Facing Adversity

God’s grace prevails through the deepest of losses

On a bright Sunday morning, Nicole, our normally active, happy, three-year-old, awoke unable to walk. It also hurt her to be touched. My wife and I took her to the emergency room, where medical staff found nothing wrong.

At a follow-up visit the next day with our pediatrician, he reviewed Nicole’s blood test, discussed a long list of possible diagnoses and then sent us to Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis. There we hoped to uncover what was wrong with our little girl.

We spent the whole day at Riley waiting, testing, waiting and testing. Finally, the doctor told us Nicole had leukemia. My wife and I were in shock. The next two weeks our daughter remained in the hospital undergoing daily tests and treatment. My wife stayed with her while I traveled back and forth between work and the hospital. Life passed in a fog. We tried to understand everything that was happening to Nicole and also manage the effects on our family.

At the end of that two weeks in the hospital, I needed to help my sister move. I planned to see Nicole later that day. We were about finished when hospital staff called, asking me to come immediately. Upon my arrival, I raced to Nicole’s room, missing my wife who waited for me at the opposite end of the floor. As I entered the room, 10 doctors and nurses worked to bring Nicole’s tiny body back to life. They yelled for me to get out. “But she’s my daughter! What’s going on?” I asked. Nicole spent the next three days in a coma before giving in to the effects of a stroke she experienced that Saturday morning.

Losing Nicole was the worst moment of our lives. We had many questions: Could we have caused this in some way? Was it environmental? Was this judgment for sins of our past or present? So many questions of doubt.

We felt despair, hopelessness, emptiness, yet we experienced some peace and comfort. It truly felt like God was holding us in His loving arms, carrying us through this nightmare.

Looking back, my wife and I see how God carried us through those weeks of sickness and pain. He used our family, friends and church family to minister to us in so many amazing ways. They cared for our son who was 18 months at the time. They took us to dinner, getting us briefly away from the hospital, allowing us to process what was happening. They mowed our yard, picked up our mail and, most importantly, prayed with us and for us. How amazing God’s grace in this difficult time of adversity. God revealed to us clearly that He truly loves and cares for His children.

We pray that whatever adversity you are facing, you too will experience the same peace and grace we felt at this most painful time of life.

Jeff Bowen is the father of 2 grown children and 1 granddaughter. He lives in Marion, Indiana with his wife of almost 40 years. They are both active in their church serving in multiple capacities. They enjoy spending time with family and friends, working in their yard and going to salvage stores to check out the wares. Jeff works in the Marketing Department at Warner Press, an amazing company to work for and people to serve with, meeting the needs of the church.