Breakthrough Movie...Is There a Purpose?

My church family and I watched the new movie, Breakthough this evening.  I always tell people that I refuse to watch sad movies because I'm an empathetic crier.  I can go to a funeral for someone I don't even know, but if I hear one sniffle or see one person crying, I'm lost.  So as I watched this movie and saw the mother crying over her child that had been declared dead, I almost lost it.  I'm talking ugly crying- snot, lots of tears, and sobs.  I held it together, but I cried for another reason.  Many of you know that my family has been on quite the journey for the last couple of years.  My daughter struggled through epilepsy.  At one point, as she was life-flighted to Children's Hospital, the staff at the small hospital treating the initial seizure didn't think she would survive the flight.  I don't want to give any spoilers for the movie, but watching the mother's fear and grief brought back very real feelings.  I remember the ride in the ambulance to the small hospital.  I remember the front desk asking me to fill out paperwork as I overheard the doctor's calling for respiratory for intubation knowing that it was for my daughter.  I remember all staff running into her room and those in the waiting room turning to look at me with pity in their eyes.  I remember them taking me out of the waiting room and putting me in a room alone while I knew my daughter was fighting for her life, but not knowing if she was succeeding.  I remember feeling death creeping in and not knowing what to do other than pray.  I remember texting a friend who began to bind death and declare life over my daughter.  I remember the acceptance that I serve a real God who would make this horrible situation into something amazing.  I remember spending the night in the ICU with monitors beeping, the breathing machine pumping oxygen, and the murmurs of the ICU nurses as she rested in her medically-induced coma.  I remember them weaning her off the drugs and waiting to see if there would be lasting damage from the seizure that had lasted more than 45 minutes.  I also marveled in the miracle of her being released the day after being life-flighted on full intubation with no signs of further damage.  Now this journey wasn't as instant as this young man in the movie.  Last  year took us further on the journey of excellent doctors, brain surgery, part of her brain being removed, and her being seizure-free now for a year.  The doctors originally said that she would be on seizure medicine for her whole life.  Now, they are weaning her off of her medicines.  Is her journey over?  No!  There may be hardships, but just as in the miracles in the movie, the same God has a purpose for all He allows or does.  I don't understand it all, but the same God that saved my daughter, will take care of my daughter.  The mother made an important statement.  You are loved, and you have a purpose.  If we thought this life was all there was, then God would seem really mean to allow some to live and some to die.  But if we really believe that God has a purpose and keeps His promise, then we know this life is not the end.  It is only a small step before an eternity in Heaven with Him for those who believe in Him.  So some may have their purpose fulfilled earlier and some later in life, but we all are here until God calls us home.  For those who have lost loved ones, I want to say that I am sorry for your loss, but not as much as God hurts to see you hurting.  But this life is not the end.  An old Amy Grant song said it best, "In a little while we'll be with our Father can't you see Him smile.  In a little while we'll be home forever, in a while."  This life is hard, but we serve a God who loves you and wants to be with you until you step across this world and into your new life into His arms.

Have a great week high-heeled warriors!