“It will be nearly impossible for you son to ever walk, talk, or eat on his own.” I’ll never forget the day a doctor told me this devastating news.
When you get pregnant, carry your baby for nine months, and deliver your precious cargo, you start dreaming and planning what their life might look like. But as I heard the diagnosis about my precious Nathaniel on that day, all of those hopes seemed to be dashed with one statement.
When Nathaniel was born, we didn’t know anything was medically wrong. All we could measure was: he wasn’t hitting his milestones and was losing weight rapidly, due to a lack of appetite. The doctors we were seeing kept saying he was “fine,” we just needed to switch him to a high calorie formula. But, my mama intuition was telling me otherwise. I started asking God to lead me to get answers because as a mom I sensed something was way off, but I didn’t know what it could be. The Lord led me to drive an hour away from where I lived to the nearest children’s hospital in Los Angeles, Ca.
There the new doctors agreed that something was off and he needed an MRI. When the results came back, they revealed Nathaniel had Cerebral Palsy and was missing parts his brain, because of this it would be nearly impossible for him to walk, talk, or eat.
The doctors let me know that they are required to offer services to special needs children such as therapies, but they thought it would be a waste of time for him. I was devastated, lost, and I felt incapable of being able to raise my child who needed much more than I knew how to give.
After I heard the diagnosis, I had a decision to make, would I take their advice and believe the therapies really wouldn’t help, and assume he’d never walk, talk, or eat? No. Something rose up inside me, and I chose to hold on to hope and fight for my son. I decided I was going to do what was in my reach, while I waited on God for the miraculous. I determined to go through with all the therapies possible, and let God work out the rest. My faith wavered at times during this hard time of waiting. They said it was nearly impossible for Nathaniel to ever walk, talk, or eat, but the Lord kept reminding me how nothing is impossible for Him. I chose to believe Him even above what the doctors said could happen. I chose to believe God is the same yesterday, today, and forever as his Word says. If I truly believed that, then it meant just as he healed people back then, he still heals now, and will continue to be the healer of healers.
I made a choice to trust Him in what I could not control and continued to wait no matter how long it took. I knew it would be worth it in the end and God would be faithful to do the work. I surrendered my son to Him to do as He pleased.
When I surrendered the need to know what Nathaniel’s future would look like God started working. God did a miracle in my son.
My son started walking, talking, and eating solids at three years old and it’s all Glory to God, He did it! Now my son is eight-years-old, a kid full of joy, running around, and eating all he can. His speech is still a bit delayed, but I am still standing, believing, and waiting once more knowing God will do it. Nathaniel will speak clearly and one day it will be him sharing his testimony, pointing others to the healer and bringing hope to those that have lost it.
I want you to know God doesn’t love me or my child more than He loves you. If he did it for my son, He will do it for you, your loved one, or your circumstance. Your breakthrough may not happen overnight, it might take some waiting, but never lose hope. While you wait, wait well, expectant and full of faith for what God will do. It’s faith that unlocks the beginning of the process.
Author / Sigrid Sanchez
Sigrid Sanchezis a wife to Dan, a stay-at-home mom to 2 kids—Aliana and Nathaniel, with one on the way—a podcaster, a prayer warrior, and makes lofi rap songs with her husband. On Sigrid and Dan’s podcast: Live Love Discoverthey teach how to live life to the fullest, love unconditionally, and discover the best of your life. You can find more about her on Instagram: @_sigsan_ & @welivelovediscover
This is a wonderfully encouraging story. We had a similar circumstance with our son and I had the same conviction as you “somethings wrong” When they told me he would likely not “do the things other kids do…ie ride a bike, run, etc” I also determined to fight. We did overcome many of the things doctors said would not happen. We did not overcome all of them however. I caution you to not tie God’s goodness and faithfulness to your son’s healing. Remember that God is good and faithful whether He heals on this earth or not. I’m telling myself that as well. Our son is now 35 and while he still struggles in many areas, God has gifted him with a smile that rarely stops. A sense of humor that makes us laugh every day and a creative bent that is fascinating. I wrote about our journey in my book “I Would Have Said Yes”.
Blessings,
Lisa