Kristi Griffin was on her way to meet her husband, Eric, at the land where they were building their new house. On the way Krist had stopped to pick up her four-year-old daughter Ericka who had been staying with Grandma today. “Ericka was at the age where she liked to ‘help’ with everything,” Kristi says.” She had to be watched closely.
Kristi had some other thoughts too. She and Eric, and three other couples, had come together and bought about 100 acres of undeveloped woods, so each family could build their own house with the help of the others. The project had started out in a positive light, but now Kristi wasn’t so sure it was a good idea. There had been two brush fires recently, both close to their house. Was God telling them to move?
“As we turned into the gravel driveway I could see Eric and Corey, our eleven-year-old son, were both there,” says Kristi. “We had been at the house site almost every day for six months, so we decided to let Corey play with a friend for awhile.” Eric, Ericka, and Kristi went up to the second floor to do the normal clean-up duties.
“I was about five feet away in the balcony area picking up 2x4 remnants,” Kristi recalls. “As I bent over to grab another piece I heard a "ping" echo below us. The shop vac wasn’t running, and fear gripped me because the only noise that could've been was a broom handle hitting the concrete slab twelve feet below.” Kristi rushed to the end of the balcony and looked down. It wasn’t a broom handle lying on the cement. It was Ericka!
Sreaming, Kristi flew down the stairs, but Eric got there first. They tried several attempts to waken Ericka but nothing worked. Finally, she opened her eyes though they were both fixed in an upper left position, and her neck had no control. Head trauma, Kristi thought, panic stricken. She grabbed Ericka as Eric ran for the car.
On the way to the hospital, Eric tried to call on the cell phone for a police escort but it was almost 9 p.m.; and they could not find us. The dispatcher began asking Ericka questions and some she was alert enough to answer. At one point she asked her daddy to sing “Jesus loves me.” With tears washing down his face, Eric managed to get through most of the song, but when he broke down, Ericka finished it for him. These were all good signs but by the time they reached the hospital, Ericka was vomiting----another sign of head trauma.
“Immediately they began IV's, X-rays, CT scans, etc., to determine any damage to the right side of her head where she landed onto the concrete,” Kristi says. “We contacted family and friends, to begin the prayer chain. During her tests, we saw blood coming from the Ericka's right nostril... causing us to panic again. Minutes seemed like hours, hours like days as they completed one test after another. Kristi continued to pray. Finally the doctor came to them. “I don’t know how this happened,” he said, shaking his head, “but your daughter has just a minor concussion.” No apparent brain damage. Not even a broken bone. “There’s a small piece of cartilage on the top of Ericka’s right ear that cushioned the blow, and that may have been a part of saving her life.”
“Children are very resilient,” a nurse added. This is true but Kristi was sure that God Himself had safely carried her baby down twelve feet onto the concrete. “We thanked the Lord for His blessings during this time,” she says, “but we did not know the extent of the miracle and the many who had interceded in prayer for Ericka.”
For example…at 2:30am the morning after the accident, Kristi phoned her cousin, Eydie, in Louisiana to give her the news. “My dad had called earlier and left a message on the answering machine, but all he knew was that Ericka fell from the second floor,” Eydie told Kristi. Upon hearing her dad’s message, Eydie had experienced a sharp pain on the right side of her head, but didn't know why. Together she and her husband prayed in intercession for Ericka. Upon saying "Amen" Eydie's pain had stopped. She knew at that moment Ericka would be fine, as she felt the heaviness lift away.
For example…. a man, Tonye, from the Griffins’ church, held a prayer service with his friends at work at 2:15 the day following the accident. That turned out to be the exact hour Ericka vomited for the last time (during another MRI scan),
For example….after the accident, Kristi hired a photographer to take pictures of the children. The woman was new to the neighborhood, and told Kristi during the sitting that she was a Christian and considered her photo skills as a gift from God. “I like to think God gives me people not only to photograph but also to pray for,” she mentioned in a note to Kristi after the session. Kristi decided to send the photographer a “thank you” note and at the last minute mentioned their “miracle” with Ericka. The next day, an email arrived.
“I’m trying to see through teary eyes,” the photographer told Kristi. “You see, I know Tonye too, and I was in my previous office when he came in that day and announced the need for prayer for a little girl who had fallen onto cement. I immediately started praying, and alerted our entire prayer group by email to ask them to pray also. I never dreamed that I would actually get to see this little miracle, much less get to take her picture.”
Ericka made a complete recovery, and Kristi and Eric believe that not only did God save her life, those who prayed had a hand in it too. Matthew 18:20 says, "For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them."
Would you please pray for my aunt who has breast cancer, Rhoda Jen, Lisa, my friend Mia who is brokenhearted, my friend Adam, my friend Mira who is suffering from inner demons and depression, my aunt who was a child of her own, my grandmother’s friend for an upcoming surgery, for my dad who is under a lot of stress, for the world and nature people, and also for God to grant favor on my very own miracle request (God knows what I am searching for). I’m in a great relationship with a man named Aaron, my Aaron.. He’s an amazing guy and I could see myself having a lifetime with him. Happy together. And I believe in it because it seems so real to me. It’s all I ever truly want. I repent of all my sins and will do anything to retrieve that wish/ this miracle. Eventually falling in love (it takes time), marriage (in the future), kids, and just being each other’s best friends, students, teachers and lovers to the end(eventually mates and parents to our children). To accept each other's pet peeves and just find them endearing. To change for the better and become good people because of each other. To be patient with each other, genuinely care and compassionate for each other, be the best for each other (effort) respect each other, grow to be good people with the help of each other, never take advantage of each other, take each other for granted (never), forgive each other and resolve (our) problems, comfort each other, laugh with each other, be open to each other, honesty, trust, trustworthy, to have our potential love to grow and nurture, our interest in each other to prosper and nurture, faithful to each other, to have an open hearted and opened minded relationship, to accept/ understand each other, and to have a bond and connection that is emotional, mental, and physical. To always be mature (in our friendship and relationship). To be appreciative of each other. To learn everyday and grow on each other more. To just have a long and lasting happy relationship. I ache for him to be my soulmate, to be the One God has given to me. I saw a sign actually. Mature always. Loving, compassionate, and caring. To have sweeter, deeper, and passionate relationship everyday. Saw Spiderman on Broadway and the relationship reminded me of ours and they overcome all obstacles. Each time I doubt it seems God is telling me to have faith. I just want us to always fall in love always. Day by day, always. Just be mature always with each other. Be accepting, understanding, and appreciative. Always will be there for each other and if we fight we will always maintain our love and compassion. I believe in this and have faith. I promise to serve with God forever if this is granted. Read the bible. Be involved with the church and our kids to be involved. Be more outgoing and understand and accept my fellow man. Forgive me for all my sins. I don’t deserve this much happiness. Do many people are suffering. Please, please always pray for them. Always. No one should be forgotten or alone. To take things slowly and get to know each other. To for each other and of each other. Amen Please give us strength in this relationship, that we get stronger and more loving. We communicate more with each other, just spend more time. Amen! I believe! Please pray for us that we will get stronger in our feelings for each other. I feel we could be soul-mates ^^ please let it be. Amen For nowI just want to get closer to him. Appreciate each other. Make time for each other. Communicate more. Connect always. Just become a great couple by knowing each other and having our relationship, love, trust, openness, faithfulness, interest, and other virtues to grow. I have seen signs, really I have. J At least I believe they are signs from God. I want to be his soulmates, I want to have true love and I chose him. Aaron, my Aaron. To have long lasting and happy relationship. Be open in mind and heart always (connect). And it seems God has brought favor on us. Its amazing, each time I doubt something happens to make me believe in it. To just have a long and lasting happy relationship; to work for a deeper, sweeter, passionate, and personal relationship. For us to be destined for each other J I believe in this and have faith. Thank you so much and God bless. P.S. I repent all my sins and I ask for forgiveness. I abide by him always, and I truly love him. I’m eternally grateful. Please pray he will grant favor. God bless. World peace always. Please let everyone receive his or her miracle. Big or small. God is about miracles and everything is possible. It will happen.I also want to be positive and just accept I'm not perfect. Amen:) I believe in God this will happen. I have faith, and love him so much. I know this will happen.:) Pray for me that I ill remain positive, hopeful, smiling, happy. I have a feeling I could trust you. Call me crazy but I saw signs it will happen: my miracle request. Two white butterflies flying together and I saw this message, not once but twice: Become your dreams(the first one was in white chalk and it had next to it a rose/fish symbol and the second in purple chalk with no symbol). I'm patient and I know it will come in time, however I am working on it, but with maturity, patience, and sensitivity(maybe not as soulmates but a relationship and friendship like Clair and Heathcliff Huxtible of the Cosby show had). :) Amen (I want to get closer to God more than anything, I want to show my faith, trust, hope, belief, and love to him). I would do anything to be with Aaron. What can I do? Tell me and I will(I'm very persistent :) and God loves that and he knows he will be the one I come home to always) Amen
On the way to the hospital, Eric tried to call on the cell phone for a police escort but it was almost 9 p.m.; and they could not find us. The dispatcher began asking Ericka questions and some she was alert enough to answer. At one point she asked her daddy to sing “Jesus loves me.” With tears washing down his face, Eric managed to get through most of the song, but when he broke down, Ericka finished it for him. These were all good signs but by the time they reached the hospital, Ericka was vomiting----another sign of head trauma.
