In March/April 1990, I went to a full Gospel church with my brother to hear a prophet speak. It was interesting. At the end, he pulled people out of the congregation that God would speak to him about, and I was one of them. He begins to ask me about children. I tell him, I have a child….and that I babysat. He said, no – he said the enemy has convince you that you cannot handle a second child, and God says if you have a second child, it would be a special child, and that you can handle it…..Well, I left there determined that God gave me choices and I was choosing one. (stubborn!) In June of 1991, we started attending a different full gospel church and as I began to pray and yield to the Lord, all of a sudden, I desired that second child. By September of 1991, I was pregnant. 3 or 4 months later, while at church, the minister prayed for me and told me “the baby in your womb has praise on it’s lips even now, and will stand before many and minister one day, and all who hear them will be blessed”. And yet, a few weeks later, while getting prayer for someone else, the minister began to pray against any attack coming against my baby. He called for one of our older women to come and pray with me and she prayed the same thing, even though, she did not hear what that minister had prayed. Then, I will never forget, she looked at me, pointed her finger and said “your baby will be every whit whole, do you hear me? Every whit whole!” I got the flu a couple of weeks later, and thought, oh, that must be what she was talking about.

However, on April 28, 1992 – at only 32 weeks pregnant, I went into labor. They couldn’t stop my labor and had to life flight me to Columbus. As many people prayed for me, I plunked open the little Bible I had grabbed off the counter and said – God, I am getting afraid – help me! It opened to Psalm 8:2 – Out of the mouths of babes and infants, thou have ordained strength (praise) that thou might still the enemy and the avenger. I said God – give it to me plain – and I heard this as plain as day “Brent Matthew has enough praise on his lips even now, to combat anything the enemy would throw his way”. The peace of God came over me and I went to Columbus, endured the flight, all the negative warnings from the doctors (he could be brain dead, bleed to death, be retarded, etc) and I said – He will be fine, we have too many people praying for him. (every whit whole) on April 29, 1992 He was born, 4 pounds 15.25 ounces, 18.25 inches long and every whit whole!!!!!!

When he was 16, a semi truck came into his lane and hit him head on. As they were preparing to life flight him to Columbus, I looked at him and I said, Brent Matthew – you will be every whit whole! You hear me? This is a LIFE word, not a birth word. 2 months later, he marched onto the field with his drumline. He was every whit whole.

The joy that Brent Matthew has brought to me over the years cannot be measured. He was my buddy when he was little – when Eric would go with his dad, I would say – hey Brently, it’s just you and me again. When taking him home from the hospital from getting his tonsils out, he looked at me and with a raspy voice said – hey mommy – it’s just you and me again. We loved looney toons, and little bear and he was my valentine date one year when Randy had to work, so from then on, I was his valentine.

As he grew older, we shared the love of music, P.O.D., Skillet, and Israel Houghton. I was so blessed to have him as my team drummer when I led worship. I love his heart. He loves tradition, nostalgia, and oh my baking cookies at Christmas! And the train under the tree.

I cannot believe it has been 4 years since he left for college and that we will see him graduate this weekend! Time flies!!!!

Today, I celebrate Brent Matthew Deems, my “upright Gift of God”. I am so thankful that God chose me to be his mom. And as I used to tell him when he was little, if I could go into a room and see all the little boys in the world, and ones who never sassed, always picked up their clothes, and did everything right, I would search and search until I found him. Happy Birthday to you baby. Can’t wait to see you!