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You are a miracle to somebody!
Be The Miracle Contest

- Honorable Mentions -

My Dad is my miracle. Four years ago, my Mother had a severe stroke. The stroke left her paralyzed on her left side and took her singing voice.

My Dad has never left her and he still calls her his bride. They will be married 50 years in May.

We had to put my Mother in a nursing home because of the constant care she needs. But, my Dad takes her home on Tuesday nights and take her back to the nursing home on Thursday mornings. Then, he takes her home on Saturday nights so she can go to church on Sunday. My Dad visits my Mom four times a day when she is not at home.

Not only does he take care of my Mom, he has helped me and my husband through a very difficult year. I had surgery on my neck and it took us back financially. He helped us with that.

The nurses at the nursing home can't believe that my Dad is so caring and loving to my Mom. He is a retired Assemblies of God Minister and, at almost the age of 70, he umpires girl's fastpitch softball and referees high school basketball.

Two years ago, my Dad took my Mom to Florida so that she could attend her Dad's funeral. My Mom's family were very surprised. But I wasn't.

My Dad brought us up in a Christian home and I wouldn't change my upbringing one bit.

Ruth Estes
Malvern, AR

"When a wounded soul needs a little hope, be the miracle!"

My grandmother is 85 years old and she just lost her home. Where she is going to live is yet to be worked out but through this and my entire life my grandma has been a miracle to me.

She is a retired school cook and used to buy lunches for any one who didn't have money to eat; all they had to do was ask and they knew they would get a 'Yes' - never a 'No'.

My grandfather was a coal miner and truck driver and didn't make much money. Yet, they opened their home to people of the neighborhood for years as a place to live and even took families on vacations to Canada without charging them a dime.

When I had troubles as a child - and even now - she always found a way to look at the positive side of my situation.

And just recently, after losing her home, she moved almost the entire church to tears when, as my friend Jim sang the song The Anchor Holds, she bowed her head into her Kleenex and raised her hand.

She's amazing and there is so much more about her that 500 words just won't cover it.

Our whole lives, as a family, have revolved around the church because she pointed us all to Jesus.

Rob Rhodes
Mineral Ridge, OH

"When a wounded soul needs a little hope, be the miracle!"

Mercy + faith + loving arms + heart of grace
+ tender, compassionate eyes = Roberta Wallace!

As the youngest of her nine children, I thought I was special to her but, as the days went by, I realized that she treats everyone this good, as if they belong to her. Although each day is filled with caring for my father, her door is always open. No walls of complacency found there! 'Free Lunch' is the welcome sign in her living room. She has hundreds of friends, many 'old' ones, whom she has located and contacted through the Internet.

This letter reveals a little of her wit. It might bore you for a moment but, please, read on... (FYI, her beloved homeland is Arkansas.)

"Bessie died three years ago. Her ashes are buried between Mother and Daddy at Los Palomas Cemetery... which I wouldn't want to be. Mother and Daddy fought a lot when above ground and I doubt that they have improved greatly. As to us, we are the most pathetic dregs of society. Sometimes, I think I have been to my beloved homeland the last time. Other times, I think surely I can go again when the leaves are pretty. Harold's mental health is a drawback to travel. I would have to be quite demented myself to start out with him, although he has somewhat accepted the idea that I am the driver. I tell him that he frightened me for 60 years as he was the driver and now it is my turn to get even.
Fondly,
Roberta"

Let me tell you about how she deals so miraculously with my father, Harold, who is suffering with Alzheimer's Disease (and other health problems, as well). Once, he was poking her with his cane while she was trying to take a phone call. She told him to go put the pizza in the oven. Soon, she smelled the pizza... and smoke, and found that he had put the pizza in the oven upside down! She described it as a sight none should see. I'm certain she smiled at him as she scolded him (and cleaned up the melted cheese).

Since he lost his voice box to cancer, he writes notes to Mom, saying he's going to NM to marry her sister. He would have never said that when in his right mind. Here's one more example of why she is a miracle of miracles:

"I went to the grocery store before returning home from the doctor. When I pulled into the garage, I tooted the horn for Harold to help unload. He came out the side door and gave me a laugh. He was wearing two belts, one about ten inches above the one that was in the loops. He doesn't want to get off without any of his wardrobe when he goes to get married. He has all his hats and two boxes of clothes, the nebulizer and suction machine in the car.

It's ok.
Much love,
Moma"

Thanks,
Eva Wallace Wilson

"When a wounded soul needs a little hope, be the miracle!"

My miracle worker is my very good friend, Sue. She has been such an incredible encourager for my faith.

Almost ten years ago, my friend lost her youngest daughter in a car accident. I will never forget that night as long as I live. We were all there to support and cry with the family and, even in her grief, she was able to say, "God is still good." It was a faith shaker for me.

For the last several years, she and her husband have been foster parents to something like 25 children. Currently, they have eight children under the age of seven in their home; three of which they have adopted and they are in the adoption process for three more. My good friend has been the arms and legs of Christ to all of these children and many of their mothers, as well. Because of the path that Christ has taken them on, they have been able to witness to many people.

My friend could have become distraught to the point of bitterness. Her daughters have all grown up, she could have lived her life for herself and done whatever she wanted. Instead, she chose to 'Be the Miracle' to all these children, teaching and pointing them to Christ, loving the 'unlovely' and praising God for the opportunity and privilege of doing so.

Carrie Cannon
Marysville, WA

"When a wounded soul needs a little hope, be the miracle!"

My Miracle was hand picked from God - it's my Mom. She will turn 80 on March 17th. NEVER, and I mean NEVER has she failed to do something for someone else every day. I learned at a very early age that no matter the finances, with God's help, you can give something. Maybe a freshly baked cake, a smile, a kind word but, most of all, the prayers she sends to Heaven all day and all night.

My elderly neighbor called me around midnight last July thinking he was having a heart attack. I ran across the yard (VERY DUMB), tripped on my newly-mowed grass, lost my balance - hit my wonderful edging job and bounced on the sidewalk. I broke my hip! Who was there to help? You guessed it: Momma. She's one of a kind, the Hummer of a Mother!

Sherry Fisher

"When a wounded soul needs a little hope, be the miracle!"

My miracle is named Wes Weatherly.

I was raised by my mother without the privilege of a father. I was in Girl Scouts from an early age. We had what they called 'Father Daughter date night'.

Since I did not have a Father, they screened men from the community to be substitute fathers for the evening. I had the awesome BLESSING of having Wes assigned to me. We had a super time and he ended up being my 'date' for the remainder of the years I was in Girl Scouts.

I am now 40 years old and I have been able to keep on touch with him for all of these years. He is a true Miracle because he has not only been a positive role model to me but ALL of my family members, as well.

When my mom got very ill one night when I was in high school, I couldn't think of anyone to call. At that time, our area did not have the 911 system. It was 3 a.m. and I called Wes. I was very scared. Wes came over right away and helped me to call an ambulance. He went to the hospital with us and then made sure that someone would be taking care of my brother and me.

Wes has continued to be a Blessing and Miracle for us. I truly thank God for him.

Sylvia

"When a wounded soul needs a little hope, be the miracle!"

When I saw the Be The Miracle contest e-mail, I knew I had to write about my friend, Jean Lewis. She has been such a miracle, not only in my life, but in the life of our church, the Locust Valley Bible Church (LVBC), in Middletown, MD.

Jean was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer many years ago. When I began attending LVBC and first met her, she was already limping due to multiple surgeries and treatments on her legs. I would go to the Ladies' Aid meetings and there she'd be with her sunny disposition spilling joy all over the place. Before long, she'd have us all crackin' jokes that made you hurt all over from laughing so hard.

It was my special relationship with Jean that got me into lots of hot water though. After our LVBC fellowship dinners, Jean would grab a chair and dishtowel while I would stand over hot sudsy water and wash the dishes in our church kitchen. For someone as sick and hurting as she was, she could certainly dry dishes faster than anyone I knew! I worked up a sweat trying to keep up with her - and I never could catch up. She'd always be sitting there waiting for more to dry. I just couldn't figure it out. We would laugh, talk, fellowship and, sometimes, sing over those dirty dishes. What great fun we had - all precious memories.

Then came the time when the cancer spread and she became more and more bedridden. No more Jean to wash dishes with me. Surgery, radiation, surgery, long hospital stays, more surgery, more radiation - lots and lots of prayer. We almost lost her several times but God intervened.

Last year, one of her big strappin' boys gave her a set of twin grandbabies. She wasn't going to miss that! Despite being bedridden and still suffering from surgeries, radiation, surgery, long hospital stays, she keeps her same sweet spirit.

The ladies of our church have taken the Lewis family meals for several years now and each of us agree that we come away blessed rather than being a blessing. The fact that she is still with us - and smiling! - is truly a miracle.

Annie Rogers
Frederick, MD

"When a wounded soul needs a little hope, be the miracle!"

I would like to nominate my dad as my miracle. His name is Harry Burt.

First of all, he was a junior deacon for over 20 years; apparently it took him a while to 'get it'.

My dad had his first heart attack when he was 47 years old. They told us at that time that the heart disease was so bad that we would be lucky if he lasted five years. He had a second heart attack at the age of 64. That time, they told us that we would be lucky if he lasted two years. He has had a total of nine heart bypasses and can still outwalk me. He eats fried potatoes and onions for supper every Sunday evening after church.

He is now 71 years old and still an active deacon in his church. He regularly rode a riding lawnmower to his church about two miles away from his home once or twice week to cut the church's four to five acres of grass. He has been robbed, propositioned by ladies on the street and he still continued his duties (against his children's wishes). He was always ministering to the people who came to the church for hand-outs, trying to help them get on their feet by paying them (out of his own funds) for working at the church.

My parents were married 50 years and eight days before my mother got to go Home to be with Jesus. Besides having four teenagers of their own, they also took in two additional teenagers for a total of six teenagers in the house at one time (five were girls) with only one bathroom. My dad never complained about our 'bathroom beauty' time and would often stop on the way to church on Sundays to pick up a pair of pantyhose that one of us needed. He was and still is the best.

He has now moved in with one of my sisters and is very active in their deacon ministry and is a regular stuperviser (our version of superviser) with their trustee. His current goal is working on winning one of his neighbors to Christ. What a wonderful goal.

Dorothy Myers
Independence, MO

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