On February 1, 2024, around 12:00 am, I rushed my 7-year-old daughter to the ER, thinking she just had a severe case of the flu. But the reality was far worse—every organ in her body had already shut down except for her heart and brain, and her heart was fading fast. Pneumonia had taken over her lungs, and her right one had collapsed. Asymptomatic strep and influenza B had triggered sepsis, causing her organs to shrivel. The next few hours were a blur as doctors and nurses surrounded her bed in the PICU, desperately trying to save her life. I just stood there, wanting to step back to not be in the way, feeling completely helpless. They kept telling me to hold her hand, to let her know I was there. They knew she was dying. The fear that gripped me was unlike anything I had ever felt. It became clear that there was little hope she would make it out of the hospital alive. I was about to lose my sweet girl, and there was absolutely nothing I
could do to stop it. It’s every parent’s worst nightmare, and I was living it.

“Fear thou not, for I am with thee: be not dismayed, for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee, yea I will help thee, yea I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.” Isaiah 41:10

      You never really understand true strength until you’ve been at your weakest. You don’t fully grasp what comfort is until you’ve experienced deep fear and discouragement. It’s in those hardest moments that you come to know who God really is. You don’t search for the light when the sun is shining. It’s in our darkest moments, that the light is so much more comforting to us. In moments like this, when everything feels beyond our control, the sovereignty of God becomes a powerful truth to hold onto. Even amid overwhelming fear and helplessness, we can trust that God is still in control. As Isaiah 55:8-9 reminds us,

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

      Though we may not understand why things happen, we can take comfort in knowing that God’s plans are always higher and that He works all things for good (Romans 8:28), even in the most painful situations. What my husband and I didn’t realize while we were walking through this trial, was that God was at work in a great and mighty way in the hearts of his people. The community that surrounded us was provoked to prayer 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We had no idea how our testimony would be a beacon of light to not only the PICU staff but the entire hospital. Our extended stay would have never been our choice. Our daughter’s suffering would never have been how we chose to understand God better. What we did know, is that we could trust Him, His plan, and His ways. We knew that God could heal our daughter, but we didn’t know if he would. We had to remind ourselves what we already knew about God from his word. We had to constantly go back to scripture and stay grounded in truth!

4 Things I had to remember when walking through this trial:

1. God’s Presence in Our Deepest Pain
Even when it feels like we’re drowning in sorrow, God is present. He promises to never leave us,
even in our darkest moments. Psalm 34:18 reminds us, “The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.” In the midst of watching my daughter suffer, I learned that God is not distant—He is right there with us, giving strength when we feel weakest.

2. Trusting God’s Sovereign Plan
It’s hard to trust God when things don’t make sense, but His ways are higher than ours. Romans 8:28 gives us the assurance that “all things work together for good to them that love God.” We couldn’t see it at the time, but through this painful experience, God was working in the hearts of those around us. His plan often unfolds in ways we would never choose, but we can trust that He is always in control and that His purposes are good.

3. The Power of Prayer and Community
God uses His people to support us in times of trial. The constant prayers of our community were a tangible reminder of God’s love and provision. James 5:16 says, “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” We may never fully understand the impact of our testimony or how prayer changes things, but this experience showed us that God moves through His people in powerful ways when we are at our most vulnerable.

4. Staying Grounded in God’s Word
When life shakes us to the core, the only firm foundation is God’s Word. Throughout our journey, we clung to scripture for comfort and strength, reminding ourselves of who God is and what He promises. Isaiah 40:8 declares, “The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.” In times of uncertainty, scripture gave us the truth to stand on when everything else felt like it was crumbling around us. Do not wait for the trial to get into God’s Word. Ground yourself in His word daily, so that when the trial comes, the truth from his word will already be the foundation.

We praise God for answering the prayers of His people and performing an absolute miracle in Briana’s life. God fully restored her health in a way that only He could. She moved quickly through rehab, follow-up appointments, and various therapies. Each doctor echoed the same sentiment: “She’s just too healthy and strong for us to need to see her anymore!” Only God could do that. He is good, He is faithful, and He can be trusted. To truly rest in that, you must understand His character and Who He is.