Reece Gardner: Does God still answer our prayers?

So, does God still answer our prayers?

Tiffany Gilliam believes so. She tells about how, seven years ago, her husband, Shane, a construction contractor and volunteer youth minister at Osage Baptist Church in Osage, Ark., called and said their little boy, Braedyn, had been in a wreck and was in terrible shape. When she asked him if Braedyn would be OK, he was too choked up to answer, which was alarming.

She said that she immediately began praying, and continued to do so as she was rushed to the hospital.

Here is how, in her own words, she described what happened next: "When I arrived at the hospital my husband was crying in a way I had never seen a man cry. He didn't want me to see Braedyn. When I did, it was terrible. His head was severely injured, and blood was coming from his eyes, nose, and mouth. His pelvis appeared to be crushed and he had internal bleeding. 

"Our doctor told us the prognosis looked 'very grave' and that Braedyn might not make the flight to a big hospital in Springfield, Mo. I couldn't stand the thought of placing my young son on a helicopter by himself. The pilot, on seeing my concern, asked if I would like to ride with them, which is not usually allowed.

"I held onto my little boy's arm and fervently prayed during the whole flight that God would see fit to heal him. I fully trusted God to take care of my baby boy. 

"When we landed everything was fast-paced. I was placed in a little room by myself. After an eternity - actually only about 40 minutes - the doctor came into the room. He seemed to be in shock. All the X-rays and tests had been done, and my little boy didn't have a broken bone in his body! 

"He was bruised up rather badly, but the doctor said, 'I can't explain what happened. I thought I was going to be telling you that there was nothing I could do, but instead I get to tell you that you are very lucky.' But I knew that we had been BLESSED and that God had saved our little boy. 

"Two weeks later when we went for a check-up, our family doctor cried and hugged Braedyn and said, 'I never thought I'd see this little guy again." 

Tiffany paused, and then said, "Braedyn is our little miracle boy!" 

The truth is, we are all regularly visited by miracles.

Let me share this with you: A 24-year-old boy seeing out from the train window, shouted, "Look, Dad, the trees are beautiful and tall." His dad smiled, and a young couple sitting nearby looked at the 24-year-old's childish behavior with pity.

Suddenly, the boy exclaimed, "Dad, look, those beautiful clouds are forming all kinds of formations!" 

The couple couldn't resist any longer, and said to the old man, "Why don't you take your son to a good doctor?" 

The old man smiled and said, "I did, and we are just now coming from the hospital. My son was blind from birth. He just got his eyes this morning!" 

Have a truly BLESSED day!