The amazing story of a miracle brought by faith

At a time when darkness envelops the world and the stench of the devil’s presence permeates nearly every walk of life, Our Blessed Lord makes His presence and Divine Love known to those who cry out to Him in Faith.  In the 5^thchapter of Mark, we read the story of the woman who suffered an issue of blood for 12 years.  After she just touched the cloak of Jesus as He walked by, she was instantly healed.  Our Lord said to her, “Daughter, thy faith hath made thee whole.”  In Mark chapter 10, Jesus meets a blind man in Jericho, who called out to Him.  After Jesus called him forth, He asked the blind man what he wanted, and he asked for sight.  Jesus again says, “Go thy way, thy faith hath made thee whole.”  In the 17^th Chapter of Luke, after our Lord gave the parable about the power of faith the size of a mustard seed, He met 10 lepers who were healed.  The 10 ran out, but one came back to give Him thanks, to which Jesus replied, “Go thy way, thy faith hath made thee whole.”

Over and over again, we see example after example of those whom Our Lord heals by their acts of faith.  But this faith isn’t just mere belief, but a deep relational trust in the Person of Our Lord.  He desires us to ask Him in faith for great things, including miracles … and moved by faith, when we ask Him with full trust, He reveals His Glory by answering.

Such was the case for Matt and Kristin Loboda, who exhibited the kind of extraordinary faith that moves mountains.

Just before Christmas last month, Matt and Kristin took their five children to Phoenix, Arizona to visit with family for the holidays.  On the evening of December 28^th, Matt and Kristin left the children with her parents to enjoy some time on their own.  They weren’t due to return to her parent’s house until 5:00 the following evening, but after breakfast the next morning they decided to go back to the kids and relieve her parents.

Matt told the Lepanto Institute in a phone interview that they got to the house at about 1:00.  Matt was playing a round of Frisbee-golf with the children before heading out to lunch.  They were planning to eat at Chick-fil-A at about 1:30, when tragedy struck.

Matt described on facebook what had happened:

It couldn’t have been a minute and we noticed Joy was missing.

In my heart I knew something was terribly wrong. So, I ran down to the Koi pond on the property. I ran around it 4 times looking between the shadows & fish for Joy. Momentarily I was relieved that danger was avoided. But, I heard the Holy Spirit tell me to run to the pool. The pool is totally gated so I didn’t think to start there.

I sprinted to the pool and saw Joy floating there on top of the water. Immediately I jumped over the 5 foot fence and dove into the water. I quickly got her out of the pool and my brother-in-law and I started CPR & called 911. Even though it seemed like an eternity before the paramedics arrived I’m sure they came quickly.

As I breathed into Joy I prayed that my breath would be the breath of God into her. In between breaths I begged for the Ruha of God to enter her. Her lips were blue and her beautiful blue eyes were wide open. I could see her pupils shrinking at an alarming rate. Then I started to pray in between breathes in the words of Jesus, Talitha Koum, which means “Little girl, I say to you, arise”. I knew we needed a miracle because I could actually feel her slipping away.

There was a man by us whom I don’t know but am indebted to [EDITOR’S NOTE: He turned out to be a policeman) because when the paramedics came street side he ran Joy to them & continued the chest compressions as he ran.

The paramedics were wonderful but they all had a disposition of gloom. The police wouldn’t let me drive so a detective drove us as quickly as possible to Phoenix Children’s Hospital.

I closed my eyes and prayed. I was suddenly in the throne room of God the Father and in filial boldness I told God, “I know she is your daughter but she is my daughter too. Now is not the right time.” Before I knew it we were in the E.R. and were escorted into a private room. Soon, the detective and a social worker were there. I still stood in faith and declared that my child would live. The E.R. Doctor came in and didn’t look good.

He bent down to talk to Kristin and me and said some things that I can’t recall now. But then he said, “she has a heartbeat.” That was all I needed to hear. That was all the hope I was looking for.

Matt told the Lepanto Institute that it was a miracle that the police officer who carried Joy to the ambulance was there; he just happened to be right around the corner when the 911 call was sent out over the dispatch.

Matt added that he had spoken with the Fire Chief recently, who told him that the rescue effort itself was a miracle.  He said that in his 29 years doing rescue work, not even 1% of cases like these turn out well.

When the officer ran her to the ambulance, she was cold, her body was stiff and she didn’t have a heartbeat.  Not only were the rescue workers not optimistic about her survival, but Matt told the Lepanto Institute that on the ride to the hospital that he knew she was gone.

Joy was without a heartbeat for at least 25 minutes.

Read more at LepantoInstitute.org…