Home for Christmas: A Miracle That Changed My Life


When I was 18, life threw me a curveball that nearly sent me packing to Iowa, far from everything I loved. I was living in a nursing home—yep, a nursing home at 18, not exactly the teenage dream. It was just a temporary spot, but my mom had plans to move me halfway across the country to Iowa, away from my friends, my family, and everything familiar. Talk about a plot twist I wasn’t ready for.


Then, a social worker accidentally let slip to my dad that my insurance had a writer for 24/7 nursing care. We had no clue! My dad, my total hero, jumped on it and said, “Let’s make this happen. I want my kid home.” We’d been dreaming of living together since I was a kid, but life kept tossing obstacles our way. The biggest? Insurance. They were like the final boss in a video game, denying our requests for the nursing care I needed. My dad couldn’t care for me on his own, so Iowa was looking like my only option.


As the deadline to move crept closer, I ended up in the hospital for a bit. I was a mess, crying my eyes out because all I wanted was to go home. That’s when I felt God telling me, “It’s gonna be okay. You’re going home.” I told my dad when he came to visit me in the hospital , and we prayed together, clinging to that spark of faith like it was our lifeline.


Back at the nursing home, I started packing for Iowa because we still hadn’t heard from insurance, and the clock was ticking. It was Christmas, and I was bracing to leave everything behind in just a few days. My mom was set on the Iowa move, but she wasn’t happy when things took a different turn. Little did we know, someone had taken my case to the head of insurance—or whatever bigwig calls the shots—and basically made them approve the 24/7 nursing care. Insurance wasn’t going to budge until that happened. Then, two days after Christmas, my dad pulled off the ultimate surprise. He showed up, saying he forgot to give me a Christmas present. I’m thinking, “Okay, cool, maybe it’s a cd or something.” He hands me a wrapped gift, and I open it to find a laminated piece of paper inside. I read it, and my jaw dropped (Not literally because I can't move my mouth.)—it said something like, “Insurance approved 24/7 nursing, and you get to come home!” I had no idea they’d approved it until that moment. We were screaming, laughing, crying—the whole deal. My mom? Not so much. She wasn’t thrilled about me living with my dad, but for me and my dad, it was everything. The next day, we packed up my stuff faster than you can say “hallelujah,” and I was home.


That moment was a straight-up miracle. I’ve been home with my dad ever since, right where I belong. That Christmas gift changed everything, and it’s when I fully gave my life to Christ, knowing something bigger had my back. Life’s had its ups and downs, but I’m happy. I’m home, living with my dad, and trusting in a God who works miracles. Here’s to faith, family, and the best Christmas present ever.

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