Upon arrival at Erlanger, little hope moned prayer partners around the world paternity leave, so he was present at the
was offered to Jonathan and to Meredith’s through the church’s International Prayer time of his wife’s attack.
parents, Drs. John and Su Vining. Mered- Center. Prayer was offered on Meredith’s Second, Meredith had suffered severe
ith had suffered a massive heart attack. behalf on literally every continent of the anxiety for almost three years before her
Even if she survived, she would have earth. A friend was on a mission trip to heart attack. For months on end she had
severe brain damage since she had been Africa; African believers prayed for Mered- lived in fear of a tragedy or of an early
clinically dead for more than 15 minutes. ith. Another friend was on a trip to the death. Meredith says that God used this
The attending physicians stated that her Philippines, and another to Cambodia; experience to crush her anxieties. Her
prognosis was poor. Meredith was in an believers prayed in Asia. Jonathan, who is greatest fears have now come to pass, so
induced coma, placed in cooling blankets a member of the Christian Peace Officers she is getting on with her life, realizing
to lower her body temperature to 92 Association, received messages of prayer that “God has not given us a spirit of fear,
degrees to prevent further brain damage, support from police officers as far away as but of power and of love and of a sound
and a stint was placed in her artery. She Australia, and from the Royal Canadian mind” (2 Timothy 1:7, NKJV). She now
was kept alive by a ventilator. Mounted Police. uses her testimony to challenge others
During his horrific period of watching Upon her release from the hospital, not to live in fear, but in faith.
and waiting, Jonathan was drawn to a Meredith was informed that she must Third, Jonathan says the tragedy has
passage of reassuring Scripture: “Come, let undergo cardiac rehab for a minimum of strengthened their marriage. “We had a
us return to the Lord. He has torn us to good marriage,” said Jonathan as Mered-
pieces but he will heal us; he has injured
“Come, let us return to the
ith nodded in agreement, “but this expe-
us but he will bind up our wounds. After
Lord. He has torn us to
rience taught us to cherish the things that
two days he will revive us; on the third
pieces but he will heal us;
really matter.” Says Meredith, “We’ve
day he will restore us, that we may live
in his presence” (Hosea 6:1-2, NIV).
he has injured us but he
learned not to let the sun go down on our
anger, as Paul taught in Ephesians 4:26.”
Jonathan read the verses to her although will bind up our wounds. They have learned to treasure each
initially he saw no visible response. He
After two days he will
moment as a gift from God.
read them again, asking her to squeeze his
hand if she understood him, which she
revive us; on the third day
Said Jonathan, “Meredith and I are
both fourth-generation Church of God
ultimately did. On her third day in the he will restore us, that we members. In a time when many are
hospital, she was removed from the venti-
may live in his presence.”
speaking disparagingly about denomina-
lator. Doctors cautioned Jonathan that
Meredith would not be able to respond,
—Hosea 6:1-2, NIV
tions, we have never been more proud to
be a part of the Church of God. Our
but when he next returned to her room three months. On her first outing, she Church of God family from at home and
she was sitting up, drinking a smoothie, was able to endure for a mere two min- abroad stood by us during our crisis.”
and greeted him with “Hey, Babe!” utes, and hardly able to walk to and from Although currently employed as a
Meredith was released from the hospital the car. After three months, she walked police officer, Jonathan is an ordained
eight days after her admittance. on the treadmill for 45 minutes each minister, and Meredith is a teacher. The
Meredith’s physicians explained that time! The Parkers joke that “the jury is Parkers feel called to become church
she had experienced the heart attack still out on the extent of her brain dam- planters. Their passion is that someday, as
because of a very rare occurrence in age,” but the facts are that her mind is the Lord leads, they will plant a multicul-
which one of the main arteries of her unaffected, and she is vibrant and full of tural, multiracial church. We fully expect
heart had experienced a tear. The normal love for life, for the Lord, and for her hus- that somewhere in the future, in God’s
bodily processes started mending the tear, band and daughter! perfect timing, Meredith will look
resulting in a clot that occluded her When sharing their testimony, the Jonathan in the eye and exclaim, “Hey,
artery, causing the attack. Parkers emphasize three things: Babe! We did it!”
While Jonathan and Meredith are First, God is in the details of our lives.
James E. Cossey serves as editor in chief for
quick to give thanks for expert medical His plans are intricate and perfect. Doctors
Church of God Publications.
care, they also realize that Meredith is a say that had Meredith delivered the baby
living, breathing, walking miracle. Pastor by natural birth and not by C-section, Author’s Note: In addition to the author’s
Mitch Maloney and their home church, both mother and baby would likely have personal interview, other sources for this
North Cleveland Church of God, called died. Neither do they believe it coinciden- article include “Miracle Mom” by Arleah
the church family to prayer and sum- tal that Jonathan was on his last day of Difebbo of the Cleveland Daily Banner.
EVANGEL • MAY 2009 11
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