Our first grandchild, a beautiful little girl named Heidi, was born to our daughter Rachel and her husband Andrew in January 2014.  Everything about her was perfect, all ten little pink toes.  It had been a very long time since a little one was in our family.  We oohed and awed for days.

 Of course she was checked out from head to toe at the hospital, and we were told that she needed to have her hearing test repeated in three months.  I considered this a formality, and never once gave it another thought.  Three months came quickly and the test was repeated.  The verdict was that she was completely deaf in one ear, and it was severe enough for a four month old to be fitted for a hearing aid.

It was really hard to believe. Exactly how did they know? I could tell that she responded to me especially when I sang to her.  However, as time passed, I became increasingly concerned for her. I had taken several special needs classes in college, and my best friend had a grandchild who was completely deaf.  I knew the signs, symptoms, and behaviors.  The older Heidi became, the stronger the symptoms were. 

      She was extremely smart, and that made it difficult for her.  She wanted to do more than her body (hearing) would allow.  Language/communication became a huge barrier.  She was a very frustrated little baby. 

       Heidi had to be fitted for a new aid every two weeks since her body was growing so rapidly.  The aid was such an aggravation for a growing baby.  Try keeping something in a six-month old baby’s ear!  The ear canal would grow, and the aid would not stay in.  The aid would buzz when it wasn’t in properly and would have to be adjusted.  The picture below is Heidi receiving her first aid.

       While other babies were beginning to say syllables and easy words, Heidi wasn’t.  She would look at you with a puzzled look on her face and try to figure out what you said to her.  She would only attempt to say one out of ten words that you would ask her to repeat.  When she did attempt to repeat a word, it was after she thought about it for a very long time.  At one year and eight months, she only had a vocabulary of about twelve or so words and at least half of them were not very understandable.  For example, if she were to say the word cup, you would hear “cu.”  There was no “p.”   The rest of her words were doubled sounds like ma-ma, no-na, pa-pa, etc.

       My concern grew.  I could see that she was extremely inhibited by her hearing loss.  She wanted to learn but she really couldn’t communicate well at all.  She would try, but she just could not duplicate speech very well. 

       A few months ago, I took her to her hearing aid fitting appointment and learned that we were loosing our audiologist for Dothan.  They did not know how long it would take to fill the position.  It was a bit of a disappointment.  This meant that we would have to take her to Montgomery, which was a two-hour drive.  Not fun for a baby in a car seat.  I also wanted her to begin speech therapy.  I was advised to begin speech therapy with Heidi as soon as possible by an adult who was deaf but could hear via implant aid.

       Heidi loved music from the start.  I put her on the piano bench as soon as she could move her arms.  She loved to bang on the keys.  She noticed that when I played, I would press the keys one at a time, so she quit banging and just played one note at a time also.  This was amazing to me since she was probably about four months old at the time.

        She loved to play the violin her mom would give her.  It saddened my heart to think about what she was really hearing when she tried to make music.  I knew it wasn’t the same sounds that we heard.  Our family is such a musical family, and I did not know if she would really be able to join this part of our world.  It was clear to see her love of both instruments though.

       I could see that the molehill I originally saw was turning into a mountain.  Our entire family had been praying for Heidi’s healing, but all of us began to up the prayers more fervently the older she became.  Many times I anointed her ears, and spoke into the deaf ear, “Heidi, you CAN hear in this ear in Jesus’ name.”  It is my belief and experience that God does indeed heal today.  Healing is not a thing of the past for God, for He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. 

       Just six short weeks ago (October), we had a missionary friend of ours come to the states for a visit.  Pastor Glenn Cunningham from India has been doing a mighty work in India reaching the people for Christ.  While he was here visiting, I invited Glenn and a few friends along with Rachel, Andrew, and Heidi over for dinner.  This night was not just about a dinner to me.  I was expecting!!!  Pastor Glenn had witnessed many miracles of God in India, including the raising of his own son from the dead.  I wanted him to pray for Heidi’s hearing to be restored.

       After dinner we gathered in the living room.  I had “prayer” on the agenda.  Rachel brought Heidi and sat her in Pastor Glenn’s lap.  He anointed her with oil and laid hands on her deaf ear and began to pray.  We were all praying in agreement with him.  After he finished praying for Heidi, he walked over to Rachel and began praying for her.  I took Heidi as she was already restless then gave her to Casi (my other daughter) who took her outside on the porch so that everyone could hear the prayers.   

       After fifteen or twenty minutes, I thought I might need to go check on Casi.  Heidi was quite a handful and got bored very easily.  When I slipped out to the porch, I asked Casi how they were doing.  Casi said, “Mom, she can hear!”  I got behind Heidi as I had done many times before and whispered in her deaf ear.  She immediately turned her face up towards me.  I knew in my heart right then that she was healed.  I kept asking her to say words, and she would repeat everything that I asked her to say.  I wanted to run into the living room and tell everyone, but they were still praying.  Pastor Glenn was praying for Andrew now.  So, Heidi and I said more words and did all kinds of “hearing checks.”

       After a few more minutes, I could not contain myself.  I had to go inside and announce the news.  Everyone in the room was giving Heidi words to say.  She knew that she was the show and that she had ALL of the attention.  My friend, Susan asked her to say Jesus.  All of the syllables came out perfectly!  She had never said a “J” sound in her life nor could she do S’s.  After she said Jesus, we were super amazed and began talking and not exactly paying attention to her.  Heidi had walked over by the couch and picked up the bottle of anointing oil.  Rachel saw her and said, “Someone get that from her!  She can open it.”  At that point Heidi walked over to Rachel and handed the bottle of oil to her and said, “Opened it.”

       Two words and three syllables at one time!  And such clarity!!  We had never heard this from Heidi before at all.  The next few days, she did not quit talking (this was good and bad for her mom J).  After two or three weeks she was saying complete sentences.  

       Vocals weren’t her only change.  She has been a different child completely.  Her frustration is gone, and she is much happier.  She stayed with me a couple of days ago.  She was so easy and manageable. She literally repeated every word I said, even when I did not intend for her to repeat.  I wanted to call her Parrot.  Her brain is like a sponge that can’t soak up fast enough. She is learning things so fast now… repeating alphabet letters, numbers, colors, and shapes.  I am still amazed at the changes in her in just six short weeks. 

 Heidi listening to head phones

       Heidi’s life has changed forever.  It has been re-shaped by one prayer, one miracle, and one touch from God.  I can only imagine the struggles that she would have had to face in life without her hearing restored.  I know that her life is going to be very full and prosperous in all ways. 

       Do you need a miracle in your life?  My God still heals, saves, restores, rescues, meets needs and He never tires or runs empty.

       King David said in Psalm 71:17-19, “O God, You have taught me from my youth; And to this day I declare your wondrous works.  Now also when I am old and gray headed, O God, do not forsake me, until I declare Your strength to the generation, your power to everyone who is to come.  Also Your righteousness, O God is very high, you who have done great things; O God, who is like You?”

       God has done GREAT things and there is no one like Him!

       We are incredibly thankful not only for this miracle for Heidi, but for all of the blessings in our lives.  I hope that as you spend quality time with family and friends and enjoy good food this Thanksgiving, you are mindful of all God’s bounty to you.  Take the time to think about all of the good things that God has done in your life.  

I hope you have an incredibly blessed Thanksgiving Weekend!

Please share this story.  I know there is many who need hope in their life.