God’s Faithfulness Through Tragedy
by Doris Nolt

Friends have suggested that we submit our story to The Remnant. However, I was not feeling impressed to write until one day as I was reading an issue of The Remnant. When I read “The Blessing Corner” title, I sensed a witness that this is where our testimony of God’s faithfulness belonged. For it is through the last year of much suffering and grief that we have been in God’s blessing corner. We have been carried by God’s grace as never before.

We have seen God’s faithfulness and our hearts are overwhelmed. We have been challenged and very blessed by the love and support shown to us in so many ways. We have built new friendships and have had many opportunities to be a testimony for Christ. I have been made to realize in a very real way how very important it is to have a close relationship with the Father, so that when we’re confronted with such trials, He is eager and willing to pour grace upon us. Going through this experience has made me less fearful of facing persecution. For truly this great grace would sustain and comfort at such a crucial time as well. If I had been able to see all that was going to happen to our family, I would have said, “No, no, it’s too much!” That’s when we desperately need a solid relationship with Christ, a firm foundation to keep us from crumbling. That can never be over-emphasized!

Did you ever try to build a house in the middle of a major storm when the winds are howling and the rain is pounding upon you? I cannot begin to imagine our response and the outcome, had it not been for our foundation, Jesus. I am not saying we did not experience pain, many tears, much heartache, sleepless hours, and unshakable grief. I am not saying we were always strong. Some days all I could do was picture myself in Jesus’ arms and Him crying with me. Over and over again people shared the following verse with me—often in cards that were sent. It became very personal to me, a direct word from the Lord. “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness” (Is. 41:10).

It was the evening of May 15, 2002. We attended prayer meeting at Harmony Christian Fellowship. Traveling home that evening, Warren and I both experienced a spirit of peace and quietness in our van. It was even above the normal. We chatted happily. The boys remember Nathanael talking about Agatha giving him gum. All of a sudden there were loud crashing noises. I remember thinking, “Did Warren drift off the road?” A young girl had failed to heed a stop sign and hit the side of our van. She spun around and hit us again, which in turn pushed our van into someone’s front porch. The impact was incredible!

I blacked out for a short time. When I regained consciousness, the van was stopped. I unfastened my seat belt and crawled out. Warren, Douglas (7), and Shawn (5) followed. We were in pain, so we lay down on the porch and in the grass. Micaiah, 10 weeks old, was crying in his car seat. Otherwise everything was quiet.

I had to wonder what the whole scene would have looked like had I been able to see into the spirit world. I believe the angels were encamped around us. Some angels would have been seen carrying our little Nathanael, who was 2 ½ years old. He died instantly of major head trauma and was carried home to be with Jesus. Zachary, our nine-year-old, was unconscious from a hard blow to his head, resulting in severe head injury. I’m sure there were angels hovering over him. I do believe God himself was present, for even in the midst of this traumatic time we experienced a measure of peace. The girl at fault, who is not a Christian, was hysterical. Onlookers spoke of an obvious difference. The young girl was not badly injured. The people whose porch we struck were actually a part of our home school group. They called for help, brought blankets out, got Micaiah out of his car seat, and comforted him. Zachary was flown by helicopter to the hospital while the rest of us were taken by ambulance. Before I left the scene I heard Warren telling Douglas, “I believe Nathanael went to be with Jesus.”

Loved ones came to the hospitals to be with us even though it was late at night. Warren with Shawn and Douglas were taken to one hospital, while Zachary and I were taken to a different one because of our serious injuries. Micaiah was sent with me, but thankfully he was not injured. He was released the next day to my sister who loved and cared for him as she would her own. I knew he was in good hands, which was a big help to me!

Warren was hospitalized for five days due to a back injury and shattered wrist. Douglas, uninjured, and Shawn, with a broken elbow, were released in the early morning hours and went to live with a family from church. I was in the ICU for three weeks due to internal injuries, broken ribs, back injury, collapsed lungs and pneumonia. I was quite near to death’s door. Many prayer chains were started. Our pastor came and had an anointing service. When they left that day they were rejoicing for the big improvement they saw. God had touched my body and in His mercy spared my life!

Zachary was in a sedated coma for 2 ½ weeks. A drain was inserted to relieve the pressure of fluid around his brain. He developed an infection around the drain and began to run a fever. One week after the accident I was taken by trauma chair to see him. I cried. Seeing my active, healthy firstborn, totally unresponsive, being kept alive by machines, was heartrending.

That same day I was taken to the hospital chapel to view our pure, sweet, little Nathanael. He was our fourth boy. At age 2 ½, he brought so much joy to our home! I prayed in my heart, “O God! Can this all be true?” Little did I know on the day of the accident when Nathanael talked about heaven, that he would be there that very day. Little did I know that when he learned the verse “Prepare to meet thy God!” for family sharing time at church, that it would be used in his own funeral message challenging the people to prepare.

Our relatives, friends, and church body supported us in ways you cannot imagine. Even the doctors and nurses were amazed by our support! We were so blessed in the midst of tragedy. Schedules were set up for transportation needs for Warren to get to and from the hospital and for people to stay with Zachary at night. Meals were brought in for 3 ½ months. People committed themselves to keeping our fresh produce business open. A fund was set up at a bank and much financial help was given. We are very suspicious that God Himself contributed. Praise to God! Our bill was paid!

Zachary was able to come home after six weeks. He needed to relearn everything. He had to start from the beginning with learning how to swallow. He said his first word 5 ½ weeks after the accident, which was “hi.” We were elated! His first sentence was, “Yes, Jesus loves me.” He required much care and therapy. Someone took him to therapy three times a week. In addition, home therapy was done.

God met our needs so beautifully in providing help for all these things. My sister and her husband moved in with us for three months so Micaiah could be here. God was very interested in meeting our needs. I cannot think of one area where we did not witness God’s faithfulness!

We bless and thank each one of you who interceded on our behalf. We were awed by all the prayer support. We were told that people across the world were praying. One lady told me, “I would get up at night and early in the morning to pray for you.” She said, “I thought, ‘If you can’t sleep, why should I?’”

Another lady, whom I don’t personally know, was working in her garden. Her testimony was, “I could not concentrate on my work anymore, so I went in to pray for you.”

Another lady I don’t personally know said, “God woke me at night, and I thought He must want me to pray for you.”

A nine-year-old came to his mother, having heard about our nine-year-old Zachary’s condition, and told her he would like to fast on behalf of Zachary. That’s only to name a few of the powerful workings of God.

Next week it will be one year since our accident. We praise the Lord for the emotional and physical healing! Zachary is still going for therapy. He walks pretty well. His speech is limited, but still improving. Although his right arm and hand are not functioning well, we are still seeing improvement. We are so very grateful for his happy spirit. Warren is well recuperated. I am recuperating from what we hope was my last surgery. It was my third one since I was discharged. This one was to remove my kidney that was damaged, only functioning 10% and causing hypertension.

It is our desire that Jesus be glorified by the testimony of our lives. This is the conclusion of the matter: Great is thy faithfulness, O God my Father.

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