages, gifts, and stopped by to visit. Your encouragement was uplifting and put wind under my wings.
I LOVE YOU ALL!
SHARE & FOLLOW
Tracey Dixon
Email : b.living.sacrifice@gmail.com
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