He had just taken his morning medication when Brother, age 4 1/2, said those words.

"Mom, I want God to heal me."

For nearly four years Brother has had epilepsy.  Until his last seizure in November, it was not something that we really talked about with him.  He didn't even know he was sick previously because he was so young when it all began.  Then, about the age we would have discussed it with him, he had been seizure-free for so long that he was taken off his medication.  Seven months later he had a seizure and needed to return the medication.  (He had just turn four and the previous seven months he was off his medication since he had been seizure-free for so long.)



It was not until this seizure, the emergency room visit, follow-up doctor appointments, and twice daily medication that he began to understand that he was sick, but not in a way he could feel.  This was confusing for my four year old.  His medicine prevented him from being sick, but he did not really understand the need for it.

The words he said that morning were words I was thankful to NOT hear for so long.  I remember thinking when Big Sister was in the hospital at the tender age of 17 days, fighting for her life, I was thankful she would not remember the breathing tubes and (internal) heart tests and later at home vomiting medication and the stress of it all.  A few years later when Brother had his three-hour seizure, I was grateful that he would not remember the horrible hospital stay that followed.  For years, I was aware that my kids had special needs-but they had no idea.  I liked it that way.

When we read to children the stories of healing in the Bible (not because they are/were sick but to read the full word of God), they will also want that miraculous touch of God's hand on themselves or their loved one.  As we teach them, we must believe that nothing is beyond God (while still sensitive to the possible answer of wait or no) because the children will believe!

Brother's words have prompted in me a new resolve to pray for my son.  I continually thanked God for Brother's health and that he is seizure-free, but it is not often enough that I ask God to take this epilepsy from my son.  And that is a prayer worth praying.  
~ Annette {This Simple Mom}