A Time of Trouble

_{by Nicole Madaus}

---- It was a busy Friday night. Mark Cartwright was working in the ER when the news of a terrible wreck came. The Emergency staff hurriedly prepared for the possibility of several patients. Only a few minutes later the first of the injured was wheeled into the ER.
---- In Mark's initial assessment he noted the man seemed to be in his early forties. He had a deep laceration to his head and complained of pain in his lower abdomen. Mark's first concern was the possibility of an internal injury but upon a thorough examination that fear was erased. The man was obviously extremely intoxicated. The odor of alcohol filled the room with every exhaled breath and murmured curse word.
---- When Mark finished, he went to talk to the police officer who was standing just outside the room. The police officer asked how the man was doing and explained that he was responsible for the wreck.
---- "One man was killed instantly and several others were seriously injured just because that guy felt like he could handle his car after drinking." The officer exclaimed in disgust.
---- Mark nodded. Just then, one of the interns came running up to Mark. "Dr. Cartwright, Dr. Bailey sent me to find you. Your wife was just brought in she was injured in that car wreck."
---- His mind numb with shock, Mark took off with the intern hurrying past several friends and co-workers.
---- When he saw his wife his face fell. He could see that her injuries were beyond medical attention. The only thing that could save her was a miracle.
---- He rushed to her side, holding one of her hands in his, and placing his other hand on her forehead. "Alisha, ....."
---- Her eyes seemed to flutter for an instant. He leaned close to her as she whispered. "I love you." her voice barely audible.
---- The heart monitor began to sound its alarm as her heartbeat stopped. Dr. Bailey worked furiously, but after a few minutes he put down his instruments.
---- There was a sorrowful silence in the room. Dr. Bailey walked over to his long time friend. With tears in his eyes he said, "Mark I am so sorry..."
---- He and his assistants slipped out of the room leaving Mark alone.
---- Several minutes went by before Mark came out. When he did, his face was streaked with tears. He looked haggard and nearly ten years older.
---- The officer he had been talking to was still there. "I am very sorry." He said sincerely. "Thank you." Mark's voice was distant.
---- The Medical Administrator, who had heard the news, approached Mark and told him to go home and take some time off.
---- Mark nodded, and the police officer offered to drive him home.
---- On their way out, Mark saw the drunk man responsible for his wife's death. He was being moved to a regular hospital room. In his slurred speech, the drunken man was complaining about his head hurting. Mark turned away anger filling up inside him.
---- On the way to his house, he began to murmur, not really talking to the police officer but rather thinking out loud. "I have always been against drinking and driving, but this is a whole new level of it. I mean while I was working on that drunk, my wife was dying. And now, he will live but my wife is gone forever. What will I say when I have to tell my eleven year old that her mother is never coming home? It isn't fair. He should be dead not her... not her," He put his head in his hands.
---- "I could try to think of something to make you feel better but you're right. It isn't fair. Other than that, all I can say is that I will do anything I can to help you and your daughter and to make sure that, that man is prosecuted." The officer replied. Mark nodded his head.
---- When he got home the house was dark. As he turned on the light, he saw a note on the coffee table. It was from Alisha.
---- "Hey, Handsome. I am going to drop Katrina off at the Henry's. Then I am going to visit Mrs. Michaels from church. I may be home a little late tonight. There is some leftover spaghetti in the fridge. I love you. See ya soon."
---- Mark carefully folded the note and put it in his pocket. He went into the living room and sat down. He wasn't sure whether he should call the Henry's and have them bring Katrina home or wait until the morning. He decided to wait. He needed time to think of what he would say.
---- Mark walked slowly up to his room. As he looked around the room something caught his eye. It was his wife's journal lying on her dresser. He picked it up and automatically flipped to the last written page. He read the page filled with his wife's special outlook on life, but at the very end a few sentences really captured his attention. They said "I am really excited about Mark's change of schedule. Now we can all start going to church together again. I know he is working hard for us, but I will be so happy when we can all go to church as a family. I love him so much and Katrina too. She is close to getting saved, but she is still holding back. I pray everyday for her salvation and for Mark to get back in church. I know I am the luckiest woman ever to have such a wonderful husband and a great daughter. Oh, speaking of which, it's time to take Katrina to the Henry's."
----Mark laid the book down. It had been a long time since he had been to church. At first, he had missed because of work. Then it became a habit. He stopped reading his Bible and praying. The times he thought of spiritual things were very rare and extremely brief.
---- He realized that he had not been the spiritual leader that she needed. Mark walked over to the phone, looked up the Pastor's phone number, and called. It was almost ten thirty. He told the Pastor what had happened and asked if he would come over and talk. The pastor said he'd be right over.
---- When he arrived they talked for a long time. Mark decided to rededicate himself to the Lord. He knelt and prayed, asking to be forgiven for his sins and for his neglect of God. When he was done, he felt a peace that he hadn't felt for a long time. He knew God had forgiven him. He thanked the pastor for coming over.
After the Pastor left Mark went up to his room and began to read his Bible. He suddenly knew that this is what he had been missing he only wished he had seen it much sooner.
---- At three O'clock in the morning, Mark fell asleep, his Bible still open.
---- He woke up to the sound of the phone ringing. When he looked at the clock it was almost noon. He grabbed the phone and heard Mr. Henry on the other end. "Hey, Mark. The prayer chain called and told us what happened. I am so sorry."
---- "Thanks Jack, its going to be really rough, but know I know God will help me through this. I rededicated my life to him last night. I only wish I had while Alisha was still alive..." Mark replied.
---- They talked for a few more minutes and then Jack said that he would bring Katrina home in a bit.
---- When Mark hung up, he went over to the mirror. He looked awful. He splashed his face with cold water, and then he realized he had to tell his daughter what happened. He went back to his room and prayed. He knew there was no easy way to say what had to be said, but he needed strength and wisdom.
---- When Katrina arrived she gave her dad a hug and asked were her mom was. Mark took her into the living room and sat down with her.
---- It was the hardest thing he had ever had to do. They both cried, of course, and the next few days were the roughest Mark had ever known. After the funeral was over and the people were gone, he and Katrina were left alone with their memories.
---- A week later Katrina was still crying herself to sleep. She wondered if she would ever be happy again.
---- Katrina looked out the car window. Her mind raced back to memories of the past. She couldn't believe that four years had passed since her mothers death. Katrina sighed as the car pulled to a stop. It was Sunday morning and she and her dad were going to church. Since her mother had died Katrina wanted nothing to do with church or God. Her father on the other hand did. He had totally changed and God was now his highest priority. Katrina just didn't understand how a God that is supposed to love people would allow so much pain.
---- During the Church service, Katrina tried to keep from listening but the man speaking was very interesting. He was an evangelist and he was telling the story of how he had grown up a pastor's son, been saved during his teens, and gone on to Bible College where he met his wife. Three years later, they had a baby girl. When their daughter was two, she was diagnosed with Cerebrial Palsy. "It was very hard for my wife and I to accept, and of course, we had our times of doubt and anger with God." The Evangelist admitted.
---- "My daughter is very ill. They don't expect her to live past twelve, but last year on her ninth birthday, she accepted Christ as her Saviour. She told my wife and I, that when she went to be with Jesus she wanted us to tell her story so other people would realize how much God loves them and so they could come to heaven too. I know God has used and is using what we're going through to reach others. Several people have accepted Christ just through a tract my daughter and I made. You see, there aren't always answers to our problems. We often wonder what we did to deserve them but the truth is, we may never know. What I do know is that God sometimes allows problems in our lives in order to bring us closer to him, and to help us help others."
---- The evangelist spoke for a few more minutes, but Katrina didn't hear anything else. Suddenly, she realized that God wasn't punishing her; he was calling her. Her mother was ready for eternity, but Katrina wasn't. God loved Katrina so much that he had to allow a trial in her life to help her. And know she realized she could use her experience to help others too.
---- When the invitation was given, she made her way down the isle. The first few steps were the hardest, but after that, she didn't care what people thought. If she could have read there minds, most were praying that someone would get saved and they would have rooted for her all the way. When she reached the altar, a lady came to her side and asked her if she wanted to be prayed with. Katrina said she wanted to be saved. The lady smiled and quietly led her to a small room where she opened her Bible and showed Katrina the verses.
---- Katrina prayed and when she finished, her eyes were full of tears, tears of joy. She now had what her mother and father had. She knew she would see her mother again, and she felt the empty hole in her heart begin to fill. She knew there would still be sorrow and longing for her mother, but now she had hope.

----Maybe you are reading this and you have had a trial or tragedy in your life. Maybe you are even going through one now. I hope that in reading this you will realize that God does not sit up in Heaven and decide to make your life miserable. He loves you so much. John 3:16a says: "For God so loved the world." That means you and me. He is a perfect God and he wants us to live in eternity with Him. But, because of sin, we cannot. Sin is anything we think, do, or say that displeases God, and we all have sin inside of us. Romans 3:23 says "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God."
---- The punishment for sin is to be separated from God forever, but because of God's love, He made a way for us to be saved. His only Son, Jesus, came and lived on this earth for Thirty-three years, and He never sinned. He was holy. To pay the punishment for our sins, Jesus had to die on a cross. He allowed the very people he loved, created, and died for to nail Him to a tree. The Bible says in Hebrews 9:22b, "Without the shedding of blood is no remission." ( or forgiveness of sin.) Jesus died for your sins and for mine. He was buried, and three days later, He rose again. He now lives in Heaven.
---- To accept salvation is like accepting a gift. Jesus paid for it. All you have to do is accept it and that is as easy as A- B- C.
---- A- You must admit that you are a sinner and that you've done wrong things.
---- B- Believe in what Jesus did for you (He died was buried and rose again).
---- C- Choose to accept Him. It isn't automatic and no one else can choose for you. But if you admit your sin, and believe what Jesus did for you, all you have to do is pray and ask God to forgive you.
---- Romans 10:9-11 says : "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
---- For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
---- For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."

----If you have never accepted Christ as your Saviour, I pray that you will now. He loves you more than anyone else ever could. He died for you, and no matter who you are or what you have done, He will save you, if you trust and accept Him.
---- If you are saved, and you are having or have had trials or tragedies don't walk out on God. He maybe trying to bring you a little closer. He does know what's best for you even if you don't understand.
---- God is ALWAYS GOOD !
and
God is ALWAYS RIGHT !