I Will

We can give God the praise by remembering what He has done, rejoicing in Him, and relating to others regarding the works of His hand. Psalm 105 states:

2 Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him; Talk of all His wondrous works!
3 Glory in His holy name; Let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the Lord!
4 Seek the Lord and His strength; Seek His face evermore!
5 Remember His marvelous works which He has done, His wonders, and the judgments of His mouth...

The Bible tells us in Ephesians that He is able to do far more than we can ask or think. We serve a God who delights in showing His love and faithfulness to His people, so that He might be glorified. The challenges we face in our lives are opportunities for God to show Himself faithful - we can trust in His strength, and not our own.  He builds our faith by His Word and gives us hope to face the circumstances we will encounter.

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We will face challenges and impedances in our lives, but we can experience the supernatural strength of the Lord to sustain us through our struggles. Paul wrote in Philippians chapter 3:
12 Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.
13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead,
14 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

You might say that it's a "miracle" that Gary is still alive.  A 40-year old runner and soccer coach who had been in ministry for 12 years thought he had a bad case of the flu in December two years ago, and according to The Epoch Times, it turns out it was worse - much worse.  The article states:

He assumed it was a bad case of the flu, but he had contracted a blood infection. On New Year’s Eve, around 11 p.m., Gary’s body went into life-threatening septic shock. He was airlifted to a hospital in Orlando and placed on life support, where he spent 10 days in a coma.

The next day, he "flatlined." After 8 minutes, a slight pulse was found by those attending to him. He was placed on a machine that routed blood outside his body to give his heart and lungs a break.  

Gary survived, but not without a cost. The article says:

Gary spent 117 days in the hospital, finally being discharged—as a quadruple amputee—in April 2020. Although both his arms below the elbow and both legs below the knee were amputated, doctors were able to save his joints.

But, while his limbs had been taken, Gary's devotion to Christ remained strong.  Gary, whose last name is Miracle, said:

“When you go through something like that, there’s a line drawn in the sand. Am I gonna sit on the couch and throw a pity party?” he said. “Or am I going to choose to live and be alive and live for Christ and be a dad with my kids?”

Four months after coming home, Gary received prosthetics, beginning the process of learning how to do simple tasks again.  Through the help of his wife, Kelly, and their four children, there is a "new normal," as the article says.  And, Gary is coaching soccer again - and running.  

Gary talks openly about his struggles and continues to trust the Lord in the midst of his struggles. As the words of a song by MercyMe suggests, and Gary says, “Say I won’t walk again? I’m gonna fight like crazy to be able to walk, and that was my anthem.”  Actually, literally, that is his anthem, because Gary Miracle's story inspired MercyMe lead singer Bart Millard to write the song, "Say I Won't!"  And, Gary, well, as FoxNews.com reports, was "the first merchandising representative and bus driver for the band 25 years ago."

I believe in miracles, and we serve a God who continues to work in this world in the lives of His people and uses the miraculous to even bring people to Himself.  We can consider what we are trusting God for today.  Are we trusting God beyond our own perception or comprehension? 

Gary Miracle views his God as a big God. Even though there was the perception that He would be totally helpless in life without his limbs, He has continued, in God's strength, to press through. We can allow the enemy to discourage us and keep us trapped in his grip, or we can break through and trust in the greatness of the Lord.