'Little' Miracles

by Julie Bechthold

Have you ever wondered why there are no miracles anymore? I mean the kind we read about in Jesus' time: people returning from the dead or women being cured after years of illness. I used to wonder, before my faith and understanding matured.

Over the last ten years, I've realized that so many people think God is dead because they don't see what He's doing in the world. The truth is, miracles happen every day.

Miracle Conversion

I moved away from home in my mid-teens. By the time I turned nineteen, I had been living on my own for three years. I was a lonely, angry, rebellious young woman. I felt worthless and hopeless. I had been raised off and on in different churches, but had not belonged to one in about six years. I had even been baptized twice, once at age six and again at age twelve.

At work, I met a young man named Gean who went to church every week. If I wanted to consider a serious relationship with him, I had to attend church with him. So I did.

About six months later, I had sunk so low and was so depressed about life that it seemed there was nowhere to turn.

But there was: the Bible Gean had given me as a gift.

One night around eleven o'clock, after hours of pouring over the text, I asked Jesus Christ to forgive my sins. With tears streaming down my cheeks, I got on my knees and dedicated my life to Him.

Peace and immeasurable joy came over me. I felt better than I had ever felt! Peace of mind and soul are still with me - truly a miracle!

Miracle Pregnancy

Later in life, I "accidentally" became pregnant. Four months into the pregnancy, Gean and I learned of another miracle: I was carrying twins! Early labor brought four-and-a-half months of bed rest. Keeping my sanity during this time was in itself a small miracle!

Five months into my pregnancy, we were told that one baby had no bladder or kidneys and would not survive outside the womb. The second baby had too much fluid around her, placing stress on her heart. The physicians were so sure that neither baby would survive, they offered us the option of abortion at nineteen weeks.

Miracle Healing

During this emotionally trying time, I did not get angry with God. I was sad, but in my prayers I asked God to do what He wanted to do. Four weeks later, after our church, our friends, and their church families prayed intensely, another ultrasound test was done. Would you believe there were two kidneys and a bladder in both babies!

The physicians were so stunned, they went in another room to check the video tape that had been taken the first time. Sure enough, it was a miracle! Of course, the medical team said it was just an "unexplained phenomenon."

Miracle Births

Five weeks before their due date, the babies were ready to come into the world. My labor lasted four days; the physicians could not stop it with drugs anymore.

Finally, one little pale baby slithered into the world. She weighed exactly four pounds, but seemed okay. The nurses tried to put her on a ventilator because she was so small. They thought she might need some help breathing, but the baby kept spitting the tube out. She didn't need the ventilator!

Then came another worrisome time. The second baby had room to turn around, since her sister was no longer there. If she turned around, the doctor would have to do an emergency C-section instead of a breech delivery. During these tense moments of not knowing what was going to happen, I prayed.

Fetal monitors were on the baby to make sure she did not become distressed. The strange thing is, the doctor noticed a slow heartbeat sounding on the monitor along with the baby's heartbeat. She checked my heart rate and the connection to the baby, but could not figure out where this other "presence" was coming from. She knew it could not be another baby.

Just then, the baby started to move down and the water broke. The mini-crisis was over; there would be no emergency C-section. The second baby came into the world seventeen minutes after her sister and needed the ventilator a mere twenty-four hours.

Now just after their seventh birthdays, Serina Arianne and Katrina Elyse are healthy and happy. That indeed is a miracle!

Of all the miracles I've shared, let me tell you the real miracle. I have known in my heart that the extra heartbeat the doctors couldn't account for was none other than Jesus protecting my unborn child.

Who says there aren't any miracles these days? I know better!

Julie Bechthold is a member of the Church of God (Seventh Day) in Sacramento, CA. A version of this article appeared in a past issue of the Bible Advocate magazine. For a free subscription, contact us at bibleadvocate@cog7.org

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