God answered my prayer for a miracle
Real life miracle stories: Dawn Schneider was sick when she felt God’s nudge to say a prayer for a miracle. She didn’t think about how to pray for a miracle, or whether God would heal her son, she simply prayed. Read this powerful story on how God answers prayers for healing and miracles today.
Dawn’s story was included in our book, “Faith Storytellers.”
Dawn Schneider often prays for her son with special needs. During a vacation at Okoboji Lutheran Bible, she felt the nudge to pray for healing once again.
By Dawn Schneider
It was finally time. Our favorite week of the year — family camp! We looked forward to attending Okoboji Lutheran Bible camp in Iowa every year for our family vacation, and this year was no exception.
Our son Cory has special needs, which makes it too cumbersome and difficult to stay in a hotel. Our vacation options were limited to visiting family or friends until we heard about family camp.
At camp, we made and hung out with friends, and we had awesome counselors who loved our special needs kids and their families.
This year, we were excited that camp fell on Cory’s birthday, specifically the “free day” at the nearby amusement park. But the night before, Cory started vomiting.
My heart sank. Typically his vomiting doesn’t stop on its own. He becomes severely constipated, needs to go to the ER, and is often admitted to the hospital. I braced myself for a long night.
After several bouts of vomiting, Cory said he wanted to sleep with me. This is unusual because Dad is always his “go-to.” Mike is so much better with medical issues. I get too caught up in what’s happening to focus on Cory, but Mike zeros in on him, sings to him, plays with him, and finds creative ways to distract him.
For some reason, this time, Cory wanted me. I was delighted yet perplexed.
As we lay down, hoping to go back to sleep, I had this overwhelming urge to pray for a miracle; to ask God to heal Cory. I felt a stronger sense that God absolutely could heal prayer and would answer my prayer.
Dawn’s son Cory has brought many blessings to her life, including witnessing real life miracle stories.
How to pray for a miracle
I never thought about the best way to pray, or how to pray for a miracle for my son, I just let my prayer come from my heart. I placed my hand on Cory’s tummy and started my prayer to Jesus by having a conversation with God:
Dear God. I know you can heal Cory. As you know, tomorrow is
his birthday, and he is looking forward to celebrating with his camp and church friends, but I trust you. If someone at the hospital needs to meet Cory and be blessed by him, I surrender that to you.”
Just like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego knew you could save them from the fiery furnace, I know you can heal Cory. Even if you don’t, I will trust you, worship you, and share your awesomeness with others.
But if you do heal Cory, I will share with the entire camp what
you have done.
Cory had been sick like this many times before and many more times since, but I had never felt the confidence like I felt that night.
I knew God could heal Cory. In scripture, it says you must only have a mustard seed of faith to move mountains. Well, I didn’t have a mustard seed of doubt God could heal Cory!
I was full of the Holy Spirit. There was no room for me, my doubt, or my thoughts. Nothing could detract from my belief and the blessing of such confidence.
As we lay there, Cory settled in, and his breathing moved into the beautiful, calming rhythm of sleep. I watched him and soaked in God’s peace. I also drifted off.
When we woke up, I realized Cory’s vomiting had stopped when I started praying. God had reached down, touched Cory, and healed him. God answered my prayer and we got a great night’s sleep.
“Oh my goodness,” I thought. “This really happened!”
It was the only time his vomiting ended without medicine or medical intervention. God heard my prayer for a miracle and he granted it.
The sunset is reflected on a cross at Okoboji Lutheran Bible Camp in Iowa, where Dawn’s prayer for a miracle was heard.
Sharing real life miracle stories
I dreaded the next part, which was keeping my end of the bargain. I knew God wanted me to share the real life miracle I experienced.
My husband and two sons love to be onstage, but not me. I love watching them, but I have never been a fan of the spotlight.
In addition, I know I can talk about God without crying, and I can talk about Cory without crying, but if I have to talk about both of them, I am a hot mess.
I approached our camp’s pastor and told him I needed a couple of minutes to share with the camp how I prayed for a miracle, and how God answered my prayer. It wasn’t pretty, but God got the glory.
Our family has experienced many real life miracle stories. I don’t know why God blessed our family with this and other miracles, yet I am so thankful we have. God answered my prayer at camp and so many others.
Doctors said Cory was never supposed to talk, but at the age of 5 ½ he and God decided it was time. His first full sentence was, “I’m happy today.”
Cory also had a heart condition, and the best the doctors said we could ever hope for was a plateau. But it got better and better until there was no evidence anything was wrong with his heart. I can’t explain how or why God healed Cory’s heart, but he did.
Some miracles were immediate, as it was at family camp. Others took years of prayers before we saw God’s healing power.
I am a witness to God’s miracles, and therefore, I want to witness and share our real life miracle stories. I want to tell others how my prayer for a miracle was heard by the God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
Just like Jesus healed people in the Bible, Jesus still heal people today.
Dawn Schneider works as an executive assistant and enjoys leading Bible study, praying, and spending time with family and friends. She lives in Waukee, Iowa, with her husband, Mike, and they have two grown sons. As a mother of a son with special needs, she’s passionate about sharing with other parents the blessings and joy of having a child with special needs. Connect with her at dawnmschneider.com.