Throughout the year, we present an article in the bulletin each week on a variety of topics, written by a member of our Parish staff or ministries on a rotating basis.
From the Coordinator of Religious Education
by Gwen Heithaus, Coordinator of Religious Education
Letting someone know that we are praying for them is one of the best things to do to help in a situation where we aren’t sure how to help. There have been several points in my life when I have had friends and loved ones let me know that they were praying for me. Whenever I heard someone tell me they were praying for me I would smile and give a sincere thank you, grateful that someone was thinking of me. However, it didn’t have any sort of long-term impact on me.
This past June, I gave birth to my daughter in a different state after becoming severely ill with preeclampsia. During our time in the hospital, I would hear from my parents and my in-laws about all of the people back home who were praying for us. My husband and I knew that our families and our communities were taking time to bring us and our daughter to God in prayer. At that time, we were unsure of how or when our daughter would be born, and then after her birth, when we would be able to leave the NICU. Given that this was our first child, neither of us knew how to handle what we were going through other than to bring our needs to God in prayer and trust that he would care for us. As always, God provided for us in abundance.
When I checked into the hospital in Sturgeon Bay, WI, my blood pressure was 192/110. We were told that our daughter would need to be born as soon as possible and were transferred via ambulance to St. Vincent’s Hospital in Green Bay, WI so that she would be able to go to the NICU after birth. The doctors were confident that, at 34 weeks, she wouldn’t be born with many complications, but no one was able to tell us when we might be able to leave. Some members of our care team said one week, others said six, but no one knew for sure.
I believe that it is solely through the power of the prayers offered on our behalf that our daughter, Miriam, was delivered safely, that I was able to recover well after my c-section, and that she learned how to eat quickly enough that we were able to take her home after 10 days in the NICU. When people hear the story of how my daughter was born, they are often alarmed and assume that it was a negative experience for us. While I admit that it wasn’t ideal, it is clear to me looking back on those days in June just how much the hand of God was at work. Never underestimate the power of your prayers – those you offer for yourself and those you offer for others. Please never hesitate to let someone else know that you are praying for them.