^{By: Nereida Rosario}

^{Daniel 3: 23} Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, still tied up, fell into the heart of the blazing fire.  ²⁴ Suddenly Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement. He asked his officials,  Didn’t we tie up three men and throw them into the blazing furnace? They answered, Yes, we did, Your Majesty.  ²⁵ Then why do I see four men walking around in the fire? he asked.  They are not tied up, and they show no sign of being hurt—and the fourth one looks like an angel!

On September 30, 2010, the doctor in the ER informed us that the scan performed on my husband, Edwin’s head revealed a tumor on the rear lower right side of his brain. The worst case scenario, we were told, could be cancer.  The prayers, the calls, the love from our extended family, our friends and our church family, continued without ceasing. Edwin and I were both in one agreement:  if we were to go through this moment, we would make sure that “In everything we would give God all the glory.” 

Looking out my kitchen window on October 2, as I prayed and prepared to see Edwin at the hospital, I was suddenly aware that I was not alone.  I was hearing with my spiritual ears, what sounded like fervent prayers and intercessions.  I could hear the cries and the clamor so intense that I put the coffee mug, I was holding, down on the counter in humble, weeping submission before God; realizing that I was listening to the prayers of the mighty army of God on behalf of Edwin and his family.  His peace filled me. His promises surrounded me.  In the weeks before surgery was scheduled, God used places, people and moments to demonstrate His presence in our midst. 

A young man who was in the same hospital room with Edwin came to acknowledge as did his mother the love and salvation of our Lord as I felt the Holy Spirit instruct me to pray over them.  An Indian nurse usually assigned to the cancer patients on another ward was assigned to Edwin’s care.  Upon seeing Edwin reading his bible and hearing that Edwin was a child of God, he exclaimed “I now understand why God put me here in this section of the hospital; God wants me to tell you that He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it.” his name was also Edwin.  The weekend we prepared for surgery, a group of men and women of our church came to our home to pray over our family. A brother from my church came to me with a prophetic word.  He said that I had been asking God, “why me and why again” in relation to already experiencing the sickness and death of my first husband.  He wanted me to know that God had heard my questions, but had a different outcome this time around and that I should not be afraid. 

On October 18, he underwent brain surgery with the understanding that they were going to go in and remove it if they could or if necessary, they would leave it to be treated with radiation and/or chemo. Everyone prayed in agreement that this tumor be removed completely. Four and half hours later, his brain surgeon, informed us that he had successfully removed 99% of the tumor with no cancer found!   

Never will He leave you, never will He forsake you!  Just Breathe 

1. Think of a time where you felt as if you were going through a fiery furnace, how did God show up?
2. How does God use the people around us to remind us of His love and presence?  Can you take a moment to thank God for them today.
3. Remember, even if you are in the fire, if God be there with you, that is the safest place to be!