EDITOR’S NOTE: This article was written earlier this year by Neal Pylant. This last week it is with great sadness that we learned of Neal’s unexpected passing. Last week, seemingly in honor of this wonderful man’s life, Neal’s book, A Touch from Heaven hit the New York Times Bestsellers list for E-Books. It is in loving memory of this amazing man that we share this article with you now.

A parent’s love. A child’s struggle. An amazing true story!

I have found life to be the best teacher; learning many lessons through experiences that have taken me to mountain tops and others that carried me to the lowest valleys. But the most valuable lesson I’ve learned is when I put all my faith and trust in God, He will lead me out of the valley and allow me to stand on the pinnacle, once again.

More than thirty five years had passed since a male child had been born in my father’s family. I was the sixth born and the only survivor of seven to carry on our family name to the next generation. Then, on January 23, 1981, God blessed us with our legacy. My wife, Carole, gave birth to our only child. We named him, Christopher.

Our blonde-haired, blue-eyed little package of energy filled our home with much happiness and joy. Having near perfect check-ups with his pediatrician,Christopher seemed to be a very healthy little boy. But then, just a few months before his fourth birthday, our happy world was turned upside-down. The sunshine of our lives was diagnosed with an inoperable brain stem tumor and given a short time to live.

I knew if we allowed our son to remain in the hospital and accept what little the doctors could do to prolong his life; he would soon die and become just another sad statistic. Though I didn’t know much about God and less about supernatural healing, every fiber in my being cried out, “NO, Christopher will not die! God can and will heal him!”

A SUPERNATURAL WAR

Being that my wife, Carole, and I were from different religious backgrounds, she being Jewish and I Christian, we didn’t practice either of our faiths during the first few years of marriage. But, with our backs against the wall and with absolutely no hope in the medical arena for our son’s survival, we knew we must unite as one in our faith. Embracing Christianity and beseeching God for a miracle, we began to reach out to ministries that would pray and believe with us, that Christopher would be miraculously healed.

Initially, we saw our son’s illness only in the natural. But, while desperately trying to hang on to the smallest shred of faith we had, our battle for his life escalated and suddenly exploded onto unfamiliar territory. With the enemy exposed, we quickly found ourselves warring in the spiritual realm, fighting against an unseen adversary.

While the battle was ragging, the answers to our prayers remained elusive. It appeared as though they were being carried away by the wind and dumped into the abyss. We didn’t realize, during our faith-tested journey, a great shield of protection surrounded us, as the Holy Spirit escorted us, step by step, through the valley of the shadow of death.

GOD IS ALWAYS THERE

I’ve learned, no matter if I find myself in the valley, on a mountain top or somewhere in between, God is always there, working out His plan for my life. By His grace and mercy, we all survived and now have the opportunity to share our extraordinary story with the world.

My son, Christopher, and I have co-authored a book, A Touch from Heaven. It will take you on a faith-tested journey while being captivated to see glimpses into the afterlife through Christopher’s near-death experience. You will also stand amazed to read of his many accomplishments as he triumphantly overcame numerous challenges.  A Touch from Heaven, will give you hope and encouragement and will stir you to believe for the impossible.

You can read a free preview of A Touch from Heaven here: A Touch from Heaven Free Preview

Pictured below from L to R: Neal Pylant, Dr Ben Carson (lead surgeon for the Pylant family) and Christopher Pylant.

Trusting God

Ruth certainly must have considered the probability of remaining single if she left Moab and went with Naomi. Even though it promised no prospects of a husband, she chose to follow Naomi and Naomi’s God back to Bethlehem.

Ruth chose to trust God with her future. She looked not with sensual sight, but through the eyes of faith. She chose to trust with her heart for the future her eyes could not yet see.

God providentially directed Ruth to the field of Boaz. You’ll find this divine encounter in chapter 2 of the Book of Ruth. It began when “…she happened to come to the portion of the field belonging to Boaz…” (Ruth 2:3).

This leaves no room for manipulation. Ruth’s eyes of faith led her to the exact spot where she would meet Mr. Right, Boaz, whose name suggests a pillar of strength. God rewarded Ruth’s faith with a husband who lived up to his name.

I want to direct my encouragement toward very practical ways of building the faith of young girls, and hopefully some “big girls” as well.

Focusing on God’s Word

The old expression about husbands and wives goes: “What’s good for the goose is good for the gander.” I would make the same claim about mothers and daughters. So I hope that you will take the opportunity to be spurred on in your faith walk, and particularly through our emphasis on the Word of God: the Bible.

How do we grow in faith?

The Bible is filled with teaching about this process; and so it is from God’s very Word that we find instruction in raising a Young Lady of Faith. As Paul wrote to the Roman Church in his rich epistle exhorting them: “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ” (Rom. 10:17).

When we study the Bible, we “hear” God’s love for us and His instruction to us; we hear about God’s character and about the character He would work in us. It is not just any word we are hearing, but the Word of God that inspires and nourishes faith. Therefore, the absolute best thing I can focus on involves how you can set your focus and your daughter’s focus on God’s Word, the Bible.

Seven Minutes That Will Change Your Life

Within mere seconds of asking Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life, I was given my first Bible. Along with it, the youth leader gave me the most life-impacting advice I have ever had. He said, “Jackie, this is your spiritual food. I want you to read it at least seven minutes each day. Seven minutes reading your Bible will begin to feed your spirit.”

As a not-so-sweet sixteen-year-old who had just received God’s glorious gift of forgiveness, I was in a very teachable mode. I took the instruction to “get my seven” very seriously, and actually couldn’t wait to read my Bible. From that day until this day, I have never “recovered” from this privilege.

In addition to the personal privilege of reading and studying the Word of God, it has been the privilege of my life to be called to share the Word with others—not least of all, with my own children. One day this past year my daughter Jessi was running and listening to a podcast by the minister and author Francis Chan. Something he said in this talk caused Jessi to stop still in her tracks, turn off the podcast and call me. She was so excited that I almost missed a few words of her exclamation.

Breathlessly she said, “Mom! I just heard something Francis Chan said and it so reminded me of you that I had to call you this instant!”

My eyes filled with tears as Jessi shared the following quote:

The number one responsibility of every parent is to teach their children to be independently dependent on Jesus and His Word.

If there was one desire I had as a mother, it was this: that my children would become “independently dependent on Jesus and His Word.” And as Jessi quoted these words over the phone, it was a true moment of blessing and affirmation—not only because she is a lover of the Word, but because she is raising her little daughter with the same intention and hope.

What about you?

How do you impart faith into your daughters? Let me know in the comments below!

EDITOR’S NOTE: Want to learn more about Raising a Young Lady of Faith? You can start reading a FREE preview of Jackie’s book Raising a Lady in Waiting here: Raising a Lady in Waiting – Free Preview or you can find it at bookstores everywhere.

You can also bring Jackie’s Raising a Lady in Waiting Curriculum to your home, small group or church. Find out more about that here: www.RaisingaLadyInWaiting.com