Trusting God

My name is Licely Rivera. I’m a wife and mother of five. Growing up I had a "perfect" childhood. I was raised in a Christian home with parents who were very loving to me and my siblings. We had everything we needed. My parents were very devoted to God, our church and the community. Being raised in that environment it planted a seed in my heart of faith in God. I gave my heart to Jesus at a very young age and I was also very devoted to God. Growing up in that “perfect” environment made me believe that when I had my own family everything would be as perfect as it was when I was growing up. Little did I know, God had a different plan. At age 17, I met the man that is currently my husband. In 1994 we got married and now have five children together.

My first two children were born in perfect health. My third pregnancy was different. I went to my routine ultrasound appointment five months into my pregnancy. The doctors found something abnormal. They found that my son had kidney disease. As soon as he was born my son was taken in to ICU (intensive care unit). I cried to God asking, "why is this happening? Why Lord"? It felt like my world was crashing down. I prayed for my baby, I said, “God if you gave him to me, then it is for a purpose”. At the time of birth he still was born with kidney disease. I felt overwhelmed with despair. At first my faith in God was lacking, I cried every day the first year of his life. Then my prayer changed. I told God, " if you allowed this I know it is for a purpose." I really thought my son would not make it. Growing up, I never had to deal with a situation quite like this. I really thought my immediate family members life would be similar to mine growing up. But God wanted me to know Him more. In spite of everything, I raised my son in the path of Jesus Christ. I taught him that God is a loving and healing God. My son grew up believing Jesus and his healing power. My son has never complained to God about why he was born that way. God told me that my son was in His hands. Sometimes we don’t know what God is doing, but we have to remember that our thoughts are not His thoughts and our ways are not His ways. I remember when my son was 5 years old, at a prayer service there was a woman there that was sick. Her skin had red marks that looked like a rash. My son put his hands on her and began praying for her. I remember him saying, “God heal her!” The next day the lady testified that the rashes disappeared. God did a miracle. I was so in shock of what what God did through my son. My son is currently 19 years old. The doctors said he needed a transplant, but his kidneys are still functioning. As a family it brings us closer together and closer to God. You must believe that in spite of your situation never lose hope, because God has everything under control.