By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector
lwilkey@tnbaptist.org
Eight years ago today (Dec. 17, 2012) will forever be etched in my memory. I received a phone call from my wife, Joyce, that our daughter, Joanna, was on the way to the Emergency Room to deliver our first grandson. We knew it was about six weeks too early so we were very concerned as we began the 300-plus mile drive.
When we arrived in Greenville, S.C., our grandson, Elijah David, already had been born, but there were extensive complications. It appeared that our new grandson would not live to see Christmas Day.
The doctors were incredibly negative and kept telling us that even if Eli survived he would be severely impaired. Christmas eight years ago was the hardest we ever experienced. But God is so good and so amazing. Countless prayers were lifted up on behalf of Eli from all over the country. Slowly but surely he began to show improvement. He was in the neonatal intensive care unit for weeks before his Mom and Dad were able to hold him.
Today, Eli is 8 years old and is in the second grade. His multitude of predicted health issues to this point have been minimal. He even spent a week this past summer at “Camp Pappy” in Tennessee. He truly is a miracle.
Eli amazed the doctors and nurses who saw his condition at birth, but it hasn’t amazed us. Nothing is impossible for God. We are so incredibly blessed that He allowed our grandson to recover and be such an important part of our life.
We know Eli, his brother, Parker, and his cousin, Clara, are gifts and blessings from God. For that we are eternally grateful. B&R
