Twenty - What's the Big Deal?

#20 

As Charley progressed through his recovery, we discovered that the number 20 would be significant for us. This number began to show up in so many ways that it could only be God.

Charley's accident happened during the 21 Days of Prayer for our church.  I felt certain that God would move and would move early.  How could He not?  There were literally hundreds of people praying earnestly for him to recover.  I know now that God was teaching me to wait on Him and to put all of my trust in Him.  Prayers were lifted for Charley throughout the 21 Days of Prayer.  I followed the messages each morning, but the message on Day 13 was the most significant for me, because the pastor spoke about how we cannot put our trust in man but we have to put our trust in God.  Over the next week I would utter the scripture reference (Zechariah 4:6) again and again as decisions had to be made - a decision to place a trach, a decision to sign a consent for surgery - multiple times.  The worst day was when Charley struggled so terribly with pneumonia.  I whispered, "Not by might or power, but my Spirit, says the Lord Almighty."  I knew the doctors were knowledgeable, but only God could heal, and I begged Him for healing for Charley.

Friday morning, August 22, the 20th day of the 21 Days of Prayer, Charley made his turnaround.  The day before, he had a fever of over 104 and was the sickest he had been.  I think I was more scared that day than I had been on any day.  I was so convinced throughout the 21 Days of Prayer that God was going to move - simply because of the prayer focus at church.  I forgot all about my role.  I had to trust Him and turn everything over to Him.  I had to learn to quit putting my faith in the doctors and put my faith in God.  

On the 20th day in the hospital, Charley was moved from the NICU to Spain Rehab.  The nurses told us that it was rare for patients to move directly from the NICU to rehab without going to a step-down unit.  

On the 20th day in Spain Rehab, Charley was released to go home!  Yes, home!  All of those 20s were huge, but none more than the last one.  See, what you don't know is this, on 8/15, we were told by the neurosurgeon that Charley would never wake up.  He said Charley had suffered a major stroke in his corpus callosum, damaging his brain beyond repair.  He said if he did wake up, he wouldn't be any different than what we were experiencing then.  The doctor went on to tell us that he would never move his right side.  That night was the hardest night ever.  The boys and I went to Dad's house and I spent time alone on Dad's balcony praying, crying, and putting my big girl pants on.  The boys and I decided that whatever cards we were dealt, we could handle it.  The next morning, I walked into Charley's room and he was moving his right side!  I told the nurse to get Dr. Doom (not his real name) in that room because he obviously didn't know the power of my God! 

On the day Charley left the hospital, he walked out, unassisted.  I think one of the things that moved me so much when I read my prayer journal this weekend is that I believed he would walk out.  I voiced that belief in my prayers.  I think God wanted to hear my belief.  He already knew what He was going to do.

Just a couple of extra 20s that are just pretty cool.  The accident was on 8/9/14.  On 8/11/14, our oldest son, Will, celebrated his 20th birthday.  Also, Charley and I were married on June 20th.  Isn't God awesome?