Miracles do happen!

by

Casey Schallenberg

The Story of a young child’s Faith, Love of Life and Belief in Miracles

Casey is a bright and sweet 11 year old boy who is perfect in the eyes of God and who just happens to have cerebral palsy and hydrocephalus.

Casey is a phenomenal young man with a great attitude.  He is a true believer in miracles and in his faith.  Look inside to see what Casey has to say about his life and his miracle:

My name is Casey Schallenberg.  I am a young boy who believes in the Lord and I will always believe in Him.  If you do that too, you will figure out that if you believe in the Lord, it is a great reward.  I had a couple of miracles in my life that I want to tell you about.  I am a young boy, a child of God, who wants to carry out God’s will.  I am hoping to share my story and send my message to as many people as I can about never giving up and also about how important it is to have a positive attitude.  I want people to believe in prayers, healing, miracles, and in God’s love.  I want people to be happy with their own precious miracle of life that God has given them.

My first miracle was surviving a very premature birth.  I was born 13 weeks too early.   I didn’t get enough oxygen to my brain when I was born because my lungs weren’t fully developed yet.  I have cerebral palsy and hydrocephalus but I survived and I am very happy to be here.  I was a twin but God had a special plan for my sister in Heaven.  I believe my sister watches over me and I talk to her everyday.  Her name is Kelsi, she’s my guardian angel.

I think God and Kelsi have led my parents to great determination, dedication and many great things when it comes to taking care of me.  And, to teach me that life doesn’t have to be perfect to be wonderful.  My parents helped me develop a great attitude; a “stop at nothing” – “keep moving forward” – “I can do anything” attitude.  They taught me to pray and to believe in miracles.

If you ever wonder why nothing seems to happen, remember that prayer is like planting a seed in the ground.  For weeks and months you may see nothing, but a lot is happening underground.  Keep on trusting God, because one day you will see the answer to your prayers just as one day you’ll see the plant grow.

Cerebral Palsy is a condition caused by injury to the parts of the brain that control our ability to use our muscles and bodies. Often the injury happens before birth, sometimes during delivery or soon after being born. Cerebral Palsy can be mild, moderate, or severe. Hydrocephalus is an abnormal accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid within cavities called ventricles inside the brain which is treated with a surgical insertion of a shunt.

For many years, I could not walk or stand at all.  It really hurt to try to stand on my feet.  I could not straighten my legs.  My muscles were very tight.  I used to need a wheelchair all the time.  My parents and I prayed and prayed for many years that one day I would walk.  Our prayers were answered two years ago when I was 9 years old and I walked for the very first time in my life.

This miracle took a long time, a lot longer than a plant growing, but there were lots of things going on like the seed in the ground.  God was leading my parents to find the best alternative therapies and the least invasive surgery across the country.  I was working hard and gaining strength for 9 years.  God knew when I would be ready to walk so that’s when he answered our prayers.

I feel very blessed and I thank God everyday for giving me the meaning and goodness of life and for filling it with such a wonderful family and wonderful friends.  I know God has a special plan for me and he has a special plan for you too.

Thank you for reading my story and I hope that it will help you to find your faith in the Lord and be thankful for the precious life you have.  I thank God everyday for giving me life.

I would be honored to speak to your Church, school or group about God’s role in my life.  Having God, faith, love and a good attitude, can make a powerful difference in your life

For resources and information about some of the things that have helped me reach my miracle and for more about my story, please visit my web page on Dr. Louis P. Bauer’s website at www.goodtapes.com.  Dr. Bauer is a Christian Clinical Hypnotherapist and Motivational Speaker and Author.  His books, CDs and DVDs have been an inspiration to me and my family.  He is an important part of my life.