God Keeps His Promises

By Kat Clark

“The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. Instead He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.” –2 Peter 3:9

My nine-year-old son was having a particularly bad flare. That was what we’d come to call the mysterious episodes he’d been having since just after his third birthday, often on the heels of a virus. During these times his behavior and personality changed drastically. He became destructive and aggressive. He developed motor and vocal tics. His pupils dilated, He couldn’t be reasoned with, and he often had little to no recollection of the episodes.  

On this particular night my husband was at a work dinner, and it was up to me to keep myself, him, and his younger brother safe. He was spitting, hitting, clearing his throat, and clicking his tongue. He tried to lock himself in the bathroom. Once I’d finally gotten him to bed, I stayed up to do some research. I found a specialist thirty minutes away who dealt with sudden onset psychiatric illness in children. However, families came from all over to see him, and he required an email that journaled onset and symptoms before he’d decide whether or not to take your case.

After completing and sending the email, I knelt down by my bed and prayed: God, my son asked me for help. I don’t know how to help him. He’s Your child first. Please show me how to help him. My prayer was interrupted by a ding from my phone on the nightstand. Reflexively, I grabbed it. It was 10:30 at night so I wasn’t expecting anything important. It was an email from the specialist: I would be happy to take your son’s case.

The specialist diagnosed my son with PANDAS (Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorder associated with Strep), an autoimmune disease that impacts the brain. The first step was having his tonsils and adenoids removed, followed by an IVIG procedure during which he received donor immunoglobulin to reset his immune system. On the morning of the IVIG procedure I looked up the daily Bible verse. It was 2 Peter 3:9: “The Lord is not slow in keeping His promises, as some understand slowness. Instead He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”

As I write this, my son has been in remission for three and a half years. The boy who couldn’t attend school is in high school full-time. I wrote about our journey in my book Ransom, written under the pen name Hope Shepherd. God kept His promise, and now I will keep my promise to raise awareness.

Heavenly Father, thank You for keeping Your promises. Please help us to trust Your divine timing. We ask for perseverance, patience, and hope, knowing in Your perfect time, You keep Your promises. In Your mighty name, Amen.