Finding Strength in Him Through Prayer, by Julie Rigby

Editor’s Reading Note: The last two articles taught us about the power of prayer to close distances and bring feelings of unity to those who are geographically far away from one another. The current article focuses on the power of prayer to meet us in our moment of crisis when it seems like time has stopped for us while the rest of the world continues on. Contemplate with the author our tremendous need to rely on prayer and to maintain a constant relationship with our Heavenly Father. How does he bless and strengthen us in our times of need? What can we learn from this story about His love for us and about His desire to help us grow?

Shouldn’t the world stop? Don’t they know what has happened to me?

This is a line from the Book Tuesdays with Morrie. Morrie, the main character thinks this immediately after leaving the hospital where he had just been diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s disease. Shouldn’t the world stop? Don’t they know what has happened to me? Like Morrie, I felt this question creep into my mind just 9 months ago, in a moment when my life changed forever.

I had woken up the morning of May 7th with I am sure every emotion possible, but mostly just excitement. Today was going to be the day that I was going to meet my second son. Today was going to be the day my pregnancy ended. Today was going to be a good day.

The surgery went well–no, actually it went great! Corbin was here! While I was getting sewn back up I listened to the amazing sound of my new baby’s cry. I listened to the nurses telling me how adorable he was, and how healthy he was. And then I was told I would be taken to a recovery room, where my new baby would shortly be joining me. He never came.

Shortly after his birth, Corbin began struggling to breathe. It was discovered that he had fluid in his lungs, and a pneumothorax, which in simple terms is a collapsed lung. We stayed a few days at the hospital he was delivered at, but eventually they couldn’t give him the care he needed and he was air lifted to a better hospital. The next 10 days he spent in their NICU.

Days had gone by and I still hadn’t held my baby. In fact stimulation was more than he could handle, so he was placed in a temperature-controlled pod which was covered with blankets to prevent light from getting in. So not only could I not hold him, I couldn’t even look at him. Occasionally if he was doing well the nurses would come in and lift the blanket. I was then, allowed to rest my hand on him and talk lightly.

Shouldn’t the world stop? Don’t they know what has happened to me, to my son, to my family? I learned very quickly that day that the world doesn’t stop and I think I can go as far as even saying that the world doesn’t even care. But you know what? I didn’t care about the world either. I had favorite TV shows that I never even thought about watching. The piles of books I had planned to read while recovering sat unopened. Facebook, blogs, news websites, things that just days earlier it seemed I couldn’t go without checking were never logged onto.

For strength during this time, I didn’t turn to the world. I turned to my scriptures, I turned to the Ensign, I turned to my family, I turned to prayer, and most importantly, I turned to my Heavenly Father.

As we realized just how bad our son was doing, we knew we needed to turn to the Priesthood and give him a blessing. I said a silent prayer in my heart asking our Heavenly Father who we should call to help my husband administer the blessing. Immediately the name of a man in our ward, whom we barely knew came to mind. We didn’t hesitate to call, and he didn’t hesitate to come. After the blessing this man whispered in my ear, “He is going to be ok, I know it.” Peace overcame me. Up until this point no one had told us that; in fact, no one had given us any words of encouragement. I immediately knew why this man’s name had come to my mind.

I felt so much relief and comfort from the words I heard the night before, that I woke up the next morning almost expecting to hear the news that Corbin had miraculously healed. What I actually heard was more the opposite. He was doing worse, much worse, and was soon going to be moved to that better hospital. Again, Heavenly Father was with me, and my family, and immediate peace was felt with this decision.

When we got to the new hospital, Corbin really started to crash. My husband and I were asked to leave the room while they inserted a chest tube and put him on a ventilator. Sitting in the parents’ lounge just waiting for the doctors to come get us was the absolute worst moment of my life. We sat, cried, and prayed and prayed and prayed that our little boy would be ok. What seemed like and eternity, but I am sure was just a short time later, the nurse came in to inform us Corbin was now stable and we could come back. As I sat by his bedside I couldn’t help but then feel that same comfort from Heavenly Father again. My thoughts turned to the prayers my husband and I had offered in a little parents lounge and to the prayers offered in the homes and hearts of our family members and friends.

Prayer is real. Prayer is powerful, and prayer is something we can never forget. Because just as quickly as I learned that the world doesn’t stop or care, I learned that our Heavenly Father does stop, and our Heavenly Father does care. The world was not going to give me strength to get through this trying time. The world was not going to answer my prayers, the world was not going to be there to listen as I poured out my heart. The world doesn’t stop.

Heavenly Father did give me strength, Heavenly Father did answer my prayers, Heavenly Father did listen as I poured out my heart. Heavenly Father was there for me. Heavenly Father did stop for me. The world will drop us in an instant and keep on turning, but because of His love we don’t have to be alone. We have a Father in Heaven who when everything falls apart and when everyone leaves our side, is there waiting for us with open arms.

Keep his spirit close to you during the good times, so it is easily felt during the hard. Make more time in your day for the important things, for the things that really matter, and for the things that will be around when nothing else is.

The world will not stop for you, but the Lord will.

~~~

I am a stay at home mom to two adorable boys and the wife of one amazing man! I am from Utah, went to school at BYU, and now live in Arizona while my husband attends graduate school. I love life and all of the adventures it brings, and feel there is so much to learn just from our own experiences!