Today's Favorite Verse: Hebrews 11:1

Today's favorite verse: Hebrews 11:1

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."

This whole chapter continues on giving miraculous example after another of the power of faith. The faith of Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham and Sara his wife, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, kingdoms subdued and promises kept. It was a beautiful journey of remembrances of the evidence of faith in God. 

Then I sat and pondered on my life. What evidence have I see of faith? Then I recalled a conversation I had last night after scripture reading. We discussed the news of the day, and how they relate to signs of the times. My son was speaking of recent deaths by plague in nearby states and Legionnaires' disease in New York City. We know there is prophesy of coming plagues. Then we discussed how we thought the reports of Ebola would be one of them, devastating as it was in West Africa, it really did not have an impact on the whole world. I reflected that I have mixed feelings on this prophesy. I know its coming, in a way I want to see it, a fascination and excitement to see another prophesy fulfilled, but then I don't want to because I know it will be real. I then asked my son what would you do if the plagues that are prophesied were finally here, and millions were dying all around you? What if you got the plague? What would you do?

His answer was to pray to God to take him. Then I spoke of having the faith to be healed, and the power of Priesthood blessings. How blessed our home was to have two priesthood holders in it. We are told to stand in holy places, and our home is a holy place. During epidemics people stay in their homes, and our home would be blessed. These are part of the miracles that will happen in our days. If you are meant to die it would be God's will regardless. But, if you are meant to live you need the faith to be healed. We marveled on how something great and terrible will bring blessings on God's people.

As I read this chapter I again reflected on faith that brings miracles. On the greatest miracle I ever witnessed in my life. It was with this same son when he was but a little child. He had started to dig holes in our backyard in Massachusetts. Early one morning he went out before he was dressed. I opened the back door to call him in only to witness him drive a shovel through his bare big toe. The horror of the scene. His toe was almost severed off. It had gone right through the toe nail and was hanging by the skin in the back. The panic that came over me, a million thoughts flooded my brain. My husband was not home. He was out looking for work, these were the days before cell phones. I had no idea where he was and he had our only car. I couldn't call an ambulance we had no insurance. All the priesthood holders I knew were at work. There was no one to call.

I prayed as I carried my injured son into the bathroom. I was directed by the spirit on how to care for his wound. I cleaned it and tightly wrapped it. I laid him on our couch and elevated his foot. Telling him not to move. He was only four years old and crying he simply asked me for a blessing. How do you tell your injured son you can't have one because daddy is not home. I took my son in my arms and prayed my soul out to my Heavenly Father. I plead that He be mindful that my husband had the priesthood and if he were here he would bless our son. I told my Father what I knew my husband would have said if he had been there to bless him.

For the rest of the morning and afternoon I struggled to keep my son down on the couch with his foot elevated. He wasn't in pain and wanted to get up and play. I watched for the bandage to become blood soaked but it never did. It was relief when my husband finally walked through the door. I told him of the accident  and finally dared to unwrap the bandage so we could decide on what to do. As I looked at his toe I could not believe what I was seeing. It was healed, even the toe nail and toe nails do not heal. There was a faint white line across the nail and two little scratches on either side on the skin. Enough of an evidence to show some accident had happen a while ago. I was amazed at the power of God. 

I knew my son was blessed through the power of the priesthood once again upon the earth. He was mindful of the blessing my husband would have given my son. I knew then that even a women alone, without the priesthood in her home, is blessed because the priesthood is on the earth. All we needed to do is remind the Lord of his promised blessings in humble prayer. I shake my head at women that complain that they do not have the priesthood. They simply don't understand the whole matter of the thing. Faith is all that is needed to proceed the miracle.

Day 133 Tami Fitzgerald Harris