In a Crisis, Whom Can We Lean On?

By Xinzhi

Believing in God, although I often read God’s word, attended meetings and fellowshiped with brothers and sisters, I had little knowledge of God’s almightiness and sovereignty. When my wife encountered a disaster and was on the verge of death, I saw God’s wondrous protection. Not until then did I have some true understanding and knowledge of God’s almightiness and sovereignty.

A Dangerous Scene

On December 20 of 2014, my son could take care of his daughter on his day off, so my wife and I were idle and then we decided to go to our old home to slash branches. After breakfast, my wife and I went back to our old home by motorcycle. After coming back home, I said to my wife, “The days in winter are short. We must hurry or we can’t do much.” As I said, I put a ladder against a tree and climbed up the tree more than five meters high. As I slashed, some branches fell in the way and my wife pulled them aside. At that time, I was absorbed in slashing the branches without looking down. When I slashed a branch as thick as a bowl in diameter, I suddenly heard Leader Shen not far away shout, “Mou Jing, watch out! A branch is falling down.” Listening to the voice, I looked down, only to find my wife had fell down without movement. I was frightened at the sight. Thinking I couldn’t get down at once, I called to him nervously, “Leader, help!” Hearing my urgent yell, he hurried off toward my wife and supported her. He said to me, “Hurry! Get down! Your wife’s nose, mouth and ears are bleeding! She is dying.” Hearing his words, I was more panicked.

Getting down from the tree, I held my wife in my arms. I saw her nose, mouth and ears were bleeding, and I put my hand under her nose but felt no breath from her. Immediately I trembled with fear, and was much more in self-blame. I couldn’t help crying: “Oh, Mou Jing, I hurt you when I slashed the branches. I’m so sorry. What should I do if you die?” In this crisis, I suddenly remembered I was a believer in God. Why didn’t I rely on God? Then, I prayed to God silently in my heart: “Oh, God! All things are held in Your hands, and whether my wife lives or dies is also in Your hands. May You keep my heart so that I can be quiet before You. Amen!” After praying, my heart quieted a little. Over a minute later, my wife’s mouth lifted and she took a long deep sniff. With her eyes closed tightly, she said in a feeble voice: “Cold … I’m cold.” The moment I saw she resumed breathing, my cold heart got warm immediately. I felt so happy and kept thanking God. Someone beside us said, “Now she has breath. Hurry, call the ambulance.” Someone said, “She is hurt so seriously. What’s more, there’s such a big lump of blood on her head (as large as a small size rice-bowl), and her nose, mouth, and ears all have bled. I’m afraid she’s fading.” Then another one said, “Look, Her breath comes back. Save her. Don’t give up.” All the people that came to our yard were busy for my wife: Some called the ambulance, and some proposed ideas. Seeing this scene, I was moved to tears. I knew that God had heard my prayer, and it was He that used the people around us to help us. Therefore, I offered up a grateful prayer to God in my heart again.

In Danger

After a while, an ambulance came. A man doctor, after asking what happened in detail, came to my wife. He turned on his torch, pulled her eyes open to have a look, and then said to me, “Your wife is badly injured, and her pupils are dilated. There’s little chance to save her. What’s your decision?” At that moment, I couldn’t accept his words. I kept thinking: What can I do? What should I do? At this time, I thought that man’s life is entirely in God’s hands. My wife suffered this disaster; anyone couldn’t decide the result, including the doctor. Then I said decisively, “Please endeavor to rescue her.” Two women nurses got out of the ambulance, and the doctor asked them to give my wife a fluid infusion. They took out a stretcher and gingerly lifted her into the ambulance, and then we rushed her to the hospital. Along the way, with her eyes closed tight, my wife kept moaning. Seeing her suffering, I was worried: She is so badly injured. Will she die halfway? The more I thought, the more scared I was. Thus, I continuously prayed to God to give me faith and strength.

After arriving at the hospital, the chief doctor sent my wife to do CT, and about half an hour later, the diagnosis came out. After looking at that, the doctor immediately arranged my wife to the intensive-care unit. Another doctor told me, “Your wife has a severe brain injury. Her intracranial hemorrhage couldn’t be stopped unless she has a brain operation, but this operation involves great risks and it’ll cost hundreds of thousand yuan at least. You’d better start preparing yourself.” Hearing his words, I was more nervous and disheartened, thinking: If my wife has the operation, where do I find this much money? If not, I won’t be able to bear it. How can I watch my wife leave me forever? At that moment, I was extremely miserable and helpless. So I prayed to God once again: “Oh, God! I can only rely on You. May You open up a path for me. Amen!”

The Dawn in Hopelessness

At 3 p.m., I went to I.C.U. to see my wife. Seeing she closed her eyes tight and groaned all the time, I was very heartbroken and couldn’t help shedding tears. I felt extremely helpless then, so I silently prayed to God again: “Oh, God! When I see my wife in great pain, I’m also in anguish. All I can do is rely on You. God, only You have power and authority. I’m willing to entrust You with her.” After praying, I was somewhat calmed. I was willing to obey God’s orchestrations and arrangements, but I was still afraid that my wife would die. Then I remembered God’s words say, “Almighty God is an all-powerful physician!” I was clear that God was guiding me. I believed my wife’s life was in His hands. I dried my eyes, approached my wife and asked her softly, “Do you feel better?” Still with her eyes shut, she said feebly, “My head hurts a lot. What happened to my head?” “It was beaten by a branch. Rely on God.” Keeping her eyes closed, she shed tears and nodded slightly. Considering that she could hear my words, my heart was a little released.

The chief doctor asked me to his office and said, “Your wife has a severe brain injury. In such cases, most of the patients will become vegetables; at best they will suffer brain concussion or become lunatic, or at worst they will die. As to your wife, she has to stay in the ICU for observation for three days and three nights and then we’ll see how things go.” Considering his words, then I thought that it would cost thousands of yuan to stay in the ICU for a day and a night, but how could I afford this? I didn’t know what to do. Then I remembered that all things are in God’s hands. Right! Wasn’t my wife’s life also in God’s hands? At the thought of this, I was much calmer.

Turning the Corner

At 9:30 a.m. the next day, I arrived at the hospital. The chief doctor was going to let my wife undergo another CT scan of the head again. After the diagnosis came out, the doctor told me, “The CT scan confirms that your wife’s intracranial hemorrhage has been reduced and controlled. From the development of her condition, maybe she doesn’t need the brain operation.” When I listened to this amazing news, I was in ineffable joy. I silently offered up a grateful prayer to God in my heart: “Oh, God! It is because of Your marvelous deeds that my wife has improved so quickly. I don’t know how to express my gratitude to You. God, I really thank You. You have kept my wife, and let me see Your great power and see hope.” At this very moment, I couldn’t express my happiness, because I had never thought that for such a severe brain injury, after a day-and-night rescue in the ICU, miraculously my wife should have been better. This was indeed God’s deeds.

On the third day, the doctor said, “Your wife is in a stable condition. Through diagnosis and examination, we are sure that nothing is wrong with her nerves, and whatever we asked, she could answer. Today your wife will be transferred to a general ward to be hospitalized for treatment.” Coming to the general ward, I saw my wife had been there. A nurse said to me, “Your wife suffered such a serious brain injury, but she should have such a rapid improvement. This is the first case I have ever seen. It’s really a marvel.” When hearing her words, I was speechless with joy. After the nurse left, I asked my wife how she felt. She said, “My head is still feeling deadly pain. I can’t open my eyes. Once I open them, I will feel very dizzy as if I am floating in the air.” The next day, at 8:30 a.m., the brain doctors all came to examine my wife. They felt her head and carefully checked the injury. The chief doctor said, “Her brain injury is serious. I thought she would stay in the I.C.U. for several days. But I never thought she could get out of danger in only two days and two nights.” Another doctor also said, “Exactly. In most of such severe cases, the patients can be diagnosed after staying in the I.C.U. at least for a week. But she has obviously been better for only two days and two nights. It’s truly a miracle.” Listening to their words, I clearly knew all this was God’s wondrous deeds, God’s great power, and God’s authority.

Thanking God’s Grace

After staying at the general ward for several days, my wife felt much better and she could talk to others. A nurse said to her unbelievably, “You are the first one who has severe brain injury but recovers so quickly. Generally, this kind of injury will take patients two or three months to restore to such a state when they are hospitalized for treatment.” Hearing her say so, my wife secretly thanked and praised God for His mercy and kindness. The seventh day, my wife thought it was inconvenient in all aspects that she stayed in the large hospital and that the fee was high, so she wanted to be discharged and recuperate at home. I agreed with her. Then at 4 p.m., we checked out and went home. When they saw my wife was discharged from the hospital, my neighbors all were surprised and said to me, “Someone said your wife died in the hospital, some said she became a vegetable, and still some said she would become a lunatic. But we never imagined she could recover so quickly, and she even could walk. What a miracle!” I knew that all this was because of God’s care and protection, and no one had the final say.

One day, I saw God’s words say, “I am your rock, your buttress.” “I am your strong tower, I am your shelter, and I am your backup. Moreover, I am your Almighty One; I am your all!” I had seen these words of God before, but I hadn’t had true knowledge. Only through this experience did I have some realization and understanding of these words. I had clearly and truly seen God’s deeds and authority are present everywhere and at all times, and I had seen His almightiness and sovereignty. God was truly my only Backer, my strong tower, and my shelter. As I mulled over God’s words, I recalled this dangerous experience: When my wife was in danger and hovered between life and death, I was anxious and in great pain, and it was God that showed His authority and power again and again and gave me faith and strength so that I could stand up from weakness; when I felt lost and hopeless, God used His words to enlighten and illustrate me and showed me where to go; when I was in tears, it was God that comforted and encouraged me and wiped my tears. Thinking of these all, I deeply felt guilty and indebted to Him, because in the past when I experienced God’s work, I often considered my own benefit merely, without caring for His will; only in danger did I steadily grasp God. I couldn’t help praying to God, “Oh, God! In this experience, I have seen Your almightiness, faithfulness, and Your wondrous deeds. God, You are the loveliest. My wife and I are willing to closely follow You and perform our duty well to care for Your heart and repay Your love. All the glory and praise be to God! Amen!”