miracles
Story by Cassie Graham • Higher Grounds Photography
feature
Jessica, Nicholas, Cameron and Ava
Noelle
“
THERE COULD BE
A MILLION REASONS
AS TO WHY I
Survived,
BUT WHAT IF ONE
OF THEM IS TO RAISE
MY KIDS TO BE GOD
FEARING, KIND
“
INDIVIDUALS...?
When they arrived at Duke, Jessica’s parents and Nicholas were not given much hope for her
of getting pregnant in half. However, it only took two months to get pregnant the second time
survival. Around 3:30 AM on Monday, a week and a day after this all began, Jessica was prepped for
when it had taken five months the first time. It was all in God’s plan. Since she lived through her
surgery again. The doctors discovered a ruptured appendix, and it took the surgeons two hours to
sickness, even when given only a two percent chance of survival, Jessica thought it seemed fitting
clean out her system. Thinking the worst was over, Jessica returned home. But, just a week later,
to give her daughter a name that holds meaning. Ava is derived from the Hebrew meaning “life,”
she began spiking a fever, became weaker than ever, and was having trouble breathing. Back to
and Noelle means Christmas — a time of year we celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior. Noelle
Duke she went, only to find out that her lower left lung had collapsed. The next three days at Duke
is also Jessica’s middle name.
were spent making sure that the lung would expand on its own.
Her experience has altered the way she parents her children. She has begun placing more
Afterwards, Jessica was neither physically nor emotionally able to come to terms with her
emphasis on teaching her children about Jesus and making sure that they know how much
near-death experience. “In survival mode, all that mattered was getting through the next phase
they are loved by God and their earthly parents. It is her hope that she will prepare her children
of recovery so I could get home to my son.” About the second month, still bed-ridden for the most
to grow and prosper and to share the message of Jesus Christ wherever they go. This means
part, it finally hit. “I was lying in the recliner, looking at shelves full of get well cards and flow-
disciplining them when they need it, demanding and expecting respect of adults, and not
ers, when I realized I almost missed out on life with my husband and my son. According to the
excusing bad, lazy behavior. “I don’t know why God allowed me to live. There could be a million
doctors, I wasn’t supposed to make it.” Jessica believes God used her and this experience to
reasons as to why I survived, but what if one of them is to raise my kids to be God fearing, kind
reach many lost people and others who felt they could just “skate through life.” She was 27 years
individuals, who are meant to do great things? I’m going to do my best to provide a loving,
old and in perfect health when all of this took place.
Christian home for my children.”
Jessica’s spiritual journey through this process has given her a new outlook on life. “God gave
As we approach Thanksgiving and the Advent season, we are reminded that miracles still hap-
me a new respect and appreciation for all the blessings I have. I used to have a fear of death,
pen. Recognizing that the very breath of life is a gift is a way to begin seeing God’s blessings.
germs, car accidents, and things I can’t control, yet my life was almost taken for something
Jessica’s experience has not only revitalized her own faith and refreshed her outlook on life, but
I had never thought of. God is in control, and He can do ANYTHING He wants with our lives.
has sparked faith in the lives of those she continues to witness to. “God interceded for me. I’m
I am now much more vocal about my faith and expressive about my blessings.” Though she
only 29 and He has saved me time and time again. He saved me when Jesus died a horrifically
still becomes nervous speaking with strangers or in public, she has a renewed confidence that
painful death on Calvary’s cross so that I would not be held accountable for my sins, He saved me
God will see her through.
when I walked down that aisle at seven years old and He put my name in the Lamb’s Book of Life.
Jessica’s second pregnancy in 2014 came with a sigh of relief and as a blessing from God. After
her surgery, doctors thought that her right fallopian tube was damaged, which cut the chances
He saved me from the brink of death by allowing me to get the medicines and surgeries I needed
to prolong my life. I am so blessed that I am here to be a wife and a mother.”
Jessica and Nicholas Hughes reside in Tabor City, North Carolina, with their two children, Cameron and Ava Noelle.
Jessica works for the Horry County School System as a Speech-Language Pathologist and is an ambassador for Plexus Worldwide.
142
NOVEMBER 2015
SHEMAGAZINE.COM