How do you measure when a miracle has taken place? Dave and I have been fortunate to have experienced so many blessings in this journey from so many people, but how will we know when it is THEE one?

On June 4, we were brought to our knees in pure agony and despair as the doctors delivered the news that there was nothing more that they could do to rid ourselves from this ruthless leukemia. I can’t tell you how it feels to have your heart and dreams shattered with those simple words. With compassion and deep sadness in their eyes, they said that it was time to go home to Michigan and be with our family. The CAR T-Cells did not work and the biopsy results recorded disease at 72 percent in the marrow. They could only prepare us for the journey home as quickly and as pain-free as possible.

But how will I really know that this is a miracle? There was no hope in sight. On June 4, still on our knees from the news, we asked Jesus to continue to stay with us and give us strength. I never stopped asking for complete healing and never once questioned why this was happening. Dave’s counts were beyond comprehension, as intense pain is normally coupled with elevated inflammatory markers of this proportion. But there was no pain. We are sure that He was taking care of that for Dave. There is no other way to explain it. That’s when we knew that we were in the middle of a miracle.

How do you measure a miracle? The bone marrow biopsy was performed for one reason, and that was to determine what the next step would be for Dave. Dr. Uberti, from Karmanos, told us that if Dave was in remission, we need to consider a second bone marrow transplant. If leukemia was still present, there was nothing more that could be done. And although we talked about it as little as possible, the wait from Monday’s biopsy until Wednesday afternoon was a quiet, unexplainable, emotional pain. Late Wednesday afternoon, Dr. Uberti called to inform us that Dave is in remission. There were no leukemic cells present in the biopsy and his body is generating good cells.

mir·a·cle – /ˈmirək(ə)l/

Miracles consistently serve to point people to the one true God, ultimately revealed in Jesus Christ. The primary purposes is not to meet human need, although that is an important spinoff blessing.

This is how you measure if a miracle has taken place. When there is no hope, when you have done everything physically and medically possible and when you have faithfully prayed and trusted in God. He answered all of our prayers. Yours. Mine. Dave’s.

How long does a miracle last? I don’t know if miracles work like that. I am far from an expert on miracles. But it is good for now. And as our journey continues, our faith in the Great Healer has only intensified. He is good. He’s still with us, carrying us when we cannot walk, and walking with us when we long to run. That is the measure of a miracle.