40 Days of Now: Day 15, Sam's Story

(This post is part of a series. If you'd like to know what it's all about, go here.)

Almost nine years ago, God blessed us with Sam. He has been my joy, my firstborn, my sweet, tender-hearted, funny boy. This past Easter, an endocrinologist diagnosed him with a very rare syndrome that makes growing a difficult task. We were faced with a decision: try growth hormone or leave things as they are? So, we prayed and felt a peace about pursuing growth hormone.

If you have read my personal healing story, then you know that to protect the innocent, I named my neurologist Dr. Nice. Let's call Sam's endocrinologist Dr. Smart, so that I don't have to type out endocrinologist again and also because that guy is super smart. He knows his stuff. Dr. Smart informed us that growth hormone is astronomically expensive, so we would certainly need our insurance to cover it.

We have been denied. This syndrome is rare enough that it is not written into the policy. They want more tests. More proof. More sticking and poking and prodding. And so we wait. But in the meantime, we've been talking to Sam and praying. We told Sam that God can use the growth hormone to help him, but that He certainly doesn't need it. God can do anything. Sam believes that. And we long to believe it like children who haven't been tainted by intellectualism. 

God has given us peace and encouragement during this waiting time. The Bible says about Samuel the prophet, that he grew in stature and in favor with the Lord and with men. And in the New Testament, the boy Jesus also grew in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and men. I have told God that what He did for Samuel and for His own Son, I long for Him to do for my Sam. I've had such peace in my heart that He is doing that very thing. 

We had a three month follow-up with Dr. Smart today. His medical intern, Miss Gentle, came in the room and examined Sam beforehand. Noticing his Star Wars shirt, she asked him who his favorite superhero is. He scrunched up his face for a minute and then said, "Um...Jesus!" I looked at him and realized in that moment, that I love all 41 pounds of that kid more than I could ever say.  

When Dr. Smart came in and wanted to re-measure Sam, I knew something strange was happening. Dr. Smart, not his nurse, measured and re-measured Sam with a puzzled expression. You see, Sam has grown 2 cm. in just 3 months! This, according to Dr. Smart is unaccountable, impossible, and just couldn't be right. There must be some explanation! "Well," I said, trying to shed some light, "we have been praying for Sam to grow." But Dr. Smart wanted me to know that while he doesn't want to discount the power of prayer, this kind of growth is beyond normal. Yeah. That's God for you. He's way beyond normal.

We are still in waiting as far as our insurance goes, but this has been a happy day. We are perfectly content to let God do whatever He wants with our boy, because really, Sam is not our boy. He is God's.

Jesus, I saw you today in the face of Dr. Smart. Confounded is what he was. And that's what You do. You confound the wise. And I saw You today in the happy face of my boy. You are His favorite superhero! We can't wait to see what heroic deeds You do next. ~R

But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty.

(1 Cor. 1:27 KJV)

Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible."

(Matthew 19:26)