God’s Timing – Day 30

Today is the big day. Carly is being released from Intermountain Medical Center today. She has progressed far enough to now participate in out-patient rehab. It’s hard not to reflect back on the last 30 days. It was only 30 days ago that an accident, which seemed to only need stitches, turned out to be a major, life-threatening ordeal. I can remember teasing the doctor who was going to sew up the cut on Carly’s leg about how there couldn’t be a scar. He said, “Well, scars have stories.” Little did anyone know how significant this story would be!

What a God story this is. The use of technology and social networking had thousands praying for Carly within minutes. God heard the prayers and did a major miracle, all in his perfect timing. When Carly was life-flighted from Cedar City to Salt Lake City, there was a very good chance that she would not make it. When she was admitted to the Trauma ICU, we were told she could be there for several weeks, even months. God’s timing was just seven days, and she was awake and walking within five. God appointed just the right people at the right time to provide the perfect care for Carly. Each one of the doctors, nurses, and therapists who have worked with Carly in the last thirty days have become very special to us. All of them have been totally amazing, not only in medical skills but in compassion, love and the respect with which they cared for Carly. Intermountain Medical Center is the most amazing place.

After being in the ICU Shock/Trauma unit, Carly moved to the Neuro recovery floor, where we were told she would spend anywhere from several days to several weeks gaining the strength needed to enter the inpatient rehab program. In God’s awesome timing, she was only there for 22 hours before they moved her to the inpatient Rehab floor! No doubt only God can work so fast. By now, everyone that comes into contact with Carly acknowledges God’s miracle and his timing.

Have you ever thought much about God’s timing? It’s easy to get focused on God’s will and forget the importance of His timing. Often it means being very patient to understand his plan when our prayers are not immediately answered. Pastor Chuck Smith says that “If God answered all of our prayers how we wanted and when we wanted, the world would certainly be a messed up place.” I have worked in ministry for the past sixteen years, and have seen many answered prayers and miracles. No doubt the miracle delivered to Carly and the Mimstribe has been the most amazing experience ever. His perfect timing in answering prayer, providing care and providing for the family has all been so evident.

I am so proud of every member of the Mimstribe. Katie immediately flew from Los Angeles to Salt Lake City. She jumped right in, organizing, paying extreme attention to details and helping with Carly’s care. Her take-charge approach helped tremendously at a time when everyone was being stretched. Tripp drove Abi, Noah and myself (Carl) from Cedar City to Salt Lake City as soon as Carly’s life-flight took off from the Cedar City airport. No doubt it was the longest drive of our lives. Tripp and his girlfriend, Thy, helped with a lot of logistical issues, taking Abi and Noah back-to-school shopping and taking care of everything in Cedar City. Noah and Abi have worked hard to make very quick adjustments to such major changes, leaving new friends, adjusting to a new home and starting new schools with only a weeks notice. Janie has been the rock. What can you say about an awesome, Godly woman and Mom? Watching her jump into action was amazing.

Act 1 of this God story is now complete. Carly’s miracle has been amazing. Her hard work and determination in rehab have been unbelievable. Everyone has been blessed. The Mimstribe has many amazing memories of individuals who have touched our lives providing care for Carly and the family. We have been blessed with new friends who have gone out of their way to connect with us in a new community. Blessed with new friends who have taken us into their home to live. Blessed and touched by family and friends who have reached out, prayed, supported and been there for us. The emotions for us have been extreme in every direction for the past thirty days. I only wish everyone could experience the closeness of God in their lives the way that we have. I hope everyone realizes how quickly life can change; how important we all are to each other.

Today Act 2 begins, and there are many unknowns. What we do know is that God has answered the prayers of many, and his timing is perfect. We can only watch the rest of the God story unfold, and be aware of his goodness. No doubt we still need the prayers of all those who have prayed for the last thirty days. Major changes in every aspect of our lives have taken place in the last thirty days, and are continuing to take place. Many adjustments will be required of all of us in the coming thirty days. Carly has made amazing progress. We spent the last few days mirroring Carly in rehab, and realize the extreme work she has ahead of her. The simplest tasks that we do daily require a huge effort for her. We have seen progress greatly slow down, and are told that the next phase can be very long and slow, yet we know it will be in God’s timing. We will miss the 24-hour support we have had from the Intermountain Medical Center team in caring for Carly. Yet we look forward to the new relationships we will make with those who will be assisting Carly in out-patient rehab, and look forward to going back to visit with all of those who have touched our lives in the past thirty days.

In your prayer time for Carly, thank God for an amazing miracle, for the unbelievable blessings of Intermountain Medical Center, their staff and the blessings and prayers of friends and family. Pray for Carly’s adjustment to new surroundings, for the many details that are yet to be discovered in that transition, for the adjustments Abi and Noah have to make to help care for Carly, and for Carly to quickly get started in out-patient rehab.

-Carl

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