A Life, a Lesson, and a Miracle

The life of our seven-year-old daughter Beth hung in delicate balance on that early March morning. My wife, Kathy, and I with our children, Beth and David, had been on a trip from our home in Overland Park, Kansas, to Oklahoma when a car slid across the ice and snow into the path of our '73 Volkswagen bus. As the vehicles collided, Beth's head slammed hard against the frame of the front seat. All of us were hurt, with Beth sustaining the most serious injuries.

Within a few hours, the doctors would use the words "traumatic brain stem injury" to describe the challenges Beth faced. I remember taking one last, brief look at her almost lifeless tiny body before EMTs loaded her onto a life flight helicopter bound for the nearest hospital, Wesley Medical Center in Wichita, Kansas, which was midway between our home and our destination.

For three weeks Beth was in Wichita, in a coma, while the doctors discussed her future. Her situation was described as being similar to taking a computer, dropping it hard on the floor, and as a result, all of the stored information on the hard drive is jumbled. They decided to send her back to Overland Park, where she would spend seven more weeks in hospitals.

When she awakened, Beth had to relearn almost every life skill she had ever learned. That first year she was wheelchair-bound. Demanding therapies lasted through her high school years.

That part of the story now seems almost like ancient history.

What stands out most now are the special moments that God used to reveal that Beth was becoming a vibrant disciple of Jesus Christ. We watched it happen daily in her choices and attitudes.

For instance, once Beth and I were walking through a store when some middle school boys saw her awkward gait. They began to imitate her belabored movements. I was ready to teach them a lesson they wouldn't forget, but she just turned to me and laughed. "I guess they have a problem," she said.

A couple of years ago, Beth and I were in a McDonald's parking lot in Dallas. A woman, who had just been in a service at a neighboring church, approached us. Before we could say anything, she looked Beth over, and then turned to me, "If you took her into our church, she could be healed tonight!"

"Thank you," I said uncomfortably as Beth and I got into our car. As we drove away, Beth smiled and said to me, "I thought Jesus had already healed me."

Better than others, she really knows the truth. Time after time, God has used her to encourage the hearts of others in the churches where we have served. In the 26 years that Beth has been facing this reality since the accident, she has done this simply by living for Jesus and being herself - alive to the glory of God.

Her heart for His Word, her trust in her Savior, her belief in her church, her sense of humor, and her love for others have helped many see God's amazing grace. And it's still happening.

Tim White is pastor of Dallas Central Church of the Nazarene, where Beth and her husband, Steve Thompson, worship along with David and his family.

Holiness Today, March/April 2010

Please note: This article was originally published in 2010. All facts, figures, and titles were accurate to the best of our knowledge at that time but may have since changed.